Written Answers of 13 May 1994

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, columns 666–67, which client departments have received advice from the Treasury Solicitor's Department; and what has been the cost to each department of such advice.

  The Attorney-General
  The following charges have been invoiced as at 13 May 1994 to client departments by the Treasury Solicitor's Department for legal services provided in connection with the Scott inquiry:

  £

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  49,702.83

  Department of Trade and Industry

  85,193.39

  In addition, the Treasury Solicitor's Department has submitted invoices to the Ministry of Defence which I understand are under consideration by it.

  The Treasury Solicitor in the normal course of his duties has given legal advice to the Cabinet Secretary for which no charge falls to be made.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General how many employees have worked on a full or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within his Department; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no Scott inquiry liaison units in my Departments. Liaison is undertaken by staff in my Departments as part of their normal duties.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the recent Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development Operation Lifeline Sudan sub-committee talks in Nairobi to increase access for aid in Sudan; and what progress was made in gaining access by international aid agencies to the Nuba mountains.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The IGADD-OLS sub-committee on relief access met from 6 to 9 May in Nairobi, without agreement. Informal discussions are continuing.

  No progress has been made on the Nuba mountains since my answer on 10 May at column 79.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment 252
  of the present military situation in Sudan; and how this is affecting the delivery of aid by international relief organisations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The conflict in the south is continuing but may be curtailed by the recent onset of the rainy season. The security situation in parts of Equatoria and Upper Nile has caused the temporary withdrawal of some relief staff. Relief deliveries have also been affected. The Government of Sudan refused clearance to six air-supplied destinations in April and four in May.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current estimate of the number of refugees from Rwanda now in neighbouring countries; and what is being done by the European Union and Her Majesty's Government to increase the levels of support.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  According to reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees there are about 250,000 Rwandan refugees in Tanzania, 47,000 in Burundi, 8,000 in Uganda and 10,000 in Zaire. I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 10 May at column 81 about support to these refugees by Her Majesty's Government and the European Union.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much assistance his Department has pledged for Rwanda since the beginning of April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since 6 April 1994, Britain has committed £3.35 million bilaterally of humanitarian assistance for Rwandans fleeing the violence.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Water and Sewerage Industry
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 104, regarding the making and terminating of appointments by regulatory authorities, if Ofwat is required to operate under the terms of the civil service management code in relation to staff appointments and dismissals.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Ofwat
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 April.Official Report, column 104, who is responsible for the appointment of the Director General of Ofwat.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales are jointly responsible for the appointment of the Director General of Ofwat.

  British Coal
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements have been made for meeting the residual obligations of British Coal; what level of financial resources has been set aside to meet these obligations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Residual obligations remaining temporarily with British Coal after privatisation would be funded principally by residual payments grant under the provisions of clause 18 of the Coal Industry Bill currently before Parliament. Estimates will be put before Parliament in due course.

  Gas Industry
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how he proposes to ensure that the consultation process on the future of the gas industry will include adequate consideration of energy efficiency.

  Mr. Eggar
  The consultation document, "Competition and Choice in the Gas Market", contains a chapter on the efficient use of gas. Views have been invited over the coming weeks.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the objectives of the Director General of Ofgas; and what importance is assigned to the promotion of energy efficiency.

  Mr. Eggar
  The duties of the Director General of Gas Supply are set out in section 4 of the Gas Act 1986. They include, as one of her several secondary duties, a requirement to exercise her functions in the manner that she considers is best calculated to promote the efficient use of gas supplied through pipes.

TREASURY

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parliamentary questions, in the period November 1992 to March 1993 were answered with the response that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; how many were referred on to an agency chief executive; and, in each case, what percentage of the total number of questions asked this constituted.

  Mr. Nelson
  Between November 1992 and March 1993, 11 out of 1,265 written questions to Treasury Ministers—0.9 per cent.—were not answered substantively because the information requested was not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. During the same period two questions—0.2 per cent.—were referred to agency chief executives for reply.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present relationship between the International Monetary Fund and Sudan; and what are the IMF's major grounds for concern about Sudan's financial position and conduct.
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  Mr. Nelson
  As of 5 May, Sudan had arrears to the IMF amounting to SDR 1.177 billion or $1.664 billion. Sudan was declared ineligible to use the general resources of the fund on 3 February 1986, a declaration of non-cooperation was issued on 14 September 1990, its right to use special drawing rights other than for settling its arrears to the fund was suspended on 2 November 1990 and its voting rights were suspended as from 9 August 1993. The fund has initiated proceedings that could lead to compulsory withdrawal of Sudan from the fund.

  The fund took these measures as a result of Sudan's persistent failure to co-operate with the fund in addressing the problem of the arrears evidenced by failure to formulate appropriate economic adjustment measures and failure to agree a schedule of payment to the fund with a view to stabilising the arrears.

  Tax Deposit Certificates
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about holders of certificates of tax deposits disadvantaged by the introduction of independent taxation.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government have decided to provide compensation for certain holders of certificates of tax deposit—CTDs—disadvantaged by the introduction of independent taxation of husbands and wives in April 1990.

  The Government now propose that anyone who bought a CTD before 6 April 1990 and subsequently cashed it in to pay a spouse's tax liability may apply for a payment equivalent to the difference between the higher and lower interest rates. Effective immediately, anyone still holding a CTD bought before 6 April 1990 will be able to use it to pay his/her own or his/her spouse's liability and receive the higher rate of interest. Legislation to introduce these compensation payments will be included in the next Finance Bill.

  CTDs are typically purchased by people or companies in dispute with the Inland Revenue about their tax liabilities. CTD holders receive a higher rate of interest if they use the CTD to pay off their own tax liabilities, and a lower rate if they cash the CTD in instead.

  Before 6 April 1990, when independent taxation was introduced, a married couple was treated as single tax unit. So a CTD in one partner's name could be used to pay the tax liability of the couple. Once independent taxation was introduced, tax liabilities were separated. So a CTD in, say, the husband's name could not be used to pay the liability of his wife. Instead, he would have to cash in the CTD, receiving the lower rate of interest.

  The test of whether the CTD was cashed in to pay a spouse's liability will be whether any such payment was made within a month either side of the CTD being cashed in.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest estimates of the costs to the Exchequer of local government reform in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: The costs of local government reform in the United Kingdom as a whole will depend on the final structures adopted in England. Any costs should be more than offset by the on going savings that the new arrangements are expected to

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  generate. The proportion of those costs and savings which will fall to the Exchequer will depend on the outcome of future public expenditure surveys.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Television and Radio Licences
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations he has had with the European Community concerning the directive proposing to abolish licence fees for television and radio.

  Mr. Brooke
  None.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future role of section 11 grant in the Government's programme to combat racial inequality.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We continue to attach much importance to tackling the root causes of racial disadvantage—lack of English being a prime example—so that members of ethnic minorities can play a full part in the social and economic life of the country.

  We envisage that the particular needs of ethnic minorities in the future will be met either through section 11 funding or through wider regeneration programmes under the single regeneration budget.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what target figures he has for the(a) national and (b) regional areas to spend on section 11 related projects for 1995–96;

  (2) what is the planned level of expenditure in 1994–95 on section 11 grant to local authorities, (a) nationally and (b) regionally.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Current Home Office provision for the payment of section 11 grant to local authorities in 1994–95 is £46.6 million and the corresponding figure in 1995–96 is £41 million. It is not possible to give precise Home Office grant expenditure figures for 1994–9:5 as a whole, which will be affected by actual expenditure incurred by grant recipients. The following figures, broken down by regions, reflect budget allocations notified to local authorities in England in relation to their expenditure in
  1994–95:

  £

  London

  13,947,117

  South-East

  5,231,780

  Eastern

  5,190,023

  South-West

  1,042,756

  West Midlands

  1,981,374

  East Midlands

  6,535,306

  North-West

  5,981,235

  Merseyside

  —

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,475,385

  North-East

  598,728

  In addition, authorities in Wales have been notified of allocations amounting to £645,528.
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  Section 11 grant is paid by the Home Office in relation to approved projects reflecting local needs; there can be no pre-determined expenditure targets for particular areas.

  Mentally Disordered Offenders
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment is made of the requirements of mentally disordered offenders in determining appropriate staffing levels for individual prisons;

  (2) what steps he takes to ensure that mentally disordered offenders awaiting transfer from prison to NHS establishments receive appropriate care and treatment prior to transfer;

  (3) what is his current estimate of the number of mentally disordered offenders within HM prison, Wakefield who are awaiting transfer to national health service facilities; and what is the maximum waiting period.

  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 A. J. Butler to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 13 May 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about mentally disordered offenders.
  The health care staffing of an establishment is a matter on which the governor is advised by the head of health care and by senior health professionals at Prison Service Headquarters. It is open to the governor to recruit more health care staff within the constraints of his/her budget or to seek extra funds for this purpose. The second floor of the Wakefield health care centre, which HM Inspectors found was not in use because of staffing problems, has been in continuous use for the past three months.
  As of 10 May 1994 there were 30 prisoners in Wakefield Prison who, in the opinion of the Senior Medical Officer, require in patient treatment in a psychiatric hospital. One prisoner has been waiting over six months for transfer to a regional secure unit.
  The Prison Service strives to provide a service for mentally disordered prisoners equivalent to that which they would receive in the community. To this end consultant psychiatrists provided 16,737 consultations in 1992/93. Since June 1993 the Newcastle Mental Health Trust has been contracted to provide a multi-disciplinary service to Durham, Frankland and Low Newton prisons. We aim to extend contracting-in to other parts of the prison system. There is also a strategy to increase the number of professionally qualified health care staff, through the recruitment of nursing grades and improved training for health care officers. Between March 1992 and March 1994 the number of nursing grades working in prisons rose from 257 to 539 and the percentage of all health care staff with professional qualifications increased from 35 per cent. to 51 per cent.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to respond to the references in the report of 10 May by Judge Stephen Tumin into the number of mentally disordered offenders within HM prison, Wakefield who would be more appropriately placed in national health service establishments.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is Government policy that offenders who have mental disorders requiring in-patient care should receive it from the national health service. Every effort is made to ensure the swift transfer of such prisoners to appropriate outside hospitals. In England and Wales the number of Mental Health Act transfers to hospital has more than doubled from 325 in 1990 to 755 in
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  1993. We hope that this figure will continue to rise in future years, although any further increase in transfers will depend on sufficient capacity in outside hospitals.

  Campsfield Detention Centre
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the capital and revenue costs of security measures at Campsfield detention centre.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  These costs are commercially confidential and it would not be proper to disclose them.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Private Members' Bills
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make the support and advice of Parliamentary Counsel available to all hon. Members.

  Mr. Newton
  The role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel is to draft legislation at the request of Ministers. I have no plans to change this.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many amendments for consideration at the report Stage of the Tobacco Advertising Bill have been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many amendments for consideration at the report Stage of the Tobacco Advertising Bill have been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel; and on whose instructions such amendments were drafted.

  Mr. Newton
  None of the amendments for consideration at the Report stage of the Bill has been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many private members have had the support of Parliamentary Counsel in drafting amendments to other private Members' Bills since April 1992.

  Mr. Newton
  Parliamentary Counsel draft amendments on the instructions of Departments acting on the authority of Ministers. How many of these were subsequently tabled by private Members is not recorded.

  Business of the House
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give the business of the House for the week commencing 16 May.

  Mr. Newton
  The business for next week will be:

  MONDAY 16 MAY—There will be a debate on the European Union on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House.

  TUESDAY 17 MAY—Progress on remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  WEDNESDAY 18 MAY—Progress on remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  THURSDAY 19 MAY—Conclusion of remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  FRIDAY 20 MAY—Private Members' Bills.

  MONDAY 23 MAY—Motion on the Coal Industry (Restructuring Grants) Order.

  Motion on the Value Added Tax (Education) Order.

  Motion on the Railways Pension Scheme Order.

  Motion on the Railway Pensions (Protection and Designation of Schemes) Order.
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  European Standing Committee will meet at 10:30 am on Wednesday 18 May to consider European Community Documents as follows:

  Standing Committee A
  Document No. 6428/94 relating to the application of the milk quota scheme to Italy.

  Standing Committee B
  Document No. 4715/94 and the unnumbered explanatory memorandum submitted by the Department of Education on 9 May relating to the Socrates programme on education and training.

EDUCATION

  Study Regulation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider his decision not to extend the previous study regulation to one year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Mandatory awards for students underwrite one opportunity for personally eligible students to undertake a course of higher education. Under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations, attendance of 20 weeks or less on one course with the benefit of an award is disregarded in deciding if a student is eligible for an award for a second course. My right hon. Friend has no plans to change these long-standing arrangements, which already allow attendance for more than half an academic year to be disregarded.

  Doncaster College
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of funding by the Further and Higher Education Council to Doncaster college in 1993–94; and what is the planned level in 1994–95.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Further Education Funding Council's allocations to Doncaster college for the 16-month period April 1993 to July 1994, the first financial year in the new FE sector, as given in its document "Funding Allocations 1993–94" are as follows:

  £

  Recurrent funding

  14,798,129

  Capital equipment

  351,000

  Minor works

  3,337,365

  In addition, the college received £11,00 from the FEFC for the period April 1993 to March 1994 in respect of continuing PICKUP—professional industrial and commerial updating—activity.

  The FEFC is currently consulting colleges on their provisional allocations for the period August 1994 to July 1995. Final allocations will be announced in mid-June.

  The Higher Education Funding Council for England's funding for Doncaster college in the 1993–94 academic year is some £1.15 million. This includes £29,000 for a special initiative to provide new higher education courses in localities with limited current provision. The college will receive some £1.88 million in 1994–95 and may also submit proposals for further special initiative funding which, if successful, will provide additional funds.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what loans or other special arrangements have been made for any grant-maintained school in deficit or with an expected deficit for the last financial year or the current financial year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In the last financial year loans were made to three grant-maintained schools in accordance with the Education (Grant-maintained Schools) (Loans) Regulations 1993. On the basis of its monitoring, the Department is not aware of any grant-maintained school that had a cash deficit in 1993–94 or the previous financial year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  War Pensions
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of ex-service personnel who fought in either the Falklands or Gulf wars and are now in receipt of a war pension.

  Mr. Hague
  Records indicate that, of those ex-service personnel who fought in the Falklands conflict and who made claims for a war pension up to June 1991, 104 are now receiving a war disablement pension. No information is held about any who may have claimed since June 1991.

  Sixty-five war disablement pensions are in payment to ex-service personnel who fought in the Gulf war.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 7 February,Official Report, column 32 how many and what proportion of those claimants of invalidity benefit who receive an occupational pension had been receiving such pension payments for (a) up to six months, (b) up to one year, (c) up to two years and (d) more than two years; and if such pensions had been in payment to the claimant during (i) the first six months of incapacity, (ii) between six and 12 months of the start of the incapacity and (iii) only after the first year of incapacity.

  Mr. Scott
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 210, of the claimants of invalidity benefit also receiving an income from investment, what were the sources of this investment income; and of those with net earnings, how many and what proportion had payments from former employers, classified by type of employer payment.

  Mr. Scott
  The table shows the main sources of investment income with recipients as a proportion of all invalidity benefit recipients with investment income.

  Information is not available on the number and proportion of invalidity benefit recipients with net earnings who receive payments from former employers.
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  Type of investment income

  Proportion per cent.

  Interest from bank accounts (net and gross)

  30

  Interest from building society accounts (net and gross)

  75

  Income from stocks and shares and British savings bonds interest

  30

  Other investment income

  15

  Notes:

  1. Total may sum to more than 100 per cent. as individuals can have more than one source of investment income.

  2. Figures are based on information from the 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure Sources Investment income in the survey is subject to large margins of uncertainty.

  3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 per cent.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claiming incapacity benefit after April 1995 he estimates will also receive payments from occupational or private schemes for long-term incapacity.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no estimates of the number of people who will be claiming incapacity benefit after April 1995 who will also receive payments from an occupational or a private scheme.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many invalid care allowance claimants have had payments of arrears of this benefit restricted to 12 months where an award of attendance allowance or disability living allowance to the person they are caring for has taken more than 12 months to determine;

  (2) if he will trawl all existing invalid care allowance claims and awards to identify cases where payment of arrears of invalid care allowance has been restricted to a period of 12 months where the time taken to determine the related attendance allowance or disability living allowance claim has taken more than 12 months; and if he will make payment of invalid care allowance or a compensation payment for the further back period;

  (3) if he will amend social security regulations to allow back payment of invalid care allowance for more than 12 months where a determination and award on a related claim for attendance allowance or disability living allowance has taken more than 12 months.

  Mr. Scott
  To date, 241 claimants have had their invalid care allowance arrears limited to the statutory 12 months due to delays by this Department in processing the related attendance allowance or disability living allowance claims. Such ICA claims were identified at the outset and all claimants have been, or will be, paid the equivalent of their ICA arrears in full by way of ex-gratia payments. Any similar claims will be dealt with in the same way.

  There are no plans to amend the relevant legislation.

  Private Members' Bills
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions Ministers from his Department have requested Parliamentary Counsel to assist in preparing amendments to private Members' Bills on behalf of other private members.
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  Mr. Lilley
  None. In the case of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State authorised officials to instruct Parliamentary Counsel to prepare amendments which were subsequently passed to private Members.

ENVIRONMENT

  European Commissioner
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the European Commissioner for the Environment; and what items he will discuss.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will next meet the Commissioner at the informal Environment Council on 13 to 15 May. The Council will discuss tourism and the environment.

  Ofwat
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how consumer interests are represented on Ofwat's customer service committees.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 11 May 1994]: Section 29 of the Water Industry Act 1991 places a duty on each customer service committee to keep under review, to consult and to make representations to companies allocated to the committee about all matters appearing to the committee to affect the interests of customers or potential customers of those companies; and to investigate any complaint made by a customer or potential customer relating to the carrying out of any of the functions of a water or sewerage undertaker.

  The CSCs report to the Director General of Water Services and advise him on issues which affect customers, to inform his decision making.

  Housing Investment
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what(a) further Government grants and (b) supplementary credit approvals were allocated specifically for local authority housing investment in addition to the housing investment programme allocation in each local authority in each year since 1978–79.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 15 April 1994]: Before the introduction of the present local authority capital finance system in April 1990, the allocation in-year of additional capital resources for housing investment was reflected in increases to housing investment programme allocations. Powers to issue supplementary credit approvals are contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and SCAs have therefore been issued only since 1990–91.

  Resources have been set aside since 1990–91 outside the envelope of the annual housing investment programme allocations for the following programmes of SCAs and capital grants for housing investment by local authorities:

  SCAs

  Estate action (1990–91 to 1993–94)

  Homelessness (1990–91 and 1991–92)

  Ex-new town defects (1991–92 to 1994–95)

  Energy efficiency (1991–92 to 1993–94)

  Rural housing (1991–92 and 1992–93)

  Flats over shops (1992–93 to 1994–95)

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  Cash incentive schemes (1992–93 and 1994–95)

  Housing partnership fund (1993–94 and 1994–95)

  Admissible credit approvals (1993–94)

  Renovation grants (1990–91 to 1992–93)

  Area improvement (1990–91)

  Capital grants

  Ex-new town defects (1990–91 to 1994–95)

  Estate action (1990–91 to 1993–94)

  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much(a) further Government grants and (b) supplementary credit approvals were allocated specifically for local authority housing investment in addition to the housing investment programme allocation in each local authority for the years 1978–79, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 15 April 1994]: Before the introduction of the present local authority capital finance system in April 1990, the allocation in-year of additional capital resources for housing investment was reflected in increases to housing investment programme allocations.

  Powers to issue supplementary credit approvals are contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and SCAs have therefore been issued only since 1990–91. SCAs may be issued up to six months after the end of the financial year during which the relevant expenditure is defrayed, and the bulk of housing SCAs for 1993–94 will be issued in the coming months. No housing SCAs have yet been issued for 1994–95.

  Details of payments to local authorities in 1993–94 of capital grant which is outside the envelope of the annual housing investment programme allocations have been placed in the Library. No such grant has yet been paid in 1994–95.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those mineral waters produced in the United Kingdom that have been, or are to be, prohibited for public consumption under the EC drinking water directive 80/778; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I have been asked to reply.

  The provisions of EC directive 80/778 relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption do not apply to natural mineral waters approved under EC directive 80/777 on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters.

EMPLOYMENT

  Personnel Data Processing
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure on the aborted personnel data processing system.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The total expenditure, excluding staff and training costs, on the Department's personnel data processing system was £2.43 million.

  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was paid to McDonnell Douglas
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  in respect of (a) project supplies, (b) software development, (c) computer hardware and (d) other items connected with the personnel data processing system.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The amount paid to McDonnell Douglas, in respect of the Department's personnel data processing system, were:

  (a) Project supplies

  £2,930

  (b) Software development

  £782,555

  (c) Computer hardware

  £625,202

  (d) Other items

  £351,714

  Mobile Telephones Pagers
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment; and to which personnel it is made available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Detective Agencies
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Fees for private detective agencies instructed by the Employment Service since 1991 amount to £175 plus VAT.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he is taking to request information from training and enterprise councils in relation to the numbers of secondees from his Department continuing to work for the same training and enterprise councils after having applied successfully under the voluntary early retirement scheme for early retirement(a) in England and (b) in Wales.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Permanent Secretary has written to the chairman of every training and enterprise council in England and Wales to ensure that the Department's policy on this matter is fully understood and to seek their support and co-operation in implementing that policy.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of those unemployed for 12 months and more in May 1979; and what are the current figures.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: The unadjusted number of United Kingdom claimants

  Number of public bodies in Wales

  Executive

  Advisory

  Tribunals

  NHS

  Total

  1978–79

  16

  12

  3

  9

  40

  1 April 1993

  23

  28

  4

  33

  88

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  unemployed for over a year stood at 1,106,771 in January 1983, the earliest date for which equivalent figures are available. The figure for January 1994 was 1,087,877.

WALES

  Library Services
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what resources will be available to the new local authorities in Wales to carry out their statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service;

  (2) what plans will be made to facilitate joint arrangements between the new local authorities to enable them to carry out their statutory responsibilities in relation to public libraries.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) on 21 March at column 73.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) of 4 May,Official Report, column 537, if he will name the individuals or bodies who made representations to him on the annexe on wind energy in planning policy guidance note 22.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Wales Wind Energy Forum and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the effect of the impending local government reforms on the local government superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office has recently consulted all Welsh local authorities, the two local authority associations and other interested organisations on proposals for the administration of superannuation funds under section 7 of the Superannuation Act 1972. The closing date for comments is 30 June.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many non-departmental public bodies or similar agencies to which holders of his office make appointments existed in 1979 and in 1993; and if he will list in cash and real terms the total administrative costs, the salaries of each appointed worker and the amount spent in implementing their statutory duties.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information available is as follows:
  265

  Number of Staff Employed

  Executive

  NHS

  Total

  1978–79

  7,548

  150,321

  57,869

  1 April 1993

  2,000

  1 255,900

  57,900

  1 Estimated figure

  2 At 1 September 1993

  Gross Expenditure

  Executive

  NHS

  Expenditure by welsh Office in support of Executive and Advisory Bodies and Tribunals

  Total

  £ million

  1978–79

  1212·32

  13411·000

  n/a

  3623·320

  4589·876

  41,141·857

  —

  41,731·733

  1992–93

  510·00

  51,871·862

  4

  2,385·862

  1 Estimated figure.

  2 At 1 September 1993.

  3 About in cash.

  4 Amount at 1993–93 prices

  5 Provisional figure

  Information on the salaries of each appointed worker and the amount spent in implementing their statutory duties is not available.

  The information given is taken from the Report on Non-Departmental Public Bodies (January 1980 Cmnd. 7797) and Public Bodies 1993 (HMSO) which are available in the Library of the House.

  The figures include public bodies to which the Secretary of State for Wales does not make appointments; it is not possible to disaggregate the data to include only those bodies to which he makes appointments.

  Health Cash Allocations
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he informed the district health authorities in Wales of their cash allocation for 1994–95.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend announced the cash allocations to health authorities in Wales for 1994–95 on 16 March.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from health authorities and trusts in Wales concerning the cash increase for 1994–95.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A number of trusts have made representations to the Welsh Office regarding the 1994–95 allocations to health authorities but none has related to the level of cash increase provided.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department informed NHS trusts in Wales that they would be required to absorb the pay award to nurses, doctors and midwives in 1994–95.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Following the Government's acceptance of the recommendations of the review bodies on the 1994–95 pay increases to doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives and the profession supplementary to medicine, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, in a press release on 3 February, made it clear that 266
  we looked to the NHS to fund this award through improved efficiency and productivity, allowing the extra money for the NHS announced in the Budget to go directly to patient services. This press release was circulated to NHS trusts in Wales and discussed with their chief executives at a meeting on 15 February.

  NHS Job Losses
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on job losses within the national health service in Wales in 1994–95.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The possibility of job losses has been raised in correspondence received by my right hon. Friend from the chairman of the NHS trust chairmen's group and from some individual trusts. No other representations have been received.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Radiation Monitoring Stations
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many radiation monitoring stations there are in Northern Ireland; what plans he has to establish further stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The gamma dose rate in air is measured at 49 fixed coastal locations on a quarterly basis. This is in addition to the monitoring of locally caught seafood and sediments from the intertidal areas. The results of this monitoring show that radioactivity levels measured are of no radiological significance to the health of the Northern Ireland population and these results have been confirmed by monitoring undertaken by the Northern Ireland radiation monitoring committee, representing district councils in the Province. In recent years, joint surveys undertaken by my Department and colleagues in the Republic of Ireland, into radioactivity levels in Foyle and Carlingford loughs, also confirm that levels are very low. My Department's environmental monitoring programme is under continual review and we are committed to providing public reassurance and information in this way.

  In addition to these local measures, under RIMNET —the radiation incident monitoring network, designed to give early warning in the event of an overseas nuclear emergency—five continuous stations are operational in the Province.

  Detective Agencies
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Since 1991 Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments and the Northern Ireland Office have spent £25,017 on inquiries undertaken by private detective agencies as follows:

  £

  Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland

  19,401

  Department of Economic Development

  215,616

  1 Investigations into the circumstances relating to persons claiming compensation against the Department as a result of alleged personal injuries through tripping incidents.

  2 Investigations pertinent to economic development.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by Her Majesty's prison and remand home/centre for the latest date he has figures available, the number of inmates whose place of residence is South Yorkshire; and what were the figures(a) 12 months and (b) 24 months ago.

  Sir John Wheeler
  There were no prisoners with a last known address in South Yorkshire being held in Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland on 1 May 1994, 1993 or 1992.

  Police Sick Leave
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by sex, and by year for the last 10 years, the average number of police officer days lost for reasons of sickness in each police division.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The available information is as follows:

  Table 1—Average days lost per member

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Force

  Day type

  1984

  n/a

  n/a

  14.37

  Total

  1985

  n/a

  n/a

  14.94

  Total

  1986

  n/a

  n/a

  16.71

  Total

  1987

  n/a

  n/a

  16.77

  Total

  1988

  n/a

  n/a

  19.00

  Total

  1989

  18.95

  31.98

  19.79

  Total

  1990

  19.27

  33.11

  20.19

  Total

  1991

  13.71

  23.61

  14.40

  Work

  1992

  13.70

  21.06

  14.49

  Work

  1993

  13.80

  18.93

  14.16

  Work

  Table 2 Average Work Days Lost per Member

  Year

  Police Division

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1991

  1992

  1993

  A

  16·2

  16·8

  14·7

  B

  13·6

  13·5

  11·2

  D

  16·3

  17·5

  16·9

  E

  15·7

  17·0

  17·4

  G

  16·7

  17·8

  17·9

  H

  13·9

  12·6

  12·6

  J

  16·4

  21·2

  16·7

  K

  12·7

  12·4

  12·4

  L

  10·2

  10·3

  10·4

  N

  13·2

  11·8

  10·0

  O

  15·4

  18·8

  19·3

  P

  19·6

  16·3

  18·9

  Notes:—

  (i) Sick absence includes both RUC Regular and Full-Time Reserve officers;

  (ii) Breakdown by police division for male/female absence is not available;

  (iii) Force headquarters staff and specialist units ie Traffic Branch etc. are not included within divisional figures;

  (iv) TOTAL days lost are based on 365-day calendar year; whereas WORK days lost are based on a 228-day year (ie calendar year less rest days, Public Holidays etc);

  (v) The police divisional headquarters are located as follows:

  A Musgrave street, Belfast

  B Grosvenor road, Belfast

  D Antrim road, Belfast

  E Strandtown, Belfast

  G Newtownards

  268

  H Armagh

  J Mahon road, Portadown

  K Dungannon

  L Enniskillen

  N Strand road, Londonderry

  O Coleraine

  P Ballymena

PRIME MINISTER

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister how many employees have worked on a full-time or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within the Cabinet Office; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

  The Prime Minister
  The Scott inquiry unit in the Cabinet Office was established in December 1992 with three full-time members, increased to five in April 1993. I am unable at this stage to say when the work of the unit will be completed.

  Veterans
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will reconsider his decision not to appoint a veterans' Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 May 1994]: Responsibility for matters affecting war veterans, their widows and dependants, forms part of the departmental remit of a number of Ministers, as appropriate. There are no plans to change this arrangement.

HEALTH

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) qualified national health service nurses and midwives, (b) unqualified national health service nursing staff and (c) nursing learners were employed in each regional health authority in each year since 1989 (i) in numbers and (ii) as a percentage of the total NHS nursing and midwifery staff.

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

  Consultancies
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) family health service authorities and (d) other health authorities on consultancies in the latest year for which figure are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  Expenditure on consultants is included under the category "external contract staffing and consultancy services", and cannot be separately identified. This information is published in Health and Personal Social Services Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library. The figures could include non-clinical services provided by outside bodies in areas such as cleaning, accountancy and computer services.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by NHS trusts on consultancies in the latest year for which figures are available.
  269
  Mr. Sackville
  National health service trust expenditure on consultancy services alone is not available centrally. The provisional aggregate figure for NHS trust spending on external contract staffing and consultancy services was £43 million in 1992–93, the latest year for which a figure is available. This expenditure relates to services purchased from other trusts, health authorities and the private sector and includes, for example, linen supplies, transport and computing services as well as consultancy services.

  The difference between the above figure and previous estimates is the result of further validation of source data by the NHS Executive.

  Great Ormond Street Hospital
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the charitable income of Great Ormond Street hospital in the last two years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for the Hospitals for Sick Children national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir Brian Hill, for details.

  Children in Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged 15 years at 31 March 1991 were looked after by local authorities under care orders by placement.

  Mr. Bowis
  There were 2,920 children aged 15 in the care of English local authorities at 31 March 1991 by placement. A breakdown of the forms of placement is shown in the table.

  Children aged 15 under care orders in the care of local authorities at 31 March 1991 by placement

  Number

  All children aged 15 under care orders

  2,920

  Foster placements

  1,363

  In lodgings, living independently or residential employment

  3

  In community homes provided under the Child Care Act 1980

  775

  In voluntary children's homes and hostels

  48

  In accommodation for children with special educational needs

  117

  Under charge and control of parent, guardian, relative or friend

  452

  Young offender institution or prison establishment

  18

  Other placements1

  144

  1 Other placements include: youth treatment centres, mother and baby homes, NHS or other establishments providing medical and/or nursing care, placed for adoption, children absent from agreed placement, and unspecified placements.

  Pacemaker Leads
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many Medtronic pacing leads 4012 have been implanted into patients since 1987; and when the lead came on to the market in the United Kingdom;
  270
  (2) how many deaths of patients implanted with Medtronic pacing lead 4012 have taken place each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  According to the national pacemaker database, the number of patients implanted with the Medtronic 4012 lead model since 1987 is 1,037.

  The number of patient deaths since 1987, on a yearly basis has been:

  Number

  1987

  8

  1988

  11

  1989

  18

  1990

  31

  1991

  37

  1992

  37

  1993

  33

  None of which was lead-related.

  These statistics include retrospective data since added to the NPD and updates information provided in the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 21 March at columns 69–70. The NPD is subject to continual update.

  The lead first became available on the United Kingdom market in late January/early February 1984.

  Health Visitors and Nurses
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work previously done by health visitors is now being done by other staff; and which other staff are doing this work.

  Mr. Sackville
  Many routine immunisations are now undertaken by practice nurses, freeing health visitors to target their skills more effectively. Among others, Strelley nurse development unit in Nottingham provides a fine example where health visitors are leading teams and managing patient care.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) student health visitors, (b) student district nurses, (c) student community psychiatric nurses and (d) school nurses in training there were in each of the last five years, by regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is included in the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting annual report 1992–93, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of practice nurses, expressed as whole-time equivalents, employed in the NHS for each of the last five years, by regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  Between 1989 and 1993 the number of whole-time equivalent practice nurses in England increased by 107 per cent. from 4,629 to 9,606. The detailed information is shown in the table.

  Numbers of whole-time equivalent practice nurses at 1 October

  RHA

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Northern

  282

  427

  502

  549

  548

  Yorkshire

  277

  570

  611

  648

  754

  Trent

  464

  767

  851

  929

  960

  East Anglia

  271

  443

  545

  511

  551

  North West Thames

  389

  610

  681

  698

  753

  271

  RHA

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  North East Thames

  279

  536

  642

  701

  755

  South East Thames

  360

  657

  627

  651

  740

  South West Thames

  276

  488

  545

  558

  560

  Wessex

  330

  534

  677

  587

  611

  Oxford

  339

  449

  492

  535

  577

  South Western

  462

  683

  707

  760

  739

  West Midlands

  487

  751

  827

  914

  1,020

  Mersey

  166

  333

  343

  442

  391

  North Western

  248

  491

  642

  638

  647

  West Lindsey NHS Trust
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has yet responded to the request by West Lindsey NHS Trust to reduce the size of its trust board; what representations she has received from local nursing professional organisations in respect of the effect of such a reduction; what consideration she has given to the possible child protection implications of the reduction in nurse management; and how she will ensure that her Department's guidance on this issue is followed locally.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ministers are considering whether to agree to the trust's request to reduce the number of its board members. Whatever the outcome of this consideration, the trust will continue to be required to appoint a registered nurse or registered midwife as an executive director under the National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990. We expect all trusts to develop the role of nurse director in a way which will guarantee high standards of leadership and care.

  Health System
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Minister for Health's oral answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) of 22 March,Official Report, column 125, and her written answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 90, what evidence has been drawn to her attention of the existence of a two-tier health system within the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A two-tier system does not operate in the national health service.

  Occasionally, information about alleged differentials in service provision is brought to my attention from both within and outside the NHS. Such claims are investigated; they have been shown to reflect different purchasing contracts not "two-tierism". Trusts are reminded of the agreement with the British Medical Association that they may not offer contracts to one purchaser which would thereby disadvantage the patients of another. They are expected to ensure that any services provided conform with this agreement.

  Health Authorities (Cash Allocation)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cash allocation for regional health authorities in England in 1993–94 and in 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  The final cash limits—capital and revenue—for regional health authorities for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are shown in the table.
  272

  Region

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £000

  £000

  Northern

  1,370,941

  1,473,779

  Yorkshire

  1,562,561

  1,700,945

  Trent

  1,965,026

  2,129,054

  East Anglian

  822,342

  890,919

  North West Thames

  1,686,329

  1,710,749

  North East Thames

  1,799,855

  1,962,615

  South East Thames

  1,711,480

  1,843,394

  South West Thames

  1,355,515

  1,407,170

  Wessex

  1,206,750

  1,329,116

  Oxford

  962,826

  1,020,765

  South Western

  1,403,724

  1,517,492

  West Midlands

  2,119,674

  2,310,655

  Mersey

  1,086,571

  1,157,617

  North Western

  1,772,401

  1,878,398

  Total

  20,825,995

  22,332,668

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate expenditure on NHS trusts for 1994–95.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: Expenditure by national health service purchasers for patient services provided by NHS trusts for 1994–95 is estimated at £17,058,059,000.

  Source: Common Information Core Plan 94–95 All RHA aggregate.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Civil Service
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what satistics he has on the number of former parliamentary candidates who have been recruited to the permanent home civil service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No such statistics are kept.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Civil Service Commission in relation to the recruitment of Mr. Paul Martin to the permanent home civil service, and in relation to the recruitment of former parliamentary candidates generally.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have had no consultations with the First Civil Service Commissioner on this subject. There is no bar to the employment in the civil service of a person who, although previously politically active, takes a decision to seek a career in the service and is willing to abide by the rules on the political activities of serving civil servants once appointed.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has issued in relation to the recruitment of previous parliamentary candidates into the permanent home civil service; what proposals he has for maintenance of party political neutrality within the permanent home civil service in circumstances where previous parliamentary candidates have been recruited; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition precludes previous political activity being a consideration in civil
  273
  service recruitment. The rules on political activities in the conduct chapter of the Civil Service Management Code, a copy of which is in the Library, apply to all staff according to the nature of their work. A recruit accepts those rules as a condition of service.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has issued in relation to the treatment of references from party political or ministerial sources in relation to recruitment to the permanent home civil service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No guidelines have been issued by my Department relating specifically to references from party political or ministerial sources in relation to recruitment to the permanent home civil service. Where references are sought, their purpose is to assist the selectors in assessing suitability for the grade or post concerned in relation to the qualities, experience and qualifications required.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date the application of Paul Martin for recruitment to the permanent home civil service was received by the Civil Service Commission; and on what

  Real fares indices (1984–85 = 100)

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  Network SouthEast

  British Rail

  1984–85

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  1985–86

  102.5

  101.3

  101.7

  101.2

  100.9

  1986–87

  105.2

  103.8

  104.1

  104.9

  105.1

  1987–88

  106.1

  106.1

  105.9

  106.1

  106.5

  1988–89

  111.0

  110.5

  110.1

  107.1

  107.7

  1989–90

  113.6

  113.8

  113.2

  107.7

  107.9

  1990–91

  114.2

  115.4

  114.4

  108.2

  108.4

  1991–92

  119.5

  121.1

  119.8

  113.1

  113.0

  1992–93

  124.9

  126.5

  125.2

  118.1

  117.2

  1993–94

  132.6

  133.9

  132.7

  125.1

  122.0

  Actual fares indices (1984–85 = 100)

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  Network SouthEast

  British Rail

  1984–85

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  1985–86

  108.6

  107.2

  107.7

  107.2

  106.9

  1986–87

  115.0

  113.4

  113.7

  114.7

  114.9

  1987–88

  120.6

  120.6

  120.3

  120.6

  121.1

  1988–89

  133.7

  133.1

  132.7

  129.0

  129.8

  1989–90

  147.5

  147.8

  147.1

  140.0

  140.1

  1990–91

  162.6

  164.4

  163.0

  154.1

  154.4

  1991–92

  178.2

  180.7

  178.8

  168.8

  168.7

  1992–93

  192.2

  194.7

  192.7

  181.8

  180.4

  1993–94

  207.6

  209.6

  207.7

  195.8

  191.0

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an index showing the increase in child fares on(a) London buses, (b) London Underground, (c) all London transport, (d) Network SouthEast and (e) all British Rail, for each year since 1984–85 taking 1984–85 as the base and showing the increase in both actual and real terms.

  Mr. Norris
  The information available for London buses, London Underground and London Transport bus and underground services combined is shown in the tables. Comparable figures for British Rail and Network SouthEast are not readily available.
  274
  date Mr. Martin (a) took his examination, (b) was interviewed, (c) had his references taken up and (d) commenced employment in the permanent civil service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Mr. Martin submitted an application form for the administrative fast stream entry in September 1992, sat the qualifying test in October 1992, attended the civil service selection board in December 1992 and the final selection board in February 1993, and took up employment in the civil service in June 1993. References were taken up in November 1992.

TRANSPORT

  Public Transport Fares
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an index showing the real increase in fares on(a) London buses, (b) London Underground, (c) all London transport, (d) Network SouthEast and (e) all British Rail in each year since 1984–85, taking 1984–85 as the base and showing the increase in both actual and real terms.

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

  The figures shown in the tables are for child ordinary tickets only. They do not include the effect of changes in the price of child season tickets, travelcards and passes, as this information is not available.

  Real fares indices for child ordinary tickets

  (1984–5=100)

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  1984–85

  100

  100

  100

  1985–86

  116

  101

  112

  1986–87

  112

  103

  109

  1987–88

  113

  116

  113

  1988–89

  129

  123

  128

  275

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  1989–90

  142

  133

  140

  1990–91

  136

  148

  140

  1991–92

  153

  159

  155

  1992–93

  165

  160

  165

  1993–94

  166

  177

  169

  Actual fares indices for child ordinary tickets

  (1984–85=100)

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  1984–85

  100

  100

  100

  1985–86

  123

  107

  118

  1986–87

  122

  112

  119

  1987–88

  128

  132

  129

  1988–89

  155

  149

  154

  1989–90

  184

  172

  182

  Consultants

  Service

  Cost 1£ thousand

  (a) Driving Standards Agency

  Brian Cattle

  Educational training

  12

  Michael Page

  Preparations for commercial style accounts

  16

  Comshare

  Software design

  40

  Public Attitude Surveys

  Customer survey

  16

  Armstrong Laing

  Payroll model design

  19

  BASIS Ltd.

  Market testing support

  21

  Shreeveport

  Support for in-house bid team

  2N/a

  (b)Vehicle Inspectorate

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  IT/IS strategy advice

  90

  Anthony Hancock

  Inspection of compressed air systems

  37

  Smith and Williamson

  Citizen's charter market research

  40

  Proctor and Stevenson

  Design/image work for VI

  6

  MIRA

  Assessment of diesel smoke emissions

  110

  Ernst and Young

  Consultancy support for VI IT Strategy

  38

  Povall Worthington

  Supervision of the Carlisle Heavy Goods Vehicle Test Station re-roofing

  1

  Anthony York

  Supervision of Exeter HGVTS re-roofing

  1

  Wimpey Environmental

  Air test consultancy

  10

  Peratec

  Total quality management consultancy

  59

  Hoskyns

  Provision of technical advice during development of IS strategy

  2N/a

  Electronic Data Systems Limited (EDS)

  Development of User Requirement for IS strategy

  239

  (c) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  Shreeveport

  Advising for DVLA's preparation for the privatisation of DVOIT

  37

  Topix

  Design and development of a resource allocation model for VED enforcement

  67

  Penn PR

  Annual Report

  22

  Textmill

  Combine form D1/D2 and D100/D200

  7

  Breifi Group

  Training Review

  5

  Price Waterhouse

  Senior staff review

  77

  Ernst and Young

  DVOIT privatisation

  76

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Evaluation of telesales tenders

  36

  Forvus Forecasting

  Enhancement of DVLA forecasting system

  44

  Stern Rozier Durrant

  Food service consultancy

  3

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Sale of anonymised data

  25

  Touche Ross

  Provision of consultancy support—market testing—customer/client

  178

  CSL

  Market test—in-house bid construction

  96

  Prime Strategy

  Provision of consultancy support—market testing—customer/client

  252

  CAPITA

  Market testing—in-house bid construction

  52

  PA Consulting

  VRO Review

  86

  Chinal Management

  Support for office work measurement

  1

  Rowe and Maw

  Consultancy commission to lead internal inquiry at the DVLA

  20

  Research International

  Accuracy of DVLA data base

  58

  Research International

  Customer satisfaction survey

  14

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Review into payments made to ex-LTO 10 staff

  10

  1 Excluding VAT.

  2 N/a—Not available, recent appointment.

  276

  London Buses

  London Underground

  London Transport

  1990–91

  194

  210

  199

  1991–92

  228

  237

  232

  1992–93

  255

  247

  255

  1993–94

  259

  277

  264

  Consultants
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all consultants engaged by(a) the Driving Standards Agency, (b) the Vehicle Inspectorate and (c) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency over the last two years, the services that they provided and the cost.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows:
  277
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, by agency, all consultants or other advisers engaged to assist in market-testing work; and if he will list the nature of their work and the cost to date.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is given in the table. It includes all the items in the competing for quality programmes of the Department's agencies, including contracting out and privatisation.

  Expenditure to 31 March 1994 £000s, excl. VAT

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency:

  CSL (support for in-house bids)

  83

  Touche Ross (support for client side and strategy advice)

  152

  Prime (support for client side and strategy advice)

  215

  Capita (support for in-house bids)

  44

  Driving Standards Agency:

  Shreeveport (support for in-house bids)

  —

  Basis (support for client side)

  20

  DVOIT:

  KPMG Peat Marwick (financial advice)

  553

  Theodore Goddard (legal advice)

  317

  Dibb Lupton Broomhead (legal advice)

  227

  Price Waterhouse (reporting accountants)

  91

  CSL (customer advice)

  37

  Ernst & Young (customer advice)

  106

  Significant Causes of Passenger Fatalities on the Raliways—1983 to 1993

  Year

  Falling out of Carriages

  Falling from Platform

  Train Collisions

  Entering/Alighting

  Other Passenger Non-Movement

  1983

  13

  4

  —

  5

  —

  1984

  14

  3

  5

  3

  —

  1985

  16

  6

  —

  6

  —

  1986

  12

  6

  —

  3

  —

  28

  1987

  26

  —

  —

  5

  (Kings Cross)

  34

  1988

  19

  5

  (Clapham)

  5

  —

  1989

  19

  1

  6

  2

  —

  1990

  19

  10

  —

  2

  —

  1991–92

  19

  8

  2

  3

  —

  1992–93

  9

  8

  —

  3

  1

  Total

  166

  51

  47

  37

  29

  Note:

  The publication of accident information changed from calendar to financial years from 1 April 1991.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, column 652, regarding the modernisation of the west coast main line, what was his original estimate of the time necessary for modernisation; what is his current estimate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  When my right hon. Friend announced the project last December the best estimate available, from the work done by our banking advisers, was seven to 10 years. That remains our most recent advice. The current project definition study will produce firmer estimates of the options for carrying out the improvements, consistent with the need to keep train services running.
  278

  Expenditure to 31 March 1994 £000s, excl.

  Transport Research Laboratory:

  KPMG Peat Marwick—study of options for privatisation and their feasibility

  78

  Highways Agency:

  Touche Ross—advice on approaches to property management

  —

  Railway Deaths
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in rank order by year for the last 10 years, the five most significant causes of passenger fatalities on the railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railway accidents and casualties. It publishes a breakdown of these records in the "Annual Report on Railway Safety in Great Britain". Copies are available in the House of Commons Library.

  The table sets out the five most common causes of passenger fatalities and the number which occurred in each year from 1983.

  Vehicle Licensing
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change has been requested by Teledata Ltd. to the target level of sales of marks specified in the contract with the DVLA.

  Mr. Key
  There have been no representations from Teledata Ltd to change the basis of its contractual agreement with the agency for the provision of its telesales facility.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost of work associated with the market testing and preparation of the in-house bid for the booking service of the Driving Standards Agency.
  279
  Mr. Key
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Driving Standards Agency under its chief executive, Dr. John Ford. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Reply from S. J. Ford to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 12 May 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the costs of work associated with the market testing and preparation of the in-house bid for the booking service of the Driving Standards Agency.
  Expenditure up to the end of March 1994 has been £30,000 of which £20,000 was for consultancy support for the DSA market testing unit and the remainder for the salary costs of that unit. Expenditure on consultancy support for the preparation of the in-house bid will be included in the figures for the current financial year.

  Asthma
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the research papers he has commissioned on the possible link between motor car pollution and asthma; and if he will make a statement concerning the risk of asthma in respect of children at roadside level.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of Health's committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has appointed a sub-group to examine the evidence of links between air pollution and asthma. The sub-group is due to report around the end of this year.

  While links between air pollution and the incidence of asthma are not yet proven, there is evidence that pollution from vehicles can worsen symptoms for existing asthmatics. The Government have taken stringent measures to reduce emissions from vehicles, so that levels of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates are expected to fall significantly in future years.

  Concessionary Fares
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his policies concerning concessionary travel for pensioners and introduce initiatives to widen the use of concessionary schemes.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no plans to review our policies nor do we think new initiatives are required, as we have put in place the framework that gives local authorities discretion to provide concessionary travel if they wish. Since most pensioners use public transport services for local journeys, we believe that the decision on whether to provide concessionary travel for elderly people is a. matter for individual local authorities. They are best placed to judge local needs, and to weigh the costs involved against their other priorities.

  We have consistently said that the current link between eligibility for concessionary travel and pensionable age would be reviewed if the state pension age is changed. We therefore indicated in the Department of Social Security's White Paper about the phased equalisation of the state pension age, issued last year, Cm 2420, para 3.17, that the difference in treatment of men and women for concessionary fares should clearly not continue when it has been abolished for state pensions. We said that we would be consulting on the precise phasing-in of the change.

  British Rail
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost to date of erecting signs at British Rail stations informing the public about the ownership of the track and rolling stock; and what will be the total cost of the programme on completion.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am not aware of any such changes in signing of stations managed by British Rail. My reply to a question by the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) on 27 April at column 223 gave information on the renewal of signs at the 13 major stations managed independently by Railtrack.

  Road Improvements
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what features have been incorporated into the design of the Swainswick bypass to minimise the environmental impact on Solsbury hill;

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: We have avoided Little Solsbury hill routeing the new road some 500 m west of the summit and we have minimised the land taken for this bypass. In addition, we intend to plant many thousands of indigenous trees and shrubs in this locality and throughout the scheme, both on-site and off, to mitigate the effects of the route on the landscape.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his latest estimates of the costs of the Swainswick and Batheaston bypasses; how these differ from earlier estimates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: Our latest estimate was contained in the recently published "Trunk Roads in England 1994 Review" as £75.2 million. In 1990, at the time of the public inquiry, we estimated the cost at £59.1 million.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for incorporating the A46/A36 route from Southampton to the M4 into the trans-European network, for developing it as a motorway link.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: None.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for making the Swainswick and Batheaston bypasses dual rather than single carriageway.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: A single carriageway road would not be adequate for the amount of traffic using this trunk route.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what criteria would justify the reopening of a public inquiry into a road improvement scheme after a decision by him; what procedures would need to be followed to request such a move; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) on how many occasions within the last 10 years following a decision by the Secretary of State after a public inquiry into a road improvement scheme the inquiry has been reopened; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: There have been no such instances of an inquiry being re-opened after

  281
  my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment have announced their decision on a road improvement scheme. Indeed, there are no provisions for re-opening an inquiry in such an event. There are, however, certain circumstances, under the provisions of the Highways (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1976, whereby an inquiry can be re-opened before a final decision on a scheme is made.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reasons underlay his decision to terminate the contract for the sale of marks at the DVLA won by Teledata Ltd. in 1989.

  Mr. Key
  The contract awarded in 1989 to the company then trading as Teledata Ltd. was terminated because of contractual difficulties over the sales techniques that the company wanted to employ.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Addis Ababa Meeting
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting in Addis Ababa between 25 and 29 April between General Aideed and the head of the Somali National Movement; and what his position is on this.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I understand that General Aideed and Abdirahman Tur agreed that the Somali National Movement would consider participating in a federal system in Somalia. We welcome all constructive efforts at reconciliation in Somalia.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting in Arusha on 5 May concerning Rwanda; if Britian was represented; and what are the implications for the relief effort.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We regret that the meeting in Arusha, which was attended by our high commissioner in Tanzania as an observer, failed to reach an agreement on a cease-fire. We hope that the countries of the region will continue their efforts to bring a halt to the killing, without which it will be impossible to make the relief effort fully effective.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken to impose an arms embargo on Rwanda.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The statement of the President of the United Nations Security Council of 30 April underlined the willingness of the council in principle to consider an arms embargo against Rwanda. Options for United Nations action in Rwanda are under consideration by the United Nations secretariat in New York.

  Ancestral Graves
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposed visit by Ilois and their associates to the British 282
  Indian Ocean Territory and Chagos archipelago and what was his response to the approaches of the Comité Ilois de l'Organisation Fraternelle on proposed visits to see ancestral graves.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  An application has been made to the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory to allow a group of Ilois and their associates to visit ancestral graves in the territory. The application has been referred to the British Indian Ocean immigration authorities for a decision.

  "Dispatches" Interview
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the full interview given by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Mr. Lennox-Boyd), to Fulmar Television and Film, part of which was broadcast on the "Dispatches" programme on Channel 4 on 4 and 6 May.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The hon. Member should approach Fulmar Television and Film.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Canadian proposals put to the preparatory committee meeting for the 1995 nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference, in respect of the division of the conference into a review group and an extension group.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Canada has circulated informally a paper on the 1995 non-proliferation treaty extension and review conference putting forward a number of ideas, one of which is that an extension committee should be established at the conference, in addition to the three main committees that have been set up by previous review conferences. The proposal has yet to be discussed formally. We expect this may happen in the context of discussion on the rules of procedure at the remaining two preparatory committee meetings.

  China
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold talks with the representatives of the Government of China to ensure that the continued trading in(a) rhinoceros horn and (b) other prohibited products is effectively policed during the transfer of the colony to China; and what talks have already been held.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Both United Kingdom and China are parties to CITES—the convention on international trade in endangered species—which effectively bans international trade in the most endangered species such as the rhino. Hong Kong is included in the United Kingdom's ratification of the convention and was recently commended by the CITES standing committee for its rigorous implementation.

  Yemen
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the situation in Yemen and the position of British nationals there.
  283
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are deeply concerned about the fighting that has erupted in the Republic of Yemen and call on all parties to cease hostilities and negotiate a peaceful settlement.

  A specially chartered British Airways flight evacuated 218 British, European Union and Commonwealth nationals on 9 May. Two RAF Hercules carried out a further evacuation on 12 May. Consular advice to those who have chosen to remain in the Yemen is to act with extreme caution and to keep in regular contact with the embassy.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates and in what numbers patients from Bosnia have been flown to Britain for treatment in British hospitals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Statistics are available only for patients who come here under the United Nations medical evacuation programme for treatment by the NHS. The details are: 9 August 1993—one; 15 August 1993–21; 27 November 1993—three; 20 December 1993—seven; 19 January 1994—one; 18 February 1994–12; 9 March 1994—four; 26 April 1994–12; 10 May 1994—one.

  Oxford Research Group Seminar
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who represented his Department at the seminar on "Britain and the Non-Proliferation Regime: 1995 and Beyond," held in Oxford on 19 April, organised by the Oxford research group; and what benefits accrued from the departmental representation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The head of the non-proliferation department within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office attended. He delivered a statement on the United Kingdom's policy on nuclear non-proliferation.

  East Timor
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from his Portuguese counterpart in regard to the outcome of the United Nations sponsored talks between Portugal and of Indonesia on East Timor.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the outcome of the talks between Portugal and Indonesia on East Timor held on 6 May.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Portuguese Government have provided European Union partners with the text of the communiqué issued at the end of the latest round of talks with Indonesia on East Timor. The two sides have agreed on a number of confidence-building measures, including meetings with leading East Timorese supporters and opponents of integration, and a visit to East Timor in June by the special rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The UN Secretary-General has been asked to identify a series of issues for consideration by the Foreign Ministers of Portugal and Indonesia in advance of the next round of talks in January 1995, including possible avenues towards achieving a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution.
  284
  I am arranging for a copy of the communiqué issued by the UN Secretariat to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statement the Minister of State, the right hon. and learned Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), made in Pristina on 5 May about the relationship of Kosovo to Serbia and the rights of Albanians.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My discussions in Pristina on 5 May were confidential. I did not make a formal statement, but in comments to the press I repeated our view that the political, civil and cultural rights of the ethnic Albanian population should be respected and their autonomy restored within existing international borders.

  Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the effect of the infringement procedures begun on 20 April by the EFTA surveillance authority against Finland, Austria and Norway for failing to implement within the set time period the environmental impact assessment directive, on the elegibility of those countries to join the European Union.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Proceedings by the EFTA surveillance authority under the European Economic Area agreement will not effect the eligibility of Finland, Austria and Norway to join the European Union. Article 171 of the treaty of accession—a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library—provides for any cases pending before the EFTA surveillance authority at the time of accession to be transmitted without delay to the European Commission, which will continue to deal with them under the relevant Community provisions.

  Tunisia
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made, or plans to make in the future, to the Tunisian Government on the incidence of arbitrary arrests, torture and detention without trial and that country's public commitment to the promotion of human rights.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  With our European Union partners, we raised our concerns with Habib Ben Yahia, the Tunisian Foreign Minister, during the last EC/Tunisia Co-operation Council meeting.

  Kyrgyzstan
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on diplomatic, cultural and commercial relations with the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Diplomatic relations with Kyrgyzstan are good. Her Majesty's ambassador to Kazakhstan is also accredited to Kyrgyzstan. Embassy staff visit Bishkek regularly.

  Commercial links with Kyrgyzstan are still developing. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction is due to lead a trade-related construction mission to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan from 30 May to 4 June.

  South Africa
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passport holders resident in South Africa renewed their passports in(a) 1993 and (b) the first four months of 1994.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1993 a total of 30,591 passports were issued to British citizens and other British nationals resident in South Africa. In the first four months of this year, 13,247 passports were also issued.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees have worked on a full or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within his Department; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The FCO's Scott inquiry unit has three full-time posts. A total of seven people have filled these posts since the unit was established in December 1992. An eighth person was seconded full time to the unit for a short period in 1993. In addition, other officials have given part-time assistance on an ad hoc basis.

  The unit's work will be completed when Lord Justice Scott publishes his report and follow-up work by the unit has been undertaken.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees have worked on a full or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within his Department; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Ministry of Defence Scott inquiry unit is made up of three officials, all of whom are employed on a full-time basis. A fourth full-time official was employed between September 1993 and March 1994. The unit was established on 30 November 1992 and its work will be completed after Lord Justice Scott has reported.

DEFENCE

  Vacant Properties
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacant residential properties were owned by his Department as of 20 April.

  Mr. Hanley
  As at 31 March 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, my Department owned 9,882 vacant married quarters and 105 vacant MOD civilian houses. In addition 1,431 vacant married quarters and 38 vacant MOD civilian houses were in the process of being sold. The majority of the vacant married quarters were either undergoing or awaiting major works or modernisation, held for unit deployments, or already allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly.

  Mr. Paul Martin
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Paul Martin was recruited as an unestablished civil servant; by what means the posts in his Department were advertised for recruitment; on what date; which kind of recruitment panel interviewed him; and for what length of contract.
  286
  Mr. Aitken
  Mr. Martin was recruited as an established and permanent civil servant by Recruitment and Assessment Services. This followed advertising for the central competition for fast stream administrators and managers in the national press and through graduate careers services during 1992. The recruitment process involved interviews and other selection tests by the civil service selection board and the final selection board, whose members include serving civil servants and external representatives.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Mr. Paul Martin commenced employment as a permanent civil servant; and on what date he became an established civil servant in his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  On 14 June 1993 in both cases.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he provided a reference for Mr. Paul Martin for the purposes of his recruitment into the permanent home civil service.

  Mr. Aitken
  No.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the grade, duties and job description of Mr. Paul Martin(a) at the time of his suspension, (b) at the commencement of his employment and (c) at the time of any material change during the course of his employment.

  Mr. Aitken
  Mr. Martin joined the Ministry of Defence as a higher executive officer (development), a training grade.

  He has held only one post, in which his duties have involved policy work on bilateral defence relations with Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, on questions relating to defence and the development of the European Union and, since January 1994, on arrangements to implement the partnership for peace initiative taken at the NATO summit. In carrying out these duties, he has been responsible for providing his line managers with draft written briefing for Ministers, senior officials and senior military officers.

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 April,Official Report, column 416, if he will make a statement on his plans for introducing anti-personnel mines with self-destruct and self-neutralising mechanisms; and what percentage failure rates for these mechanisms will be set.

  Mr. Aitken
  We are currently considering our future requirements for anti-personnel mines. We anticipate that if any new mines were introduced they would have a self-destruct or self-neutralising capability. The specifications for these mines, including failure rates of the self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanism, would be determined as part of the procurement process.

  Service Personnel (Redundancy)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel(a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully applied for redundancy in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: The information requested is as follows:
  287

  Royal Naval Services (RN and RM)

  Successful

  Unsuccessful

  Officers

  Phase 1

  65

  25

  Phase 2

  365

  146

  Phase 3

  70

  8

  Ratings/Marines

  Phase 1

  273

  n/a

  Phase 2

  758

  822

  Phase 3

  2,326

  1,020

  n/a = Not available.

  Notes:

  1. Phase 1 redundees left by 31 March 1993, phase 2 by 30 November 1993 and phase 3 redundees will have left by November 1994.

  2. Detailed records of unsuccessful applicants for phase 1 are no longer available.

  Army

  Successful

  Unsuccessful

  Officers

  Phase 1 (1992–93)

  695

  n/a

  Phase 2 (1993–94)

  628

  n/a

  Phase 3 (1994–95)

  578

  n/a

  Soldiers

  Phase 1 (1992–93)

  2,500

  n/a

  Phase 2 (1993–94)

  5,152

  n/a

  Phase 3 (1994–95)

  5,342

  n/a

  Note:

  Details of those who applied unsuccessfully for redundancy are not held centrally by the Army.

  Royal Air Force

  Successful

  Unsuccessful

  Officers

  Phase 1

  281

  46

  Phase 2

  315

  213

  Airmen/women

  Phase 1

  687

  84

  Phase 2

  1,769

  5

  Note:

  Royal Air Force redundancies in Phase 1 relate to financial year 1992–93 and part of financial year 1993–94; Phase 2 redundancies cover remainder of financial year 1993–94 and financial year 1994–95.

  Pregnant Service Women
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the costs of compensation to Army officers and other Army ranks who have lost employment and possible promotion by becoming pregnant following the decision of the tribunal in Glasgow on the application of European guidance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: The High Court ruled in December 1991 that the policy of discharging service women compulsorily if they became pregnant was in breach of the European equal treatment directive which had taken effect in August 1978. Service women who were discharged on the grounds of pregnancy between August 1978 and August 1990, when the policy was discontinued, are therefore eligible for compensation for any losses sustained as a result of their unlawful discharge.
  288
  As at 4 May 1994, 1,288 valid claims for compensation had been received from former Army officers and other ranks in response to which my Department has made offers of compensation totalling about £7 million. So far, 758 of these claims have been settled at a cost of about £4.6 million, mostly as a result of claimants accepting MOD offers. It is not possible to say how many of the remainder will do so or will choose instead to pursue their cases to industrial tribunals. Nor can my Department predict how much the tribunals will choose to award.

  The upper limit of £11,000 on the amount that tribunals could award in sex discrimination cases has been removed following a decision of the European Court of Justice. My Department will, however, continue to press for awards to be based on realistic career prospects, taking account of the fact that only a small proportion of service women or, indeed, service personnel generally, choose to complete their term of engagement. Cases such as that in Glasgow, where the tribunal decided that the claimant would have remained in the Army until the age of 55 and would have reached the rank of colonel, are not necessarily typical, and we shall continue to appeal against individual awards whenever there are good grounds for doing so.

SCOTLAND

  Anton Piller Orders
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times in each of the last 10 years an Anton Piller order has been served on someone residing in Scotland; and whether he will make a statement as to the operation of such orders in Scotland.

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

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pigmeat
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the subsidies and support provided by each member country of the EC for the production of pigmeat.

  Mr. Jack
  Community-wide information on national support for pig producers in EC member states is not available from the European Commission. The European Commission is responsible for monitoring and approving nationals aids in all member states and has power to require the withdrawal or alteration of aids it considers to be incompatible with Community law, including the repayment of any aid paid illegally.

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans her Department has(a) to utilise the Internet, (b) to make available on the Internet press releases and other departmental information which the public may wish to have access to and (c) to use the Internet as a means of increasing the openness of her Department.

  Mr. Jack
  MAFF's press releases are issued electronically by the Central Office of Information and
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  available to subscribers to FT Profile, Reuters Textline and POLIS. They are also accessible to users of the Internet via the Date-Star Dialogue (Europe) or Mead/Lexis/Nexis systems.

  There are no plans for MAFF to use the Internet.

  Marine Conservation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she expects publication of the consultative paper on the marine conservation and enforcement duties for the coastal zone between the low water mark and the six-mile offshore limit; and what representations she has had from the Association of Sea Fisheries Committees in relation to its contents.

  Mr. Jack
  I intend to consult shortly on new environmental powers for sea fisheries committees.

  EC Directives (Effect on Business)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations were made to her Department by Unipac Packaging Industries, Sunzest Trading Ltd., Del Monte Ltd. or Polly Peck International about the effect of EC directives on their business; which were the directives concerned; and when such representations were made.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 12 May 1994]: The information is not readily available and could not be produced without disproportionate cost.

  Diseased Animals
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she has taken to prevent potentially diseased cattle originating outside the EU from being imported to the United Kingdom via European Union countries; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  All member states are required to operate common control measures to prevent diseased cattle from third countries entering the Community. Live animals may be imported into the Community only through an approved border inspection post and must undergo full documentary, identity and physical checks by an official veterinarian before being permitted to enter into free circulation within the Community. Animals originating in a third country destined for the United Kingdom but imported into the Community via another member state are also subject to spot checks at their place of destination in the United Kingdom. Where there is evidence that checks have not been properly applied in another member state we take the matter up with the Commission and the veterinary authorities of the member state of entry.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many head of cattle were targeted in the tracing by her Department to be tested for the presence of foot-and-mouth disease vaccination antibodies; how many were actually traced and tested; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will make a statement on the policy of the branding on each shoulder with a V of traced cattle displaying foot-and-mouth disease vaccination antibodies and allowing these cattle to remain with the herds in which they have been found;
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  (3) which parties were consulted before deciding on the policy of branding of cattle displaying foot-and-mouth disease vaccination antibodies; and if she will make a statement;

  (4) if she will make a statement on the outcome of her Department's plans to remove all cattle displaying foot-and-mouth disease vaccination antibodies from the national herd by 1 August 1993;

  (5) if all the cattle involved in the tracing of foot-and-mouth disease vaccination antibodies by her Department have been found.

  Mr. Soames
  Of the 994 cattle known to have been imported into Great Britain from the Czech Republic and Poland since the autumn of 1992, 933 were traced and tested for the presence of antibodies to foot and mouth disease. It was not possible to trace all the animals because of poor movement records at the importers' premises and problems caused by re-tagging and subsequent onward movements. A total of 190 Czech and 59 Polish animals were found to be seropositive to FMD. All the animals concerned had undergone a documentary check after arrival in Great Britain and all were certified by the veterinary authorities in their country of origin as being in accordance with Community import rules.

  Community rules permit the importation only of those animals which have never been vaccinated against FMD. Vaccinated animals can carry the FMD virus without showing clinical signs of the disease. Although there was no evidence that the seropositive cattle were carrying live virus and could thus be a threat to native livestock, the implications of the incident were potentially serious. In order not to jeopardise the United Kingdom's health status, the cattle were initially placed under restriction on their holdings until arrangements could be made for their re-export or slaughter. A deadline of 1 August 1993 was originally given for this to take place. Ministry veterinary officials visited both the Czech Republic and Poland and their veterinary authorities accepted that the animals had been certified incorrectly. However, despite lengthy and intensive negotiations between MAFF and the Czech authorities, and between the original British importer and the Czech export company, arrangements for the return of the affected animals to the Czech Republic could not be agreed. Similarly, discussions between the Ministry and the Polish veterinary authorities proved fruitless. As a result the deadline of 1 August was extended and owners of seropositive animals were given the option of slaughter of the animals or their permanent retention on their current holdings subject to restrictions, including freeze branding, until they are slaughtered.

  There is no requirement to consult outside parties about measures intended to prevent the possible spread of disease.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing vessels owned in other EC countries are registered in the United Kingdom; how many United Kingdom-owned fishing vessels are registered in other EC countries; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen that at the end of 1993 there were about 100 fishing vessels registered in the United Kingdom
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  which are either wholly or largely owned by nationals of another Member State. There are more than 11,000 fishing vessels on the United Kingdom register. RSS does not hold figures for United Kingdom-owned vessels registered abroad.

  Drift Nets
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 40, what measures she will
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  propose to the Fisheries Council to enforce compliance with the European Union ban on drift nets longer than 2.5 km.

  Mr. Jack
  It is for the Commission to make proposals to the Council. Their proposals, to which I referred in my answer of 9 May, include additional enforcement measures for the drift net fisheries.