Written Answers of 28 March 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Case Procedure Reform
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps the Lord Chancellor is taking to reform the procedures for handling cases in the High Court and the county courts.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has asked Lord Woolf to examine the procedures used in the civil courts. Lord Woolf will aim to improve access to justice and reduce the cost of litigation. He will also seek to reduce complexity and modernise terminology.

  List of male and female staff, part-time and full-time in the Lord Chancellor's Department as at 24 March 1994

  Grade

  Male full-time

  Male part-time

  Female full-time

  Female part-time

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 3

  8

  0

  1

  0

  Grade 4

  5

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 5

  16

  0

  3

  0

  Grade 5 sol

  11

  0

  1

  2

  Grade 6 senior principal

  28

  0

  8

  0

  Grade 6 legal

  23

  1

  7

  4

  DP registrar

  11

  0

  0

  0

  Senior legal assistant

  6

  0

  1

  1

  Grade 7 principal

  109

  0

  45

  2

  Grade 7 legal

  20

  0

  26

  6

  Legal assistant

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Legal officer

  0

  0

  2

  0

  SEO

  211

  3

  110

  3

  Total

  453

  4

  204

  18

  List of male and female staff, part-time and full-time in the Lord Chancellor's Department as at 24 March 1994

  Grade

  Male full-time

  Male part-time

  Female full-time

  Female part-time

  Senior assistant stats

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Senior information officer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  HEO

  506

  3

  508

  44

  Information officer

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Assistant stats

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Chief typing manager

  0

  0

  3

  0

  Librarian

  4

  0

  4

  0

  HEO D

  3

  0

  5

  0

  Admin trainee

  4

  0

  1

  0

  EO

  700

  7

  1,180

  162

  Assistant information officer

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Senior personal secretary

  0

  0

  15

  0

  Typing manager

  0

  0

  33

  0

  Assistant librarian

  0

  0

  8

  0

  Total

  1,222

  10

  1,759

  206

  482

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the desirability of availability of legal aid for disputes between groups of pensioners and their pension funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government have no plans to make legal aid available for groups, but civil legal aid is available to individuals pursuing most types of action through the civil courts of England and Wales subject to tests as to their means and the merits of their case.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Details of the number of staff in each civil service grade by(a) male and (b) female, and by (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees are set out in the tables.
  483

  List of male and female staff, part-time and full-time in the Lord Chancellor's Department as at 24 March 1994

  Grade

  Male full-time

  Male part-time

  Female full-time

  Female part-time

  SM2

  5

  0

  0

  0

  SM3

  9

  0

  22

  0

  AO

  1,023

  19

  2,719

  667

  Personal secretary

  0

  0

  61

  8

  Interpreter

  0

  0

  2

  0

  AA

  180

  7

  363

  94

  SGB 1

  57

  0

  72

  18

  SGB2

  453

  123

  434

  415

  Typist

  1

  0

  437

  301

  Total

  1,728

  149

  4,110

  1,503

  Council Tax
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidelines he has issued in relation to the council tax liability for those domestic staff required to live in at judges' lodgings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Those staff required to live in at judges' lodgings are, as a condition of their employment, subject to a service licence and are required to pay rent. As resident licensees, they are consequently liable to pay the council tax, based on an assessment of the accommodation which they occupy. The staff concerned have been advised of the position.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of state for National Heritage when he last met the Minister of Tourism of the Isle of Man with a view to the co-promotion of the island's heritage, Celtic traditions and recreational facilities in north America and the Pacific rim.

  Mr. Sproat
  Neither I nor my right hon. Friend have met the Minister of Tourism of the Isle of Man to discuss the promotion of the island's attractions abroad. The British Tourist Authority has no obligation under the 1969 Development of Tourism Act to represent the Isle of Man. However, it does offer representational services and I understand that it is currently in discussion about new proposals to represent the Isle of Man in certain overseas markets.

  Quangos
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the number of quangos for which he is responsible; how much in public funds has been given to each quango in each of the last three years; what is the current staffing establishment of each quango; and what it was five years ago.

  Mr. Sproat
  This information is available in "Public Bodies 1993" and earlier editions of the same publication. Copies of all editions are available in the Library of the House.
  484

  Rules and Regulations
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of state for National Heritage how many rules and regulations his Department has passed in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department was established in April 1992. Between then and the year end, it passed four regulations. In 1993, it passed 34 regulations and so far in 1994 it has passed six regulations.

  Sports Facilities
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the Central Council of Physical Recreation concerning the loss of sports facilities and planning legislation as it relates to sports sites.

  Mr. Brooke
  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary had discussions with representatives of the Central Council of Physical Recreation, on 2 March, to discuss a number of sports issues, including briefly the national register of recreational land.

TRANSPORT

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further progress he has made in transferring the executive functions of his Department to agency status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am establishing three further executive agencies in my Department with effect from 1 April: the Highways Agency, the Coastguard Agency and the Marine Safety Agency. I have set clear aims and objectives for each of the agencies and I am placing clear responsibility for the management of the agencies on their chief executives. I will look to the chief executives for improvements in efficiency and effectiveness and in the quality of the services the agencies provide. The aims and objectives of each agency and the chief executives' reponsibilities are set out in the agencies' framework documents; copies of which will be placed in the Library when published.

  Each year, I shall set these agencies demanding efficiency and service targets, which will be published in annual business plans. The agencies will also publish annual reports; again, copies of these, and the business plans for 1994–95, will be placed in the Library.

  The Highways Agency has some 2,400 staff, and has a headquarters office in London. The agency will be

  485
  responsible for managing and maintaining the existing motorway and trunk road network in England and for delivering the Government's road programme. I believe that the increased focus on managing the network as a whole, which is reflected in the agency's aim and objectives and in the targets in the road users charter and charter standard statement—"Your Home and Trunk Road Proposals"—which I will publish shortly, will result in a better quality of service for users of the trunk road network and those who are affected by traffic on it and improvements to it. Following an open competition, I have appointed Mrs. Lawrie Haynes, formerly with British Aerospace, to be the agency's first chief executive.

  The Coastguard Agency has some 580 staff, the large majority of whom are uniformed coastguard officers, and has its headquarters in Southampton. The agency will be responsible for discharging the Government's responsibilities for civil maritime search and rescue and combating oil and chemical pollution from ships where there is a threat to United Kingdom interests. Following an open competition, I have appointed Mr. Chris Harris, formerly director of the Department's marine emergencies organisation, to be the agency's first chief executive.

  The Marine Safety Agency has some 410 staff, and has its headquarters in Southampton. The agency will be responsible for implementing the Government's strategy for marine safety and the prevention of pollution from ships. Following an open competition, I have appointed Mr. Robin Bradley, formerly a serving Royal Navy officer, to be the agency's first chief executive.

  I wish the chief executives and their staffs every success for the future. I am confident that these new arrangements will enable them to provide yet further improvements in the services they provide while giving better value for money.

  Where right hon. or hon. Members have queries about matters relating to the operation of the agencies, I hope they will write in the first instance to the chief executives, I and my hon. Friends the Ministers for Roads and Traffic and for Transport in London and my noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping will continue to deal with questions of policy and resources, or where there is dissatisfaction with an agency's reply.

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Minister for Transport of the Isle of Man to discuss transport links and matters of common interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have not met the Isle of Man Minister for Transport. However, my noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping met the hon. David North MHK, Isle of Man Minister for Highways, Ports and Properties, on 2 March to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Rail Costs
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of additional costs in overall rail subsidy which will be necessary to pay for consultants and to cover additional administration arising out of rail franchising.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not possible to separate the costs specifically associated with franchising from the overall 486
  cost of restructuring the railway industry. Although there will be some additional administration costs arising from the restructuring of the railway in April, we believe that, over time, these will be more than offset by the efficiency savings privatisation will bring.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his estimate of the financial effects of rail franchising of the services subsidised by passenger transport authorities or executives on routes where track is shared with InterCity or Regional Railways where charges are currently made only for marginal costs; and what is his estimate of the financial effects on such services of the requirement to pay a proportionate share of administration costs;

  (2) what effect changes in charging procedure as a result of rail franchising will have in respect of subsidies for services subsidised by passenger transport authorities or executives; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what is his estimate of the percentage increases in passenger transport executive Railtrack access charges for 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97, compared to the present charges for each executive.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not possible to draw a direct comparison between the various elements of the charges currently paid by the passenger transport executives to BR under their section 20 agreements, under which the PTEs have paid the net marginal cost of their services to BR, and the charges that will apply under the new regime, under which PTE services will carry an appropriate share of infrastructure charges and central overheads. From April 1994 the PTEs will be treated on the same basis as the franchising director, paying subsidy to the company operating their services, which will in turn need to pay access charges to Railtrack.

  We expect the headline cost to PTEs of maintaining existing service levels to increase under the new regime, but we have undertaken to cover the increased cost in 1994–95 by making special grant payments to them, and, thereafter, to enhance the provision made in the section 20 bolt-on for their constituent metropolitan district councils.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the channel tunnel rail link route, that he announced in his statement of 24 January,Official Report, columns 19–34, will be in tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  About 23 per cent. of the 108 km route of the new channel tunnel rail link route announced in January will be in tunnel, although final decisions on the route at Pepper Hill and Ashford may affect this figure.

  Rail Fares
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the most recent available comparisons of rail fares per mile or kilometre throughout the EEC and non-EEC European countries.

  Mr. Freeman
  Comparative data of the kind requested are not available to the Department.
  487

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statistics his Department has for each of the last four years on the number of accidents involving heavy goods vehicles where the operator of the heavy goods vehicle is found not to hold a heavy goods vehicle operator licence.

  Mr. Key
  The information necessary to provide the statistics requested is not at present collected; consideration is being given to how these statistics might be collected in the future following a meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Vehicle Inspectorate and the Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Trading Standards last December.

  Personal injury road accident data are collected by the police and reported to the Department: those accidents involving heavy goods vehicles where the operator does not hold an operator's licence are not at present distinguished from those where such a licence is held by the operator. The Department is pursuing with the Association of Chief Police Officers and individual police forces how more precise statistics might be provided.

  Ministerial Receptions
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost of receptions held by Ministers in his Department in 1993–94.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The cost of receptions held by Ministers in this Department in 1993–94 was £3,038·21.

  Stansted Airport
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what date it is forecast that Stansted airport will be operating at full capacity as indicated by the new air traffic forecasts recently published by his Department; and what assessment he has made of the effect on this of doubling the air passenger duty in real terms.

  Mr. Norris
  The air traffic forecasts published by the Department of Transport provide aggregate forecasts for the London airports, and regional airports. They do not provide forecasts for individual airports. The forecasts of the working group on runway capacity to serve the south-east—RUCATSE—indicated that Stansted would reach capacity around 2015; this would require an increase in the air traffic movement limit from its present level of 78,000 movements. No assessment has been made of the effect of doubling the air passenger duty.

  New Car Registrations
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of new car registrations for each of the last eight quarters for(a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire; and what were the comparable figures for (i) five and (ii) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Key
  The requested information for 1993, 1992 and 1988 is given. Comparable figures for these two areas for the year 1983 are not available.

  New registrations

  1993

  1992

  1988

  Doncaster

  Quarter 1

  3,915

  3,313

  5,475

  Quarter 2

  3,104

  2,924

  4,610

  488

  1993

  1992

  1988

  Quarter 3

  6,206

  5,211

  7,220

  Quarter 4

  2,628

  2,384

  3,231

  Total

  15,853

  13,832

  20,536

  South Yorkshire

  Quarter 1

  7,096

  6,509

  10,496

  Quarter 2

  5,852

  5,792

  8,701

  Quarter 3

  11,001

  9,434

  13,344

  Quarter 4

  4,888

  4,440

  6,312

  Total

  28,837

  26,175

  38,853

  Kingkerswell Bypass
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to start work on the Kingkerswell bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The future progress of this scheme depends on the outcome of our review of the national trunk road programme. We will announce the results of the review shortly.

  Railway Staff, Redundancies
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to fill the skills gap left by the departure of experienced railway managers and staff with the restructuring of the railway industry on 1 April.

  Mr. Freeman
  Recuitment and retention of staff are matters for employers in the industry.

  Quarried Stone, Rutland
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require the transport of quarried stone, for the purpose of any quarrying of limestone between Market Overton and Thistleton in Rutland, to be taken by rail according to the original planning consent of 1954.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the county planning authority.

ENVIRONMENT

  Birch Coppice
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he made the decision to set aside his decision of 2 August 1993 to refuse British Coal's application to opencast at Birch Coppice in Warwickshire.

  Mr. Baldry
  As the hon. Member is aware, my Department issued a decision letter on 2 August 1993 refusing planning permission in respect of British Coal's application to opencast at Birch Coppice in Warwickshire. British Coal exercised its right to challenge that decision in the High Court on 6 September 1993. Having considered the grounds of the challenge, my Department instructed the Treasury Solicitors to submit to judgment on certain aspects of the challenge in February 1994. We are currently awaiting for the court to determine the matter.

  If the court decides to quash the Secretary of State's decision, the appeal will then be referred back to the Secretary of State for him to redetermine. It does not follow that the original decision will automatically be overturned and permission granted.
  489
  In accordance with rule 18 of the Town and Country Planning Inquiry Procedure Rules, the Secretary of State will send to the persons entitled to appear at the inquiry who appeared at it a written statement indicating the matters in respect of which further representations are invited for the purpose of his further consideration of the appeal. This will provide parties with the opportunities to submit written representations or call for the reopening of the inquiry. It will then be a matter for decision by the Secretary of State whether or not the inquiry should be reopened. It is not possible to commence the redetermination process until the court has determined the matter and referred the case back to the Secretary of State. If this happens, the process will be put into effect as soon as possible and a final decision on the matter will be issued as soon as possible after the process has been completed.

  Emissions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account is taken of the expected changes in PM10 levels in his Department's methodology for assessing the costs and benefits of proposed road schemes; and if he will seek expert advice on the case for reviewing the methodology to give greater weight to the cost implications for proposed road schemes of the effects of PM10 emissions.

  Mr. Key
  The effects of emissions are considered as part of the environmental assessment of trunk road schemes although they are not assigned monetary values. There is no PM10 standard in the United Kingdom as yet, but this is under consideration as indicated by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside on 21 March 1994 in his answer to a question from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn),Official Report, column 114. I shall await the results of this work with interest.

  Robin Hood Railway Line
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what financial support he plans for phases 2 and 3 of the Robin Hood line in Nottinghamshire; under what powers he will provide such assistance; in what financial years such assistance will be given; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what funding he intends to make available for phases 2 and 3 of the Robin Hood line in Nottinghamshire; how this funding might be paid; in what financial years this funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make funds available for stage 3 of the Robin Hood railway line from Mansfield to Worksop.

  Mr. Freeman
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 6 May 1993 resources of £6·5 million are to be made available for phase 2 of the Robin Hood line. An application by Nottinghamshire county council for grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 is still being discussed. The £6·5 million will be a combination of grant and credit approvals under sections 53 and 54 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The current project programme indicates that resources will be required in the 1994–95 financial year.

  I am not yet satisfied with the case for phase 3 and my Department is discussing with the county council the
  490
  further work needed on the appraisal. If the council wishes to bid for resources for phase 3, they will need to indicate in a future transport policies and programme submission how it fits into their overall strategy and priorities.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the maximum speed of channel tunnel passenger trains through the tunnel under Blue Bell Hill, Kent when the channel tunnel rail link route he announced on 24 January,Official Report, columns 19–34, becomes operational.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is an operational matter for the railway operators concerned, in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive. The presently assumed maximum timetabled speed of trains between the channel tunnel and London is 225 km/h—140 mph. Not all trains will run at the maximum speed. Freight and commuter services may operate more slowly than international passenger trains.

  Pollution
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the levels of(a) atmospheric pollution, (b) oxides of nitrogen and (c) black smoke emissions in the Doncaster area in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Atkins
  Annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and black smoke in the Doncaster area from 1985 to 1993 are given in the tables.

  1. Nitrogen Dioxide (ppb)

  Year

  Site Address

  NO2 Conc (ppb)

  1986

  Ambulance Station Armthorpe Road DN2 SLU

  24·0

  1986

  College of Technology Waterdale

  24·0

  1986

  Barnsley Road Scawsby

  25·0

  1986

  Mere Lane Armthorpe

  19·0

  1991

  Ambulance Station Armthorpe Road DN2 5LU

  28·0

  19931

  Old Guildhall Doncaster DN1 1RH (1–5 metres from road)

  28·0

  19931

  Old Guildhall Doncaster DN1 1RH (20–30 metres from road)

  29·3

  19931

  Ambulance Station Armthorpe Road DN2 5LU

  21·5

  19931

  East Lane House East Lane Stainforth Doncaster

  18·8

  1 All nitrogen dioxide data for 1993 are still provisional.

  491

  2. Sulphur dioxide (ppb)

  Year

  Site1 1

  Site 2

  Site 3

  Site 4

  Site 5

  Site 6

  Site 7

  Site 8

  Site 9

  1985

  29

  33

  23

  30

  32

  30

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  30

  32

  20

  24

  27

  31

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  16

  26

  16

  20

  24

  26

  —

  30

  —

  1988

  12

  19

  —

  16

  15

  19

  15

  19

  11

  1989

  11

  18

  —

  17

  18

  19

  17

  19

  13

  1990

  12

  17

  —

  14

  16

  21

  16

  22

  12

  1991

  17

  18

  —

  14

  16

  21

  17

  23

  11

  1992

  —

  26

  10

  12

  16

  15

  14

  18

  6

  1993

  —

  —

  13

  13

  17

  17

  6

  20

  9

  Sites1

  1. Welfare Block, Coalite, Works, Askern, nr Doncaster.

  2. Mere Lane, Armthorpe, Doncaster.

  3. Church St. Armthorpe, Doncaster.

  4. Woodlands Clinic, Central Avenue.

  5. College of Further Education, Mexborough.

  6. The Library Moorends.

  7. Homscarr Middle School, Grange Lane, Rossington, Doncaster.

  8. East Lane House, East Lane, Stainforth, Doncaster.

  9. Ellison St. Thorne, Doncaster.

  3. Black Smoke (ug/m3) (British Standard Unit)

  Year

  Site1 1

  Site 2

  Site 3

  Site 4

  Site 5

  Site 6

  Site 7

  Site 8

  Site 9

  1985

  42

  43

  30

  31

  29

  60

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  65

  49

  31

  34

  28

  85

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  68

  48

  30

  41

  35

  81

  —

  98

  —

  1988

  35

  21

  —

  27

  25

  68

  20

  61

  19

  1989

  18

  19

  —

  24

  21

  56

  16

  43

  23

  1990

  12

  14

  —

  13

  15

  21

  13

  45

  11

  1991

  17

  19

  —

  17

  21

  18

  18

  48

  12

  1992

  —

  31

  11

  11

  20

  16

  12

  31

  11

  1993

  —

  —

  13

  13

  21

  21

  15

  25

  11

  1Sites

  As in table 2.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he plans to take to reduce levels of PM10 in British cities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Measures to reduce emissions of particles from cars and light vans by 40 per cent. will be applied in 1996 under the consolidated cars directive 91/441/EEC. In addition a further stage of EC directive 91/542, covering emissions from heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches, has been agreed for implementation in 1996, which will reduce particulate emissions from these sources by about 50 per cent.

  Further action to reduce levels of fine particles will be considered in the light of advice from the Department of Health's independent Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants and from the expert panel on air quality standards, which recommends air quality standards to the Secretary of State for the Environment and which is currently considering a standard for particles.

  Environmental Action Fund
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the bodies that will receive moneys under the environmental action fund for the year 1994–95; and how much each is to be given.

  Mr. Atkins
  The list of organisations receiving support from the environmental action fund in 1994–95 is as follows:
  492

  Organisation/Application

  Gran (£)

  ACTAC

  30,204

  Advisory Committee on the Protection of the Sea

  25,000

  Airfields Environment Federation

  8,544

  Atmospheric Research and Information Centre—Information

  15,408

  Atmospheric Research and Information Centre

  22,000

  Bat Conservation Trust (Core Funding)

  27,600

  Black Environment Network

  16,869

  Botanic Centre

  55,000

  Bristol Environment and Energy Trust

  27,000

  British Trust for Conservation Volunteers

  516,500

  Business in the Environment

  20,000

  Byker City Farm

  16,875

  Cash From Trash

  32,000

  Civic Trust

  143,100

  Common Ground

  25,000

  Community Development Foundation

  34,263

  Community Recycling Network

  35,000

  COSQUEC

  9,000

  Cotswold Canals Trust

  20,717

  Council for Environmental Education

  125,000

  Council for Environmental Education (Info in Action)

  21,000

  Create

  63,393

  CSV—Action Earth

  10,000

  CSV—Brumcan

  19,100

  CSV—Older People in the Environment

  31,000

  CSV—Scouts Environmental Challenge Fund

  30,265

  CSV—South West Action

  18,000

  CSV

  144,000

  CTAC

  19,125

  Cycling Project for the North West

  20,718

  Derby Rainbow

  21,200

  Devon Wildlife Trust

  25,000

  ECO Environmental Information Trust

  25,000

  Environ

  12,200

  Environment Council—Information for Local Action

  11,149

  Environment Council

  40,000

  493

  Organisation/Application

  Gran (£)

  Family First Ltd.

  9,625

  Fanning and Wildlife Advisory Group

  130,000

  Friends of the Earth Trust Ltd.

  30,000

  Game Conservancy Trust (Project Funding)

  15,345

  Game Conservancy Trust (Strategic)

  50,943

  Global Action Plan

  35,000

  Green Alliance

  30,000

  Institute of Business Ethics

  11,087

  Irish Sea Forum

  10,000

  Landlife

  24,775

  Learning Through Landscapes

  45,000

  London Ecology Centre Trust

  35,500

  Mersey Basin Trust—Schools project

  15,000

  Mersey Basin Trust

  65,000

  Merseyside Environmental Trust

  22,000

  National Association for Environmental Education

  17,000

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations

  52,000

  National Federation of City Farms

  18,795

  National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection

  41,820

  National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardens

  35,000

  National Stone Centre

  11,735

  Neighbourhood Energy Action—ethnic minorities

  20,000

  Neighbourhood Energy Action—rural energy

  25,750

  North East Environment Network

  18,191

  Northern Support Network

  12,000

  Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council

  19,000

  Open Spaces Society

  12,000

  Pedestrians Association

  10,050

  Peterborough Environment City Trust

  36,700

  Projects in Partnership

  20,000

  RSNC

  358,500

  RSNC—The Wildlife Trusts Partnership

  26,250

  Royal Society of the Arts

  24,000

  Royal Town Planning Institute

  11,168

  Scout Association

  19,128

  Sea Watch Foundation

  22,200

  Sheffield Environmental Training

  15,000

  Southampton Environment Centre

  7,117

  Southwark Mediation

  20,642

  SUSTRANS

  25,000

  Thames Explorer Trust

  10,000

  The Environment Trust

  21,297

  The Environment Trust—Lower Lea Project

  63,000

  Toy Pirates

  20,000

  Tree Advice Trust

  40,000

  Tree Council

  48,000

  UK CEED

  25,000

  Upland Cumbria Initiative

  12,500

  Walter Segal Self Build Trust

  49,065

  Waste Not Recycling

  39,245

  Waste Watch—Recycling

  35,304

  Waste Watch—Wasteline

  52,110

  Waste Watch—Strategic

  114,683

  West Midlands Environmental Network

  14,000

  Wey and Arun Canal Trust

  11,000

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

  29,735

  Wildfowl and Countryside Link

  17,450

  Woodland Trust (Award Scheme)

  5,500

  Woodland Trust (Strategic Development Officer)

  19,000

  Woodland Trust (Community Liaison)

  10,000

  World Wide Fund for Nature—Agenda 21

  30,275

  World Wide Fund for Nature

  27,000

  Wyecycle

  15,000

  YMCA Otterburn Hall Trust

  22,000

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy toward reapplications to opencast the same site following privatisation of coal.
  494
  Mr. Baldry
  Each case will be considered on its merits, but I will consider the need for specific policies in the revision of minerals planning guidance 3. There is no time limit before a reapplication may be made.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions in the last 20 years when very special circumstances have been shown under the Opencast Coal Act 1958 to allow a second application to be granted to opencast a site previously opencast.

  Mr. Baldry
  Figures are available only since 1984. Since that time, there have been five occasions on which special circumstances have been shown to allow compulsory rights orders to be confirmed in respect of sites previously opencast. Applications for a second compulsory rights order for the same site will be considered on their merits.

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the 1994–95 charging schemes for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Atkins
  Charges to cover the costs of regulating processes under integrated pollution control—IPC—and premises subject to Radioactive Substances Act 1993—RSA93—regulation were introduced in 1991 under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act requires Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to balance costs and income, taking one financial year with another.

  With the agreement of the Treasury, and following consultation with industry and other bodies, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have now made revised IPC and RSA93 charging schemes, specifying the revised scales of fees and charges which will take effect from 1 April 1994. Copies of the revised schemes have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The charges are based on the cost of HMIP' s regulatory activities. For 1994–95, the rate per inspector day will be £993, and increase of 2·9 per cent. over the rate for 1993–94.

  For IPC, the scheme comprises an application fee to cover the assessment of the operator's proposals and preparation of the authorisation, a variation fee to cover the costs of assessment of any proposals for substantial variation to a process and an annual subsistence charge for the holders of authorisations to cover the costs of inspection and oversight of the plant.

  The application fee for 1994–95 is £2,570 per component for processes which have previously been subject to air pollution control and £3,860 per component for processes coming under regulation by HMIP for the first time. The variation fee is £1,290 per component.

  The annual subsistence charge is £1,730 per component. This included a charge of £150 to recoup the under-recovery of costs, including setting up costs, in earlier years. In addition, some operators will pay a charge for the monitoring of their processes by contractors engaged by HMIP; the amount of the monitoring charge will directly reflect the cost of this work to HMIP.
  495
  Under the RSA93 charging scheme, nuclear licensed premises are billed individually on the basis of regulatory time spent and costs incurred at each site, in accordance with the inspector day rate.

  Non-nuclear premises are charged on the basis of flat-rate fees on a similar basis to the IPC scheme, covering applications, substantial variations and subsistence. For premises authorised to accumulate and dispose of radioactive waste—"band 3 premises", for example, research establishments and major universities—the application and variation fee will be £1,425 and the subsistance charge £995. For those premises authorised to accumulate and dispose of small quantities of substances, or substances with a lesser risk, a lower subsistence charge of £85 will be levied. For premises registered to keep and use radioactive material—"band 4 premises", for example, industrial users of radioactive sources—the application and variation fee will be £515. The subsistence fee for band 4 premises will be £85, but the majority of such premises will be exempt from this because they handle small sources and do not require routine inspection.

  For 1991–92, the first year of operation of the charging schemes, charges were initially set too low. To ensure equity with those operators applying for authorisations and registrations in later years when more realistic charges have been set, holders of authorisations and registrations arising from applications in 1991–92 pay a supplementary subsistence charge. This charge will continue in 1994–95 at the same rate as in 1992–93 and 1993–94: under IPC, £610 per component for applications charges at the full rate, £410 per component for those charged at the reduced rate; under RSA93, £210 and £80 for band 3 and band 4 premises respectively.

  Copies of the schemes will shortly be sent to relevant operators and to other interested bodies.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of higher council house rents in Wakefield on housing benefit expenditure.

  Sir George Young
  The increase in Wakefield city council's rent guideline for the purpose of housing revenue account subsidy in 1994–95 is £2·79 per dwelling per week. On the basis of returns made by Wakefield, if the council increases its actual rents by this amount, the Department estimates that additional rent income will be £5·803 million, of which £3·482 million will be granted in rebates.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken of capital expenditure for the purposes of council house maintenance in assessments for housing revenue account subsidies.

  Sir George Young
  Each housing authority's entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy takes into account annual loan charges on the cost of additional borrowing to finance capital expenditure up to a level related to that authority's annual capital allocations for this purpose.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his estimate is of the expenditure required to bring all of Britain's council house stock up to fully habitable levels at 1994 prices.
  496
  Sir George Young
  Estimates of the cost of making dwellings fit for habitation in England are contained in the report of the 1991 English house condition survey published in September 1993. For all public sector housing, the backlog of such work is estimated at £780 million at 1994 prices. Matters affecting the housing stock in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the capital and revenue expenditure was, per council house tenancy, on housing maintenance and repairs for each year since 1979.

  Sir George Young
  Capital and revenue expenditure, in cash terms, on maintenance and repairs per council dwelling in England was as follows:

  Year

  Revenue £

  Capital £

  1979–80

  n/a

  n/a

  1980–81

  171

  139

  1981–82

  189

  129

  1982–83

  218

  203

  1983–84

  256

  250

  1984–85

  272

  284

  1985–86

  289

  294

  1986–87

  296

  342

  1987–88

  326

  405

  1988–89

  365

  454

  1989–90

  406

  720

  1990–91

  487

  434

  1991–92

  509

  381

  1992–93

  545

  390

  1993–94

  1595

  1394

  1 Estimate.

  n/a = Not available.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the proportion of the 1994–95 housing revenue account subsidy which will be provided for housing benefits reimbursement.

  Sir George Young
  It is estimated that, in 1994–95, £3,549 million of housing revenue account subsidy will be paid to housing authorities in England as reimbursement for their rent rebate expenditure—net of the amount funded by HRA surpluses. This is 81 per cent. of the total provision for housing revenue account subsidy for 1994–95 of £4,381 million.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities receive a nil or negative housing revenue account subsidy for the housing element component.

  Sir George Young
  In 1993–94 there is a negative entitlement to the housing element of housing revenue account subsidy for 282 English housing authorities. No authority has a nil entitlement.

  Unitary Development Plans
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list when each of the unitary development plans for each authority in Greater Manchester was published; when they will run to; and when he expects each authority to start preparing the next unitary development plans.
  497
  Mr. Baldry
  The deposit drafts of the Greater Manchester UDPs were published on the following dates:

  Date

  Bolton

  September 1992

  Bury

  October 1993

  Manchester

  October 1992

  Oldham

  March 1993

  Salford

  November 1992

  Stockport

  February 1994

  Tameside

  March 1993

  Trafford

  April 1993

  Wigan

  April 1993

  The Rochdale UDP has not yet been placed on deposit, a consultation draft was published in April 1993.

  We have advised local planning authorities that the general policies for the development and use of land contained in part 1 of a UDP should make provision for development for a period of at least 15 years. The more detailed policies and proposals contained in part 2 should generally make provision for development for a period of 10 years.

  Local planning authorities may prepare proposals to alter or replace existing plans at any time. Plans should be reviewed regularly and the appropriate timing of review will depend on local circumstances, I would generally expect plans to be reviewed at least once every five years.

  Housing Investment Programme
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the housing investment programme allocation for each local authority in 1978–79, 1993–94 and 1994–95 in cash and in constant prices.

  Sir George Young
  I have today placed in the Library a table of housing investment programme allocations by local authority for the years in question.

  Countryside Organisations
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of merging English Nature and the Countryside Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  A decision whether to merge English Nature and the Countryside Commission has yet to be taken. The likely costs and benefits of merger are being considered as part of the current study into this matter. Conclusions have not yet been reached.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the statement and briefing published by the Countryside Commission on 28 February concerning the future of English Nature and the Countryside Commission was authorised by his Department.

  Mr. Atkins
  No.

  Cwm Selar
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Environment Commissioner of the European Union in relation to the implications of the 1992 habitats directive of the European Union on the proposed opencast coal site development on the Cwm Selar site of special scientific interest, Cwmgwrach, Vale of Neath.
  498
  Mr. Atkins
  There have been no such consultations.

  Nature Reserves
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the responsibility for, or administration of, national nature reserves; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no such plans. However, the current study into bringing together English Nature and the Countryside Commission embraces all the activities of both bodies, including English Nature's responsibility for national nature reserves.

  Institute of Terrestrial Ecology
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the role and functions of the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology.

  Mr. Atkins
  None. The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology is a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council, which is not one of my responsibilities. However, it is a highly successful and competitive contractor to many DOE research programmes.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enhance the role or functions of local authorities in relation to sites of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Atkins
  None.

  Housing Capital Receipts
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the additional capital receipts that have been made available for investment by local authorities in England as a result of the relaxation in the rules governing use of such receipts which applied between 13 November 1992 and 31 December 1993.

  Mr. Curry
  Latest figures from local authorities indicate that the level of additional receipts was about £1·8 billion, which is more than the £1·75 billion figure suggested by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State following the announcement of the relaxation in the 1992 autumn statement.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested in respect of permanent staff in post on 23 March 1994 is set out in the table.

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 2

  8

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 3

  47

  0

  5

  0

  499

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Grade 4

  5

  0

  3

  0

  Assistant Comptroller (Patent Office)

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Grades 5

  173

  0

  21

  10

  Executive Director Lower Insolvency Service

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Superintendent Examiner (Patent Office)

  8

  0

  0

  0

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 6

  144

  7

  26

  4

  Grade 7

  779

  6

  106

  32

  Insolvency Grade A

  12

  0

  0

  0

  Insolvency Grade B

  66

  0

  4

  0

  Principal Examiner (Patent Office)

  24

  0

  2

  0

  Senior Examiner (Patent Office)

  150

  1

  14

  3

  Chief Investigations Officer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Petroleum Specialist 2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 3

  7

  0

  1

  0

  Petroleum Specialist 3

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Senior Electrical Engineer 1

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Senior Executive Officer

  313

  1

  56

  12

  Higher Executive Officer D

  18

  0

  16

  0

  Higher Executive Officer

  704

  3

  259

  42

  Executive Officer

  840

  12

  575

  96

  Administrative Trainee

  9

  0

  4

  0

  Senior Economic Assistant

  6

  0

  8

  1

  Economic Assistant

  4

  0

  1

  0

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  2

  0

  2

  0

  Assistant Statistician

  4

  0

  2

  0

  Senior Information Officer

  10

  0

  7

  1

  Information Officer

  19

  0

  9

  0

  Assistant Information Officer

  8

  0

  5

  0

  Higher Graphics Officer

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Legal Officer

  2

  0

  3

  0

  Senior Librarian

  3

  1

  4

  0

  Librarian

  9

  1

  10

  0

  Assistant Librarian

  11

  0

  13

  3

  Photographic Officer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Process and General Supervisory C

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Process and General Supervisory D

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Senior Scientific Officer

  258

  1

  36

  1

  Higher Scientific Officer

  251

  1

  74

  11

  Scientific Officer

  120

  1

  49

  10

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1

  0

  44

  0

  Senior Professional and Technical Officer

  96

  0

  1

  0

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  77

  0

  4

  0

  Professional and Technical Officer

  27

  0

  1

  0

  500

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Professional and Technical Officer IV

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Senior Telecommunications Technical Officer

  12

  1

  0

  0

  Higher Telecommunications Technical Officer

  44

  0

  0

  0

  Telecommunications Technical Officer

  110

  0

  0

  0

  Insolvency Grade C

  100

  1

  24

  7

  Insolvency Grade D

  207

  6

  74

  25

  Insolvency Grade E

  64

  0

  74

  0

  Examiner (Patent Office)

  29

  0

  3

  0

  Translator I

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Translator II

  2

  0

  5

  2

  Translator III

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Deputy Chief Investigations Officer

  8

  0

  0

  0

  Investigations Officer

  39

  2

  1

  0

  Communications Officer IV

  1

  0

  2

  0

  Chief Typing Manager

  1

  0

  4

  1

  Typing Manager

  0

  0

  26

  3

  Support Manager 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Legal Trainee

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Higher Scientific Officer D

  7

  0

  4

  0

  Senior Management Trainee

  2

  0

  1

  0

  Chief Gas Examiner

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 4

  13

  0

  2

  5

  Petroleum Specialist 4

  9

  0

  0

  0

  Area Gas Examiner

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 5

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Petroleum Specialist 5

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Gas Examiner

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Chief Gas Meter Examiner

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Assistant Chief Gas Meter Examiner

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Gas Meter Examiner 1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Gas Meter Examiner 2

  9

  0

  0

  0

  Gas Meter Examiner 3

  10

  0

  0

  0

  Higher Mapping and Charting Officer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Administrative Officer

  879

  8

  1,093

  208

  Administrative Assistant

  454

  11

  543

  94

  Graphics Officer

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Support Manager 2

  5

  0

  4

  0

  Support Manager 3

  11

  0

  25

  2

  Support Grade 1

  33

  0

  85

  16

  Support Grade 2

  209

  14

  231

  198

  Senior Photographer

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Photographer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Industrial

  131

  1

  7

  1

  Technical Grade 1

  7

  0

  2

  0

  Part time Graduate Trainee

  5

  0

  1

  0

  Technician 2A

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Assistant Telecommunications Technical Officer

  23

  0

  0

  0

  501

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Trainee Telecommunications Technical Officer

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Personal Secretary

  2

  0

  316

  34

  Typist

  7

  0

  318

  112

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  50

  0

  33

  3

  Graphics Technical Grade

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Mapping and Charting Officer

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Robin Hood Railway Line
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will allocate some of the coalfield regeneration fund to construct stage 3 of the Robin Hood railway line between Mansfield and Worksop.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Lord Walker is currently considering proposals to support stage 3 of the Robin Hood line which have recently been put to him by the local regeneration partners.

  British Coal (Environmental Impact Assessments)
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the future of the environmental impact assessment unit at British Coal, following implementation of the Coal Industry Bill.

  Mr. Eggar
  I understand that responsibility for environmental impact assessment of particular projects has been devolved to British Coal's operational groups, under the overall policy guidance of British Coal's headquarters operations department. After privatisation, it will be for successor mining companies to decide how to meet the statutory requirements for environmental impact assessment.

  Exports (Israel)
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is his policy to refuse export licences for equipment or machinery capable for use in armaments manufacture which are bought for export to Isreal.

  Mr. Needham
  We announced in June 1982, following the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon, that we would withhold approval of licences for the export to Isreal of all British military equipment. In 1983 it was decided to allow the export of electronic and other small non-lethal components provided they did not form part of equipment due to be put into immediate service with Israeli forces in south Lebanon.

  Her Majesty's Government do control the export of sensitive goods for arms manufacture. However, it is not our policy to refuse such licences as a matter of course.

  All applications for export licences for licensable equipment or machinery capable of use in armaments manufacture are considered on their merits and in line with these policies.
  502

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the letter, dated 3 March from the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs to the hon. Member for Bradford, West, if he will list the powers available to local authorities and the police to address the problems arising from the sale of counterfeit and unsafe goods at car boot sales; what representations he has received from local authorities, the police and others concerning the effectiveness of current powers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 March 1994]: The powers under which local authorities may act against counterfeit or unsafe goods are contained within the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, the Trade Marks Act 1938, as amended in 1988, and the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and specific consumer safety regulations. The police may take action against counterfeit goods under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. In addition to these specific powers against counterfeit or unsafe goods, local authorities and the police have a number of powers to control temporary markets and car boot sales available to them under other legislation.

  The Government are also aware of the problems of trade in counterfeit goods where traders seek to use disclaimers about the goods to prevent prosecution under the Trade Descriptions Act. That is why we are seeking to improve the powers available to local authorities and the police through the provisions of the Trade Marks Bill, which has just completed its passage through another place. The Bill addresses the use of disclaimers by making it an offence to sell counterfeit goods, even if the goods are acknowledged as copies at the point of sale.

  There has been a small number of representations on this subject.

  Negligent Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will introduce legislation under which individual shareholders would be able to bring class actions against negligent auditors;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation under which individual shareholders will be able to bring class actions against negligent auditors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no plans to seek to change the present state of the law.

  Code of Central Government Enforcement
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the print run of the code for central Government enforcement; and to whom it is being distributed.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The initial print run of "Working with Business: a Code for Enforcement Agencies" was 70,000.

  The code was initially distributed to all Government Departments, DTI regional offices and to all the enforcement agencies listed in the code for them to distribute to their customers and to any other interested parties as required.

  The code has also been sent to all local authorities, the British Retail Consortium, the Federation of Small

  503
  Businesses, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and all branches of the Confederation of British Industry.

  In addition, numerous copies of the code have been sent out to any individual, company or organisation that has expressed an interest in seeing it.

  SL Homes Ltd.
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what connections have been reported to his Department between Scottish Legal Life Assurance Ltd. and SL Homes Ltd.; and what assessment his Department has made of whether Scottish Legal Life Assurance Ltd. is conducting its affairs in a fit and proper manner.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society Ltd. is a friendly society. Until April 1993 its supervision was the responsibility of the registrar of friendly societies. With the coming into force of the Friendly Societies Act 1992, responsibility has shifted to the Friendly Societies Commission.

  The society's 1990 return showed that all nine members of the society's committee of management were directors of SL Homes Ltd. The chief registrar's report for 1990–91 announced that an inspector had been appointed under section 87 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974 to examine the affairs of the society, and a number of changes were subsequently made to the management structure. The latest return lodged by the society is for the year 1992. It showed that one member of the committee was a director of SL Homes Ltd., and that the society had an outstanding investment with the SL Homes Group of £3,980,637.

  Under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, it is for the Friendly Societies Commission, and not for my Department, to satisfy itself as to the manner in which Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society Ltd. is conducting its affairs. The commission is required to submit to the Treasury and Parliament each year a report on the discharge of its functions.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions and in regard to which countries he has made offers of funds under aid and trade provision in the absence of, or in advance of, applications for funding for particular projects; if he will list in each case the dates on which these offers were made; and what sums of money were involved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's Government have entered into the following framework agreements with recipient Governments:

  Country

  Date

  Level of Business to be supported

  Cameroon

  December 1983

  £40 million

  China (concessional financing agreement)

  CFA I

  May 1986

  £300 million

  CFA II

  September 1988

  £300 million

  Egypt

  March 1983

  £64 million

  India

  February 1986

  £300 million

  Indonesia (concessional loan agreement)

  504

  Country

  Date

  Level of Business to be supported

  CLA I

  July 1986

  £140 million

  CLA II

  February 1989

  £100 million

  CLA III

  April 1993

  £65 million

  Malaysia

  January 1981

  £77 million

  September 1988

  £200 million

  Mauritius

  October 1983

  £12·25million

  Pakistan

  July 1989

  US$50 million

  Thailand

  May 1989

  General protocol with no specific amount

  World Bank

  September 1986 (renewed September 1989)

  £200 million

  These framework agreements range from formal signed agreements, for example for China and Indonesia, and lines of credit, for example Egypt and Cameroon, to indications of possible levels of business, for example India and Malaysia. In each case, the levels indicated relate to support available for agreed projects—covering United Kingdom and EC officially supported packages—using a combination of aid and trade provision grants and export credits through Export Credits Guarantees Department. The content of these exchanges is confidential between Governments.

  St. Helena
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what development aid was given to the island of St. Helena in the years 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Total gross bilateral aid to St. Helena in the three financial years 1990–91 to 1992–93 was as follows:

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  11,759,000

  1991–92

  9,136,000

  1992–93

  9,060,000

  RMS St. Helena
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of the RMS St. Helena.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The construction cost of the RMS St. Helena was £32·4 million, financed by Her Majesty's Government during the period 1987 to 1991. The annual operating subsidy, which varies, amounts to £911,000 in 1993–94.

PRIME MINISTER

  Malaysian Airlines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates occupants of his office, or members of the Cabinet Office, 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.

  The Prime Minister
  My Office has not used Malaysian airlines for official travel. I refer the hon.
  505
  Gentleman to the answer from my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in respect of members of the Cabinet Office.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what major building projects, valued at over £1 million are being, or have been, wholly or partly financed in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by the Cabinet Office; and what was the cost of each project to his Department.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not had the opportunity to meet the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man as Prime Minister, and I do not recall meeting him prior to November 1990.

  Euphrates River
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what information is available to Her Majesty's Government about the amount of water taken from the Euphrates and its tributaries and sources by water requirements in(a) Turkey and (b) Syria.

  The Prime Minister
  There are a variety of figures available on the quantities of water withdrawn from the River Euphrates and its tributaries and sources, by Turkey and Syria. The following figures are taken from the World Resources Institute report for 1990–91. Within the national boundaries of Syria 4,500 million cubic metres of water per year—MCM/yr—were generated and 4,700 MCM/yr extracted. The figures for Turkey were 28,200 MCM/yr generated and 3,100 MCM/yr extracted.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what evidence is available to Her Majesty's Government that draining constitutes the reason why water courses, linked to the Euphrates river, are dried up.

  The Prime Minister
  A stretch of 70 km of the Euphrates river is dry. On the evidence available there is no other possible explanation.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Accommodation (Commercial Organisations)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee, pursuant to the answer given by the chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee to the hon. Member for Derbyshire North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 14 March,Official Report, columns 512–13, what consideration has been given to charging rent to those commercial organisations there listed for the space they occupy in the Palace of Westminster; and what considerations underlie the policy of not charging such rent.

  Mr. Channon
  As explained in the reply to the question to which the hon. Member refers, many of the 506
  arrangements with commercial organisations are long established, and enable the House to enjoy the benefit of services provided by the bodies concerned, taking account of the fluctuating nature of the House's requirements. The financial arrangements are kept under review.

  Television Monitors
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make arrangements for television monitors to be placed in offices in the Norman Shaw South parliamentary building used by hon. Members' secretaries and research staff.

  Mr. Waller
  The location of television monitors is a matter which it would be appropriate for the House to consider in the context of the information Committee's report on the provision of a parliamentary data and video network.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make arrangements for access to television and radio channels to be made available to hon. Members with offices in the Norman Shaw South parliamentary building.

  Mr. Waller
  Proposals for access to television and radio channels are included in the Information Committee's report on the provision of a parliamentary data and video network, which recommends the extension of the pilot network to further buildings on the parliamentary estate. The report has not yet been considered by the House.

TREASURY

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

  Mr. Nelson
  Total expenditure in 1993–94 amounts to £3,100, part of which was met by the Government hospitality fund.

  Russia
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the G7 proposes to help the Russian Government to strengthen their efforts to achieve their macroeconomic stabilisation and to establish a credible programme of social support.

  Mr. Nelson
  Macroeconomic stabilisation in Russia depends on the implementation of appropriate policies by the Russian Government. At their meeting in Kronberg on 26 February, G7 Finance Ministers encouraged the International Monetary Fund and the Russian Government to reach agreement on a suitable economic programme, which could be supported by IMF resources under the second tranche of the systemic transformation facility. The G7 confirmed that all the other elements of the $43 billion package announced in Tokyo in April 1993 remained available to Russia as reform was progressively implemented.

  Bilateral donors have provided technical assistance on the development of a suitable social safety net in Russia.

  507
  This includes assistance from the United Kingdom through the know-how fund. G7 Finance Ministers underlined the importance of a credible programme of social support to enhance public acceptance of the reform process and urged the World bank and Russia to co-operate in accelerating disbursement of the elements of the $3 billion special privatisation and restructuring programme which addressed the social dimension of reform.

  Malaysian Airlines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. Nelson
  MAS has been used for official travel on one occasion in March 1993 at the cost of £1,122.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what major building projects valued at over £1 million are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1989 in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by his Department; and what was the cost of each project to his Department.

  Mr. Nelson
  None.

  Kenya (Debt)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of Kenya's external debt to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Kenya's outstanding debt to the United Kingdom public sector totals £59·8 million, all of which is owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  New Road Proposals
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Treasury requirements as to the cost-benefit analysis of new road proposals.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Treasury requires that new road proposals should provide good value for money. Treasury guidelines on the appraisal of public sector capital projects are set out in the publication "Economic Appraisal in Central Government: A Technical Guide for Government Departments".

  Gross Domestic Product
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of gross domestic product and gross domestic product per head for(a) the north-west region of England, (b) the north-east region of England and (c) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Nelson
  Estimates of GDP are compiled by standard economic region, and by county. The latest available regional estimates, for 1992, were published in the December 1993 issue of "Economic Trends", available in the House of Commons Library. The north-east of 508
  England, comprising Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, is not separately designated within the north standard region. However, figures for the north-east can be derived from the latest county estimates, relating to 1991. In 1991, total GDP for the north-east was £18,991 million, and GDP per head was £7,320.

  Council Tax
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 15 March,Official Report, columns 577–78, what measures he intends to take to improve the rate of processing appeals against council tax banding in the London borough of Lewisham.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Valuation Office agency and valuation tribunals have been set targets for the clearance of appeals which will ensure four out of five appeals will be cleared by 31 December 1994. Any remaining appeals will be cleared as quickly as possible in 1995.

  Steps have already been taken in Lewisham by deploying additional resources including the use of overtime and Saturday working whenever possible to ensure that these targets are met.

EDUCATION

  Optical Fibre Network
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage the rapid development of a national broadband optical fibre network.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government have encouraged the higher education funding councils to establish a new administrative framework to support and develop the national broadband optical fibre network known as Super Janet. Fifty-nine higher education institutions and research centres are currently connected and it is intended to connect at least another 50 users over the next three years.

  Autism
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of local education authorities provide educational support services for children with autism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not collected centrally. Under the Education Acts 1981 and 1993, it is the responsibility of schools and local education authorities to identify, assess and make provision for children with special educational needs, including those with autism.

  Advertising
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the actual expenditure by each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he has responsibility in each year of their existence since 1964 on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material; and what is his latest estimate for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not held by the Department.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his latest estimate of the expenditure in
  509
  1993–94 and 1994–95 by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material; and whether this included expenditure on those items by the non-departmental public bodies for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Boswell
  The latest estimate for advertising and other promotional materials by the Department for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95 are given in the table:

  £000s 1993–94

  £000s 1994–95

  Television advertising

  0

  0

  Radio advertising

  29·2

  0

  Newspaper advertising

  1,413·0

  900·0

  Other promotional material

  7,332·4

  6,700·0

  These figures do not include expenditure by the non-departmental public bodies for which the Department for Education has responsibility.

  "National School Tests in 1994"
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the printing and production costs of the leaflet "National School Tests in 1994", ISBN 0 85522 441 X; how much his Department paid the Post Office to distribute these leaflets across post office counters; and how many copies were printed.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The printing and production cost of producing 4 million copies of the leaflet "National School Tests in 1994" was £50,000. There was an initial print run of 3 million copies followed by a reprint of 1 million to meet demand.

  Distribution of 1·2 million leaflets with child benefit payments in all main post offices in England during March cost £99,000.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what element of the grant to grant-maintained schools has been identified for teachers' pay in the 1994–95 annual settlement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is no annual settlement covering annual maintenance grants for grant-maintained schools. In 1994–95 these will be based on the funding available to local authority schools, either by reference to the provisions of the relevant scheme for the local management of schools or by means of the common funding formula. The local authority finance settlement takes account of the broad range of pressures on local education authorities, including pay settlements and price inflation, as well as the scope for savings.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the allowance made for teachers' pay in the 1994–95 grant-maintained schools' annual settlement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Grant-maintained schools receive an annual maintenance grant which they may spend according to their own view of priorities. It contains no specifically identified element for teacher salaries.
  510

  Nursery Education
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many three and four-year-old children are in receipt of nursery or primary education in each education authority area; and what percentage this represents of the total number of children of that age group in each area.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Pupils aged 3 and 4 in maintained nursery and primary schools in LEAs in England in January 1993

  LEA

  Pupils

  Percentage of Population

  Camden

  2,017

  51

  Greenwich

  4,266

  63

  Hackney

  3,147

  52

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,109

  58

  Islington

  2,755

  59

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,232

  41

  Lambeth

  3,470

  48

  Lewisham

  3,693

  53

  Southwark

  4,101

  59

  Tower Hamlets

  4,102

  70

  Wandsworth

  4,048

  67

  Westminster

  1,613

  46

  Barking and Dagenham

  3,252

  72

  Barnet

  4,731

  58

  Bexley

  2,247

  37

  Brent

  4,589

  69

  Bromley

  1,341

  18

  Croydon

  4,255

  47

  Ealing

  5,668

  74

  Enfield

  4,033

  55

  Haringey

  4,457

  78

  Harrow

  2,603

  48

  Havering

  2,346

  40

  Hillingdon

  3,339

  50

  Hounslow

  4,212

  73

  Kingston upon Thames

  2,138

  62

  Merton

  3,650

  78

  Newham

  4,930

  64

  Redbridge

  2,334

  39

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,895

  46

  Sutton

  1,777

  38

  Waltham Forest

  3,568

  55

  Birmingham

  20,313

  68

  Coventry

  5,087

  58

  Dudley

  4,257

  53

  Sandwell

  7,492

  92

  Solihull

  3,635

  70

  Walsall

  6,768

  94

  Wolverhampton

  6,092

  87

  Knowsley

  4,166

  84

  Liverpool

  10,766

  83

  St. Helens

  3,264

  70

  Sefton

  4,900

  63

  Wirral

  5,362

  58

  Bolton

  5,599

  73

  Bury

  3,100

  61

  Manchester

  9,971

  75

  Oldham

  4,655

  71

  Rochdale

  4,140

  66

  Salford

  5,584

  88

  Stockport

  4,343

  57

  Tameside

  4,693

  73

  Trafford

  3,795

  66

  Wigan

  4,901

  57

  Barnsley

  4,028

  68

  Doncaster

  6,146

  75

  Rotherham

  4,323

  61

  Sheffield

  8,329

  64

  Bradford

  10,008

  69

  Calderdale

  3,740

  69

  Kirklees

  6,743

  64

  511

  LEA

  Pupils

  Percentage of Population

  Leeds

  12,903

  67

  Wakefield

  6,297

  71

  Gates head

  3,504

  69

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  5,202

  75

  North Tyneside

  4,320

  89

  South Tyneside

  3,591

  86

  Sunderland

  6,049

  73

  Avon

  12,952

  52

  Bedfordshire

  7,714

  48

  Berkshire

  6,539

  31

  Buckinghamshire

  5,720

  31

  Cambridgeshire

  8,135

  44

  Cheshire

  13,880

  53

  Cleveland

  14,879

  92

  Cornwall1

  5,348

  45

  Cumbria

  7,020

  58

  Derbyshire

  14,980

  61

  Devon

  7,141

  28

  Dorset

  5,588

  37

  Durham

  11,826

  77

  East Sussex

  6,512

  38

  Essex

  9,279

  23

  Gloucestershire

  4,439

  32

  Hampshire

  8,988

  21

  Hereford and Worcester

  3,821

  21

  Hertfordshire

  13,511

  50

  Humberside

  14,639

  61

  Isle of Wight

  1,143

  41

  Kent

  15,029

  36

  Lancashire

  19,972

  52

  Leicestershire

  9,759

  39

  Lincolnshire

  6,348

  43

  Norfolk

  6,398

  35

  North Yorkshire

  8,813

  50

  Northamptonshire

  8,388

  49

  Northumberland

  5,570

  74

  Nottinghamshire

  15,591

  57

  Oxfordshire

  3,511

  22

  Shropshire

  3,906

  35

  Somerset

  4,261

  35

  Staffordshire

  16,050

  57

  Suffolk

  5,744

  32

  Surrey

  6,748

  26

  Warwickshire

  6,259

  49

  West Sussex

  3,802

  22

  Wiltshire

  3,962

  25

  England2

  656,193

  51

  1 Includes Isles of Scilly.

  2 Includes Corporation of London.

  Primary Schools
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of primary school classes in each local education authority are taught by one teacher to(a)over 30 pupils and (b) over 40 pupils.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Percentages of single teacher classes (i) over 30 and (ii) over 40 in maintained primary schools in each LEA in England January 1993

  LEA

  31 and over

  41 and over1

  Corporation of London

  0·0

  0·0

  Camden

  4·5

  0·0

  Greenwich

  8·7

  0·2

  Hackney

  4·0

  0·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  8·3

  0·0

  Islington

  4·3

  0·0

  512

  LEA

  31 and over

  41 and over1

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2·6

  0·0

  Lambeth

  3·7

  0·0

  Lewisham

  8·0

  0·0

  Southwark

  8·8

  0·0

  Tower Hamlets

  3·7

  0·0

  Wandsworth

  8·5

  0·0

  Westminster

  4·5

  0·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  5·8

  0·0

  Barnet

  8·3

  0·3

  Bexley

  26·1

  0·2

  Brent

  9·3

  0·3

  Bromley

  31·8

  0·0

  Croydon

  14·8

  0·0

  Ealing

  15·5

  0·0

  Enfield

  27·0

  0·0

  Haringey

  3·2

  0·0

  Harrow

  20·5

  0·0

  Havering

  17·8

  0·0

  Hillingdon

  23·8

  0·3

  Hounslow

  22·8

  0·5

  Kingston upon Thames

  46·8

  0·0

  Merton

  16·6

  0·4

  Newham

  6·8

  1·2

  Redbridge

  48·1

  0·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  13·1

  0·0

  Sutton

  34·6

  0·0

  Waltham Forest

  18·9

  0·0

  Birmingham

  24·4

  0·1

  Coventry

  18·2

  1·1

  Dudley

  16·4

  1·1

  Sandwell

  29·2

  0·2

  Solihull

  25·3

  0·0

  Walsall

  21·7

  0·0

  Wolverhampton

  17·4

  0·0

  Knowsley

  25·4

  0·0

  Liverpool

  19·7

  0·1

  St. Helens

  23·0

  0·0

  Sefton

  27·4

  0·0

  Wirral

  13·5

  0·0

  Bolton

  32·9

  1·3

  Bury

  30·2

  0·0

  Manchester

  19·7

  0·9

  Oldham

  35·6

  0·1

  Rochdale

  42·1

  0·2

  Salford

  20·8

  0·1

  Stockport

  26·1

  0·1

  Tameside

  41·9

  0·1

  Trafford

  42·2

  0·0

  Wigan

  29·5

  0·2

  Barnsley

  17·1

  0·3

  Doncaster

  18·3

  0·1

  Rotherham

  7·7

  0·0

  Sheffield

  16·8

  0·1

  Bradford

  15·8

  0·2

  Calderdale

  22·6

  0·0

  Kirklees

  21·2

  0·4

  Leeds

  22·7

  0·2

  Wakefield

  27·4

  0·1

  Gateshead

  9·6

  0·2

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  24·2

  0·4

  North Tyneside

  15·8

  0·2

  South Tyneside

  16·7

  0·2

  Sunderland

  11·7

  0·1

  Isles of Scilly

  0·0

  0·0

  Avon

  26·0

  0·0

  Bedfordshire

  19·1

  0·4

  Berkshire

  22·1

  0·1

  Buckinghamshire

  24·9

  0·2

  Cambridgeshire

  21·9

  0·0

  Cheshire

  30·9

  0·1

  Cleveland

  19·0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  28·9

  0·0

  Cumbria

  18·8

  0·1

  Derbyshire

  30·0

  0·1

  Devon

  22·1

  0·0

  Dorset

  34·6

  0·1

  Durham

  23·1

  0·2

  East Sussex

  31·1

  0·0

  513

  LEA

  31 and over

  41 and over1

  Essex

  20·5

  0·0

  Gloucestershire

  18·2

  0·1

  Hampshire

  24·2

  0·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  15·0

  0·2

  Hertfordshire

  20·4

  0·0

  Humberside

  22·1

  0·2

  Isle of Wight

  21·9

  0·0

  Kent

  27·4

  0·1

  Lancashire

  31·6

  0·1

  Leicestershire

  17·7

  0·4

  Lincolnshire

  20·2

  0·0

  Norfolk

  14·6

  0·3

  North Yorkshire

  17·5

  0·0

  Northamptonshire

  15·1

  0·0

  Northumberland

  27·3

  0·0

  Nottinghamshire

  19·0

  0·1

  Oxfordshire

  11·8

  0·1

  Shropshire

  17·1

  0·2

  Somerset

  26·0

  0·0

  Staffordshire

  29·5

  0·4

  Male

  Female

  Full time

  Part time

  Total

  Full time

  Part time

  Total

  Total

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Grade 2

  3

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Grade 3

  12

  0

  12

  0

  0

  0

  12

  Grade 4

  3

  0

  3

  1

  0

  1

  4

  Grade 5

  34

  0

  34

  12

  0

  12

  46

  Grade 6

  13

  0

  13

  2

  0

  2

  15

  Grade 7

  108

  1

  109

  42

  2

  44

  153

  SEO and equivalent

  73

  3

  76

  36

  3

  39

  115

  HEO and equivalent

  182

  3

  185

  164

  21

  185

  370

  EO and equivalent

  200

  0

  200

  273

  35

  308

  508

  AO and equivalent

  157

  5

  162

  404

  63

  467

  629

  AA and equivalent

  136

  0

  136

  226

  25

  251

  387

  Total

  922

  12

  934

  1,160

  149

  1,309

  2,243

  These figures include 376 staff in post in the Teachers Pensions Agency.

  School Meals
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much each education authority charges for school meals to children not on income-related benefits.

  Mr. Forth
  It is for each local education authority to decide how much to charge for the school meals provided for children not entitled to free school meals. Information on charging for school meals is not collected centrally.

  Private Higher Education
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those academic institutions in the private higher education sector whose courses have not been accredited by the Higher Education Quality Council and the Higher Education Funding Councils of England, Wales and Scotland, but where mandatory local education authority grants will apply at the lower rate.

  Mr. Boswell
  Neither the Higher Education Quality Council nor the three Higher Education Funding Councils accredit courses. A number of courses at private higher education institutions are designated under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations. Students holding mandatory awards for attendance on those courses have their maintenance grants calculated in the same way as all other award holders. The fees payable on their behalf under
  514

  LEA

  31 and over

  41 and over1

  Suffolk

  9·6

  0·1

  Surrey

  17·2

  0·0

  Warwickshire

  25·8

  0·1

  West Sussex

  14·9

  0·0

  Wiltshire

  20·3

  0·1

  ENGLAND

  21·5

  0·1

  1 Included in the figures for classes of 31 and over.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of state for Education if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Boswell
  The figures are follows:

  the regulations are normally £715 in the current academic year; higher rates apply for courses at institutions which receive recurrent grant out of public funds.

  Consultation Documents
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all the documents issued for consultation in the last year, indicating the time provided for consultation and the recipients of each consultation document.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Surplus School Places
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many surplus school places there were(a) in total and (b) as a percentage of school capacity in each local education authority in 1979 and each year since 1987.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department collected comprehensive information on surplus school places through a detailed survey in 1991. For the figures derived from that survey, I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. O'Brien) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, columns 517–21. Detailed information by local education authority is not available for earlier years.

  My right hon. Friend intends to make regulations later this year under section 21 of the Education Act 1993 requiring all LEAs and, where it has relevant responsibilities, the new Funding Agency for Schools, to

  515
  submit information to the Secretary of State annually, beginning in 1994, on the numbers of surplus places in LEA-maintained and grant-maintained schools respectively.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of public appointments made by his Department in 1993 were of(a) Asians and (b) black people; and if he will list their names.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information given is based on the total number of public appointments made by the Department by the end of 1993 and includes information on ethnic minority appointments available at that time.

  Department for Education Public appointments December 1993

  Number

  Per cent.

  Total number of public appointments held in 1993

  248

  Total number of appointments held by ethnic minority members in 1993

  9

  3·6

  Asian

  4

  1·6

  Black

  5

  2·0

  Name

  Ethnic group

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority

  Mrs. Shahwar Sadeque

  Asian

  Royal Ballet School Governing Body

  Mr. Bruce Gill

  Black

  Further Education Funding Council—Regional Committees

  GREATER LONDON

  Mr. Abdul Bhanji

  Asian

  Mr. John Taylor

  Black

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Mr. David Nerurkar JP

  Asian

  NORTH WEST

  Mr. Wally Brown

  Black

  WEST MIDANDS

  Professor Kumar Bhattacharyya

  Asian

  National Youth Agency

  Ms Althea Efunshile

  Black

  Ms Theo Sowa

  Black

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what information his Department holds or obtains relating to individuals who have been appointed, or may be considered for appointment, to paid or unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment, in particular relating to active involvement in(a) extreme left-wing organisations, (b) extreme right-wing organisations and (c) involvement in any of the political parties represented in the House of Commons;

  (2) what procedures his Department has to prevent the possible appointment of individuals with extreme political views to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information we hold on individuals appointed or being considered for appointment to public 516
  bodies for which we have responsibility is limited to whatever personal information they volunteer as well as details we solicit relating to their professional background. This is because appointments are made or approved solely on the basis of aptitude, merit and suitability for the job.

  We do not keep a record of the political affiliation of appointees or potential candidates. To add to the information already obtained, Ministers normally interview candidates before making or approving appointments. We are satisfied that these procedures are sufficient to avoid the possibility of unsuitable appointments.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list the organisations and individuals outside his Department who are sent information on, or consulted about, individuals who are, or may be, proposed to the Minister for appointment to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person appointed or the shortlist for the appointment;

  (2) if he will list the organisations and individuals who have been asked, since June 1992, to submit names of individuals to be considered for appointments to paid and unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Boswell
  There is no statutory requirement placed on the Secretary of State to consult or inform organisations or individuals prior to making or approving appointments to paid or unpaid posts. The constitutions, articles and trust deeds of some public bodies do place a requirement on Ministers to consult with interests which they consider relevant; these bodies include the Further Education Unit Management Board, the Further Education Staff college and the National Youth Agency.

  Reading
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what further plans he has to develop programmes to improve the reading skills of children;

  (2) if he will continue to support the reading recovery programme;

  (3) what plans he has to ensure that the expertise gained by those involved in reading recovery programmes continues to be utilised;

  (4) what evaluation he has made of programmes sponsored, by his Department and local education authorities to improve the reading skills of children in their early years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The best way to improve the reading skills of children is to ensure rigorous teaching in our schools, particularly our primary schools; and to continue with rigorous national tests which focus on the basics. Sir Ron Dearing's report on the national curriculum highlighted the need for primary education to concentrate on the basic skills, including reading, and said that this should be a priority for the discretionary time which will be released as a result of slimming down the national curriculum overall—to be concentrated outside the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. We now await Sir Ron's advice on a revised national curriculum.

  We are also strengthening the initial teacher training regime by requiring students to spend more time in schools and by specifying that all primary initial teacher training

  517
  courses should include at least 150 hours of work on English with a minimum of 50 hours on the teaching of reading.

  In addition, we are supporting a number of literacy programmes including:

  (i) a three-year trial of reading recovery in 20 local education authorities at a total cost of £14·2 million, supported through our grants for education support and training programme. This trial will be completed in March 1995. The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority is also sponsoring an independent research project on the effectiveness of reading recovery compared with other methods of early reading intervention, to be completed by the end of the year. Any further action on reading recovery will be considered in the light of this research and of our evaluation of the GEST-funded trial;

  (ii) thirteen other literacy projects in 12 inner-city local education authorities at a total cost of £2·4 million in the current year, again supported through the GEST programme;

  (iii) the family literacy programme undertaken by the adult literacy and basic skills unit. We have increased our grant to ALBSU for this programme for £0·25 million in the current year to £1·2 million in 1994–95;

  (iv) Volunteer Reading Help, which is a charity which links volunteers with children who teachers feel would benefit from one-to-one help with their reading. The enable the organisation to expand further, we shall be nearly doubling our grant to VRH in 1994–95 to £90,000.

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answers of 25 February,Official Report, column 505, and 1 March, Official Report, column 686, how many pupils there are expected to be in each of the new sixth forms he has approved since April 1992.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of pupils in the sixth forms concerned was expected to be:

  Number

  (a) Grain-maintained

  Baverstock GM School, Birmingham

  70

  Small Heath School, Birmingham

  150

  Sawtry Village College, Cambridgeshire

  150

  The Merrill Community School, Derbyshire

  100

  Chellaston School, Derbyshire

  200

  Beauchamps GM School, Essex

  125

  Bromfords School, Essex

  The King John School, Essex

  282

  West Hatch School, Essex

  180

  The Arnewood School, Hampshire

  236

  The Burgate School, Hampshire

  120

  Ringwood School, Hampshire

  120

  The Maplesden Noakes School, Kent

  100

  Sheringham High School, Norfolk

  120

  Highams Park School, Waltham Forest

  180

  Queen Elizabeth School, Warwickshire

  180

  Moseley Park GM School, Wolverhampton

  135

  (b) LEA-maintained

  Ullswater Community College, Cumbria

  260

  Martin Kemp-Welch School, Dorset

  99

  Wymondham School, Norfolk

  120

  St. Peter's RC Comprehensive School, Solihull

  180

  New school for pupils aged 11 to 18 years in Halifax, Calderdale, to replace two 11 to 16 schools

  120

  518

  Teachers
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy towards the employment in local education authorities and grant-maintained schools of teachers without formal and recognised teaching qualifications.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Unqualified teachers may not normally be employed in either local education authority maintained or self-governing—grant-maintained—schools. Some exceptions are, however, specified in statutory regulations. They include student teachers, those who with my right hon. Friend's approval are employed as licensed or overseas trained teachers, and instructors with special qualifications or experience who may be employed when no suitable qualified teacher is available.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 8 March,Official Report, columns 133–34, when the information about the appointment of newly qualified teachers to permanent teaching posts in 1993 will be available.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The data are unlikely to be available for statistical use before spring 1995 when the appointment details of newly qualified teachers have been returned by local authorities on their annual returns for financial year 1993–94. The required information will then be placed in the Library.

  Postgraduate Legal Training
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider his decision not to allow mandatory grants for postgraduate legal training.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Education Act 1962 restricts mandatory awards to full-time courses leading to a first degree or comparable qualification, or to the DipHE or HND, and to courses for the initial training of teachers. We have no present plans to expand the scope of mandatory awards to include postgraduate law, or other, courses.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the meetings between Ministers and officials in his Department with hon. Members representing constituencies in London in the last year.

  Mr. Patten
  The details1 requested are as follows:

  Secretary of State

  Hugh Dykes MP (Harrow, East)—4 March 1993

  Nicholas Scott MP (Chelsea)—20 December 1993

  Minister of State

  John Marshall MP (Hendon, South)—12 January 1994

  Richard Tracey MP (Surbiton)—25 February 1994

  Mr. Boswell

  None.

  Mr. Forth

  Sir Michael Neubert MP (Romford)—26 October 1993

  Mr. Squire

  Richard Tracey MP (Surbiton)—12 October 1993

  Michael Shersby MP (Uxbridge)—2 December 1993

  Sir Michael Neubert MP (Romford)—21 January 1994

  Note:

  1. The details cover all Ministers' meetings concerning Departmental business with hon. Members since 1 March 1993.
  519

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the ratio between the number of unemployed persons, and the number of vacant jobs in the Doncaster travel-to-work area.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the form requested. The information that is available is shown in the table, although the figures cannot meaningfully be expressed as a ratio, as jobcentre vacancies represent only a third of all vacancies nationally, and this proportion is likely to vary between different regions, different skills and different occupations.

  Furthermore, within any one area, there is not necessarily a strong match between the skills of the unemployed and the nature of the vacancies available. It should also be noted that the area covered by jobcentres in Doncaster does not correspond exactly with Doncaster travel-to-work area.

  Unadjusted Unemployment and Vacancies February 1994

  Claimant Unemployment

  Unfilled Jobcentre Vacancies1

  15,017

  492

  1 There are currently six Jobcentres covering the Doncaster TTWA, five in Doncaster and one in Thorne.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his Department's estimate for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, and for each year since 1990 of the numbers on the unemployment register; and what were the numbers and percentages of those on the unemployment register in each case leaving the register(a) to take up full-time employment, (b) to take up part-time employment, (c) to take up full-time or part-time training and (d) to take early retirement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information on the levels of claimant unemployment and on the numbers leaving claimant unemployment can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Detailed information is not available on the destinations of the claimants who leave unemployment. However, past survey evidence indicates that the majority of people who leave claimant unemployment go into jobs.

  Tattoos
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will explore ways in which he can assist job seekers with disfiguring tattoos to have them removed by the health service or other organisations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Employment Service provides a very wide range of back to work help for job seekers, which can include advice about the removal of disfiguring tattoos. I understand from colleagues in the Department of Health that this treatment is available from the national health service if, in the opinion of a consultant, it is necessary for clinical reasons.
  520

  Wages
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his estimate of the average gross weekly wage for men, women and all workers in each standard region of Great Britain for the latest available period.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the average weekly earnings of employees in the standard regions of England, and in Scotland and Wales, is published in part A of the 1993 new earnings survey. Tables 12 and 13 cover full-time males and full-time females respectively, and table X5 covers all full-time employees.

  A copy of the report is available in the Library.

  Work Experience Schemes
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many participants are currently taking part in Government-run or financed work experience schemes; and what percentage are claiming unemployment benefit while on the scheme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest figures available show that at the end of February there were 12,227 participants in Government-run or financed work experience programmes. None of these people was in receipt of unemployment benefit.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of state for Employment what consultation there has been with Health and Safety Executive customers before the distribution arrangements for its free and priced publications were changed from HMSO to Prolog; if he will state the terms of the agreement with Prolog; and what market research was conducted on the working of the previous arrangement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A review of distribution of the Health and Safety Executive's publications was carried out in 1993 by HSE and external consultants. This review focused on the existing arrangement with HMSO for the distribution of priced publications and other arrangements that existed for the distribution of free publications. The review did not involve consultation with customers. Following the review and an open tender, HSE decided that its customers could be accessed more satisfactorily and economically through a single contract with Prolog for warehousing, distribution and direct mail services. The contract with Prolog is for a three-year period from 4 October 1993.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those topics of legislation contained in the social charter of the European Community signed by 11 members at Strasbourg(a) which can be implemented within the treaties of the Community operative prior to the coming into force of the treaty on European Union and (b) those which may flow from the latter treaty.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The social charter, signed by the other 11 member states, was a political declaration and as
  521
  such contained no specific proposals for legislation. The social action programme, which followed the social charter, listed particular proposals for Community action. All of these proposals have a legal basis in the treaty of Rome, but many of them require unanimity.

  The agreement of the Eleven on social policy contained in a protocol annexed to the treaty on European Union contains considerably more explicit provision for the other member states to adopt social legislation, in many cases by qualified majority voting.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 719, what information is collected, and in what form, on visits by the Health and Safety Executive to outdoor education centres.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Following visits to outdoor education centres, inspectors prepare reports which include factual information about the centres, their size and the types of activities undertaken. The reports include an assessment of how providers manage health and safety.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what basis his Department will decide which outdoor education centres will be inspected by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Decisions on which education centres are inspected are a matter for the Health and. Safety Executive, not the Department.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department holds a comprehensive list of the outdoor education centres in England.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 March 1994,Official Report, column 625.

  Employment Rehabilitation Courses
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the criteria used by Employment Service staff to decide whether a client they refer to an

  Non-industrial staff in post 1 January 1994 education group

  Men hours

  Women hours

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  Administrative assistant

  743

  11

  754

  1,860

  304

  2,164

  Administrative assistant ADP

  5

  —

  5

  35

  32

  67

  Enrolled nurse

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Support grade band 2

  327

  9

  336

  105

  145

  250

  Teleprinter operator

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trainee typist

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Typist

  2

  —

  2

  442

  221

  663

  Total AA level

  1,077

  20

  1,097

  2,442

  702

  3,144

  Administrative officer

  7,848

  126

  7,974

  18,680

  5,320

  24,000

  Administrative officer ADP

  12

  —

  12

  16

  1

  17

  Assistant photographer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Driver

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Personal secretary

  2

  —

  2

  330

  42

  372

  Personal secretary trainee

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Support grade band 1

  67

  1

  68

  114

  21

  135

  Trainee graphics officer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total AO level

  7,929

  127

  8,056

  19,140

  5,384

  24,524

  522
  employment rehabilitation course should remain on their disability or unemployment-related benefits or be placed on a rehabilitation allowance; if those who remain on unemployment-related benefits may participate in full-time rehabilitation courses of more than 21 hours per week; and what changes are planned in these arrangements as a result of the introduction of the new incapacity benefit.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about whether a client referred to an employment rehabilitation course should remain on disability or unemployment related benefits.

  Clients attending full-time rehabilitation programmes are entitled to claim Rehabilitation Allowance according to their circumstances or may choose to remain on their existing benefits. My people will discuss the options with each client and help them to decide which course of action will be most advantageous in their particular circumstances.

  Clients may continue to claim benefits for unemployment (unemployment benefit, Income Support or a combination of both) for as long as they remain eligible, with the exception of those in receipt of Income Support as a sole benefit. They must claim Rehabilitation Allowance to satisfy the Benefits Agency rules about payment of benefits.

  Similarly, as long as all the conditions of entitlement remain satisfied, a person who remains incapable of work may continue to receive benefits for incapacity (Sickness Benefit, Invalidity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance). Department of Social Security (DSS) inform us that there are no plans to change these rules under the new incapacity benefit.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is listed in the tables.
  523

  Men hours

  Women hours

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  Assistant information officer

  2

  —

  2

  10

  2

  12

  Assistant librarian

  5

  1

  6

  13

  4

  17

  Assistant scientific officer

  7

  —

  7

  3

  —

  3

  Assistant statistician

  9

  —

  9

  9

  —

  9

  Economic assistant

  7

  —

  7

  4

  —

  4

  Executive officer

  5,009

  54

  5,063

  8,438

  2,452

  10,890

  Graphics officer

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  2

  Graphics technical grade

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Graphics technical grade (GO4 RR)

  4

  —

  4

  2

  —

  2

  Management trainee

  19

  —

  19

  32

  4

  36

  Photographic officer

  4

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Professional and technology officer

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Psychologist graduate trainee

  2

  —

  2

  13

  —

  13

  Scientific officer

  55

  —

  55

  35

  2

  37

  Senior personal secretary

  —

  —

  —

  55

  2

  57

  Social worker

  8

  —

  8

  6

  2

  8

  Support manager 3

  15

  —

  15

  9

  —

  9

  Technical grade 1

  5

  —

  5

  1

  —

  1

  Technical grade 2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Translator EO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Typing manager

  —

  —

  —

  43

  3

  46

  Total EO level

  5,157

  55

  5,212

  8,677

  2,471

  11,148

  Administration trainee

  2

  —

  2

  4

  —

  4

  Assistant agricultural assistant

  40

  —

  40

  7

  —

  7

  Chief typing manager

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Controller of typists

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Departmental sister

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  2,083

  12

  2,095

  1,419

  227

  1,646

  Higher Executive Officer ADP

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer AT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer D

  10

  —

  10

  9

  —

  9

  Higher Graphics Officer

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Higher Instructional Officer

  80

  —

  80

  2

  —

  2

  Higher Photographic Officer

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Professional and Technology Officer

  17

  —

  17

  —

  —

  —

  HPTO/Assistant Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Psychologist

  17

  —

  17

  38

  3

  41

  Higher Scientific Officer

  75

  —

  75

  21

  4

  25

  Higher Social Worker

  3

  —

  3

  2

  —

  2

  Information Officer

  23

  —

  23

  21

  3

  24

  Inspector Class 2

  112

  —

  112

  74

  —

  74

  Instructional Officer 1 1987

  115

  —

  115

  9

  —

  9

  Librarian

  —

  —

  —

  9

  4

  13

  Research Officer Resource and Planning

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Research Officer Social Science

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  3

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  6

  —

  6

  7

  1

  8

  Senior Economic Assistant

  12

  —

  12

  3

  —

  3

  Senior Enrolled Nurse

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Physiotherapist

  1

  —

  1

  2

  1

  3

  Support Manager 1

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Support Manager 2

  1

  —

  1

  4

  —

  4

  Training Officer TW1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Translator HEO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  UVP Field Organiser

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ward Sister

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  3

  Total HEO Level

  2,605

  12

  2,617

  1,639

  244

  1,883

  Agricultural Inspector

  96

  —

  96

  10

  —

  10

  Employment Nursing Adviser

  4

  —

  4

  38

  1

  39

  Inspector IB

  214

  3

  217

  74

  27

  101

  Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  62

  —

  62

  2

  —

  2

  Inspector of Mines

  20

  —

  20

  —

  —

  —

  Inspector of Quarries

  14

  —

  14

  —

  —

  —

  Petroleum Specialist 5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  524 525

  Men hours

  Women hours

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Executive Officer

  708

  3

  711

  229

  28

  257

  Senior Graphics Officer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Industrial Relations Officer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Information Officer

  20

  —

  20

  8

  1

  9

  Senior Instructional Officer

  20

  —

  20

  1

  —

  1

  Senior Librarian

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  2

  Senior Photographic Officer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Professional and Technology Officer

  12

  —

  12

  —

  —

  —

  SPTO/Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  17

  —

  17

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Psychologist

  13

  1

  14

  15

  1

  16

  Senior Research Officer Resource and Planning

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Senior Research Officer Social Science

  10

  —

  10

  18

  6

  24

  Senior Scientific Officer

  78

  1

  79

  15

  —

  15

  Senior Social Worker

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —.

  Senior Training Adviser

  24

  —

  24

  7

  3

  10

  Specialist Inspector

  100

  1

  101

  12

  —

  12

  SPTO Marine Surveyor Grade 1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Training Officer TWI Higher Grade

  —

  —

  —.

  —

  —

  —

  Training Services Officer 1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Training Services Officer 2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —.

  Total SEO Level

  1,415

  9

  1,424

  433

  67

  500

  District Inspector of Mines (1982)

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 7

  536

  4

  540

  142

  29

  171

  Inspector 1A

  167

  1

  168

  12

  2

  14

  Petroleum Specialist 4

  132

  —

  132

  3

  —

  3

  Petroleum Specialist 4 (SIMI)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Agricultural Inspector

  32

  —

  32

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  11

  —

  11

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  79

  —

  79

  2

  —

  2

  Principal Marine Surveyor

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Specialist Inspector

  106

  2

  108

  7

  —

  7

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Employment Nursing Adviser

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  2

  Senior Inspector of Quarries

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Total Grade 7 Level

  1,070

  7

  1,077

  168

  31

  199

  Chief Employment Nursing Adviser

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Deputy Superintending Inspector of Agriculture

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Superintending Inspector of Factories

  24

  —

  24

  3

  —

  3

  Employment Medical Adviser

  16

  8

  24

  9

  1

  10

  Grade 6

  113

  —

  113

  11

  —

  11

  Nursing Consultant

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  3

  Petroleum Specialist 3

  19

  —

  19

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Inspector of Quarries

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 3

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Superintending Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  25

  —

  25

  —

  —

  —

  Superintending Specialist Inspector Band C

  23

  —

  23

  —

  1

  1

  Total Grade 6 Level

  224

  8

  232

  27

  2

  29

  Chief Nursing Consultant

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Agriculture

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  90

  —

  90

  18

  3

  21

  Petroleum Specialist 2

  5

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Inspector of Mines (1982)

  11

  —

  11

  —

  —

  —

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Superintending Inspector of Factories

  17

  —

  17

  7

  —

  7

  Superintending Specialist Inspector Band B

  12

  —

  12

  —

  —

  —

  Total Grade 5 level

  138

  —

  138

  26

  3

  29

  Chief Inspector of Agriculture

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories

  6

  —

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  5

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Inspector (Specialist)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Director of Medical Services

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 4

  11

  —

  11

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Area Director

  11

  —

  11

  —

  —

  —

  526 527

  Men hours

  Women hours

  Grade

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  full-time

  part-time

  all

  Senior Employment Medical Adviser

  18

  2

  20

  5

  —

  5

  Total Grade 4 level

  52

  2

  54

  5

  —

  5

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines

  2

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  24

  —

  24

  1

  —

  1

  Petroleum Specialist 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total Grade 3 level

  26

  1

  27

  1

  —

  1

  Chief Inspector of Mines

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade2

  4

  —

  4

  1

  —

  1

  Total Grade 2 level

  5

  —

  5

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 1A

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Total Grade 1 level

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  19,700

  241

  19,941

  32,559

  8,904

  41,463

  Non-industrial staff in post 1 January 1994 ED group

  Grade

  Total hours

  Full-time

  Part-time

  All

  Administrative Assistant

  2,603

  315

  2,918

  Administrative Assistant ADP

  40

  32

  72

  Enrolled Nurse

  —

  —

  —

  Support Grade Band 2

  432

  154

  586

  Teleprinter Operator

  —

  —

  —

  Trainee Typist

  —

  —

  —

  Typist

  444

  221

  665

  Total AA Level

  3,519

  722

  4,241

  Administrative Officer

  26,528

  5,446

  31,974

  Administrative Officer ADP

  28

  1

  29

  Assistant Photographer

  —

  —

  —

  Driver

  —

  —

  —

  Personal Secretary

  332

  42

  374

  Personal Secretary Trainee

  —

  —

  —

  Support Grade Band 1

  181

  22

  203

  Trainee Graphics Officer

  —

  —

  —

  Total AO Level

  27,069

  5,511

  32,580

  Assistant Information Officer

  12

  2

  14

  Asssistant Librarian

  18

  5

  23

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  10

  —

  10

  Assistant Statistician

  18

  —

  18

  Economic Assistant

  11

  —

  11

  Executive Officer

  13,447

  2,506

  15,953

  Graphics Officer

  4

  —

  4

  Graphics Technical Grade

  2

  —

  2

  Graphics Technical Grade (GO4 RR)

  6

  —

  6

  Management Trainee

  51

  4

  55

  Photographic Officer

  4

  —

  4

  Professional and Technology Officer

  3

  —

  3

  Psychologist Graduate Trainee

  15

  —

  15

  Scientific Officer

  90

  2

  92

  Senior Personal Secretary

  55

  2

  57

  Social Worker

  14

  2

  16

  Support Manager 3

  24

  —

  24

  Technical Grade 1

  6

  —

  6

  528

  Grade

  Total hours

  Full-time

  Part-time

  All

  Technical Grade 2

  1

  —

  1

  Translator EO

  —

  —

  —

  Typing Manager

  43

  3

  46

  Total EO Level

  13,834

  2,526

  16,360

  Administration Trainee

  6

  —

  6

  Assistant Agricultural Inspector

  47

  —

  47

  Chief Typing Manager

  2

  —

  2

  Controller of Typists

  —

  —

  —

  Departmental Sister

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  3,502

  239

  3,741

  Higher Executive Officer ADP

  —

  —

  —

  HEO AT

  —

  —

  —

  HEOD

  19

  —

  19

  Higher Graphics Officer

  1

  1

  2

  Higher Instructional Officer

  82

  —

  82

  Higher Photographic Officer

  2

  —

  2

  Higher Professional and Technology Officer

  17

  —

  17

  HPTO/Assistant Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  1

  —

  1

  Higher Psychologist

  55

  3

  58

  Higher Scientific Officer

  96

  4

  100

  Higher Social Worker

  5

  —

  5

  Information Officer

  44

  3

  47

  Inspector Class 2

  186

  —

  186

  Instructional Officer 1 1987

  124

  —

  124

  Librarian

  9

  4

  13

  Research Officer Resource and Planning

  1

  —

  1

  Research Officer Social Science

  3

  —

  3

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  13

  1

  14

  Senior Economic Assistant

  15

  —

  15

  Senior Enrolled Nurse

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Physiotherapist

  3

  1

  4

  Support Manager 1

  2

  —

  2

  Support Manager 2

  5

  —

  5

  Training Officer TW1

  —

  —

  —

  Translater HEO

  —

  —

  —

  UVP Field Organiser

  —

  —

  —

  Ward Sister

  4

  —

  4

  Total HEO Level

  4,244

  256

  4,500

  529

  Grade

  Total hours

  Full-time

  Part-time

  All

  Agricultural Inspector

  106

  —

  106

  Employment Nursing Adviser

  42

  1

  43

  Inspector 1B

  288

  30

  318

  Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  64

  —

  64

  Inspector of Mines

  20

  —

  20

  Inspector of Quarries

  14

  —

  14

  Petroleum Specialist 5

  —

  —

  —

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 5

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Executive Officer

  937

  31

  968

  Senior Graphics Officer

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Industrial Relations Officer

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Information Officer

  28

  1

  29

  Senior Instructional Officer

  21

  —

  21

  Senior Librarian

  3

  —

  3

  Senior Photographic Officer

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Professional and Technology Officer

  12

  —

  12

  SPTO/Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  17

  —

  17

  Senior Psychologist

  28

  2

  30

  Senior Research Officer Resource and Planning

  2

  —

  2

  Senior Research Officer Social Science

  28

  6

  34

  Senior Scientific Officer

  93

  1

  94

  Senior Social Worker

  —_

  —

  —

  Senior Training Adviser

  31

  3

  34

  Specialist Inspector

  112

  1

  113

  SPTO Marine Surveyor Grade 1

  1

  —

  1

  Training Officer TWI Higher Grade

  —

  —

  —

  Training Services Officer 1

  1

  —

  1

  Training Services Officer 2

  —

  —

  —

  Total SEO Level

  1,848

  76

  1,924

  District Inspector of Mines (1982)

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 7

  678

  33

  711

  Inspector 1A

  179

  3

  182

  Petroleum Specialist 4

  135

  —

  135

  Petroleum Specialist 4 (SIMI)

  —

  —

  —

  Principal Agricultural Inspector

  32

  —

  32

  Principal Inspecting Officer (Railways)

  11

  —

  11

  Principal Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  81

  —

  81

  Principal Marine Surveyor

  2

  —

  2

  Principal Specialist Inspector

  113

  2

  115

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 4

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Employment Nursing Adviser

  4

  —

  4

  Senior Inspector of Quarries

  2

  —

  2

  Total Grade 7 Level

  1,238

  38

  1,276

  Chief Employment Nursing Adviser

  1

  —

  1

  Deputy Superintending Inspector of Agriculture

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Superintending Inspector of Factories

  27

  —

  27

  530

  Grade

  Total hours

  Full-time

  Part-time

  All

  Employment Medical Adviser

  25

  9

  34

  Grade 6

  124

  —

  124

  Nursing Consultant

  4

  —

  4

  Petroleum Specialist 3

  19

  —

  19

  Principal Inspector of Quarries

  1

  —

  1

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 3

  2

  —

  2

  Superintending Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  25

  —

  25

  Superintending Specialist Inspector Band C

  23

  1

  24

  Total Grade 6 Level

  251

  10

  261

  Chief Nursing Consultant

  1

  —

  1

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Agriculture

  2

  —

  2

  Grade 5

  108

  3

  111

  Petroleum Specialist 2

  5

  —

  5

  Principal Inspector of Mines (1982)

  11

  —

  11

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 2

  1

  —

  1

  Superintending Inspector of Factories

  24

  —

  24

  Superintending Specialist Inspector Band B

  12

  —

  12

  Total Grade 5 Level

  164

  3

  167

  Chief Inspector of Agriculture

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories

  6

  —

  6

  Deputy Chief Inspector (Nuclear Installations)

  5

  —

  5

  Deputy Chief Inspector (Specialist)

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Director of Medical Services

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 4

  11

  —

  11

  Senior Area Director

  11

  —

  11

  Senior Employment Medical Adviser

  23

  2

  25

  Total Grade 4 Level

  57

  2

  59

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines

  2

  1

  3

  Grade 3

  25

  —

  25

  Petroleum Specialist 1

  —

  —

  —

  Reservoir Evaluation Specialist 1

  —

  —

  —

  Total Grade 3 Level

  27

  1

  28

  Chief Inspector of Mines

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 2

  5

  —

  5

  Total Grade 2 Level

  6

  —

  6

  Grade 1

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 1A

  1

  —

  1

  Total Grade 1 Level

  2

  —

  2

  Total

  52,259

  9,145

  61,404

  Training Allowances
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responsibility the Birminghan training and enterprise council has to ensure that all young people in the youth training guarantee group receive a training allowance up to their 18th birthday; how this responsibility
  531
  will be met if local training providers are not paid by Birmingham TEC to provide allowances after 17-year-olds have reached NVQ level 2; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I understand that Birmingham training and enterprise council acknowledges its responsibility to ensure that all young people in the youth training guarantee group receive a training allowance up until their 18th birthday. For the 1994–95 financial year it will be a contractual requirement for the TEC's training providers to ensure that young people are able to remain in training and in receipt of a training allowance until their 18th birthday. The TEC will pay all training providers a contribution towards the training allowance and trainee support costs.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 23 March,Official Report, column 288, if he will list the number of contracts and their cost with management consultants in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the period April 1993—March 1994, the Employment Department let 20 management consultancy contracts which had been drawn up by its business consultants lead buying unit to a value of £212,300. Information on contracts drawn up by the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

  Chemical Weapons (Vaccines)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 November 1993,Official Report, column 474, if he will set out the reason for his policy of not to disclose stocks of nerve agent pretreatment sets.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not my Department's practice to disclose information relating to stock levels of nerve agent pretreatment as it relates to operational capability.

  Eskmeals Testing Range
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now publish the results of the monitoring of the Eskmeals testing range conducted by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Aitken
  As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside made clear in his answer on 2 February 1994,Official Report, column 799, environmental monitoring at Eskmeals is carried out by the Ministry of Defence. Copies of environmental monitoring reports and data going back to 1981 were placed in the House of Commons Library last July.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major building projects, valued at over £1 million, are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1989 in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by his Department; and what was the cost of each project to his Department.
  532
  Mr. Hanley
  There is no record of my Department having financed any major building projects valued at over £1 million in Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham or Wakefield since 1990. Information relating to the period before 1990 could be provided only at disproportionate cost as this would involve researching Property Services Agency archives.

  Drug Testing
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the results of the trials on random drug testing conducted by the Army last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The purpose of the trials carried out last year was to assess the proposed methodology for compulsory drug testing. The trials showed that adjustments were necessary. These have been made.

  Redundancies
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 117, if he will give details of the number of redundancies by rank and the total to date in each of the three services as a result of "Options for Change"; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 29 November,Official Report, columns 371–76.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 March,Official Report, column 337, if he will list the number of contracts, and their cost, with management consultants in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department does not maintain statistics centrally on the number and value of contracts placed with management consultants; thus, an answer to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Auxiliary Oil Replenishment Vessels
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the auxiliary oil replenishment vessels 1 and 2 to enter service with the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Aitken
  The RFA's Fort Victoria—AOR-01—and Fort George—AOR-02—are currently undergoing post-acceptance trials and defect rectification work. They are planned to enter full service with the Royal Navy this summer.
  533

  Marsh Arabs
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence is available to Her Majesty's Government of shelling of villages occupied by indigenous peoples of the marshes where the Tigris meets the Euphrates.

  Mr. Hanley
  Evidence drawn from aerial surveillance and other sources indicates that there has been systematic destruction of villages belonging to the indigenous people of the southern marshes of Iraq. This has not necessarily been caused by shelling.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the organisations and individuals outside his Department who are sent information on, or consulted about, individuals who are, or may be, proposed to the Minister for appointment to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person appointed or the shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Consultation for appointments to public bodies is carried out as appropriate with other Government Departments and outside organisations depending on the circumstances of the appointment and the body involved.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each appointment for which a Minister has to approve the appointment or shortlist for the appointment, showing for each appointment(a) which Minister exercises the responsibility, (b) the salary, if any, attached to the post, (c) the term of the appointment and (d) the person currently appointed to the post.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information is as follows:

  Wilton Park Academic Council—All appointments:

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salaries are paid

  (c) Three years renewable at the Secretary of State's discretion for a further three years

  (d) See:

  1987—Mrs.Liliana Archibald (Chairman)—* December 1995

  Director, Holman Wade Ltd.

  1992—Mr. John Hanson, CBE—ex officio

  Director General, British Council

  (Vacant)—ex officio

  Head of EC Office, London

  1991—Dr. Connie Martin—ex officio

  Secretary General, Anglo-German Foundation

  1987—Dr. John Scates—ex officio

  International Director, CBI

  1991—Professor Jack Spence—ex officio

  Director of Studies, Chatham House

  1983—Mr. Michael Kaser—*December 1995

  St. Antony's College, Oxford

  1989—Dr. Janet Morgan—*June 1995

  Director, WH Smith

  1989—Mr. Bruce George, MP—*June 1995

  Labour, Walsall South

  534

  1989—Mr. John Lyons, CBE—*June 1995

  Formerly General Secretary Engineers' and Managers' Association

  1990—Mr. Peter Temple-Morris, MP—* December 1996

  Conservative, Leominster

  1990—Sir Julian Bullard, GCMG—*December 1996

  Pro-Chancellor, Birmingham University

  1993—Mr. Anthony Bruce—June 1996

  Deputy Director Exports, The General Electric Company plc

  1993—Mrs. Juliet Campbell, CMG—June 1996

  The Mistress, Girton College, Cambridge

  1993—Professor Helen Wallace—June 1996

  Director, Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex

  1993—Mr. Nicholas Harvey, MP—June 1996

  Liberal, North Devon

  1993—Mr. Edward Mortimer—November 1996

  Foreign Affairs Editor, The Financial Times

  1994—Mr. Michael Walsh—June 1997

  Secretary, International Department, Trades Union Congress

  Wilton Park Departmental Board

  All appointments

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salaries are paid

  (c) No formal arrangements

  (d) Mrs. Ruth Watts Davies

  Miss Valerie Le Moignan

  Wilton Park Conference Centre

  Director

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) On a scale comparable to HCS 5

  (c) Three years renewable

  (d) Mr. Richard Langhorn

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy

  Governors

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) None

  (c) Three years

  (d) Sir James Spicer, MP

  Ian Taylor, MP

  The Rt. Hon. and Hon. Sir Archie Hamilton, MP

  Geoffrey Hoon, MP

  Sir Russell Johnston, MP

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing, MP

  Ms Carole Tongue, MEP

  Mr. Tony Clarke

  Professor Peter Frank

  Mr. Timothy Garton Ash

  Lady Howe, JP

  Mr. Gavin Laird, CBE

  Mr. Ralph Land, OBE

  Dr. Michael Pinto-Duschinsky

  Anglo-Irish Encounter

  Joint Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) salary is paid

  (c) Indefinite

  (d) Sir David Goodall, GCMG

  Anglo-Irish Encounter

  Joint Secretary

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Indefinite

  (d) Mr. Donald Cape, CMG

  British Council

  Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  535

  (b) Honorarium of £9,215, 3 per cent. in 1993

  (c) Three years

  (d) Sir Martin Jacomb

  British Council

  (i) Deputy Chairman, (ii) Vice-Chairman, (iii) Vice-chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d)

  (i) Lord Chorley, FCA

  (ii) George Robertson, MP

  (iii) Rt. Hon. Timothy Renton, MP

  Imperial War Museum

  Board of Trustees

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d)

  (i) Ian Smart

  (ii) Sir Edward Jackson

  Great Britain China Centre

  Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d) Graham Greene, CBE

  British Association for Central and Eastern Europe

  Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d) Rt. Hon. Paul Channon, MP

  Britain-Russia Centre

  Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d) Sir Curtis Keeble, KCMG

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Committee

  Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d) Sir Donald Tebbit

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Committee

  Members of the Board

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d) Professor SirJames Ball

  Sir Roger Bannister

  Professor Christine Bolt

  Sir Arthur Bryant

  Professor Lord Desai

  Professor Harry Dickinson

  University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies

  Member of the Board

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Five years

  (d) Lord Wilson of Tillyorn

  University College of Wales

  Wilson Chair of International Politics

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Five years

  (d)

  (i) Mr. Stefan Terlezki

  (ii) Mr. Robert Harvey

  Commonwealth Institute

  Chairman and Vice Chairman

  (a) Secretary of State

  536

  (b) None currently because the post is vacant. In the past the chairman has received an honorarium of £15,000 per annum.

  (c) Three years renewable

  (d) Posts vacant

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governors of the Board

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salaries are paid

  (c) Three years renewable

  (d) David Thomson (Acting Chairman)

  Sir Michael Caine

  Mr. Colin Shepherd, MP

  Mr. George Oakes, MP

  Mr. J. S. Maclure Mr. Cy Grant

  Baroness Flather

  Sir Mark Russell

  Dr. Ann Robinson

  The hon. David Douglas-Home

  Ms Diane Warwick

  Number 1 Diplomatic Service Appeals Board

  (i) Chairman; (ii) Official side member; (iii) TUS side member; (iv) Independent member

  (a) Secetary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d)

  (i) Sir Ewen Fergusson

  (ii) Mrs. Juliet Campbell

  (iii) Mr. Frank Trew

  (iv) Ms Kamlesh Bahl

  Number 2 Diplomatic Service Appeals Board

  (i) Chairman: (ii) Official side member; (iii) TUS side member; (iv) Independent member

  (a) Secretary of State

  (b) No salary is paid

  (c) Three years

  (d)

  (i) Sir Mark Russell

  (ii) Mr. Rodney Bedford

  (iii) Miss Sally Bull

  (iv) Lady Jaqueline Dyson

  Overseas Development Administration

  All appointments are made by the Minister of State

  The ODA Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Research Overseas

  Term of office—three to five years

  No salaries are paid

  Dr. C. O. N. Moser

  Professor A. W. Rew, MA (Econ)PhD

  Professor J. F. J. Toye, MA (Cambs)MSc, PhD

  Dr. H. Afshar

  Professor P. Blaikie

  Professor K. Davey Ms D. Elson

  Dr. J. Heyer

  Professor N. Stern

  The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

  Term of office—three years No salaries are paid

  Sir Michael Caine (Chairman)

  Professor S. B. Saul (Deputy Chairman)

  Professor R. A. Howie

  Professor B. M. Ogilvie

  Professor. J. G. G. Ledingham

  Mrs. D. L. Wedderburn

  Professsor S. Marks

  Profesor Gillian Beer

  Dr. C. Booth

  Dr. R. O. Iredale

  Dr. P. Parsloe

  Professor A. Little

  Professor D. Jennings

  J. Hanson

  Professor A. Diplock, DSC

  537
  Overseas Service Pension Scheme

  No salaries are paid

  P. D. M. Freeman

  D. Trotter

  C. D. Stenton

  Miss D. R. Phillips

  D. H. Loades

  Indian Family Pension Scheme

  No fixed term of office

  No salaries are paid

  D. Trotter

  Major General D. L. T. Horsford

  Major R. J. Henderson

  Lt. Colonel P. Kemmis-Betty

  Major R. Mottram R. V. Fenton

  J. M. Phelps

  J. P. C. Coventry

  G. E. D. Walker

  Mrs. P. Lamarque

  Mrs. M. Ramsay-Brown

  The Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC)

  Term of office—three years

  Sir Peter E. Leslie (Chairman)—£25,730

  Sir Michael Caine (Deputy Chairman)—£8,856

  Professor M. L. O. Faber

  £4,821

  M. McWilliam

  E. B. Waide

  Professor I. D. Carruthers

  J. B. Zochonis

  Sir William Ryrie

  The Crown Agents

  Term of office—three years

  D. H. Probert (Chairman)—£30,000

  A. K. Stewart-Roberts (Deputy Chairman)—£6,640

  P. F. Berry (Managing Director)—£68,100

  Mrs. D. Miller MBE, JP

  £5,320

  Miss K. Mortimer

  F. Cassell, CB

  J. D. Andrewes

  F. T. Sumner

  Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board

  Term of office—three years

  No salaries are paid

  D. H. Probert

  A. K. Stewart-Roberts

  P. F. Berry

  Mrs. D. Miller, MBE, JP

  Miss K. Mortimer

  F. Cassell, CB

  J. D. Andrewes

  F. I. Sumner

  Institute of Development Studies Governing Body

  Term of office—three years

  No salaries are paid

  Sir Michael Caine

  Ms Kate Mortimer

  Dr. Carol Cosgrove

  Dr. Alexander Shakow

  Mr. Bowen Wells, MP

  Mr. Derek Enright, MP

  Governing Body of Queen Elizabeth House

  Term of office—three to five years

  No salaries are paid

  Sir Peter Marshall, KCMG

  Professor Shula Marks

  Mr. Paul Ackroyd

  Professor Adrian Wood

  Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine

  (a) The Rt. Hon. Alastair Goodlad (Minister in charge of GHF)

  538

  (b) No salaries are paid

  (c) No fixed term

  (d) Sir Ewen Fergusson, GCMG, GCVO

  Major John Surtees, OBE, MC

  Mr. Sebastian Payne

  Mr. Anthony Hanson

  Mr. Mark Savage

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds or obtains relating to individuals who have been appointed, or may be considered for appointment, to paid or unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment, in particular relating to active involvement in(a) extreme left-wing organisations, (b) extreme right-wing organisations and (c) involvement in any of the political parties represented in the House of Commons.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Information on the political activities of candidates for appointments to public bodies is obtained from a variety of sources depending on the body in question. In many cases, the political activities of the appointee are not relevant.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures his Department has to prevent the possible appointment of individuals with extreme political views to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Appointees to public bodies are considered on the basis of their experience and background in relation to the appointment in question. Political views are considered when membership of a political party is relevant to the appointment.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the organisations and individuals who have been asked, since June 1992, to submit names of individuals to be considered for appointments to paid and unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Names of individuals to be considered for appointments to public bodies are, depending on circumstances, submitted from a variety of sources including other Government Departments and, as appropriate, the body to which the appointments is to be made.

  Zaire
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about Sudanese Government forces being assembled in Zaire; and what representations he has made to the Government of Zaire about this.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made no such representations. A Zairean Government communiqué of 4 March strongly denied the presence of Sudanese Government troops in Zaire.

  North Korea
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has had about the adequacy of the inspections of the
  539
  International Atomic Energy Agency in North Korea; and what access the Korean authorities gave the team to the seven agreed nuclear sites.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency has stated that IAEA inspections carried out between 3 and 14 March did not permit the agency to conclude that nuclear material had not been diverted for military use in North Korea since February 1993. Agency inspectors were not allowed to proceed with a full inspection at one of North Korea's seven declared nuclear facilities.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether North Korea now has diverted sufficient plutonium to make at least one nuclear weapon.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The director general of the IAEA told his board of governors on 21 March that as a result of inspections carried out between 3 and 14 March, the agency could not conclude that nuclear material had not been diverted for military use in North Korea since February 1993. In addition, North Korea has not granted the IAEA access to two undeclared sites, inspection of which would help to clarify whether there had been diversion of material prior to that date. The Security Council is currently considering the matter.

  Occupied Territories
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in providing Palestinians with international protection in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom co-sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution 904 which calls for measures to be taken to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilians throughout the occupied territories, including a temporary foreign or international presence. The nature of such a presence is the subject of negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the degree of commitment of Israel and the PLO to early elections in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Israel and the PLO are committed by the declaration of principles signed on 13 September 1993 to the goal of holding elections not later than nine months after the entry into force of the declaration. The declaration entered into force on 13 October 1993.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he is giving to the establishment of a Palestinian police force in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We will train senior officers of the Palestinian police in the United Kingdom later this year. We are also providing full riot protection equipment for 200 members of the Palestinian police.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made towards holding a referendum in the Western Sahara.
  540
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations Secretary-General submitted his latest report on 10 March. The report is being considered by the Security Council.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of the United Nations mission in the Western Sahara on the participation by Morrocans in a referendum in the Western Sahara.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations Indentification Commission is trying to establish the identification of all those eligible to vote in the referendum on the Western Sahara and to register them.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Nations employees are currently held by the Sudanese People's Liberation Army in Sudan; and what representations he has made about this.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We know of no United Nations employees being held by the SPLA. The United Nations announced on 6 March the release of United Nations staff detained on 24 February by the SPLA in violation of Operation Lifeline Sudan principles.

  East Timor
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the numbers of people who have died violently in East Timor since the Indonesian takeover.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There is no reliable source for such information.

  Israel
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States of America to discontinue all military aid to Israel until further Israeli settling in the Palestinian areas ceases and there are adequate safeguards to the Palestinians from existing settlers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States of America to press Israel to dismantle all settlements in Palestinian territory.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have kept in close touch with the Americans on this issue. We regularly make demarches to the Israelis urging them to cease the construction of settlements which is illegal and an obstacle to peace.

  Entry Clearance Officers
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 699, what is his definition of a man year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A man year is the amount of time spent per year by a person doing entry clearance officer work. It is based on a standard formula which take
  541
  account of time not available because of public holidays, leave, sickness, etcetera. It includes also the time of staff on temporary duty, such as summer seasonal relief.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answers of 16 March,Official Report, columns 699–700, if he will make a statement on the reasons for entry clearance officers at posts overseas being instructed to reply direct to letters from solicitors in the United Kingdom, but not to reply direct to letters received from hon. Members.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As I explained in my letter of 7 July 1993 to hon. Members, the migration and visa correspondence unit was established specifically to handle MPs' inquiries about entry clearance matters; and to ensure

  Number of men employed

  Number of women employed

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Open structure

  Grade 2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  3

  —

  1

  —

  Grade 4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  56

  —

  9

  2

  Grade 6

  94

  —

  8

  —

  Grade 7

  291

  9

  55

  3

  Occupational groups

  Senior Executive Officer

  72

  1

  21

  2

  Higher Executive Officer (D)

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  162

  1

  79

  9

  Executive Officer

  242

  1

  170

  32

  Administrative Officer

  289

  2

  397

  40

  Administrative Assistant

  66

  —

  50

  3

  Senior Economic Assistant

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Economic Assistant

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Information Officer

  5

  —

  6

  —

  Information Officer

  11

  —

  20

  —

  Assistant Information Officer

  5

  —

  5

  —

  Senior Librarian

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Librarian

  —

  —

  6

  —

  Assistant Librarian

  5

  —

  13

  —

  Museum Curatorial Grade D

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Museum Curatorial Grade E

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Museum Curatorial Grade F

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Senior P and T Officer

  43

  —

  2

  —

  Higher P and T Officer

  48

  —

  1

  —

  P and T Officer

  19

  —

  —

  —

  Technical Grade 1

  8

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Mapping and Charting Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Mapping and Charting Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Mapping and Charting Technical Grade 1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Typing Manager

  —

  —

  9

  1

  Personal Secretary

  —

  —

  139

  13

  Typist

  1

  —

  71

  12

  Senior Scientific Officer

  64

  —

  17

  —

  Higher Scientific Officer

  39

  —

  23

  —

  Scientific Officer

  22

  —

  12

  1

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  9

  —

  13

  —

  Catering Manager 1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Catering Manager 2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Catering Manager 3

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Higher Photographic Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Photographic Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Graphics Officer

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Graphics Officer

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Dep Reg Vet Officer

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Agricultural Officer 1

  18

  —

  1

  —

  Agricultural Officer 2

  5

  —

  —

  —

  P & GS Grade B

  3

  —

  —

  —

  P & GS grade C

  5

  —

  —

  —

  P & GS Grade D

  9

  —

  —

  —

  P & GS Grade E

  11

  —

  —

  —

  Stores Officer Grade B

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Stores Officer Grade C

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Stores Officer Grade D

  5

  —

  —

  —

  542
  more effective and efficient handling of such inquiries which had previously been subject to the risk of delay or of overseas mail going astray. MPs' representations are thus accorded priority at all times. Resource constraints preclude letters from others, such as solicitors, being given the same level of service.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The latest figures available are:
  543

  Number of men employed

  Number of women employed

  full-time

  part-time

  full-time

  part-time

  Support Manager 1

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Support Manager 2

  3

  —

  6

  —

  Support Manager 3

  25

  —

  20

  —

  Support Grade Band 1

  142

  —

  78

  3

  Support Grade Band 2

  147

  1

  123

  —

  Senior TTO

  18

  —

  —

  —

  Higher TTO

  69

  —

  —

  —

  TTO

  101

  —

  1

  —

  Assistant TTO

  91

  —

  4

  —

  Communications Officer IV

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Industrial grades

  32

  4

  12

  18

  Departmental Groups

  Senior Grade

  130

  —

  5

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 4

  257

  —

  11

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 5

  371

  1

  52

  8

  Diplomatic Service Grade 6

  228

  1

  32

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 7M

  330

  —

  90

  7

  Diplomatic Service Grade 7D

  75

  —

  36

  1

  Diplomatic Service Grade 8

  48

  —

  9

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 9

  388

  —

  391

  10

  Diplomatic Service Grade 10

  261

  1

  184

  1

  Legal Adviser

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Second Legal Adviser

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Legal Adviser

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Legal Counsellor

  4

  —

  2

  —

  Senior Assistant Legal Adviser

  6

  —

  3

  —

  Assistant Legal Adviser

  2

  —

  2

  —

  Research Counsellor

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Senior Principal Research Officer

  10

  —

  4

  —

  Principal Research Officer

  14

  2

  12

  1

  Senior Research Officer

  23

  —

  8

  1

  Research Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 8C

  14

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 9C

  7

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 5T

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 6T

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 7T

  20

  —

  —

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 8T

  44

  —

  1

  —

  Diplomatic Service Grade 9T

  15

  —

  —

  —

  Secretary 1

  —

  —

  105

  1

  Secretary 2

  1

  —

  435

  9

  Secretary 3

  1

  —

  6

  —

  Chief Overseas Security Officer

  41

  —

  —

  —

  Overseas Security Officer

  144

  —

  2

  —

  Nurse

  —

  —

  4

  —

  Doctor

  4

  —

  1

  —

  Senior Lecturer

  3

  —

  7

  —

  Senior Field Investigating Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Field Investigating Officer 2

  13

  —

  3

  —

  Translator 1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Translator 2

  1

  —

  3

  3

  Translator 3

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Chief Cypher Superintendent

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Cypher Superintendent

  12

  —

  —

  —

  Cypher Supervisor

  31

  —

  —

  —

  Telecommunications and Cypher Officer

  97

  —

  6

  —

  Operator Technician

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Queen's Messenger

  27

  —

  —

  —

  Queen's Messenger Escort

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Marsh Arabs
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available to Her Majesty's Government about the reason for the burning of settlements in the marshes where the Tigris meets the Euphrates.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The destruction of settlements in the marshes of southern Iraq may be related to marsh 544
  drainage construction projects, counter-insurgency operations or harassment of Shia Arabs by the authorities in Baghdad. United States, United Kingdom and French aircraft deployed to patrol the southern no-fly zone continue to monitor the situation closely. Iraq's motives are unlikely to be clear until the United Nations monitors are allowed access to the area, as required by the United Nations resolutions. But judging from Saddam's past record of brutality towards his own people, the wide-scale burning of settlements is likely to be part of an aggressive campaign against those who live in the marshes.
  545

  Mr. Van den Broek
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge Mr. Van den Broek to refrain from commenting on issues which are the province of member states.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No. Mr. Van den Broek is entitled to express his personal opinions.

  Paul Goodall
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that Abdul Hadi Al Gahtani who is in jail in Zemica, Bosnia is brought to trial over his alleged participation in the murder of Paul Goodall.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We remain in close touch with the Bosnian authorities about their continuing investigations into the murder of Paul Goodall. They are fully aware of our concerns that the murderer is identified and brought to justice.

  Nauru
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the Australian request of August 1993 for a contribution to the Australian settlement of the Nauru rehabilitation claim.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Kingdom Government has made an ex gratia payment to Australia of A$12 million in respect of the Australia/Nauru settlement agreement of 10 August 1993. In return Australia has agreed not to pursue any further claims against the United Kingdom on this matter. The British Government have accepted no liability with respect to any claims made by Nauru or Australia.

SCOTLAND

  Sporting Estates
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made, on a per acre basis, of the yield to the Scottish economy from sporting estates.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend does not collect this information.

  Salmon
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were employed in the salmon netting industry; and how many salmon netting stations were operative, in (i) 1979 and (ii) at the most recent available date.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Statistics are produced on salmon and sea trout netting effort but not on employment in the Scottish salmon netting industry nor on the number of salmon netting stations. The available statistics are included in the "Statistical Bulletin on Scottish Salmon and Sea Trout Catches".

  Deer Forests and Grouse Moors
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the acreage of Scotland under(a) deer forest and (b) grouse moors.
  546
  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend does not collect this information.

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met Ministers of the Isle of Man to discuss transport links, promotion of the common Celtic heritage and other matters of mutual interest.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has had no meetings with Ministers of the Isle of Man.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to make it a requirement to notify the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department of an outbreak of sheep scab; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has about the incidence of sheep scab in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I have seen a number of reports recently about sheep scab outbreaks in Scottish flocks. However, this is a disease which can be controlled readily by individual farmers who are well aware of the preventive measures and procedures needed to deal with it. Most of the detailed measures on the control of sheep scab were removed in July 1992 and the Government have already announced that they will complete this process. We have no other plans to require the notification of sheep scab.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total number of prisoners in custody in Scotland on the first day of each month from May 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 24 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. John Gunnell, dated 24 March 1994:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the total number of prisoners in custody in Scotland on the first day of each month from May 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available.

  The table below gives that information to date.

  1992

  1993

  1994

  January

  —

  5,157

  5,080

  February

  —

  5,490

  5,372

  March

  —

  5,886

  5,561

  April

  —

  5,893

  —

  May

  5,276

  5,739

  —

  June

  5,361

  5,879

  —

  July

  5,406

  5,853

  —

  August

  5,184

  5,835

  —

  September

  5,348

  5,916

  —

  October

  5,376

  5,214

  —

  November

  5,337

  5,253

  —

  December

  5,387

  5,340

  —

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total numbers of prisoners in custody in
  547
  Scotland on (a) 1 June 1979, (b) 1 June 1983, (c) 1 June 1987 and (d) 1 April 1992 and on the latest date for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 24 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. John Gunnell, dated 24 March 1994:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the total number of prisoners in custody in Scotland on 1 June 1979, 1 June 1983, 1 June 1987, 1 April 1992 and on the latest date for which figures are available.

  Information relating to the numbers in custody on the first of each month is not available for 1979, 1983 or 1987. In 1979 the average daily population (based on the full calendar year) was 4,585. In 1983 and 1987 the average daily population for the month of June in each year was 5,116 and 5,407 respectively. On 1 April 1992 the population was 5,348 and on 18 March 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, the population was 5,498.

  Dougarie Estate
  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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  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.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total numbers of prison spaces in Scotland on(a) 1 June 1979, (b) 1 June 1983, (c) 1 June 1987 and (d) 1 April 1992 and on the latest date for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 24 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. John Gunnell, dated 24 March 1994:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about prison places in Scotland.

  During any year a number of cells are unavailable for use for a variety of reasons, including redecoration or damage repair work, refurbishment (including in some cases, to provide night sanitation) or for other policy reasons (eg being retained in the event of an emergency). Information on cells in use is not available for the earlier of the years you requested. However the design capacity of the estate was as follows:

  1979

  1983

  1987

  Design capacity (as at end of each calendar year)

  5,279

  5,318

  5,691

  At the beginning of April 1992, the design capacity was 5,692 with 5,103 spaces available for use. The latest position (as at Friday 18 March 1994) is that the design capacity is 5,736, with a total of 5,167 spaces available for use.
  548

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Improvement Programmes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison improvement programmes have been cancelled over the past 12 months; if he will list the prisons in England and Wales where this has happened; and what are the reasons for such cancellations.

  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 Ian Dunbar to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 28 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 whether any building improvement programmes have been cancelled within the past twelve months.

  Two schemes have been cancelled during the last twelve months at Brixton and Stocken on value for money grounds. An alternative solution is currently being considered for Brixton.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from(a) hon. Members, (b) members of the general public and (c) chambers of trade and other trade organisations requesting tighter controls and regulation of car boot sales.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Since April 1992, representations have been received from 11 hon. Members and from 11 members of the public. No representations have been received from chambers of trade and other trade organisations.

  Prisoners (Police Cells)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently being held in police stations in south Yorkshire.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners currently held in police stations in South Yorkshire.

  On the night of 22 March 1994, the latest date for which full information is available, there were 55 prisoners in police stations in the South Yorkshire area.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners on average were being held in each of the police stations in South Yorkshire (i) for each month since January 1993 and (ii) for each day in February and March 1994; and if he will make a statement as to what causes he has identified for any trends in these figures.
  549
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 21 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the numbers of prisoners held in police stations in South Yorkshire from January 1993 to date.

  During the period from 1 January 1993 to 8 February 1994, no prisoners were held in police stations in South Yorkshire.

  The attached table shows the position from 9 February 1994 to 22 March 1994.

  Since 1 January 1994, the prison population in England and Wales has risen by over 3,300. This has caused considerable pressure on prison accommodation, particularly in the north of England.

  Date

  Police station

  Actual number

  9 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  14

  10 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  19

  11 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  3

  12 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  3

  13 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  3

  14 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  9

  15 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  20

  16 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  22

  Rotherham

  3

  17 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  18 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  1

  19 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  1

  20 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  1

  21 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  4

  22 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  23 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  24 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  25 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  26 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  27 February 1994

  Nil

  —

  28 February 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  15

  1 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  16

  2 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  18

  3 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  16

  4 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  11

  5 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  14

  6 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge St.

  14

  7 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  30

  8 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  21

  9 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  22

  10 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  11 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  4

  12 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  8

  13 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  8

  14 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  20

  Thorne

  10

  Rotherham

  15

  15 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  26

  Thorne

  10

  Rotherham

  15

  16 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  26

  Rotherham

  15

  Thorne

  12

  Doncaster

  4

  17 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  26

  Thorne

  12

  Doncaster

  13

  Rotherham

  16

  18 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  Rotherham

  15

  Thorne

  10

  19 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  Thorne

  12

  Doncaster

  4

  Rotherham

  16

  550

  Date

  Police station

  Actual number

  20 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  Thorne

  12

  Doncaster

  4

  Rotherham

  16

  21 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  25

  Thorne

  11

  Rotherham

  15

  Doncaster

  10

  22 March 1994

  Sheffield, Bridge st.

  17

  Thorne

  10

  Doncaster

  11

  Barnsley

  4

  Rotherham

  13

  Mixed-Sex Prisons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mixed-sex prisons there are in England and Wales; if he will list their locations; and what consideration he is giving to increasing their number.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about mixed sex prisons in England and Wales.

  The following three Prison Service establishments in England and Wales currently and routinely hold both males and females: Durham, Risley (near Warrington) and Low Newton (near Durham). Male and female prisoners are held separately.

  There are, at present, no plans to increase the number of establishments holding both males and females.

  Doncaster Prison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by category, the establishment number of prisoners to be held at Doncaster prison when it is opened.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 March 1994:

  HM Prison Doncaster

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Doncaster prison.

  Doncaster has a certified normal accommodation of 771 places. As a local prison serving the courts, the population mix will fluctuate with the number and age of prisoners committed to it. It is expected that two thirds of the prisoners will he male young offenders and one third adult males. The population will include those on remand, those convicted awaiting sentence, those sentenced awaiting allocation to a training prison and some who will serve their entire sentence in the prison.

  Joy Gardner
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the report sent by the Police Complaints Authority to the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the
  551
  death of Joy Gardner will include an investigation into the role of immigration officials involved in Mrs. Gardner's case in the period up to the attempted deportation.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. The report of the investigation by the assistant chief constable of Essex police, which was supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, is concerned with any possible criminal and disciplinary consequences of the actions of police officers.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when his Department was first made aware that Joy Gardner was still in the United Kingdom after her six month visa had expired;

  (2) how and by whom his Department was first made aware that Joy Gardner was still in the United Kingdom after her six months visa had expired; and from what other sources he later received the same information.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Immigration Department first became aware that Mrs. Gardner was still in the United Kingdom after expiry of her leave to enter when her husband visited the public inquiry office in Croydon on 11 September 1990 and applied on her behalf for leave to remain on the basis of marriage. This was the only source from which the information that she had overstayed was received.

  Volunteering
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to involve representatives of local government in the planning and oversight of the "Make a Difference" initiative on volunteering.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I very much hope that local government will want to play a full and active part in "Make a Difference". My officials have already met local authority associations to discuss ways in which local government can be involved, and several local government representatives attended the launch on 1 March.

  National Lottery Charities Board
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the members of the proposed National Lottery Charities Board.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to announce the chairman very shortly. He will then be discussing with him or her the appointment of the 16 board members and will make these as soon as possible.

  Youth Detention
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it costs per head to detain youths in(a) prisons and (b) other forms of detention centres; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martyn Jones, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about the cost of detaining young offenders.
  552
  Young people remanded to prison are held in local prisons and remand centres at an average weekly cost of £526. Sentenced young offenders are held in closed young offender establishments at an average weekly cost of £634 or open ones at £492.

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not had the opportunity to meet the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.

  Fire Safety Inspections
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fire safety inspections were undertaken by fire services in England and Wales in the past year; how many complaints were received about the conduct of these inspections; and how many complaints were found to be justified.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The total number of inspections carried out by fire services in England and Wales during the calendar year January to December 1992 was 840,724.

  During the period January to March 1993, some 225,505 inspections were carried out. Figures for the calendar year January to December 1993 are not yet available.

  A survey of brigades in 1993 showed that 81 complaints were received about the conduct of inspections. On investigation, 50 of those complaints were found to be justified.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average proportion of category A prisoners and category B prisoners within the prison population in each of the last 10 years.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the average proportion of category A prisoners and category B prisoners within the prison population in each of the last ten years.

  The information for 30 June of each year is given in the attached table. Information on category A prisoners is available for the period requested but information on category B prisoners is only readily available from 1991 onwards.

  Population of category A and B prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June, 1984–1993

  Security category

  Category A

  Category B

  On 30 June

  Number

  Percentage of adult sentenced population1

  Number

  Percentage of adult sentenced population1

  1984

  417

  1·6

  n/a

  n/a

  1985

  429

  1·6

  n/a

  n/a

  1986

  458

  1·7

  n/a

  n/a

  1987

  656

  2·2

  n/a

  n/a

  553

  Security category

  Category A

  Category B

  On 30 June

  Number

  Percentage of adult sentenced population1

  Number

  Percentage of adult sentenced population1

  1988

  644

  2·1

  n/a

  n/a

  1989

  664

  2·2

  n/a

  n/a

  1990

  564

  2·0

  n/a

  n/a

  1991

  592

  2·0

  4,822

  16·4

  1992

  597

  2·0

  4,751

  15·8

  1993

  578

  2·1

  5,149

  18·4

  1 Some sentenced prisoners will have had no category assigned to them. A small number of category A and category B prisoners may be young offenders rather than adults.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of prisoners in each of the last 10 years(a) serving life sentences, (b) serving sentences of over 10 years, (c) serving sentences of over four years and (d) serving sentences for crimes of a violent or sexual nature.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about what was the average number of prisoners in each of the last 10 years (a) serving life sentences, (b) serving sentences of over 10 years, (c) serving sentences of over four years and (d) serving sentences for crimes of a violent or sexual nature.

  The available information is for 30 June each year and is published annually in successive volumes of "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (Tables 1.8 and 1.9 of the latest volume, for 1991, Cm 2157 give annual data for the period 1981 to 1991). A copy of this publication is available in the House of Commons Library. Provisional information for 1992 and for 1993 where available is given in the attached table.

  Sentenced population in Prison Service establishments on 30 June1

  Length of sentence

  1992

  1993

  Life

  3,000

  3,095

  Over 10 years less than life

  1,399

  n/a

  Over 4 years less than life2

  9,965

  n/a

  Offence

  Violent or sexual offences3

  10,233

  410,700

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Includes those serving a sentence of over 10 years.

  3 As recorded. Some 13 per cent, of the sentenced population in 1992 and 6 per cent, in 1993 had no offence recorded centrally.

  4 Estimated.

  Evidence (Video Link)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to allow adult victims of sexual offences to give evidence by video link, subject to judicial discretion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation, but we have undertaken to review the position of vulnerable adult witnesses following 554
  the completion of research into the effectiveness of new provisions relating to the evidence of children, which were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoner custody officers are currently employed at Blakenhurst; and how many have resigned or been sacked since the prison opened;

  (2) how many prison custody officers have been employed at Blakenhurst by United Kingdom Detention Services since it opened; and if he will provide details;

  (3) what information he has as to how many former members of the state prison service now work at Blakenhurst;

  (4) what is the grade of the Crown Monitor at Blakenhurst prison;

  (5) how many disturbances have taken place at Blakenhurst since it opened; and if he will give details.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  HM Prison Blakenhurst

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Blakenhurst prison.

  Since its opening a total of 308 people have been employed as prisoner custody officers at Blakenhurst. 30 people have resigned and two have been dismissed. There are 276 prisoner custody officers currently employed at the prison; 13 former members of the Prison Service work there.

  The Controller is a Governor III grade Crown servant.

  There have been a total of two disturbances and five occasions on which there have been peaceful acts of indiscipline at Blakenhurst since its opening. The details are listed in the attached Annex.

  Police (Training)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the training given to(a) special constables and (b) regular police officers upon joining, after two years in post and thereafter.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The training of special constables is a matter for individual chief officers but usually takes place either at weekends or as part of a series of evening training sessions. Initial induction is followed by a basic training programme and development courses as appropriate.

  All regular police officers go through a 31-week foundation course immediately they join, partly in force and partly at one of the district training centres. During their two-year probationary period, they spend a further six weeks following centrally produced training programmes, in addition to any further specialist or general training which their forces may provide locally.

  On promotion to sergeant, officers attend a six-week sergeants development course, run by groups of forces on a regional basis. A further regionally run inspectors management development course follows promotion to

  555
  inspector. Some specialist training—such as detective training, advance driving courses and dog training—is also organised on a regional basis.

  A comprehensive programme of development related to the roles and responsibilities of more senior officers is provided by the Police Staff college, Bramshill. In addition to this leadership programme, the college offers a range of short courses and also runs an accelerated promotion course for officers of high potential.

  Other establishments which provide national training facilities are the Crime Prevention Centre and the specialist support unit for community and race relations.

  In addition to the training mentioned above, individual forces provide their own training either directly or through external courses.

  Suspect Escorts
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost in each of the past three years of transporting under police escort suspects from the area in which they were arrested back to the area where the alleged crimes took place for trial; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not collected.

  Trials
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the use of technology to enable all people charged with crimes to be tried in the area in which they were arrested; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have no current plans to use technology in the way suggested. The Government do, however, keep under review developments in this sector, and are examining a number of ways in which the conduct of court business might be aided by the use of new technology.

  Prisoner Escapes
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the estimated number of prisoner escorts in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those involved the use of custom-built cellular vehicles;

  (2) how many prisoners escaped from prison escorts in each of the last five years; and how many of those escapes were from custom-built cellular vehicles;

  (3) how many escapes have occurred from Group 4 prisoner escorts since April 1993; and if he will give details of each case;

  (4) how many category A prisoners have escaped from prison service escorts in the last five years; and how many of those escorts involved cellular vehicles.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about escapes from escorts, and the estimated number of orison escorts over the last five years, and the proportion in which custom built cellular vehicles were used.
  556
  The information you requested is not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Escapes from prison escort over the last five years and the number of escapes from cellular vehicles—the following table lists all escapes from escort of prisoners supervised by Prison Service staff from both the public and private sectors and from the private escort contract. It does not, however, include prison escorts conducted by the police forces in England and Wales.

  Year

  Number of inmates

  1989

  118

  1990

  119

  1991

  144

  1992

  147

  1993

  1192

  1 Thirty of these escapes would have been the responsibility of police escorts in previous years and are not reflected in prior year figures.

  Information about escapes from Prison Service cellular vehicles is not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

  Escapes from Group 4 since April 1993 with details of escapes.

  From 1 April 1993 to 28 February 1994 40 inmates escaped from Group 4 prisoner escorts.

  The following table provides details of the escapes:

  Location of escape

  Number of prisoners

  Attendance at court

  31

  En route from vehicle

  8

  Outside hospital

  1

  Total

  40

  Before Group 4 undertook prisoner escort work, 34 of the above inmates who escaped would have been the responsibility of police escorts.

  This information is derived from the Incident Management Support Unit, a part of the Directorate of Custody.

  Category 'A' prisoners and escapes from Prison Service escorts over the last 5 years.

  No Category 'A' prisoner has escaped from a Prison Service escort in this period.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have escaped while under escort from Preston prison in the past 12 months; how many of those escapes were from private taxi hire; and how many of those escapes were from custom-built cellular vehicles.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the escape of prisoners whilst under escort from Preston prison in the past 12 months.

  During the past year three prisoners from Preston prison have escaped whilst under escort. Two of these escapes were whilst the prisoners concerned were receiving treatment in an outside hospital. In the first of these incidents the prisoner was recaptured almost immediately by the escorting prison officers. In the later incident the prisoner was recaptured by the police within three hours of his escape. The remaining incident involved the escape of a prisoner from a privately hired bus. This prisoner was subsequently recaptured by the police some six weeks after his escape.
  557
  There have been no escapes from private taxi hire vehicles or custom built cellular vehicles during the past year.

  Prisoner Escorts
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff Group 4 employ to carry out prisoner escort duties in Humberside and the east midlands.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  COURT ESCORT AND CUSTODY SERVICE IN HUMBERSIDE AND THE EAST MIDLANDS

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the court escort and custody service in Humberside and the East Midlands.

  Group 4 have a current operational strength of 334 prisoner custody officers, including supervisory officers, for the prisoner escort and court custody duties required under the contract. This excludes senior managers at their area headquarters.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Securicor will begin escorting prisoners in London; and in what area of London this service will first be handed over to Securicor.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the court escort and custody service contract in the Metropolitan Police District.

  The contract with Securicor will be introduced in five phases, commencing on 27 June 1994. The contract will commence in North East London and will cover Pentonville and Holloway prisons.

  Prisoner Populations
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the average certified accommodation and the average prisoner population for each month at Blakenhurst since the prison opened;

  (2) what was the average prisoner populations and the average certified normal accommodation at The Wolds for each month since April 1992.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the average certified accommodation and the average prisoner population for each month at Blakenhurst since the prison opened and at the Wolds for each month since April 1992.
  558
  I attach tables showing the prison population and Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) at the Wolds and Blakenhurst for the last day of each month.

  Population and CNA of the Wolds at the last day of each month 1992 to 1994

  Last day of Month

  CNA1

  Population

  1992

  April

  320

  48

  May

  320

  100

  June

  320

  112

  July

  320

  143

  August

  320

  172

  September

  300

  197

  October

  300

  221

  November

  320

  238

  December

  320

  214

  1993

  January

  320

  304

  February

  320

  318

  March

  320

  309

  April

  320

  310

  May

  320

  310

  June

  320

  317

  July

  320

  317

  August

  320

  318

  September

  320

  322

  October

  320

  327

  November

  320

  320

  December

  320

  320

  1994

  January

  320

  322

  February

  320

  323

  1 The operational capacity was lower than the CNA during the period when the establishment was being opened.

  Population and CNA of Blakenhurst at the last day of each month 1992–94

  Last day of month

  CNA1

  Population

  1993

  May

  20

  21

  June

  120

  136

  July

  200

  247

  August

  300

  318

  September

  400

  433

  October

  550

  563

  November

  649

  614

  December

  649

  556

  1994

  January

  649

  621

  February

  649

  563

  1 The operational capacity was lower than the CNA during the period when the establishment was being opened.

  Telephone Conversations (Taping Guidelines)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the guidelines issued to the Prison Service concerning the tape recording of telephone conversations between prisoners and third parties; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 28 March 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the guidelines issued to the Prison Service concerning the tape recording of telephone conversations between prisoners and third parties.
  559
  Guidance on the operation of telephones for prisoners' use including the tape recording of conversations are set out in Prison Service Circular Instructions 21/1992 and Circular Instruction 50/1988, copies of which are in the Library.

  Staff and Prisoner Assaults
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many staff assaults have occurred at The Wolds prison since it opened; and what is the average rate of staff assaults per 100 prisoners;

  (2) how many recorded prisoner on prisoner assaults have taken place in each month since The Wolds prison opened;

  (3) how many staff assaults have occurred at Blakenhurst since the prison opened; and what is the average rate of assaults per 100 prisoners.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  ASSAULTS AT THE WOLDS AND BLAKENHURST

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about assaults on staff at Blakenhurst and the Wolds and on prisoners at the Wolds.

  The Wolds opened in April 1992. During its first year of operation there were 36 assaults on staff proved at adjudication, equivalent to 18 per 100 average population of prisoners. In the eleven months to February 1994 there were 29 such assaults, equivalent to an annual rate of 10 per 100 average population. Blakenhurst opened in May 1993 and in the first ten months of its operation there were 81 assaults on staff, equivalent to an annual rate of 28 per 100 average population. This experience is consistent with that of new public-sector prisons, where the number of assaults is often higher in the period after opening and then declines.

  I attach a table showing the monthly figures of prisoner on prisoner assaults at the Wolds.

  The Wolds

  Assaults on prisoners

  1992

  April

  0

  May

  0

  June

  0

  July

  0

  August

  1

  September

  0

  October

  1

  November

  4

  December

  3

  1993

  January

  0

  February

  3

  March

  4

  April

  1

  May

  1

  June

  1

  July

  0

  August

  0

  September

  0

  October

  1

  November

  0

  December

  0

  19941

  January

  2

  February

  1

  1 Provisional.

  560

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each local education authority in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95 for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in(a) maintained schools, (b) voluntary-aided schools and (c) central teams which provide a service throughout the authority;

  (2) how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each parliamentary constituency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95 for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in (a) maintained schools and (b) voluntary-aided schools;

  (3) if he will list, for each constituency, the schools with teacher posts approved for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 21 March,Official Report, columns 34–36, to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn), in which I set out, in relation to each relevant local education authority, numbers of posts designated to be filled by qualified teachers, approved for funding under section 11.

  Comprehensive information is not available centrally about the current allocation of approved posts to individual schools within local education authority projects and such information could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. As to the position with regard to 1994–95, an encouraging proportion of authorities have notified us of their intentions to make good the shortfall arising from the reduction in section 11 funding. However, many authorities have yet to inform us of their plans.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent teaching posts have been approved for each grant-maintained school for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and what was the total grant in each case under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Comprehensive information is not available centrally about the current allocation of posts approved for funding under section 11 to grant maintained schools. The available information is shown in the table.

  Grant-maintained schools are eligible to apply for funding direct. In some cases, schools which were already grant maintained applied successfully at the time of the last applications round and have had their own projects since 1 April 1992. Information in relation to those is shown in the table.

  Other schools, which have since opted for grant-maintained status, were originally covered under local education authority projects. Local agreement is often reached for such schools to remain within those projects, notwithstanding their change of status. In such instances, section 11 grant continues to be paid to the local authority, and it is the responsibility of the school to make the contribution to the total cost which the authority would otherwise have made.

  Alternatively, a school may leave the local education authority project and apply to set up its own. In such cases, the number and type of posts approved are agreed between

  561
  the school and the local education authority as being the allocation appropriately made to the school by the local education authority immediately before. Section 11 grant is then paid to the school at a level consistent with contemporary practice in relation to the payment of grant

  Approved posts

  Grant

  Name

  LEA

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Ashcroft

  Bedfordshire

  0·5

  0·5

  3,444

  3,549

  *Ash Green

  Warwickshire

  0·4

  0·4

  5,637

  6,217

  Avon Valley

  Warwickshire

  1·0

  1·0

  11,669

  11,750

  Beechview

  Buckinghamshire

  0·6

  0·6

  6,963

  6,995

  Bridgewater and Brindley Hall

  Buckinghamshire

  0·75

  0·75

  13,230

  13,111

  Burntwood

  Wandsworth

  4·0

  4·0

  57,024

  55,687

  Claremone

  Harrow

  1·0

  1·0

  13,519

  13,629

  Copland

  Brent

  2·5

  2·5

  37,853

  33,860

  Deacons

  Cambridgeshire

  4·5

  4·5

  33,315

  24,823

  Francis Bacon

  Hertfordshire

  4·0

  4·0

  23,107

  24,645

  Graveney

  Wandsworth

  5·0

  5·0

  71,186

  69,720

  Greenford

  Ealing

  3·4

  3·4

  46,819

  39,461

  Greenwood Dale

  Nottinghamshire

  2·0

  2·0

  25,783

  26,111

  Hall Green

  Birmingham

  0·85

  0·85

  9,326

  9,320

  *Hamilton

  Buckinghamshire

  3·0

  3·0

  40,946

  41,410

  *Hendon

  Barnet

  2·0

  2·0

  26,645

  28,041

  Holly Hall

  Dudley

  0·4

  0·4

  1,186**

  3,778

  Holy Trinity

  Kent

  0·87

  0·87

  10,308

  10,819

  London Oratory

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3·1

  3·1

  39,595

  38,025

  Myton

  Warwickshire

  1·45

  1·45

  20,254

  19,888

  Northampton Boys

  Northamptonshire

  1·0

  1·0

  16,809

  13,372

  Northolt

  Ealing

  1·2

  1·2

  5,802

  5,379

  Oldfield

  Avon

  0·3

  0·3

  3,881

  3,645

  Radcliffe

  Buckinghamshire

  1·0

  1·0

  10,400

  10,478

  Raines Foundation

  Tower Hamlets

  1·0

  1·0

  26,803

  27,146

  *Reading Girls

  Berkshire

  1·0

  1·0

  12,410

  12,733

  Robert Napier

  Kent

  0·5

  0·5

  1,239

  1,220

  Small Heath

  Birmingham

  4·6

  4·6

  50,057

  50,626

  Stratford

  Newham

  3·0

  3·0

  53,106

  54,277

  Wood End

  Ealing

  1·3

  1·3

  8,968

  6,815

  *Wrenn

  Northamptonshire

  2·0

  2·0

  27,188

  27,351

  Notes:

  1. Figures in relation to posts are in full-time equivalent terms.

  2. The figures for Deacons include I instructor post and 1 bilingual assistant post; and for Small Heath, 1 home/school liaison assistant post. All others are designated teacher posts.

  3. As to 1994–95, figures relate to posts eligible for funding front 1 April 1994. It is a matter for each school to decide, within its overall financial provision, how it intends to proceed in the light of reductions in section 11 funding. Schools marked* have indicated that they propose to make no substantive change in 1994–95. In other cases, responses are awaited from schools.

  4. At present, section 11 grant is paid quarterly in arrears on the basis of actual expenditure incurred by the grant recipient. The 1993–94 grant expenditure figures relate to grant paid in respect of the school's own expenditure in the three quarters from 1 April to 31 December 1993.

  5. In the case marked**, the expenditure is from 1 September 1993, the operative date for the school's project.

  6. With effect from 1994–95, section 11 grant will be paid on the basis of an annual budget allocation. The figures for 1994–95 show the budget allocation which has been notified to each school in relation to the school's expenditure in 1994–95.

  7. The table does not include schools whose new project proposals are in the process of consideration, or who have not yet been notified of a budget allocation figure for 1994–95.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his Department will retain responsibility for funding teaching posts under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 after the creation of the single regeneration budget from April 1995; what will be the proportion of the funding thus retained; and what proportion will be transferred to the single regeneration budget.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Around 55 per cent. of the total provision in relation to 1994–95 for teaching and other posts approved for funding under section 11 will form part of the single regeneration budget when it comes into operation on 1 April 1994. The Home Office will continue to administer the balance of funding remaining under section 11 in respect of approved teacher and other posts.
  562
  to the local authority, and it is the responsibility of the school to pay the balance of the total cost. Information about such schools is included in the table.

  For convenience, the local authority area in whose area a school is located is indicated.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Howard
  The figures requested are given in the table below which sets out the total number of non-industrial Home Office staff by grade—including those in agencies, on outward secondment or maternity or special leave—and the number who are male and female and full-time and part-time employees. The information was extracted from the Home Office personnel system on 25 March 1994.
  563

  Grade

  Part-time Female

  Part-time Male

  Full-time Female

  Full-time Male

  Total

  Administrative Trainee (New)

  0

  0

  2

  6

  8

  Administrative Assistant

  350

  17

  1,241

  577

  2,185

  Administrative Officer

  560

  30

  2,541

  1,287

  4,418

  Assistant Director

  0

  0

  0

  9

  9

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  0

  8

  4

  13

  Assistant Statistician

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Assistant Storeperson

  0

  0

  8

  96

  104

  Assistant Division Officer

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Assistant Identification Officer

  0

  0

  8

  6

  14

  Assistant Immigration Officer

  3

  0

  19

  17

  39

  Assistant Information Officer

  0

  0

  3

  4

  7

  Assistant Inspector Fire Services 1

  0

  0

  0

  14

  14

  Assistant Inspector Fire Services 2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Assistant Inspector Fire Services 3

  0

  0

  0

  12

  12

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  8

  0

  62

  22

  92

  Assistant Chief Officer (HD Opps Study)

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Church of England Chaplain

  0

  1

  5

  91

  97

  Church of England/Roman Catholic Part-time Chaplain

  23

  95

  3

  6

  127

  Chaplain General Prisons

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Chief Immigration Officer

  5

  0

  48

  309

  362

  Chief Inspector Animals Sp. Inspector

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Chief Typing Manager

  0

  0

  4

  0

  4

  Commandant

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Communication Officer 2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Communication Officer 3

  0

  0

  2

  13

  15

  Consultant Vol Sers Unit

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Divisional Officer Grade 1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Divisional Officer Grade 2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Executive Officer

  166

  8

  1,018

  936

  2,128

  Farm Manager 1

  0

  0

  0

  9

  9

  Farm Manager 1a

  0

  0

  0

  14

  14

  Farm Manager 2

  0

  0

  0

  10

  10

  Farm Manager 3

  0

  0

  1

  28

  29

  Farm Manager 4

  0

  0

  0

  19

  19

  Farms and Gardens Officer

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Fireground Supervisor

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Foreman

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Governor 1

  0

  0

  0

  39

  39

  Governor 2

  0

  0

  7

  78

  85

  Governor 3

  0

  0

  14

  103

  117

  Governor 4

  0

  0

  39

  275

  314

  Governor 5

  0

  0

  29

  409

  438

  Governor 5 (Aps)

  0

  0

  6

  19

  25

  Grade 1 (Permanent Secretary)

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Grade 2 (Deputy Secretary)

  0

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Grade 3 (Under Secretary)

  0

  0

  7

  21

  28

  Grade 4

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Grade 5

  5

  1

  18

  71

  95

  Grade 6

  3

  0

  10

  89

  102

  Grade 7

  27

  0

  131

  457

  615

  Graphics Officer

  1

  0

  2

  11

  14

  Graphics Technical Grade

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Head of Department 3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Head of Department 5

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Head of Department 6

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Head of Department iv

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Head Pharmacist

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Higher Tcoms Technical Officer

  0

  0

  0

  18

  18

  Higher Executive Officer

  79

  1

  411

  704

  1,195

  Higher Executive Officer (D)

  0

  0

  8

  18

  26

  Higher Graphics Officer

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Higher Instructional Officer

  0

  0

  2

  26

  28

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  0

  0

  5

  126

  131

  Higher Scientific Officer

  16

  0

  66

  96

  178

  Higher Psychologist

  1

  1

  33

  11

  46

  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector Constabulary

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector Fire Services

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Her Majesty's Inspector Constabulary

  0

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Her Majesty's Inspector Fire Services 1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services 2

  0

  0

  0

  7

  7

  Her Majesty's Inspector-Territorial

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Immigration Officer

  75

  7

  747

  1,377

  2,206

  Information Officer

  0

  0

  13

  6

  19

  Insp. Animals SP Insp.

  0

  0

  2

  15

  17

  Inspector (Police)

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Inspector Immigration

  0

  0

  1

  69

  70

  Instructor

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  564

  565

  Grade

  Part-time Female

  Part-time Male

  Full-time Female

  Full-time Male

  Total

  Instructional Officer 1

  0

  0

  146

  892

  1,038

  Instructional Officer 2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Interpreter

  0

  0

  2

  5

  7

  Lecturer Grade 2

  0

  0

  6

  18

  24

  Legal Officer

  0

  0

  3

  1

  4

  Librarian

  0

  0

  5

  2

  7

  Matron Housekeeper 0–150

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Medical Officer

  0

  5

  8

  72

  85

  Medical Officer (P/T)

  4

  104

  0

  0

  108

  Night Patrol

  5

  2

  75

  851

  933

  Nursing Grade A

  2

  0

  1

  1

  4

  Nursing Grade C

  2

  0

  46

  4

  52

  Nursing Grade D

  3

  0

  97

  23

  123

  Nursing Grade E

  1

  0

  93

  43

  137

  Nursing Grade F

  13

  0

  75

  19

  107

  Nursing Grade G

  0

  0

  20

  8

  28

  Nursing Grade H

  0

  0

  5

  1

  6

  Personal Secretary

  43

  0

  451

  3

  497

  Principal Lecturer

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Pharmacist

  5

  0

  8

  5

  18

  Pharmacy Technician

  2

  0

  19

  2

  23

  Physical Education Officer

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Principal Medical Officer

  0

  0

  2

  6

  8

  Principal Officer

  0

  0

  44

  1,306

  1,350

  Principal Officer (Aps.)

  0

  0

  9

  24

  33

  Principal RC Chaplain

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Prison Auxiliary

  12

  1

  303

  1,297

  1,613

  Prison Officer

  3

  7

  1,802

  17,026

  18,838

  Prison Officer (Aps.)

  0

  0

  20

  18

  38

  Prof, and Technology Officer

  0

  1

  11

  85

  97

  Psychologist

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Psychological Assistant

  2

  0

  26

  14

  42

  Psychologist—Graduate Trainee

  0

  0

  19

  8

  27

  R.C. Chaplain

  0

  2

  1

  13

  16

  Registered Catering Manager

  0

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Research Officer (Social Science)

  0

  0

  9

  7

  16

  Scientific Officer

  15

  0

  50

  51

  116

  Senior Instructional Officer

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Senior Telecommunications Technical Officer

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Senior Research Officer

  1

  0

  5

  4

  10

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  0

  0

  2

  6

  8

  Senior Divisional Officer

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Senior Executive Officer

  20

  3

  115

  289

  427

  Senior Information Officer

  0

  0

  3

  5

  8

  Senior Lecturer

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Senior Legal Assistant

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Senior Librarian

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Senior Medical Officer

  0

  1

  5

  35

  41

  Senior Officer

  0

  0

  164

  3,350

  3,514

  Senior Personal Secretary

  2

  0

  40

  0

  42

  Senior Pharmacist

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Senior Prof, and Technical Officer

  0

  0

  1

  149

  150

  Senior Psychologist

  2

  0

  27

  19

  48

  Senior Scientific Officer

  9

  1

  22

  165

  197

  Shop Assistant

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Shop Manager

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Staff Principal Pharmacist

  0

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Storeperson

  0

  8

  21

  43?

  466

  Stores Officer Grade A

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Stores Officer Grade B

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Stores Officer Grade C

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Stores Officer Grade D

  0

  0

  4

  5

  Sup Insp Animals Sp Insp

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Support Grade Band 1

  14

  0

  88

  47

  149

  Support Grade Band 2

  173

  12

  262

  273

  720

  Support Manager 1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Support Manager 2

  0

  0

  3

  1

  4

  Support Manager 3

  0

  0

  11

  1

  12

  Technical Officer Grade 1

  0

  0

  4

  14

  18

  Technical Officer Grade 2

  0

  0

  3

  5

  8

  Telecom Engineering Tech

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Telecom Technical Engineer 2

  0

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Telecoms Technical Officer

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Telephonist

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Temporary Prison Officer

  2

  0

  2

  0

  4

  Trainee Graphics Officer

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Trainee Typist

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  566

  567

  Grade

  Part-time Female

  Part-time Male

  Full-time Female

  Full-time Male

  Total

  Typing Manager

  0

  0

  32

  0

  32

  Typist

  255

  0

  492

  1

  748

  1,914

  308

  11,194

  34,246

  47,662

  North Wales Police Authority
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend Home Office circular 176/1976 with a view to ensuring that the North Wales police authority can consider, in the appointment of a new chief constable, an officer or officers currently on the senior officer list who can speak Welsh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The circular was introduced after careful consideration and discussion with the local authority associations and police staff associations and the policy outlined in it has been adhered to consistently since 1976. The principles underpinning the guidance in the circular are still valid.

  Male Offenders
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of male offenders reconvicted within two years commenced(a) probation with day centre on 4A requirements, (b) probation without requirements and (c) community service, in 1987.

  Mr. Maclean
  Reconviction statistics relate to "standard list" offences as defined in appendix 4 of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales, 1992". It is estimated from a sample of persons commencing supervision under the probation service in 1987 that the proportions of males reconvicted within two years were:

  Per cent.

  Community service orders

  56

  Probation orders with a day centre or 4A requirement

  66

  Probation orders with no such requirement

  54

  Source: Reconvictions of those given Probation and Community Service Orders in 1987. Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 18/93.

  Marriage Registrars
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which section within his Department liaises with marriage registrars.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Home Office has no direct liaison with registrars. From time to time, staff in the immigration and nationality department are in contact with the registrar general of the Office of Population and Census Surveys.

  HIV Infection (Prisons)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for reducing the risk of HIV infection in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  HIV/AIDS policy for prisoners already places strong emphasis on preventive measures,568
  notably educational and counselling services. Following a wide-ranging review of policy and practice the potential for further risk reduction measures is being considered.

  It will be appreciated that these are sensitive and difficult issues which need to be considered carefully, the more so because I understand that the first report has been received of an identified case of HIV transmission within prisons in England and Wales. The Public Health Laboratory Service has been asked to investigate the case and, if appropriate, advise on the further measures necessary to reduce the risk of other similar occurrences.

  The Wolds Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what means are in place to monitor services at The Wolds prison which Group 4 contract out to third parties;

  (2) what steps have been taken to enable a comparative cost analysis between The Wolds and the public sector following the criticisms made by the Prison Chief Inspector last year;

  (3) if he will publish the reports made by the Crown Monitor at The Wolds;

  (4) how much Group 4 will be paid to run The Wolds prison; and how any originally agreed sum has been subsequently varied;

  (5) how many disturbances have occurred at The Wolds prison since it opened;

  (6) how many custody officers are currently working at The Wolds prison; and what information he has as to how many custody officers have resigned or been sacked by Group 4 since The Wolds opened.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 28 March 1994:

  HM Prison Wolds

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Wolds prison.

  On 28 February 1994 155 people certificated as prisoner custody officers (PCOs) were employed at Wolds prison. In 1992 four PCOs resigned and in 1993 ten did so. Two have been dismissed, both in 1993. In 1994 12 PCOs have resigned. It is believed that some of these have accepted offers of PCO posts elsewhere.

  The Controller monitors all the services delivered under the contract, including those which, with Prison Service permission, are subcontracted. There are no plans to publish the Controller's reports. These are internal management reports and it would not be appropriate to release them. Reports by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Board of Visitors have been published.

  The Prison Service has made public the cost of operating Wolds on several occasions, before and after publication of the Chief Inspector's report, including responses to a number of Parliamentary Questions and at the time of the publication of the Chief Inspector's report on Wolds in August 1993, the announcement of the plans for private sector involvement in the

  569
  Prison Service in September 1993, and the announcement of award of the contract for Doncaster prison in January this year. Comparative cost analysis has also been undertaken and published at the time of the latter announcements. I should point out that the ability to draw meaningful comparisons is limited because the Wolds is the only adult remand prison. In addition, the Prison Service publishes comparative information about the performance of all prisons, directly and privately managed, on a regular basis in its Annual Report. Information on Wolds was included in the Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 1992–93 which was published in November 1993 (Cm 2385). The report shows that the net operating costs for Wolds for that financial year were £5·5 million and the cost per prisoner place per week was £333. The net operating cost includes all costs associated with the operation of Wolds, including payments made to Group 4. Figures for the 1993–94 financial year will be included in the next annual report.

  Group 4 is currently paid at the rate of £4·8 million a year for the management of Wolds. Amounts paid to Group 4 are included in the total costs of operating Wolds referred to above. The contract with Group 4 allows for variations to be made to the services required under the contract and for annual reviews of the contract price in line with the movements of the appropriate prices and earning indices published by the Department of Trade and the Department of Employment. In the life of the contract the most significant changes have been variations to reflect the transfer of the court escort function from Wolds prison to the new court escort and custody service in Humberside and the East Midlands in April 1992; and the movements in the relevant indices.

  Finally, you also requested information on disturbances at the prison. Details of incidents between the opening of the prison and 29 June 1993 have already been provided to Parliament (Official Report: 26 July 1993, col. WA 75–79). Since that time there have been three instances of concerted indiscipline, making a total of 28 incidents in all.

  Pentonville Prison
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what improvements have been made in Pentonville prison relating to criticisms made by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons; which points of criticism remain unresolved; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning conditions in Pentonville prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answers 25 March 1994]: Judge Tumin made 128 recommendations in his report of November 1993. There were five main recommendations; the Prison Service has accepted four, of which one is already being implemented. The further 123 recommendations to the governor have largely been implemented or are in the process of being implemented.

  Some 17 recommendations are under active consideration. The remaining eight recommendations require further discussion.

  In line with the main recommendations, it is expected there will be full access to sanitation by the end of 1994 and "slopping out" will no longer be necessary. There is an agreed strategic plan for building work; B wing is being refurbished and work should be completed by May 1995. Work to refurbish and extend the kitchen started in October 1993 and modernisation of the health care centre is intended for the financial year 1996–97. A review of staffing in the health care centre is currently being evaluated and a working group has been established to consider other health care issues. Computer software for budget management is to be provided.
  570
  The remaining main recommendation was to review the policy of holding immigration detainees in Pentonville. The majority of people detained under immigration powers are already housed in Immigration Service accommodation. There will, however, remain a certain number of immigration detainees who will need to be accommodated in prisons because of their behaviour.

  There have been no formal representations from interested outside bodies or pressure groups about conditions generally at Pentonville.

  Deaths (Police Cells)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) deaths and (b) suicides of Prison Service prisoners occurred in police cells in 1993:

  (2) how many deaths there were in police cells in 1993; and how many were suicides.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 14 February 1994]: The numbers of persons who died in police cells or detention rooms in 1993 are as follows:

  Total deaths

  Suicide verdict reached

  Inquest awaited

  Provincial forces

  12

  2

  2

  Metropolitan police

  6

  0

  0

  None of the deaths involved Prison Service prisoners.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  National Continence Week
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what projects his Department instigated in respect of National Continence Week.

  Mr. Ancram
  The Department of Health and Social Services funded an advertising campaign on television and in the local press during National Continence Week which was supported with editorial coverage. It produced and distributed more than 50,000 leaflets, posters and stickers to promote the national help and advice line and encourage sufferers to seek treatment. The Department also collaborated with health and social services boards in drawing up a full programme of local events.

  Agriculture (Incomes)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will show the average income of(a) farmers and (b) farm workers in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, using 1985 as a constant, in each year since 1980 showing these incomes as a percentage of the average wage.

  Mr. Ancram
  Estimates of cash farm income in Northern Ireland for 1986–87 onwards are given in the table. Figures for previous years are not available on a consistent basis. Estimates of average farm income are not comparable with the average wage.

  Estimates of the earnings of full-time hired agricultural workers in Northern Ireland are also given in the table.
  571

  Earnings of full-time hired agricultural workers (£week)

  Year

  1Estimated cash income (£/farm) current terms

  Year

  Current terms

  2Real terms 1985 prices

  3Percentage of average wage

  1980–81

  n/a

  1980

  66·54

  94·12

  66·7

  1981–82

  n/a

  1981

  71·60

  90·52

  62·7

  1982–83

  n/a

  1982

  77·01

  89·65

  61·9

  1983–84

  n/a

  1983

  85·86

  95·61

  64·3

  1984–85

  n/a

  1984

  88·60

  93·96

  61·2

  1985–86

  n/a

  1985

  90·44

  90·44

  58·9

  1986–87

  12,600

  1986

  102·40

  99·03

  63·6

  1987–88

  14,500

  1987

  104·47

  97·00

  59·2

  1988–89

  15,600

  1988

  111·75

  98·89

  58·9

  1989–90

  19,000

  1989

  121·70

  99·92

  58·9

  1990–91

  16,600

  1990

  129·09

  96·84

  57·2

  1991–92

  16,300

  1991

  143·52

  101–72

  58·4

  1992·93

  19,700

  1992

  145·07

  99·09

  53·8

  1993–944

  21,600

  41993

  153·15

  102·99

  54·2

  n/a=Not available.

  1 Farm Business Survey account years ending on average in mid-February.

  2 Deflated by the Retail Price Index.

  3 Average earnings of all industries and services in Northern Ireland.

  4 Provisional.

  Source Northern Ireland New Earnings Survey.

  Farm Workers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of(a) fanners and (b) farm workers in Northern Ireland in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures are from the June agricultural censuses for each year and include estimates for minor holdings not covered by the census:

  Farmers, partners and directors

  Working spouses

  All other farmworkers

  1980

  38,471

  5,833

  19,215

  1981

  38,579

  5,459

  19,225

  1982

  38,406

  5,183

  19,336

  1983

  38,526

  5,033

  19,866

  1984

  38,285

  4,863

  19,976

  1985

  37,761

  5,275

  20,209

  1986

  37,552

  5,374

  19,627

  1987

  37,129

  5,304

  19,550

  1988

  37,417

  5,008

  19,630

  1989

  36,709

  4,903

  20,084

  1990

  36,302

  4,741

  19,992

  1991

  35,991

  4,562

  19,259

  1992

  36,224

  3,908

  18,997

  1993

  34,408

  5,790

  19,426

  Isle of Man
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met Ministers of the Isle of Man to discuss transport links, promotion of the common Celtic heritage and other matters of mutual interest.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Ministers from the Isle of Man had a meeting with Lord Arran on 14 October 1992. Those present were the Finance Minister, Minister of Health and Social Security and junior Health Minister all of whom were in Northern Ireland to discuss and seek advice on acute hospital planning.

  The meeting also touched on opportunities for co-operation on a range of health service matters.
  572
  There has to date been no necessity for Ministers from both Governments to meet to discuss transport links or the promotion of the common Celtic heritage.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is provided in the tables.

  Home civil servants at 1 March 1994 (non-industrial and industrial staff)

  (a) Male

  (b) Female

  Grade

  (i)FT

  (ii)PT

  (i)FT

  (ii)PT

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  —

  —

  —

  4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  5

  9

  —

  —

  —

  6

  5

  —

  —

  —

  7

  20

  —

  4

  1

  1SEO

  4

  —

  3

  —

  HEO D

  3

  —

  1

  —

  HEO

  7

  —

  14

  —

  AT

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2EO

  12

  —

  14

  —

  SPS

  —

  —

  7

  —

  TM

  —

  —

  1

  —

  AO

  9

  —

  9

  1

  PS

  —

  —

  15

  —

  AA

  2

  —

  4

  1

  Typist

  —

  —

  13

  3

  CM1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  CM3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Chef 1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  SMG3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  SGB 1

  6

  —

  —

  —

  SGB2

  4

  —

  1

  2

  GHJCC6

  2

  —

  —

  —

  GHJCC2

  2

  —

  2

  10

  Notes

  (a) Casual staff and prison service staff are not included.

  (b) Casual staff and prison service staff are not included.

  1SEO equivalent grades are included.

  2EO equivalent grades are included.
  573

  Northern Ireland Civil Servants

  Non-Industrials as at 24 March 1994

  Male Full time

  Male Part time

  Female Full time

  Female Part time

  General Service Grades

  Head of Service

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Permanent Secretary

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Under Secretary

  30

  1

  —

  —

  Grade 4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Assistant Secretary

  100

  —

  12

  —

  Senior Principal

  30

  —

  —

  —

  PO

  341

  —

  49

  6

  PO (London)

  —

  —

  1

  —

  DP

  491

  1

  153

  10

  DP (London)

  —

  —

  1

  —

  SO

  574

  —

  385

  34

  SO (A)

  9

  —

  2

  —

  AT

  5

  —

  1

  —

  EOI

  590

  3

  699

  90

  Social Sec Officer (1)

  271

  1

  528

  91

  EOII

  492

  —

  889

  91

  EOII (London)

  —

  —

  2

  —

  AO

  983

  2

  2,248

  304

  AA

  808

  1

  2,181

  193

  Social Sec Officer 2A

  98

  —

  178

  15

  Social Sec Officer 2B

  528

  6

  1,159

  192

  AO (London)

  —

  —

  1

  —

  AA

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Accountant Gd 7

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Accountant DP

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Accountant SO

  19

  —

  6

  —

  Accountant EOI

  3

  —

  1

  —

  Auditor SO

  26

  —

  8

  —

  Auditor DP

  12

  —

  1

  —

  Total General Service Grades

  5,426

  15

  8,506

  1,027

  Other Grades

  6,549

  25

  2,751

  360

  Total Non-Industrials

  11,975

  40

  11,257

  1,387

  Industrials as at l February 1994

  Craft

  642

  0

  1

  0

  Non Craft

  3,620

  2

  40

  5

  Total Industrials

  4,262

  2

  41

  5

  Total Northern Ireland Civil Servants

  16,237

  42

  11,298

  1,392

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what assessment he has made of how many of those pupils currently covered by the assisted places scheme would have entered private education without the support offered by the scheme;

  (2) what safeguards are used by his Office to ensure that schools covered by the assisted places scheme meet recognised educational standards;

  (3) how much his Office has spent on the operation of the assisted places scheme in each year since 1981; how many pupils have been covered by the scheme in each year since 1981; and if there was any overspend on the budget allocated in each of these years;

  (4) if he will list those schools in Northern Ireland which have pupils under the assisted places scheme in the current academic year; how many pupils are supported at each institution; and how much it cost his Office to provide this support;
  574
  (5) how much it costs his Department annually to publicise and administer the operation of the assisted places scheme;

  (6) what assessment has been made of the assisted places scheme by his Office;

  (7) if he will list the 20 independent schools which currently have the highest proportions of their school rolls made up by pupils covered by the assisted places scheme; and if he will give the percentage of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme and the size of the school rolls;

  (8) what level of fee is charged by each institution covered by the assisted places scheme in the current academic year.

  Mr. Ancram
  There is no assisted place scheme or equivalent in Northern Ireland.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Egg and Poultry Industries
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the best estimate of the number of regulations affecting the egg and poultry industries currently in force.

  Mr. Jack
  My Department has responsibility for 33 regulations that apply specifically to the egg and poultry industries. Twenty-one of these are EC rules for marketing and international trade, six covering eggs and 10 covering poultry and five applying to both. There are a further 26 regulations covering livestock and food commodities which also affect the egg and poultry industries.

  The veterinary medicines directorate also has responsibility for regulations made under the Medicines Act 1968 which affect these industries.

  Food Farming and Fishing Industries
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many regulations affecting the food farming and fishing industries have been either relaxed or rescinded during the course of this Parliament.

  Mr. Jack
  Up to the end of February 1994, 11 statutory instruments which imposed burdens on the food, farming or fishing industries had been rescinded and 18 had been relaxed. These figures do not, however, reflect other deregulatory activities undertaken by the Department, for example, the deregulation of the milk and potato markets as provided for in the Agriculture Act 1993, measures proposed under the Deregulation Bill, or deregulation gains won in Brussels.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what major building projects, valued at over £1 million are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1989 in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by her Department; and what was the cost of each project to her Department.

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry is not funding, and has not funded since 1989, either wholly or in part, any such building projects in these four towns.
  575

  Dairy Farmers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy farmers there were in England in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Jack
  The number of farms classified as dairy farms in England, is given in the table. The figures are taken from the June agricultural census; figures for June 1993 are not yet available.

  Number of dairy farms in England1 (excluding minor holdings)

  Number

  1985

  28,300

  1986

  27,583

  1987

  26,138

  1988

  24,767

  1989

  23,849

  1990

  23,174

  1991

  22,701

  1992

  21,712

  1 Up to and including June 1992, forms were classified as "dairy" if the dairy enterprise, including followers, accounted for over one-third and commonly over two-thirds of total standard gross margin and was the largest enterprise group. A new system of farm classification was introduced in 1993 under which farms were classified as dairy if the dairy cows accounted for over two thirds of total SGM. Under this new system the number of dairy farms in 1992 was 19,115.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the(a) amount and (b) percentage of CAP money being paid to farmers in the United Kingdom (i) in each of the three years prior to June 1992 and (ii) in each year since June 1992; and what was the total amount of CAP expenditure in each of these years.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on CAP expenditure by member state, consisting of direct aid to farmers, and indirect aid through market support measures, for example, is available for 1989 to 1992 from the annual financial reports of the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, copies of which were deposited in the Library of the House of Commons. For 1993, provisional figures show total CAP payments to the United Kingdom of 2,736 mecu—£2,149 million—7·9 per cent. of corresponding total provisional expenditure of 34,585 mecu—£27,170 million. It is important to note that the first year in which the CAP reform agreement of June 1992 has a full budgetary impact is 1994.

  Farming Incomes
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will show the average income of(a) farmers and (b) farm workers in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, using 1985 as a constant, in each year since 1980 showing these incomes as a percentage of the average wage.

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of the earnings of hired agricultural full-time workers in England are obtained 576
  from the earnings and hours survey and the wages and employment inquiry prior to 1991. These figures are given in the table. Figures for 1980 are not available separately for England.

  None of the estimates of average farm income is comparable with the average wage. The table presents estimates of cash income for 1986–87 onwards. Estimates for previous years are not available on a consistent basis.

  Earnings of hired full-time workers in England

  Year

  Estimated annual cash income average all types of farm(incL hort)1

  Current terms2

  Real terms 1985 prices23

  Percentage of average wage4

  (£'000sper farm)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  1981

  5—

  90·72

  115·40

  79·65

  1982

  5—

  99·97

  116·59

  80·30

  1983

  5—

  110·97

  124·84

  83·62

  1984

  5—

  117·02

  125·15

  81·83

  1985

  5—

  128·72

  128·72

  84·13

  1986

  14·4

  135·66

  132·33

  83·13

  1987

  14·4

  143·89

  134·71

  82·93

  1988

  12·7

  151·37

  135·47

  80·86

  1989

  30·2

  164·29

  135·82

  80·85

  1990

  32·2

  182·43

  137·36

  82·47

  1991

  32·5

  201·89

  143·73

  85·47

  1992

  37·1

  208·16

  142·56

  83·03

  1993

  5—

  214·02

  144·81

  83·41

  1 Accounting years end, on average, in February of the following year. Cash income represents the cash return to with an entrepreneurial Interest in the business: farmers and spouses, non-principal partners and directors and their spouses and farm workers for their manual and managerial labour and on all their investment in the business. Source: farm business survey.

  2 Includes payments for basic, overtime and holiday hours, plus value of annual bonus, perquisites and other payments. It also includes the value of employer's contributions to employee's council tax.

  3 Deflated by the all items RPI.

  4 Average earnings of full time manual employees on adult rates—prior to 1983 men aged 21+ and women aged 18+—in all industries and services in Great Britain, whose pay was not affected by absence for the survey period. Source: new earnings survey.

  5 Figures not available.

  Food Surpluses
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the level of surplus of(a) arable and (b) livestock food production in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the EU in each year since 1990; and what is her estimate of these figures for each of the next three years.

  Mr. Jack
  There are many different definitions of surplus. However, if surplus is measured as production in excess of domestic consumption, the following table provides the latest estimates of self-sufficiency for the major agricultural commodities in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Estimates for future years are not available.
  577

  Self sufficiency for the major agricultural commodities in the United Kingdom and the European Union. 1990–92

  United Kingdom

  European Union

  Commodity

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1990

  19911

  19921

  Cereals

  115·8

  119·0

  123·5

  120·3

  119·9

  128·9

  Sugar

  53·9

  53·0

  53·0

  128·1

  133·7

  122·7

  Potatoes

  89·2

  90·7

  91·8

  99·7

  101·3

  100·8

  Butter

  71·5

  60·2

  54·4

  124·5

  111·2

  2—

  SMP

  101·2

  96·4

  95·3

  149·5

  127·7

  2—

  Eggs

  92·1

  93·9

  94·8

  101·3

  102·0

  2—

  Beef and Veal

  91·0

  91·5

  85·2

  107·9

  115·0

  112·5

  Sheepmeat

  89·5

  84·9

  82·8

  81·4

  84·9

  82·8

  Pigmeat

  69·0

  72·3

  74·5

  103·5

  103·9

  102·9

  Poultrymeat

  93·3

  95·9

  89·5

  104·8

  105·6

  105·5

  1 Includes Eastern Germany.

  2 Not available.

  Source EUROSTAT.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will list the organisations and individuals outside her Department who are sent information on, or consulted about, individuals who are, or may be, proposed to the Minister for appointment to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person appointed or the shortlist for the appointment;

  (2) if she will list the organisations and individuals who have been asked, since June 1992, to submit names of individuals to be considered for appointments to paid and unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Jack
  A wide range of organisations are consulted with reference to appointments made by Ministers. Inquiries involve many divisions of the Ministry and to collate the details requested could not be achieved without disproportionate cost as the information is not held centrally.

  Farm Subsidies
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in the United Kingdom were paid over £1 million in subsidies; and what was the total amount of aid given to organic farming in Britain in the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jack
  It is not possible to establish, without disproportionate cost, the number of farmers in the United Kingdom paid over £1 million in subsidies.

  No specific aid for organic producers has yet been paid but it is intended to begin an aid scheme later this year, made under the EC agri-environment regulation, which will encourage conversion to organic farming. Organic producers are of course able to benefit under all the schemes open to farmers generally. In addition, we have a programme of research and development into questions of concern to organic farmers and growers with funding of £1 million in the current financial year.

  Farm Sizes
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in the United Kingdom are in the size classification(a) under eight, (b) from eight to 40, (c) from 40 to 100, (d) from 100 to
  578
  200, and (e) over 200 farm size units; and what is the total business activity in each category, as measured by standard gross margins.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Number of holdings in the United Kingdom and total ESU by ESU size group as at June 1993

  Size of business ESUs

  Number of holdings

  1ESUs

  <8

  106,850

  245,801

  8<40

  72,170

  1,498,247

  40<100

  43,940

  2,789,421

  100<200

  15,558

  2,107,439

  200+

  5,687

  2,114,808

  Total

  244,205

  8,755,717

  Note

  Data in this table exclude minor holdings.

  1 1 European size unit (ESU) equals 1,200 ECU of Standard Gross Margin (average value 1987–1989).

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each civil service grade in her Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Jack
  The information set out as at 1 March 1994 relates to non-industrial staff in MAFF, excluding agencies.

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Grade

  male

  female

  male

  female

  Total

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Grade 2

  5

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Grade 3

  21

  1

  0

  0

  22

  Grade 4

  8

  0

  0

  0

  8

  Grade 5

  81

  10

  0

  0

  91

  Grade 6

  88

  9

  1

  3

  101

  Grade 7

  557

  124

  3

  13

  697

  SBO

  364

  75

  1

  17

  457

  HEO

  610

  290

  6

  37

  943

  BO

  779

  588

  4

  57

  1,428

  AO

  661

  1,070

  9

  146

  1,886

  AA

  643

  1,114

  24

  230

  2,011

  Total

  3,818

  3,281

  48

  503

  7,650

  579
  The figures are given by grade equivalent and include all permanent staff, casuals and staff on temporary release. Part-time staff are counted as 1·0.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Maxwell Pensions Unit
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Maxwell Pensions Unit.

  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of state for Social Security what progress has been made by the Maxwell Pensions Unit on behalf of Maxwell pensioners.

  Mr. Hague
  The Maxwell Pensions Unit continues to encourage an early resolution to Maxwell pensions disputes. It is providing substantial administrative support to the Maxwell Pensioners Trust initiative to secure an overall settlement to pensions disputes. The Government fully support this initiative, and we are continuing to urge all parties to participate constructively. A speedy settlement which keeps legal action to a minimum must be in everyone's best interests, especially the pensioners'.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider changes in the Child Support Agency regulations where the amount of child support received by the parent with care extinguishes her entitlement to income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no specific proposals for further changes. We will, however, continue to keep the scheme under close scrutiny.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to alter the formula for calculating maintenance payments under the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no specific proposals for further changes. We will, however, continue to keep the scheme under close scrutiny.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Doncaster, North can expect to receive replies to his letters to the Child Support Agency chief executive of 17 December, PBU 03452, and 7 January PBU 03670.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand that Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency, replied to the hon. Member on 24 March.

  Private Pensions
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board to discuss the regulations of the private pensions sector.

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board on 23 March.
  580

  Pensioners (Government Expenditure)
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much extra money the Government are spending each year on poorer pensioners, since the 1988 reforms.

  Mr. Hague
  The total extra help above the normal upratings that will be made available to pensioners on income-related benefits since 1988 will be worth around £1·2 billion in 1994–95.

  Benefit Tourism
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is planning to combat benefit tourism.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is taking to limit the payment of United Kingdom benefits to foreigners.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have referred a proposal for an habitual residence test in the income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit schemes to the Social Security Advisory Committee and the local authority associations. Once the consultation process has been completed, regulations will be laid before Parliament.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that people from abroad, who are allowed to enter this country on condition that they will be no burden on public funds, will not be allowed to claim benefit.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if people from abroad who come into this country on the condition that they will be no burden on public funds will be prevented from claiming benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  Persons from countries outside the European Union are generally admitted to this country on the understanding that they do not become a charge on public funds while they are here. The income support rules exclude them,from receiving that benefit except in very closely defined circumstances. Regulations were recently laid before the House to take effect from 1 April which will bring the housing benefit and council tax benefit rules into line with the income support rules.

  Benefits (Working Women)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what social security benefits are payable, and what other measures his Department is taking, to help working women.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department has taken to help women at work.

  Mr. Hague
  We have recently announced new measures which will particularly assist working women. About 150,000 families will benefit from the introduction in October 1994 of a disregard for child care in family credit which will be worth up to £28 a week. Improved maternity payments which take effect in July will benefit around 285,000 working women who give up work around the time of their baby's birth.
  581
  In addition, working women may be able to claim income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit depending on their hours of work and incomes, and child benefit and family credit if they have children.

  Pregnant Workers Directive
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response his Department is making to the pregnant workers directive.

  Mr. Hague
  I announced the proposed changes to maternity benefits on 8 March in my reply to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight).

  Pensioners
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in the west midlands are in receipt of either income support or housing benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  In May 1992, 130,000 pensioners were receiving housing benefit alone from local authorities in the standard west midlands region and 270,000 pensioners were receiving income support in the midlands administrative region for social security.

  Notes

  Sources:

  i. Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Management Information System (1 per cent. sample).

  ii Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry (1 per cent. sample).

  2. Pensioners have been defined as recipients aged 60 or over, or with a partner aged 60 or over.

  3. All figures are in benefit units. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple.

  4. The standard west midlands region covers the counties of Shropshire, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcester, Staffordshire and the metropolitan district of west midlands.

  5. The midlands administrative region for social security covers most of the east and west midlands.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner households were, in 1979 and in the last year for which figures are available, below the 1979 supplementary benefit level.

  Mr. Hague
  Official estimates are available only for 1979. They were published in the "Low Income Families" series. Following a technical review in 1988 LIF was superseded by the "Households Below Average Income" series, which provides estimates of the pattern of disposable income across the United Kingdom population and analyses change over time. The latest edition of HBAI, published in 1993, shows a reduction in the number of pensioners in the bottom 10 per cent. of the income distribution from 31 per cent. in 1979 to 11 per cent. 1990–91 when measured after housing costs or 36 per cent. and 22 per cent. respectively before housing costs.

  Copies of both publications are in the Library.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of families who are worse off as a result of claimants moving from income support to family credit in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not available. However, recent research by the Policy Studies Institute indicated that couples in work with family credit were on average £18 per week better off than when out of work.
  582

  VAT on Fuel
  Mr. John Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what calculations he has made of(a) the amount of VAT at 8 per cent. on fuel will add to the cost of each unit of electricity consumed and (b) the number of units on which 50p will pay the additional VAT.

  Sir John Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  The answers would depend on the particular electricity company, and factors such as whether standard tariff or Economy 7 tariff is used.

  The Government have made available a very substantial package of help, which will cost up to £1,250 million a year from April 1996 onwards.

  Pensioners and disabled people are likely to find, on average, that this extra help from the Government will broadly cover all changes in the price of fuel, including VAT, over the course of this Parliament.

  Maintenance Payments
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department gained for income support claimants in maintenance payments from absent parents in the last year before responsibility was transferred to the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Scott
  The total amount of maintenance obtained through DSS action for income support claimants in 1992–93 was £220 million.

  Records of maintenance payments from liable relatives kept during the last year before responsibility for child maintenance was transferred to the Child Support Agency do not distinguish between payments from absent parents, spouses and the sponsors of immigrants.

  Partial Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce a partial incapacity benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what major building projects valued at over £1 million are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1988 in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by his Department; and what was the cost of each project to his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  There is one such project. In Doncaster there is a joint Benefits Agency/Property Holdings project to assist the rationalisation of the district organisation. This project began in 1993 and is due to be completed during 1995–96 at an anticipated cost of £1·445 million.

  Income Support
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide details of the most recent estimate of the take-up rate of income support, by caseload and by entitlement; and, by reference to the former measure, how many individuals are not claiming their entitlement.
  583
  Mr. Hague
  Estimates of the take-up of income related benefits for Great Britain were published in "Income Related Benefit Estimates of Take-up in 1990 and 1991" on 25 March 1994, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Maintenance Prosecutions
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details for the last three years of the number of prosecutions and their outcomes for failure to maintain under section 105 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, formerly section 26 of the Social Security Act 1986.

  Mr. Scott
  The available information is in table.

  Criminal Proceedings: Section 26 of Social Security Act 1986

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Against the liable person

  39

  11

  4

  Convictions

  18

  1

  4

  Sentenced to a term of imprisonment

  2

  —

  —

  Fine or imprisonment

  8

  1

  2

  Suspended sentence

  —

  —

  —

  Note: Figures are for calendar years ended 31 December.

  Source: Department of Social Security Statistics 1993.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide details of(a) the total number of claims to date received for prescribed disease D12—coal miners' chronic bronchitis and emphysema—(b) the total number of awards for prescribed disease D12 to date and (c) the total number of refusals for prescribed disease D12 and the grounds for these disallowances.

  Mr. Scott
  As at 20 March 1994, about 38,700 claims had been received for the prescribed disease D12, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Of the claims so far decided, about 2,600 have been awarded benefit, and about 18,400 have been disallowed. Most of those disallowed failed to satisfy the medical conditions, about 940 failed to satisfy the occupational prescription requirements and a very small number were already being fully compensated for the diseases in an award for pneumoconiosis—PD D1. All figures are based on a 100 per cent. count and are subject to amendment.

  Disability Working Allowance
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures(a) will be introduced and (b) are under consideration in order to improve the coverage and take-up of disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  We have announced three changes to improve take-up of disability working allowance. From October 1994 we will introduce a child care costs exemption of £40 per week in cash terms. From April 1995 there will be automatic remission of NHS charges for those with savings of £8,000 or less and we will extend access to disability working allowance for those undertaking training for work. We have commissioned extensive independent research to examine coverage and take up; final evaluation is expected to be completed in 1996.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount allocated for housing benefit reimbursement in 1993.

  Mr. Hague
  The total amount of housing benefit subsidy paid to local authorities in Great Britain for the 1992–93 financial year was £6,613 million; the estimated expenditure for 1993–94 is £7,861 million.

  Source

  The Social Security Departmental Report: March 1994

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of(a) housing association tenancies, (b) council tenancies and (c) private tenancies received housing benefit in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hague
  The proportion of housing association, council and other privately rented tenancies in receipt of housing benefit in 1992–93 were 46 per cent., 62 per cent. and 45 per cent. respectively.

  Data sources:

  1. The housing benefit management information system quarterly caseload counts for 1992–93.

  2. Housing and construction statistics dated December 1992, the latest date for which information is available.

  Notes:

  1. The quarterly caseload information includes estimates for non-responding authorities.

  2. The housing and construction statistics are estimates based on the 1991 census and information from local authorities; the number of dwellings includes unoccupied dwellings.

  Benefits (Young People)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on social security payments available to those aged under 25 years.

  Mr. Hague
  A wide range of social security benefits is available to those aged under 25, subject to their individual circumstances. Income support recipients under 25 years old are entitled to a lower rate of benefit than those aged 25 or over. There are a number or reasons for this, such as the lower earnings expectations of younger people and the fact that a large majority of younger people receiving benefits do not live independently. It would be wrong for benefit levels to offer an attractive alternative to work or to training for work or an incentive to leave home.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for each year since 1986, each publicity campaign run by his Department regarding personal pensions together with the cost of each campaign; and if he will place representative copies of press advertisements and other literature in the Library.

  Mr. Hague
  In January 1988 the Department of Health and Social Security ran a general campaign which included personal pensions at a cost of £1·2 million. In March 1994 the Department of Social Security ran a campaign costing £100,000.

  I am placing copies of relevant material in the Library.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on his policy concerning pension funds and their trustees
  585
  following the decision on 26 July 1993 of Vinelott J. in McDonald and others v. Horn and others—Chancery division Nos. 2931M and 5995M of 1992;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to enable pensioners to be funded in advance for disputes with their pension funds, subject only to leave from a High Court master; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will introduce measures relating to pension fund disputes which would help to reduce the uncertainty surrounding pre-emptive orders for costs; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will introduce measures to require the trustees of pension funds to appoint an independent trustee or arbitrator to report on the claims against such funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The Pensions Law Review Committee considered the role of pension scheme trustees and dispute resolution procedures as part of its wide-ranging review of pension matters. We are currently considering the PLRC's recommendations and will announce our conclusions in due course.

  Quarry House, Leeds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the making of the television programme "Here and Now" at Quarry house, Leeds, constituted a breach of security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The element of the television programme "Here and Now" which involved internal filming in Quarry house did not constitute a breach of security. Those involved were authorised visitors to the building.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested for permanent staff employed by the Department, including its agencies, on 28 February 1994 is in the table.

  Grade (including equivalent professional and other grades)

  Male

  Female

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 2

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 3

  14

  0

  3

  0

  Grade 4

  6

  0

  3

  0

  Grade 5

  92

  l

  25

  4

  Grade 6

  240

  2

  66

  7

  Grade 7

  543

  3

  142

  10

  Senior Executive Officer

  1.09

  4

  373

  9

  Higher Executive Officer (D)

  11

  0

  6

  0

  Higher Executive Officer

  3,418

  9

  2,295

  228

  Executive Officer

  9,700

  104

  12,503

  3,132

  Administrative Officer

  11389

  195

  27466

  7,262

  Administrative Assistant

  4,585

  117

  8,058

  2,311

  Others

  43

  1

  82

  34

  Totals

  31,136

  436

  51,122

  12,997

  Notes

  1. The table excludes:—

  (i) staff on loan or secondment and not being paid by the Department.

  (ii) staff on unpaid leave for more than 3 months or on unpaid maternity leave.

  (iii) casual staff.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the European Court of Justice to consider the case of women on invalidity benefit whose payments are reduced when they reach 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 3 March at column 821.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what performance targets he is setting for his Department's executive operations for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The targets for 1994–95 which I have set for DSS executive operations are set out below. The targets support the continued success of the Government's "next steps" agencies and citizens charter initiative.

  The targets represent a challenging level of performance and a year-on-year improvement in the service that the customers receive. In particular, I have set a comprehensive list of targets for the new War Pensions Agency to be launched in April.

  As well as the performance targets, agencies have been set resource management targets requiring them to deliver their plans within their agreed financial allocation and, where appropriate, to make efficiency savings.

  Targets for the Child Support Agency will be announced as soon as they have been finalised.

  The business plans of the Benefits Agency, Contributions Agency and the Resettlement Agency have been published today, the War Pensions business plan will be published on 13 April. The Information Technology Service Agency's business plan will be published shortly. The Child Support Agency's business plan will be published after the targets have been finalised. I will arrange for copies of business plans to be placed in the Library.

  The targets are:

  Benefits Agency

  1. Benefit Clearance Times1

  Social Fund Crisis Loans—the day the need arises.

  Income Support New Claims—71 per cent. of claims cleared in 5 days and 90 per cent. in 13 days.

  Sickness and Invalidity Benefit Claims—65 per cent. of claims cleared in 10 days and 95 per cent. in 30 days.

  Child Benefit—67 per cent. of claims cleared in 10 days and 95 per cent. in 30 days.

  Family Credi—60 per cent. of claims cleared in 13 days and 95 per cent. in 42 days.

  Disability Living Allowance—68 per cent. of claims in 30 days and 85 per cent. in 53 days.

  2. Benefit Accuracy

  Income Support—to pay the correct amount in 92 per cent. of cases.

  Incapacity Benefits2—to pay the correct amount in 96–5 per cent. of cases.

  Family Credit—to pay the correct amount in 93 per cent. of cases.

  Disability Living Allowance—to pay the correct amount in 96 per cent. of cases.

  3. Customer Satisfaction

  85 per cent. of customers to regard the Agency's service as satisfactory or better.

  4. Resource Management

  To keep the net cash limited provision for the discretionary

  Social Fund budget approved by Parliament.

  587

  5. Financial Recovery

  Recovery of Social Fund loans—£221 million.

  Benefit savings from the detection and prevention of fraud £654 million.

  Recovery of Benefit overpayments—£75 million.

  (1) clearance times cover the date of receipt of a written claim in the Agency to the date of decision/payment. All days refer to working days.

  (2) Incapacity benefits is an overall term used to cover Sickness Benefit, Invalidity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Maternity Allowance.

  Contributions Agency

  1. Performance: compliance.

  Collection of contribution arrears (excluding Central Payments Section) of £206 million.

  Identification of £131 million Class 1 arrears as a result of compliance work.

  Increase the number of surveys to 134,000 including 27,000 employer educational visits.

  Actively identify 80,000 persons with Class 2 liability of whom 28,000 will have an immediate requirement to pay contributions.

  2. Performance: records maintenance

  Process 98 per cent. of available employers end of year returns by 31 December 1994.

  Correct 91 per cent. of rejects from employers end of year returns by 31 March 1995.

  3. Performance: information provision/customer service

  Clear 99 per cent. of benefit enquiries handled clerically in 2 working days to 98 per cent. accuracy.

  Despatch either a full reply, or an informative response, to 95 per cent. of all customer enquiries within 10 working days of receipt.

  Complete action to register acceptable Personal Pension cases and process straight-forward Termination Notices for 94 per cent. of all cases within 24 working days of receipt.

  Provide a level of public service considered to be satisfactory by at least 80 per cent. of customers surveyed.

  War Pensions Agency

  1. Performance targets

  Disablement 1st claims (UK)—60 per cent. of claims cleared in 150 days

  War Widows claims (UK)—80 per cent. of claims cleared in 70 days

  Disablement second and subsequent claims—60 per cent. of claims cleared in 135 days

  Claims accuracy (all claims)—95 per cent.

  Entitlement appeals—70 per cent. of appeals processed in 275 days

  Assessment appeals—70 per cent. of appeals processed in 190 days

  2. Customer satisfaction target

  85 per cent. of clients to regard the Agency's service as satisfactory or better, as measured by an independent survey.

  Resettlement Agency

  1. Disengagement Strategy

  Cease direct operation of four resettlement units by granting funds to suitable organisations who will provide similar resettlement services in the same premises by 31 March 1995.

  Progress replacement proposals for Leeds and Bishopbriggs Resettlement Units to enable completion of the disengagement programme by 31 March 1996.

  2. Grant management

  Agree with DSS HQ by 31 March 1995 the aims and objectives of the business which will remain after resettlement unit closes in 1996.

  By 30 June 1994, review and evaluate the initial programme of monitoring visits to grant-aided organisations. Produce a plan to address the problems found by 30 June 1994. Determine a framework for the following year's monitoring programme by 1 September 1994. Revise the standard conditions of award by 31 December 1994.

  3. Customer Care

  Survey of residents to confirm that not less than 85 per cent. express satisfaction with standards.

  4. Resettlement

  By 31 March 1995 place 625 resettlement unit residents into suitable alternative accommodation in the community.

  588
  Information Technology Services Agency

  1. Manage ITSA's resources within the net running cost regime.

  2. Deliver an overall business efficiency improvement of 5 per cent.

  3. Deliver 80 per cent. of services to customers to service levels for budget, time and quality as agreed within contracts.

  4. Prepare ITSA for outsourcing the bulk of its TT Processing functions to Departmental timescales.

  5. Departmental Information Technology Authority (DITA) —provide agreed reulatory services within allocated resources.

HEALTH

  Devon Divisional Ambulance Office
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will call for a report into the circumstances in which a prosecution of Devon divisional ambulance office failed due to the loss of prosecution documents; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  No. This is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will itemise by regional health authority and family health service authority the expenditure by general practitioner fund-holders of management allowances on(a) employment of staff, (b) use of loan services, (c) training, (d) buying in specialist advice, (e) purchase of equipment and (f) other in each year since 1990–91.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 January at column 298. More detailed information about the breakdown of reimbursement from the management allowance is available from regional health authorities.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the general practitioner fundholding practices in South Yorkshire; and if she will give the total spent out of the allocation for each practice for 1992–93 and the current year to date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There will be 152 fundholding practices in the Yorkshire region from 1 April 1994, covering 39 per cent. of the population. Regional health authorities are responsible for managing the general practitioner fundholding scheme in their areas. For local information about South Yorkshire the hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Bryan Askew, chairman of the Yorkshire regional health authority.

  Private Health Insurance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued about the provision to senior managers in the national health service of private health insurance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Fraud
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will draw the attention of agencies with auditor responsibilities inside the national health service to the new guidelines issued by the Auditing Practices Board regarding the duty to report fraud.
  589
  Mr. Sackville
  No. External auditors of the national health service operate independently in accordance with their own code of practice or auditing standards.

  Tattoo Removal
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she is taking to encourage the provision of services enabling disfiguring tattoos to be removed;

  (2) to what extent her Department helps or encourages organisations which remove disfiguring tattoos.

  Mr. Sackville
  The removal of tattoos is available through the national health service where it is considered to be clinically necessary.

  Hospitals, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by the Doncaster royal and Montagu hospital NHS trust in(a) April 1992, (b) October 1992, (c) April 1993 and (d) October 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The most recent information available centrally is that 2,330 and 2,520 whole-time equivalent national health service staff were employed in Doncaster royal and Montagu hospital national health service trust on 30 September 1991 and 1992 respectively.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was, in cash terms, the rate of return on capital for the Doncaster royal and Montagu Hospital national health service trust in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94; and what rate is projected for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  The operating surplus of the trust in 1992–93 was £3.82 million, which represented a return of 7·2 per cent. on average net relevant assets. The forecast rate of return for 1993–94 and the projected rate for 1994–95 are estimated and unaudited information which is only appropriate for the internal performance management purposes for which it is collected.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many long-term hospital ward beds have been closed in the Doncaster area since the coming into effect of the community care provisions of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1991.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information about available beds; on long-term care wards in Doncaster since the community care arrangements were introduced in April 1993 is a matter for the local health authorities or trusts.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Doncaster Royal infirmary and Mexborough Montagu hospital NHS hospital trust achieved its target rate of return on capital in 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Yes.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by the Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust in(a) April 1993 and (b) October 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The most recent information available centrally is that 1,740 whole-time equivalent national health service staff were employed by the Doncaster Healthcare national health service trust on 30 September 1992.
  590
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was, in cash terms, the rate of return on capital for the Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust in 1993–94; and what rate is projected for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  The rate of return for 1993–94 will not be available until the trust prepares its accounts later this year. The information for 1994–95 is estimated and unaudited and is appropriate only for the internal management purposes for which it is collected.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each appointment for which a Minister has to approve the appointment or shortlist for the appointment, showing for each appointment(a) which Minister exercises the responsibility, (b) the salary, if any, attached to the post, (c) the term of the appointment and (d) the person currently appointed to the post.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for appointments listed in "Public Bodies 1993", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  A full list of members and their remuneration was placed in the Library in July 1993.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the organisations and individuals who have been asked, since June 1992, to submit names of individuals to be considered for appointments to paid and unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment;

  (2) if she will list the organisations and individuals outside her Department who are sent information on, or consulted about, individuals who are, or may be, proposed to the Minister for appointment to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person appointed or the shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Sackville
  No central record is maintained of the organisations and individuals consulted. The Department's aim is to appoint people from a broad range of different backgrounds, and many professional and voluntary bodies are consulted when appointments are made to public bodies.

  Nominations for the chairmen and ministerial non-executive appointments to regional health authorities and national health service trust boards are sought from the chairmen of the appropriate regional health authorities.

  Surplus Property
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she intends to take to ensure that redundant hospitals are disposed of promptly;

  (2) what steps she takes to ensure that health authorities and NHS trusts pay due regard to the Department's estate code on property transactions in the NHS in disposing of surplus property.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Health authorities and trusts are expected to follow the guidance contained in "Property Transactions in the NHS", and to conduct disposals expeditiously and in accordance with the advice of professional agents. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.
  591
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated current value of the national health service estate in the North Western regional health authority region which is surplus and is to be disposed of.

  Mr. Sackville
  North Western regional health authority estimate the value of surplus property available for disposal over the next 10 years to be about £56 million.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received concerning expenditure by Warrington Community NHS trust on maintaining empty properties; what guidance has been issued to trusts on these costs; and how they are counted for capital charging purposes.

  Mr. Sackville
  National health service trusts are responsible for managing their own estates.

  The costs of maintaining property is a revenue cost accounted for through the trust's accounting procedures.

  Capital charges are payable in respect of property in use based on an assessment of their existing use value. There is guidance on their reassessment of values for capital charges for empty property in the capital charges and trust equivalent manual.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to collect centrally information on hospital closures in England.

  Mr. Sackville
  No, these are for local decision except where statutory objections are raised. In her statement of 21 October 1993,Official Report, columns 398–412, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced changes to streamline and simplify central management. This requires that central reports are kept to a minimum.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 23 March,Official Report, columns 231–32, if she will list the known hospital closures contested by community health councils in each year between 1979 and 1988.

  Mr. Sackville
  Records of notification of proposed closures were not routinely collected before 1990. The previous reply provided all the information readily available.

  Building Projects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what major building projects valued at over £1 million are being or have been wholly or partly financed since 1989 in(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Wakefield by her Department; and what was the cost of each project to her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is as follows:

  Building projects since 1989 valued at over £1 million

  Expenditure to completion or estimated outturn cost

  Recorded expenditure to date

  £

  £

  Doncaster

  Doncaster royal infirmary phase 1 (west end development)

  2,284,635

  —

  Doncaster west end development theatre and enabling works1

  2,925,000

  247,586

  592

  Expenditure to completion or estimated outturn cost

  Recorded expenditure to date

  £

  £

  Barnsley

  None

  Rotherham

  Swallownest long-stay mental illness unit

  2,952,022

  —

  Rotherham district general hospital phase 3B geriatric unit1

  6,869,000

  4,449,518

  Rothetham general phase 3A, acute-obstetric ward1

  3,297,000

  1,346,790

  Wakefield

  None

  1 Building projects currently under construction with a total value of over £1 million.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of teeth of five-year-old children suffering from dental decay for(a) 1991 and (b) the most recent date for which information is available, analysed by district for England, in descending order of good health.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department has commissioned the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to conduct surveys of the dental health of children at 10-year intervals. The most recent survey was carried out in 1993 and the report will be published later this year. Copies of previous survey reports and preliminary results of the 1993 survey are available in the Library.

  Information on the dental health of five-year-old children is available from surveys by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. Copies of the latest published report, which relates to a survey conducted in 1989–90, are available in the Library.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received in respect of dentists encouraging patients to join insurance schemes to cover dental care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We receive correspondence from hon. Members, dentists and members of the public on many aspects of dentistry including provision of private treatment.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have left the national health service in relation to dental care, in each family health service authority covering Coventry.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Some 1,676 patients were deregistered in the Coventry family health services authority area between 3 July 1992 and 18 March 1994. The number who subsequently reregistered with another general dental practitioner is not known. On 3 July 1992 the number of patients registered with a national health service dentist in Coventry was 181,371. At 31 January 1994 the total was 181,463, an increase of 92.
  593
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she is monitoring the numbers of dentists who have left the national health service(a) nationally and (b) in Coventry.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department collects information from all family health services authorities of the number of dentists who have given written notice to remove their names from the FHSA dental lists, and of the number of dentists who deregister patients. The Dental Practice Board supplies periodic reports on the numbers of dentists in contract to the FHSAs.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the level of dental charges(a) nationally and (b) in the Coventry area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government keep the level of national health service dental charges under regular review. Patient charges are determined nationally, and are not subject to local variation.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she has issued for dentists regarding the encouragement of patients to take out private insurance schemes.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The regulations governing general dental services stipulate that a dentist shall not, with a view to obtaining the agreement of a patient to undergo care and treatment privately, advise a patient that the care and treatment which is necessary to secure and maintain his oral health is not available from that dentist under general dental services. Nor may a dentist seek to mislead a patient about the quality of care and treatment available under general dental services.

  Complaints
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written complaints relating to hospital and community services were made in each year since 1982.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 25 March at column 462. Information for the year 1992–93 is not yet available.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the report of the review of the national health service complaints procedure.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) and for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 24 March at column 411.

  Family Health Services (Drugs Bill)
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the drugs bill for the family health services has been accounted for by prescription charges in each of the last five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. The family health services drugs bill does not include the income received from prescription charges.
  594

  PM10 Emissions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made by her Department of the number of excess deaths associated with emissions of PM10; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 17 March at column 828.

  Autism
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the efforts of the responsible bodies to make an early diagnosis and assessment of children with autism; what is the current assessment of the prevalence of autism in children; and how many autistic children have been so diagnosed.

  Mr. Bowis
  It is primarily a matter for the statutory authorities to monitor the arrangements for assessment in their area. It is estimated that the prevalence rate of autism is between four and five per 10,000 population.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts coming into operation on 1 April will have a turnover(a) in excess of £50 million, (b) between £20 to £50 million and (c) less than £20 million.

  Mr. Sackville
  The financial plans of the fourth wave of national health service trusts are currently being discussed with purchasing health authorities and the outposts of the National Health Service Management Executive and will be finalised during April. We expect that the information will be available shortly after that.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with whom Touche Ross had a contract to advise on the financial performance of fourth-wave trust hospitals in the west midlands; and how much the contract was worth.

  Mr. Sackville
  The contract to advise on the financial viability of fourth-wave trust applicants was between Touche Ross and the National Health Service Management Executive of the Department of Health. It is inappropriate to disclose the value of the contract on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of patients are seen and assessed for treatment within five minutes of arriving in accident and emergency departments;

  (2) what percentage of patients are seen within 30 minutes of their out-patient appointment time.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the quarter ending 31 December 1993, 83 per cent.—estimated based on samples—of patients attending accident and emergency departments were assessed immediately and 80 per cent.—estimated based on samples—of patients were seen within 30 minutes of their specified appointment time in out-patient clinics.
  595

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each civil service grade in her Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information shows the position on 23 March 1994:

  Grade including grade equivalents)

  Male

  Female

  Full-time

  Part-time

  UG1

  3

  0

  3

  0

  UG2

  8

  0

  8

  0

  UG3

  20

  5

  24

  1

  UG4

  17

  11

  28

  0

  UG5

  126

  78

  181

  23

  UG6

  92

  44

  132

  4

  UG7

  425

  150

  527

  48

  SEO

  285

  117

  391

  11

  HEO

  398

  326

  683

  41

  EO

  408

  564

  973

  35

  AO

  347

  986

  1,273

  60

  AA

  227

  302

  478

  51

  Others1

  96

  70

  153

  13

  Totals

  2,452

  2,653

  4,818

  287

  1There are a number of grades, mainly in the youth treatment service, which do not easily equate to unified grades.

  Casual staff have been excluded, as have staff on loan to other Government Departments, on maternity leave of more than three months, and on unpaid career breaks/study leave.

  NHS Estates
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the current staffing levels of National Health Service Estates, setting out the number of staff(a) on permanent contracts and (b) on temporary contracts.

  Mr. Sackville
  The staffing level of the National Health Service Estates agency is as follows:

  73 Staff on permanent contract

  24 Staff employed on three-year fixed term contracts.

  2 Staff employed on five-year fixed term contracts.

  2 Staff employed on temporary contracts of less than one year.

  27 Staff employed via Manpower Agency contract.

  1 Temporary member of staff employed via a specialist financial employment agency.

  NHSME Pamphlets
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pamphlets the National Health Service Management Executive has published since October 1993; and if she will list the title, the recipients and the cost.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Since October 1993 the National Health Service Management Executive has published 15 pamphlets, leaflets and brochures. The table gives the description, cost and to whom they were sent.

  Distribution to NHS Managers

  Title

  Cost £

  Ethnic Minorities Brochure

  11,406

  Private Finance Brochure

  9,277

  Health of the Nation One Year On

  6,955

  Targeting Practice for Nurses (including reprint)

  123,911

  Management Executive News (7 monthly editions)

  46,912

  New World New Opportunities (reprint)

  3,450

  Patients Charter News (3 editions)

  34,664

  596

  Title

  Cost £

  Value for Money Update

  4,641

  NHSME Annual Report

  52,024

  Primary Care Booklets

  18,820

  Patient Perception Booklets (9 Booklets on various subjects)

  377,000

  Health Service Indicators Publicity—Prices leaflet

  1.01

  Establishing Districts of Residence

  1,495

  This is the Information Management Group

  2,660

  Risk Management Manual

  25,614

  1 estimate

  Home Help
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest information on how much each local authority charges for home helps to people not on income-related benefits.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 17 February at columns 931–32.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 538, how many of the cases of medical negligence, and what costs, were associated with self-governing trusts.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None for 1990–91, as there were no national health service trusts then. For 1991–92, the returns were incomplete, as previously stated, and it would be invidious to extract from the information already provided, the figures for NHS trusts that supplied them, without comparable details for others or for individual directly managed units.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 538, when she expects the information on medical negligence claims for 1992–93 to be available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information for 1992–93 that has been supplied by national health service bodies by 31 March 1994 will be collated and will be available shortly after that.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 168, how many of the non-elective hospital admissions were from general practitioners fundholding practices in each region in each year;

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 8 March, Official Report, column 168, how many of the non-elective hospital admissions were (a) readmissions and (b) self-referrals in each year in each region.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available centrally on in-patient activity does not separately identify non-elective readmission rates, the level of self-referrals or whether individual patients are registered with fundholding or non-fundholding general practitioners.

  Highfield Primary School, Leeds
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inquiry she is making into the role of Leeds health authority in providing sex and health education advice to Highfield primary school, Leeds.

  Mr. Sackville
  Leeds community and mental health services national health service trust employs the school nurse who has provided a sexual health education class at Highfield primary school. The school, the local education authority and the trust are co-operating in determining the facts about the class and will take any necessary action once the facts of the matter have been established.

  Hospital Statistics
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give by region(a) the number of new accident and emergency cases during 1992–93 and (b) the total out-patient attendances during 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in "Outpatients and ward attenders for England: Financial Year 1992–93", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Radiation
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to examine ways of reducing children's artificial exposure to radiation, including X-rays.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 23 March 1994]: Practitioners carrying out medical exposures of radiation are required by regulation 4(3) of the Ionising Radiation (Protection of Persons Undergoing Medical Examination or Treatment) Regulations 1988 to keep doses of ionising radiation to the patient as low as reasonably practicable in order to achieve the required diagnostic or therapeutic purpose. A guide to good radiation practice was published in 1988 by the United Kingdom Health Departments, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Health and Safety Executive. These are the "Guidance Notes for the Protection of Persons against Ionising Radiations Arising from Medical and Dental Use", copies of which are available in the Library.

  All practitioners wishing to administer radioactive medicinal products must hold a certificate issued under the Medicines (Administration of Radioactive Substances) Regulations) 1978. The Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee advises the Department and the United Kingdom Health Ministers on matters connected with the issue of certificates and has also issued guidance notes. Investigations concerning children are the subject of special advice within those guidance notes. The ARSAC keeps its advice under constant review.

  Following the issue of health circular (89)18, copies of which are available in the Library, all health authorities were required to review the management of all departments making use of ionising radiation to ensure that they conformed to the statutory requirements and the guidance on good practice. They were also required to set up a system to review and periodically update their procedures in the light of changing guidance.

  The Department of Health medical devices directorate issued safety guidelines for magnetic resonance diagnostic equipment in clinical use in 1993. Copies of the guidelines will be placed in the Library.
  598
  A further circular to the national health service is due to be issued later this year consolidating and updating advice on the statutory and management responsibilities in relation to the medical use of ionising radiations.

  The Department is currently funding a research project designed to test the feasibility of parents keeping a radiation dose log book for their child's diagnostic and therapeutic radiation doses from birth until the age of five years.

  The reduction in medical radiation doses for the whole of the population including children is under constant review. Officials are in contact with all the professional bodies involved in the medical use of ionising radiation and have regular discussions with them. Meetings and discussions are also held regularly with the royal colleges connected with radiology, the NRPB and the Health and Safety Executive.

  The Royal College of Radiologists has produced a booklet entitled "Making the best use of a Department of Clinical Radiology—guidelines for doctors". This gives specific advice for paediatric radiology and copies will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Administration
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of employing managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff in the NHS Management Executive, the NHS Supplies Authority, the Prescription Pricing Authority, the medical advisers support group and the Medicines Research Centre in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 February 1994, c. 603]: I regret that some of the figures in my previous reply were provided incorrectly as millions rather than thousands.

  They should read:
  "The total manpower costs for the medical advisers support group—properly named the Medical Advisers Support Centre—were £71,108 in 1990–91—part year in which the MASC was set up—£157,958 and £175,936 in 1991–92 and 1992–93 respectively. The total manpower costs for the Medicines Research Centre—MeReC—were £83,000 in 1990–91—part year in whch the MeReC was set up—£114,247 and £111,828 in 1991–92 and 1992–93 respectively."

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is set out in the table below and is correct as at 1 March 1994.

  Members of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers will be reflected, as appropriate, in the records of the Government Departments from which they are seconded.

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  3

  8

  —

  —

  —

  4

  2

  —

  1

  —

  599

  Male

  Female

  Grade

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  5

  31

  —

  9

  2

  6

  50

  1

  11

  2

  71

  59

  1

  39

  7

  SEO1

  13

  —

  2

  —

  HEO1

  23

  —

  20

  1

  EO1

  27

  —

  52

  1

  AO1

  32

  —

  68

  9

  AA1

  15

  —

  22

  —

  Crown Prosecution Service

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  5

  —

  —

  —

  4

  15

  —

  —

  —

  5

  46

  —

  1

  —

  6

  167

  —

  25

  1

  712

  1,130

  13

  790

  182

  SEO1

  76

  —

  28

  3

  HEO1

  132

  —

  149

  15

  EO1

  363

  4

  833

  96

  AO1

  353

  5

  978

  99

  AA1

  165

  2

  677

  113

  Serious Fraud Office

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  5

  8

  —

  2

  —

  6

  9

  —

  5

  1

  71

  10

  —

  3

  —

  SEO1

  11

  —

  2

  —

  HEO1

  12

  —

  5

  —

  EO1

  12

  —

  12

  —

  AO1

  13

  —

  21

  —

  AA1

  4

  —

  9

  1

  1 Figure includes equivalent Civil Service grades.

  2 Figure includes Senior Crown Prosecutor, Principal Crown Prosecutor and Crown Prosecutor.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Rail Information
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport about the degree of openness in the information being made available about the channel tunnel rail link and other rail developments.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have had no discussion with my right hon. Friend on this particular subject.

  Tenders
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department is taking to ensure that when tenders for public work are invited that they are in realistic commercial terms and without unnecessary contingent liabilities.

  Mr. David Davis
  The Government's guide to market testing, produced by my Department and published in August 1993, gives advice on how to invite tenders for central Government work. This is supplemented and updated as the need arises.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the change in the size of the home civil service since 1987; and what change is expected in the next seven years.

  Mr. David Davis
  Since 1987, the size of the civil service has been reduced by 51,480 to 546,340 the lowest number in the past 50 years.

  Plans for the next seven years are not available, but plans for the next three years are published in the "Statistical Supplement to the Financial Statement and Budget Report", Cm 2519, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, columns 84–85, whether the Government will introduce a regular annual report on the performance of public services against charter promises; and what alternative means he proposes to enable citizens to ascertain whether service standards are being improved year on year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It is essential that public services themselves report regularly and publicly on their performance against service standards so that people can see that standards are being raised. As I said in my response to the hon. Member for York on 21 March,Official Report,columns 84–85, reports on the initiative as a whole will be made to Parliament as and when appropriate.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, columns 84–85, who will decide when it is appropriate for a report on the citizens charter to be made to Parliament; and if he will take steps to involve citizens of the United Kingdom about the timing of such reports.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  After consultation with colleagues I will decide when it is appropriate for a report on the citizens charter to be made to Parliament. There are no immediate plans to involve citizens of the United Kingdom about the timing of such reports.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of public appointments made by his Department in 1993 were of(a) Asians and (b) black people; and if he will list their names.

  Mr. David Davis
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 25 March 1994,Official Report, column 440.

  Malaysian Airlines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. David Davis
  Information available shows that neither Ministers nor officials of the Cabinet Office,
  601
  including the Office of Public Service and Science and its agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS. An official of the Central Office of Information used MAS on one occasion in June 1989 at a cost of £819.

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. David Davis
  In the departments and agencies for which I am responsible, and in other areas which fall to the Cabinet Office vote, the figures for non-industrial civil servants are:

  Grade Band

  Male

  Female

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Grade 1 (including 1A)

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 2

  17

  0

  2

  0

  Grade 3

  21

  0

  4

  0

  Grade 4

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 5

  53

  1

  15

  4

  Grade 6

  74

  3

  17

  2

  Grade 7

  277

  3

  69

  8

  SEO

  349

  3

  121

  12

  HEO (D) and AT

  14

  0

  3

  0

  HEO

  591

  1

  264

  37

  EO

  557

  2

  367

  54

  AO

  410

  3

  796

  139

  AA

  167

  5

  298

  89

  Total

  2,537

  21

  1,956

  345

  Figures at 23 March 1994.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants were in post in each Government Department(a) in 1990 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many jobs, from which Ministry, have been contracted out or turned over to external agencies.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Details of the number of civil servants employed by each Government Department are available in the Library of the House. The figures for 1 October 1990 were laid on 15 January 1991,Official Report, column 462, and for 1 October 1993 on 17 December 1993, Official Report, columns 972–73. Between 1 April 1992 and 31 December 1993, 12,291 civil service posts were contracted out as part of the competing for quality programme. Information about numbers of posts contracted out prior to 1 April 1992 and about contracting out which may have resulted from other initiatives is not held centrally.

  Some 336,585 civil servants are currently employed in agencies created as part of the next steps initiative.

  Charters
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many charters are in the course of preparation and in what areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  The citizens charter second report, published on 16 March, sets out the good progress that has already been made on the citizens charter initiative, and show the plans for the future. Some 38 charters have now 602
  been produced. When it becomes an agency on 1 April, the Highways Agency will launch its own charter. Further and higher education charters for Northern Ireland will be published in the spring. Revised versions of the job seekers charter and the parents charter are also planned for the spring.

WALES

  Health Promotion Authority for Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the removal of Mr. David Griffiths from, the audit committee of the authority.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 25 March 1994]: None. This is a matter for the chairman and board of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the letter he received from Mr. David Griffiths, a board member of the authority;

  (2) what representations he has received from Mr. David Griffiths, a member of the board of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales, concerning the financial management and audit procedures of the authority;

  (3) when he proposes to respond to the letter from Mr. David Griffiths, a board member of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales, in relation to the financial management and audit procedure at the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 25 March 1994]: Mr. Griffiths wrote to me on 29 January 1994, setting out his concerns. He wrote a further letter on 18 March asking when he would receive a reply. The Chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales provided information to assist my reply. A response was sent to Mr. Griffiths on 23 March.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those representations that have been made to him favouring the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed new unitary authority of Powys.

  Mr. Redwood
  Since publication of the Local Government (Wales) Bill, I have received representations about the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed Powys unitary authority from:

  Powys county council

  Blaenau Gwent borough council

  Llanelly community council

  Roger Evans MP

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those representations that have been made to him favouring the inclusion of Pentyrch in the proposed new unitary authority of Cardiff.

  Mr. Redwood
  Since publication of the White Paper "Local Government in Wales: A Charter for the Future", I have received one representation from Taff Ely borough council expressing opposition to the inclusion of Pentyrch
  603
  in the proposed Cardiff unitary authority. Cardiff city council has written to express its support for the proposals in the White Paper, as have many members of the public.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what procedures his Department has to prevent the possible appointment of individuals with extreme political views to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment;

  (2) what information his Department holds or obtains relating to individuals who have been appointed, or may be considered for appointment, to paid or unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment, in particular relating to active involvement in (a) extreme left-wing organisations, (b) extreme right-wing organisations and (c) Involvement in any of the political parties represented in the House of Commons.

  Mr. Redwood
  The general procedure for the making of public appointments is contained in the Cabinet Office publication "Guide to Public Appointments Procedures" which is available in the Library of the House. Applicants to the Welsh Office register of candidates for public appointment complete a nomination form giving biographical information including a self-assessment of their background and skills. References are taken up on candidates considered for an appointment and a conflict of interest declaration is required from everyone who is offered an appointment. I take all relevant information into account in seeking to appoint the best candidate for the post.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the organisations and individuals who have been asked, since June 1992, to submit names of individuals to be considered for appointments to paid and unpaid posts for which a Minister has to approve the person or shortlist for the appointment;

  (2) if he will list the organisations and individuals outside his Department who are sent information on, or consulted about, individuals who are, or may be, proposed to the Minister for appointment to posts for which a Minister has to approve the person appointed or the shortlist for the appointment.

  Mr. Redwood
  I consult such individuals and organisations as may be appropriate.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each appointment for which a Minister has to approve the appointment or shortlist for the appointment, showing for each appointment(a) which Minister exercises the responsibility, (b) the salary, if any, attached to the post, (c) the term of the appointment and (d) the person currently appointed to the post.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information at 1 March 1994 is shown in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Housing
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish for each district council and for Wales as a whole at constant prices(a) the number of council
  604
  houses, (b) the amount of guideline housing revenue account subsidy for 1994–95 and (c) the amount shown in (b) divided by the number of council houses;

  (2) if he will publish for each district council and for Wales as a whole at constant prices (a) housing revenue account subsidy for 1993–94, (b) guideline housing revenue account subsidy for 1994–95 and (c) the percentage change of (b)compared with (a).

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of council houses in each district and in Wales as a whole was given to the hon. Member in my reply of 9 March 1994,Official Report, columns 289–290.

  Information on the amount of housing revenue account subsidy claimed by each district council and for Wales as a whole in 1993–94 was given to the hon. Member in my reply on 14 February 1994, Official Report, column 634.

  An overall subsidy guideline for each district council is not provided. Local authorities calculate their housing revenue account subsidy entitlement for each year in accordance with formulae within the determinations which are issued annually. Copies of the determinations for 1994–95 have been placed in the Library of the House and authorities' subsidy claims for that year have not yet been received.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has set the Development Board for Rural Wales for the sale of its industrial estates on the open market; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The development board has a commercial and industrial property disposal target of 150,000 sp ft in 1993–94. This is expected to raise receipts totalling some £2·7 million.

  Seismic Activity, Newtown
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will initiate an urgent study into seismic activity in the Newtown area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Earthquakes in the Newtown area are adequately recorded by the British Geological Survey United Kingdom seismograph network which is operated by its global seismology research group from Edinburgh. BGS has already initiated a macroseismic survey of the recent earthquake in this area. It routinely undertakes such surveys after all significant earthquakes in the United Kingdom and did so following the nearby Bishops Castle earthquake in April 1990.

  A more extensive study of the mid-Wales area was undertaken in 1984, by the British earthquake research group, following the event in April of that year. More generally, a study into "Earthquake Hazard and Risk in the UK" has been commissioned by the Department of the Environment from Ove Arup and Partners and the report was published in 1993 by HMSO. A copy of the report is in the Library of the House. A conclusion of the report is that, since there is only a small possibility of an earthquake—in the United Kingdom—causing significant damage, the risk to society is sufficiently low not to cause undue concern.
  605
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps have been taken to ensure the adequacy of emergency arrangements in the event of earthquakes in the Newtown area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  This is primarily a matter for Powys county council.

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Total

  G1 and Equivalents

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  G2 and Equivalents

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  G3 and Equivalents

  11

  1

  —

  —

  12

  G4 and Equivalents

  5

  2

  —

  —

  7

  GS and Equivalents

  43

  7

  —

  1

  51

  G6 and Equivalents

  27

  2

  —

  1

  30

  G7 and Equivalents

  131

  36

  1

  15

  183

  SEO and Equivalents

  114

  23

  2

  4

  143

  HEO and Equivalents

  187

  86

  —

  13

  286

  Administration Fast Stream

  11

  9

  —

  1

  21

  EO and Equivalents

  213

  219

  —

  60

  492

  AO and Equivalents

  164

  346

  1

  78

  589

  AA and Equivalents

  174

  228

  —

  50

  452

  Industrials

  111

  14

  5

  15

  145

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Wales what information is held by his Department on the numbers of people and children infected by tuberculosis in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of notifications of tuberculosis in Wales by age is published annually in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Communicable disease statistics". The latest edition includes data for 1991 and is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children in Wales leave school without having been vaccinated against tuberculosis.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information is not available centrally in the form requested. However in the financial year 1992–93 there were 15,878 tuberculosis vaccinations given to children aged 15 and under. This figures does not include children in this age group who were vaccinated in a previous year.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general dental practitioners there are within each family health services authority in Wales; and how many in each area are accepting new patients who are entitled to receive free NHS dental treatment.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not available centrally in the format required. Family health services authorities have notified the Welsh Office that the position as at 24 March 1994 was as follows:

  (a) Number of general dental practitioners

  (b) Number accepting all new NHS patients

  Gwyd

  106

  140

  Dyfed

  107

  70

  Gwent

  154

  22

  Civil Servants
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department the number of(a) male and (b) female, (i) full-time and (ii) part-time employees.

  Mr. Redwood
  The total number of persons employed by my Department are:

  (a) Number of general dental practitioners

  (b) Number accepting all new NHS patients

  Gwynedd

  65

  16

  Mid Glamorgan

  134

  69

  Powys

  42

  25

  South Glamorgan

  146

  35

  West Glamorgan

  126

  126

  Notes

  1. These figures are not statistically validated.

  2. Columns (a) and (b) may include dentists registered with more than one family health services authority.

  1Denotes number of practices—number of GDPs not available.

  4. Column (b) indicates number of dentists accepting all new patients. It does not include those dentists accepting only children and/or adults exempt from NHS charges.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many salaried dentists are employed by each family health services authority in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are two salaried dentists employed by Gwynedd family health services authority and one by Dyfed family health services authority. A further salaried dentist will be employed by Powys family health services authority from 19 April 1994.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community dentists are employed by each health authority and each hospital trust in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Provisional information, relating to staff in post in the community dental service, is given in the table.

  Staff in post as at 30 September 19931

  Health Authorities

  Gwynedd

  8·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  14·3

  Powys

  1·0

  South Glamorgan

  15·5

  West Glamorgan

  11·8

  607

  Staff in post as at 30 September 19931

  NHS Trusts

  Carmarthen and District

  1·5

  Ceredigion and Mid Wales

  3·7

  Clwydian Community Care

  10·4

  Gwent Community

  14·1

  Llanelli Dinefwr

  1·8

  Pembrokeshire

  5·6

  Powys Health Care

  4·0

  1 Whole-time equivalents. Excluding locum staff.

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the transfer of funding from South Glamorgan health authority to other Welsh health authorities; what consultations he has had in relation to the basis of the formula for allocating the capitation funding; what consultations he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority concerning the abatement of purchasing power; and if he will list the numbers of patients, specialties, operations and treatments affected by the alteration in the formula.

  Mr. Redwood
  Health authorities were consulted in January 1991 on options for a weighted capitation formula to be used to determine each authority's share of available revenue resources. After considering the responses from 608
  authorities, my predecessor informed the House on 21 March 1991, Official Report, columns 178–80, of his decision as to the most appropriate basis for this formula.

  South Glamorgan HA's present share of revenue resources exceeds its formula share. It is intended that all authorities will attain their formula shares by 1998–99, with the shares of presently underfunded authorities increasing and those of overfunded authorities, including South Glamorgan, decreasing.

  Although South Glamorgan HA's percentage share will decline, its cash allocation will be dependent upon the growth resources available and on inflation. The 10-year resource assumptions provided to health authorities for planning purposes show how their formula shares and cash allocations would move on the basis of annual real terms growth of 0·5 per cent.

  This growth assumption was exceeded in the cash allocations for health authorities for 1994–95, which I announced on 16 March 1994, Official Report, column 698, south Glamorgan's allocation provides a cash increase of 2·05 per cent., over its allocation for 1993–94. Provided that the authority secures the minimum efficiency savings specified for all health authorities for 1994–95 and uses these savings to fund the cost of pay awards in 1994–95, there should be no abatement of its purchasing power. It will, in fact, have received a real terms cash growth of over 1 per cent. For these reasons, I have no plans to meet the chairman of the health authority.

  BOSNIA: GENERAL GALVIN'S VISIT
  BOSNIA: GENERAL GALVIN'S VISIT
  BOSNIA: HARASSMENT IN BANJA LUKA AREA
  BOSNIA: HARASSMENT IN BANJA LUKA AREA
  BOSNIA: PROTECTION OF MAGLAJ AREA
  BOSNIA: PROTECTION OF MAGLAJ AREA
  TURKEY: MILITARY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY NATO ALLIES
  TURKEY: MILITARY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY NATO ALLIES
  TURKEY: PKK CEASEFIRE PROPOSALS
  TURKEY: PKK CEASEFIRE PROPOSALS
  TURKEY: HUMAN RIGHTS
  TURKEY: HUMAN RIGHTS
  ISRAELI OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS
  ISRAELI OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS
  UN REPORTS: AVAILABILITY IN LIBRARY
  UN REPORTS: AVAILABILITY IN LIBRARY
  WAR CRIMES IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA: UN TRIBUNAL
  WAR CRIMES IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA: UN TRIBUNAL
  DoT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
  DoT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
  COPYRIGHT PROTECTION IN EU
  COPYRIGHT PROTECTION IN EU
  FIRE TUBE INDUSTRIAL BOILERS: EUROPEAN STANDARD
  FIRE TUBE INDUSTRIAL BOILERS: EUROPEAN STANDARD
  ECSC STEEL STATE AIDS RULES: ENFORCEMENT
  ECSC STEEL STATE AIDS RULES: ENFORCEMENT
  CYCLE ROUTES IN ROYAL PARKS
  CYCLE ROUTES IN ROYAL PARKS
  CIVIL COURTS: REFORM OF PROCEDURES
  CIVIL COURTS: REFORM OF PROCEDURES
  TURKEY: MILITARY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY UNITED KINGDOM
  TURKEY: MILITARY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY UNITED KINGDOM
  MR. KEVIN O'NEILL
  MR. KEVIN O'NEILL
  CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME
  CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME
  STUDENT FINANCES AND EMPLOYMENT: REPORT
  STUDENT FINANCES AND EMPLOYMENT: REPORT
  WASTE MANAGEMENT LICENSING: CHARGING SCHEME
  WASTE MANAGEMENT LICENSING: CHARGING SCHEME
  POLLUTION CONTROL: CHARGING SCHEMES
  POLLUTION CONTROL: CHARGING SCHEMES
  JOINT NATURE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
  JOINT NATURE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
  GENERAL PRACTITIONER DEPRIVATION PAYMENTS
  GENERAL PRACTITIONER DEPRIVATION PAYMENTS