Written Answers of 18 May 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many amalgamations of magistrates court committee areas he has determined to make; how many committee areas(a) will be affected, and (b) will remain; and if he will list the names of the committee areas that will be affected by each amalgamation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice", published in February 1992, announced that the Government would like to see a progressive reduction in the number of separate management units, and that we judged that something between 50 and 60 would in due course provide a good balance between the local character of the service and operational needs. The Lord Chancellor has reached no final conclusions about any specific amalgamations.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the magistrates court committees that he has consulted about possible amalgamation; and what plans he has to consult other magistrates court committees about amalgamation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  All magistrates courts committees were consulted during 1992 about criteria for magistrates court committee areas and were subsequently consulted on how those criteria could be met in their area. As a result of this, the Lord Chancellor published indicative conclusions as to possible amalgamations, but these do not constitute final decisions. Under the provisions contained in the Police and Magistrates Courts Bill, no order amalgamating or otherwise adjusting the boundaries of a magistrates court committee area could be made without consultation with the magistrates courts committee or committees concerned, except where they themselves had requested that such an order be made.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 454, if he will list all the criteria by which he has decided to reduce the number of magistrates court committees.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Any decision to amalgamate or otherwise adjust the boundaries of a magistrates court committee or committees would be taken in the light of local circumstances and against criteria appropriate at that time.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for the year to date, the number of magistrates courts that have been closed.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The provision of magistrates court-house accommodation is a matter for the courts 452
  committees for the area concerned in conjunction with the local paying authority. The Department has no central record of the number of magistrates court-houses that have been closed or are scheduled to be closed. A local authority that is aggrieved by a decision of a magistrates court committee to close a court-house has the right of appeal to the Lord Chancellor. Since 1993 the Lord Chancellor has dealt with six appeals and there is currently one appeal outstanding.

  Justices' Clerks
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 May,Official Report, column 403, if he will list all the other non-judicial functions of justices' clerks.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No definitive list of the non-judicial functions of justices' clerks is possible. Section 28(3) of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979 states what the functions of a justices' clerk include, and section 28(4) of the Act goes on to state that subsection (3)"…shall not be taken as defining or in any respect limiting the powers and duties belonging to a justices' clerk…".

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. John M. Taylor
  During this period 16 questions tabled to me were not answered on the basis of disproportionate cost and nine were referred on to an agency chief executive. These figures represent 4·22 per cent. and 2·37 per cent. respectively of the total number of questions tabled to me.

  Trial Waiting Times
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current average waiting time for trial at(a) magistrates courts and (b) Crown courts for (i) defendants granted bail and (ii) those remanded in custody in (1) Doncaster, (2) Barnsley, (3) Rotherham and (4) Sheffield.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  For the magistrates courts the average time from listing to completion for indictable and either way offences for the named metropolitan districts in 1993 were as follows:

  Weeks

  Doncaster

  7·0

  Barnsley

  12·0

  Rotherham

  7·4

  Sheffield

  8·6

  However, the Barnsley figures are less reliable statistically than the others as only a small number of defendants was surveyed. Given the sample sizes, these figures cannot be broken down to show defendants granted bail and those remanded in custody without producing unrepresentative results.
  453
  The average time from committal for trial to arraignment or start of trial for defendants dealt with at the Crown court centre in Doncaster during four months to the end of March 1994 was 17.6 weeks for those remanded on bail and 13.5 weeks for those remanded in custody. The corresponding times for the centre in Sheffield were 24 weeks and 17.5 weeks respectively. Barnsley and Rotherham do not have Crown court centres.

  Child Witnesses
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the courts, adult and juvenile, in the London area which now have screens, television equipment and pre-recorded interview facilities or other equipment for the use of child witnesses in court cases in which they are involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The following courts in the London area are fitted with live television link equipment and video playback equipment for use in the presentation of evidence by child witnesses. The use of screens by child witnesses is available at all courts upon the direction of the judge.

  Central Criminal Court

  Crown Court at Croydon (two sets)

  Crown Court at Harrow

  Crown Court at Kingston-upon-Thames

  Crown Court at Southwark

  Crown Court at Wood Green

  Crown Court at Woolwich

  Thames Magistrates' Court

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from foreign nationals to enter or remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of a stable and committed homosexual partnership with a United Kingdom national have been received in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not separately identified in the statistics.

  Table A

  Number and percentage of persons found guilty or cautioned for the indictable offence of theft of a motor vehicle1 by police force area and age group, 1992

  10–16

  17–20

  All ages

  Police force area

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  20

  23

  28

  32

  88

  100

  Bedfordshire

  56

  49

  33

  29

  115

  100

  Cambridgeshire

  28

  20

  51

  37

  139

  100

  Cheshire

  30

  29

  40

  39

  102

  100

  Cleveland

  36

  32

  36

  32

  112

  100

  Cumbria

  9

  21

  16

  38

  42

  100

  Derbyshire

  27

  29

  34

  37

  93

  100

  Devon and Cornwall

  22

  15

  57

  39

  147

  100

  Dorset

  7

  17

  20

  49

  41

  100

  Durham

  21

  21

  38

  37

  102

  100

  Essex

  80

  33

  84

  35

  241

  100

  Gloucestershire

  12

  22

  25

  45

  55

  100

  Greater Manchester

  118

  31

  96

  25

  380

  100

  Hampshire

  48

  29

  41

  25

  163

  100

  Hertfordshire

  32

  33

  33

  34

  96

  100

  Humberside

  69

  44

  38

  24

  157

  100

  Kent

  142

  40

  119

  34

  352

  100

  Lancashire

  11

  14

  17

  22

  76

  100

  454
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to allow foreign nationals to enter or remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of a stable and committed homosexual partnership with a United Kingdom national; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. I refer the hon. Member to the remarks that I made in reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) in the Adjournment debate on 4 May on the case of Mr. Bryan Ruppert,Official Report, columns 820–26.

  Colin Ivor Dunning (Appeal)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case of Colin Ivor Dunning to the Court of Appeal under the provisions of section 17 of the Criminal Appeals Act 1968; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The representations submitted on Mr. Dunning's behalf in February 1994, together with earlier representations, are currently being considered. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will determine in the light of that consideration whether it would be right to refer Mr. Dunning's case to the Court of Appeal or to take any other action in the matter.

  Vehicle Crime
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each police authority in 1992 the number of known offenders found guilty of or cautioned for offences of(a) theft of a motor vehicle or (b) unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle; and what proportion of the total number of known offenders in total and in each category were (i) juveniles and (ii) young adults;

  (2) if he will list for each police authority in 1992 the number of known offenders found guilty of or cautioned for offences of theft from a motor vehicle; and what proportion of those offenders were (i) juveniles and (ii) young adults.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the tables.
  455

  10–16

  17–20

  All ages

  Police force area

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Leicestershire

  34

  29

  45

  38

  119

  100

  Lincolnshire

  9

  24

  14

  37

  38

  100

  City of London

  —

  —

  1

  50

  2

  100

  Merseyside

  17

  18

  32

  35

  92

  100

  Metropolitan Police

  75

  22

  82

  24

  335

  100

  Norfolk

  17

  22

  21

  27

  79

  100

  Northamptonshire

  11

  17

  23

  35

  66

  100

  Northumbria

  35

  23

  49

  32

  151

  100

  North Yorkshire

  13

  21

  20

  32

  63

  100

  Nottinghamshire

  77

  39

  63

  32

  197

  100

  South Yorkshire

  106

  42

  74

  29

  254

  100

  Staffordshire

  6

  10

  17

  28

  61

  100

  Suffolk

  29

  35

  30

  37

  82

  100

  Surrey

  20

  30

  16

  24

  67

  100

  Sussex

  23

  27

  19

  22

  85

  100

  Thames Valley

  45

  24

  79

  41

  191

  100

  Warwickshire

  26

  39

  18

  27

  67

  100

  West Mercia

  5

  8

  23

  38

  61

  100

  West Midlands

  104

  29

  114

  32

  353

  100

  West Yorkshire

  80

  26

  94

  31

  307

  100

  Wiltshire

  10

  22

  14

  31

  45

  100

  Dyfed Powys

  2

  9

  7

  32

  22

  100

  Gwent

  3

  6

  22

  47

  47

  100

  North Wales

  13

  31

  5

  12

  42

  100

  South Wales

  26

  24

  39

  36

  109

  100

  England

  1,510

  29

  1,654

  32

  5,216

  100

  Wales

  44

  20

  73

  33

  220

  100

  England and Wales

  1,554

  29

  1,727

  32

  5,436

  100

  1 Theft Act 1968 Section 1.

  Table B

  Number and percentage of persons found guilty or cautioned for the summary offence of stealing and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle1 by police force area and age group, 1992

  10–16

  17–20

  All ages

  Police force area

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  121

  33

  158

  43

  365

  100

  Bedfordshire

  79

  33

  106

  44

  242

  100

  Cambridgeshire

  45

  31

  62

  43

  143

  100

  Cheshire

  222

  44

  190

  38

  506

  100

  Cleveland

  201

  46

  167

  38

  439

  100

  Cumbria

  90

  41

  90

  41

  222

  100

  Derbyshire

  127

  39

  133

  40

  329

  100

  Devon and Cornwall

  110

  29

  167

  45

  373

  100

  Dorset

  54

  31

  69

  39

  176

  100

  Durham

  60

  34

  80

  45

  176

  100

  Essex

  152

  36

  159

  38

  419

  100

  Gloucestershire

  74

  46

  54

  34

  160

  100

  Greater Manchester

  917

  42

  791

  36

  2,191

  100

  Hampshire

  255

  44

  198

  34

  577

  100

  Hertfordshire

  80

  33

  117

  48

  246

  100

  Humberside

  248

  53

  157

  33

  469

  100

  Kent

  80

  31

  107

  41

  259

  100

  Lancashire

  226

  38

  225

  38

  590

  100

  Leicestershire

  137

  33

  198

  48

  411

  100

  Lincolnshire

  57

  36

  59

  38

  157

  100

  City of London

  3

  16

  9

  47

  19

  100

  Merseyside

  281

  34

  352

  43

  816

  100

  Metropolitan Police

  941

  42

  737

  33

  2,243

  100

  Norfolk

  87

  41

  90

  43

  210

  100

  Northamptonshire

  38

  18

  114

  53

  217

  100

  Northumbria

  264

  35

  302

  41

  745

  100

  North Yorkshire

  73

  36

  86

  42

  203

  100

  Nottinghamshire

  218

  43

  196

  39

  502

  100

  South Yorkshire

  206

  36

  250

  43

  580

  100

  Staffordshire

  167

  40

  162

  39

  418

  100

  Suffolk

  57

  38

  51

  34

  152

  100

  Surrey

  31

  22

  62

  45

  138

  100

  Sussex

  116

  36

  138

  43

  322

  100

  Thames Valley

  388

  45

  338

  39

  871

  100

  Warwickshire

  38

  35

  46

  42

  110

  100

  West Mercia

  132

  42

  127

  40

  316

  100

  West Midlands

  592

  39

  621

  41

  1,525

  100

  West Yorkshire

  512

  36

  617

  43

  1,420

  100

  Wiltshire

  45

  38

  48

  41

  118

  100

  456 457

  10–16

  17–20

  All ages

  Police force area

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Dyfed Powys

  19

  16

  58

  50

  117

  100

  Gwent

  79

  47

  56

  34

  167

  100

  North Wales

  74

  37

  78

  39

  200

  100

  South Wales

  325

  39

  346

  42

  823

  100

  England

  7,524

  39

  7,638

  39

  19,375

  100

  Wales

  497

  38

  538

  41

  1,307

  100

  England and Wales

  8,021

  39

  8,176

  40

  20,682

  100

  1 Theft Act 1968 Section 12(1) as amended by CJA 1988 Section 37: being carried knowing vehicle to have been taken or driven away; unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle.

  Table C

  Number and percentage of persons found guilty or cautioned for the indictable offence of theft from a motor vehicle1 by police force area and age group, 1992

  10–16

  17–20

  All ages

  Police force area

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  43

  17

  122

  48

  252

  100

  Bedfordshire

  64

  37

  70

  40

  173

  100

  Cambridgeshire

  59

  31

  88

  46

  192

  100

  Cheshire

  72

  33

  102

  47

  219

  100

  Cleveland

  128

  48

  96

  36

  267

  100

  Cumbria

  26

  31

  39

  46

  84

  100

  Derbyshire

  87

  25

  155

  45

  346

  100

  Devon and Cornwall

  25

  18

  62

  44

  142

  100

  Dorset

  40

  25

  62

  38

  163

  100

  Durham

  69

  29

  105

  44

  241

  100

  Essex

  169

  32

  238

  44

  535

  100

  Gloucestershire

  61

  34

  75

  42

  178

  100

  Greater Manchester

  390

  47

  273

  33

  824

  100

  Hampshire

  152

  27

  261

  46

  570

  100

  Hertfordshire

  63

  22

  155

  53

  290

  100

  Humberside

  106

  32

  122

  36

  336

  100

  Kent

  135

  27

  238

  48

  498

  100

  Lancashire

  118

  33

  171

  48

  358

  100

  Leicestershire

  139

  32

  187

  43

  432

  100

  Lincolnshire

  32

  18

  100

  55

  182

  100

  City of London

  —

  —

  3

  38

  8

  100

  Merseyside

  151

  47

  101

  31

  323

  100

  Metropolitan Police

  498

  37

  453

  33

  1,359

  100

  Norfolk

  55

  35

  69

  44

  157

  100

  Northamptonshire

  11

  10

  70

  63

  111

  100

  Northumbria

  143

  32

  174

  39

  449

  100

  North Yorkshire

  62

  38

  58

  35

  165

  100

  Nottinghamshire

  131

  30

  182

  42

  431

  100

  South Yorkshire

  148

  30

  202

  40

  499

  100

  Staffordshire

  58

  31

  99

  52

  190

  100

  Suffolk

  64

  35

  80

  43

  184

  100

  Surrey

  46

  27

  77

  46

  169

  100

  Sussex

  54

  15

  192

  55

  351

  100

  Thames Valley

  182

  35

  231

  45

  515

  100

  Warwickshire

  36

  26

  72

  52

  139

  100

  West Mercia

  55

  33

  67

  41

  165

  100

  West Midlands

  476

  47

  361

  35

  1,023

  100

  West Yorkshire

  320

  41

  282

  36

  776

  100

  Wiltshire

  37

  23

  67

  42

  159

  100

  Dyfed Powys

  68

  68

  23

  23

  100

  100

  Gwent

  19

  17

  59

  51

  115

  100

  North Wales

  43

  24

  89

  49

  181

  100

  South Wales

  119

  40

  118

  39

  300

  100

  England

  4,505

  33

  5,561

  41

  13,455

  100

  Wales

  249

  36

  289

  42

  696

  100

  England and Wales

  4,754

  34

  5,850

  41

  14,151

  100

  1 Theft Act 1968 Section 1.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the mechanism under which submissions are to be made for section 11 funding.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The matter is under consideration. I will write to the hon. Member once the position is clearer.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances the Police Complaints Authority may withhold evidence in criminal proceedings.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The responsibilities of the Police Complaints Authority do not normally involve the supply
  459
  of evidence. Where a police investigation discloses material which may be of relevance to criminal proceedings, either in the past or under consideration for the future, any such material would be made available to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police.

  Justice and Home Affairs Council
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the agenda which has been proposed for the forthcoming meeting in Greece of the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of the member states of the European Union treaty on 20 and 21 June, meeting in accordance with the title U1 of the European Union treaty.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No draft agenda has yet been proposed.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the meeting of the Interior Ministers of the member states of the European Union, meeting in accordance with Title U1 of the European Union treaty, in Thessalonika, Greece on 6 and 7 May.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The meeting in Thessalonika on 6 and 7 May was an informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. As such, it did not reach any formal conclusions. Representatives of the member states continued a wide-ranging debate of the Commission's recent communication on immigration and asylum policy.

  Drug Trafficking
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has now been seized as a consequence of convictions involving section 1 of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information collected centrally is given in the table:

  Amount (£) recovered1 by the Secretary of State in Confiscation orders under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986
  by financial year 1987–88—1992–93
  England and Wales

  Year

  Amount recovered £

  1987–88

  600,000

  1988–89

  1989–902

  1,375,200

  1990–912

  1,448,000

  1991–92

  5,384,500

  1992–93

  5,180,900

  1 The information collected centrally is known to be incomplete as returns were not received from all petty sessional divisions.

  2 There was some confusion with the recording of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988 during these two years. In consequence it is considered that data has been under-recorded for the Drug Trafficking offence Act 1986 and over-recorded for the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

  Misuse of Drugs Act
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has now been paid over to constabularies as a consequence of the provisions of section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
  460
  Mr. Maclean
  Information is not collected centrally on the type or monetary value of property ordered to be forfeited.

  Trans-sexual Prisoners
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available gender reassignment treatment to Kelly Denise Richards, currently serving a sentence at HM Prison, Parkhurst; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 18 May 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about gender reassignment for Kelly Richards, a prisoner currently at Parkhurst prison.
  Kelly Richards, who is also known as David Cross, has been seen by a consultant psychiatrist and a doctor from the Gender Identity clinic at Charing Cross hospital. No treatment has been recommended and arrangements are currently being made for Mr. Cross to be seen by another consultant.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department on male-to-female trans-sexuals serving sentences in male prisons; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter From Derek Lewis to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 18 May 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the policy on male to female transsexuals serving sentences in male prisons.
  The handling of transsexuals in prisons is dificult, both in administrative and medical terms.
  Any transsexual is likely to have difficulties in adjusting to prison life, and it is more often than not necessary to segregate in a vulnerable prisoner unit or prison health care centre those whose transsexuality is obvious. We prefer to treat each case individually and the principal criteria is the most obvious physical characteristics of the person concerned and their ability to integrate with other inmates. A male to female transsexual who had undergone surgery and hormone treatment would therefore be more appropriately allocated to a femal establishment. Conversely, a transsexual who had not undergone any form of treatment would be unlikely to be accepted by fellow inmates in an establishment for the gender of their choice.

  Nessun Quinliven and Pearse McAuley
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps have been taken to initiate formal extradition proceedings in the Irish Republic against Nessun Quinliven and Pearse McAuley; what discussions with the authorities in the Irish Republic have taken place; and what has been the Irish Republic's response;

  (2) when he was first informed of the capture by the Irish Republic's authorities of Nessun Quinliven and Pearse McAuley; and whether he was officially given details by the Irish Government.
  461
  Mr. Maclean
  The Metropolitan police was informed by the Irish authorities on 4 April and 9 April 1993 of the arrests in that country of Nessun Quinliven and of Pearse McAuley on those days. The Irish authorities were immediately informed of our interest in securing the return of the two men, in respect of whom arrest warrants had been issued here. But as I explained in my letter to the hon. Member of 4 August 1993, the domestic Irish proceedings against Quinliven and McAuley take precedence over requests for extradition. Nessun Quinliven was sentenced to four years' imprisonment on 7 October 1993, and Pearse McAuley to seven years on 18 November 1993, by the Dublin Special Criminal Court. These sentences of imprisonment will have to be served before they could be surrendered to the United Kingdom authorities.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Dependent Territories
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his responsibilities for the environment of Pitcairn island and other dependent territories.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 February,Official Report, column 581, which outlines the FCO's responsibilities for the dependent territories.

  The setting of domestic policies and priorities is a matter for the dependent territories' own Governments. Environmental protection is a high priority for them. We are consulting the dependent territories on their participation in environmental agreements which are most appropriate to their particular circumstances.

  We take seriously the issue of environmental protection in the Pitcairn Islands. We are preparing a management plan to address conservation issues on Henderson Island. Any conservation measures will need to take into account the isolation and remoteness of the Pitcairn Islands and must be agreed by the islanders.

  Multilateral Trade Negotiations
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when copies of the final Act embodying the results of the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations and the agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation signed at Marrakesh on 15 April will be presented to Parliament.

  Mr. Hurd
  Copies of the final Act embodying the results of the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations and the agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation were presented to Parliament and published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as Command Papers, miscellaneous series, on Monday 16 May.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  English Heritage
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions, and in what circumstances, he has disregarded the advice of English Heritage on the listing of historic buildings.
  462
  Mr. Brooke
  The advice of English Heritage is never disregarded, but my decisions must finally be my own judgment of a building's special architectural or historic interest.

  Since April 1992, I have added 5,550 buildings to the statutory lists. During that period, I have decided in 55 cases not to accept recommendations from English Heritage in favour of listing. In a very small number of cases, I have decided to list buildings against the advice of English Heritage.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what contribution the Sports Council has made to developing an accreditation scheme for outdoor activity centres;

  (2) what support his Department has provided to the Sports Council and the English tourist board in developing a code of practice for outdoor education centres.

  Mr. Sproat
  I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) on Monday 16 May,Official Report, column 347.

  Film Lighting
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will commission a report on competition in the film lighting supply industry; and what recent representations on this subject he has received.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have recently received a representation from my hon. Friend on this subject. The Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for reviewing competition in markets, and any concerns that my hon. Friend has should be referred to him.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Primates
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 29 April,Official Report, column 377, if she will list those establishments which have been approved as sources of primates under directive 92/65.

  Mr. Soames
  No establishment has yet completed the necessary approval procedures to be a source of primates under directive 92/65.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will place in the Library a copy of the recent investigation undertaken by staff of her chief veterinary officer into alleged irregularities in the veterinary certification of the export of live farm animals.

  Mr. Soames
  The investigations into alleged irregularities in the veterinary export certification of farm animals are continuing. Some are being undertaken by local authorities assisted by investigation officers of the Department and prosecutions may follow. These matters are therefore sub judice and, as is normal practice, copies of the investigations will not be placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 48, on what date he will publish the document which will form the basis of consultation on the Government's preferred options for the future of the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I have nothing further to add to the answer that I gave the hon. Gentleman on 9 May,Official Report, column 48.

  Waste Water Treatment Directive
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made with the identification of sensitive areas and high natural dispersion areas in connection with the urban waste water treatment directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish waters identified as sensitive areas and high natural dispersion areas —HNDAs —in connection with the urban waste water treatment directive are set out in the table.

  The general requirement of the directive is that all discharges of urban waste water from a population equivalent of 2,000 or more to freshwaters or estuaries, or 10,000 or more to coastal waters, should receive secondary treatment.

  In areas identified as sensitive, more stringent treatment will be required while in HNDAs, the directive permits less stringent treatment—but at least primary treatment. The adequacy of less stringent treatment to prevent adverse effects on the environment requires to be demonstrated by comprehensive studies and confirmed by subsequent monitoring.

  A map showing the locations of these areas has been prepared and will be forwarded to the European Commission. It will be made available for public inspection at the offices of the river purification authorities and meanwhile has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Sensitive Areas

  River Almond (Cramond to Whitburn)

  Forfar Loch/Dean Water

  South Calder Water/Strathclyde Park Loch

  High Natural Dispersion Areas (HNDAs)

  Eyemouth Coast

  Firth of Forth

  Forth Estuary (E)

  Firth of Tay (E)

  Angus Coast (South)

  Angus Coast (North)

  Kincardine Coast

  Peterhead Coast

  Fraserburgh Coast

  Banff Coast

  Buckie Coast

  Moray Firth (Lossiemouth/Burghead)

  Cromarty Firth (E)

  Wick Bay

  Thurso Bay

  The String, Kirkwall

  Lerwick Harbour

  The Minch (Stornoway)

  Oban Bay

  Campbeltown Loch

  464

  Inner Firth of Clyde

  Clyde Coast (Irvine/Ayr)

  Clyde Coast (Girvan)

  Inner Solway Firth (E)

  Note:

  All HNDAs are in coastal waters, except those marked (E), which are in estuaries.

  Ambulance Service
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what way the Scottish ambulance service becoming a trust will enable it to compete on a level playing field with the other demands on health service finance.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 May 1994]Trust status for the Scottish ambulance service would allow it to operate on the same basis as the majority of hospitals to which it provides services and which are now NHS trusts. With the exception of the London ambulance service, all ambulance services in the United Kingdom have applied for or have already been granted trust status.

TRANSPORT

  Tamar Crossing
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has decided to proceed with the proposal for a second crossing of the River Tamar.

  Mr. Key
  The proposal for a new crossing of the River Tamar has generated much interest and more than 5,000 people visited the public exhibitions held in the summer. Although the views of the public were evenly balanced, we have also had due regard for the views of the local authorities and other interested parties, who have expressed concern about the economic effects on the local area of a new tolled crossing.

  Therefore, I shall be commissioning further studies into these effects as the next step forward on this important project. Officials of the south-west network management division of the Highways Agency will now contact the local authorities to discuss the precise aspects that the studies should cover.

  No decision has been taken about the means of financing any new crossing of the Tamar and the degree to which private finance could be involved.

  To choose any route corridor in such a beautiful and environmentally important area is difficult, but I am satisfied that if a new crossing of the River Tamar ultimately proceeds, the red route corridor as recommended by my consultants, and preferred by the majority of the people who have made comments on the various route options, is the least damaging in environmental terms. I have therefore decided that this route should be protected from development, but this does not mean that a decision to proceed with the project has definitely been taken: I need to see the outcome of the further studies first.

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing for each Network SouthEast division in each four-week period during(a) 1992 and (b) 1993 the number of incidents, including cancellations, which resulted in a headway of (1) more than 20 minutes and (2) more than one hour; and if he will make a statement.
  465
  Mr. Roger Freeman
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish a table showing (1) the number of trains which arrived more than five minutes late during peak hours on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during(a) 1992 and (b) 1993, and the numbers attributable to (i) train breakdowns, (ii) signal failures, (iii) track and points failures, (iv) leaves on the line, (v) staff shortages, (vi) adverse weather conditions, excluding leaves on the line and (vii) other and (2) the percentage of peak hour trains which were on time or up to five minutes late on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during (I) 1992 and (II) 1993;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing (1) the number of trains cancelled on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during (a) 1992 and (b) 1993, and the numbers attributable to (i) train breakdowns, (ii) signal failures, (iii) track and points failures, (iv) leaves on the line, (v) staff shortages, (vi) adverse weather conditions, excluding leaves on the line and (vii) other and (2) the percentage of timetabled trains which did not run on each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during (I) 1992 and (II) 1993.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested has been placed in the Library and I have sent the hon. Member a copy.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Assistance, East Midlands
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average size and number of regional enterprise grants awarded to companies employing fewer than 25 people in(a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) the east midlands since the new assisted areas map was announced in 1993.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The average size and number of grants offered on applications received since 1 August 1993 to companies employing fewer than 25 people in Ashfield is £11,847 and 13; for Nottinghamshire £16,831 and 35; and the east midlands £16,418 and 60.

  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is the number, average size and average effect in terms of predicted jobs created of grants awarded since the new assisted area map was announced in the east midlands to(a) companies relocating into the area and (b) companies already located in the area;

  (2) what is the number, average size and average effect in terms of predicted jobs created of grants awarded since the new assisted area map was announced in Nottinghamshire to (a) companies relocating into the area and (b) companies already located in the area.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The number, average size and average effect in terms of predicted jobs to be created or safeguarded of regional selective assistance grants offered on applications received since 1 August 1993 for(a) companies locating into the area and (b) companies already located in the area is, in the east midlands (a) nine, £233,888 and 77 and (b) 16, £90,103 and 31.5 and in Nottinghamshire (a) six, £316,666 and 91 and (b) five, £52,930 and 14.

  Regional Assistance/East Midlands
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many companies in the Ashfield constituency employing(a) fewer than 25 people, (b) fewer than 50 people, (c) fewer than 100 people, (d) fewer than 200 people, (e) 200 or more people have been awarded (i) regional selective assistance and (ii) regional enterprise grants since the new assisted areas map was announced in 1993;

  (2) how many companies in the east midlands employing (a) fewer than 25 people, (b) fewer than 50 people, (c) fewer than 100 people, (d) fewer than 200 people, (e) 200 or more people have been awarded (i) regional selective assistance and (ii) regional enterprise grants since the new assisted areas map was announced in 1993;

  (3) how many companies in Nottinghamshire employing (a) fewer than 25 people, (b) fewer than 50 people, (c) fewer than 100 people, (d) fewer than 200 people, (e) 200 or more people have been awarded (i) regional selective assistance and (ii) regional enterprise grants since the new assisted areas map was announced in 1993.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Regional selective assistance has been offered to one company in the Ashfield constituency, 11 companies in Nottinghamshire and 25 companies in the east midlands on applications received since 1 August 1993. Of the total for the east midlands, 11 were to companies employing fewer than 25 people. The remainder were spread over the other categories. For regional enterprise grants, the figures are 14, 38 and 68 respectively. All 68 employed fewer than 50 people.

  Regional Assistance, East Midlands
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many companies in the east midlands have received grants since the new assisted areas map was announced; and what was the average size of grant in: primary production standard industrial classification division 0 and 1; manufacture of metals, mineral products and chemicals, SIC division 3; manufacture of textiles, SIC class 43; manufacture of footwear and clothing, SIC class 45; other manufacturing, SIC division 4; construction, SIC division 5; distribution, hotels and catering, SIC division 6; transport and communications, SIC division 7; banking, finance, insurance, business services and leasing, SIC division 8; and other services, SIC division 9;

  (2) how many companies in the Ashfield constituency have received grants since the new assisted areas map was announced; and what was the average size of grant in: primary production standard industrial classification division 0 and 1; manufacture of metals, mineral products and chemicals, SIC division 3; manufacture of textiles, SIC class 43; manufacture of footwear and clothing, SIC class 45; other manufacturing, SIC division 4; construction, SIC division 5; distribution, hotels and catering, SIC division 6; transport and communications, SIC division 7; banking, finance, insurance, business services and leasing, SIC division 8; and other services, SIC division 9;

  Mr. Sainsbury
  On applications received since 1 August 1993, 93 offers of grant have been made to companies in the east midlands; 15 offers were made to companies in Ashfield. Sixty-eight of the grants offered —14 in the Ashfield constituency—were to companies in
  467
  SIC divisions 3 and 4, with an average size of grant offered of f59,667—£13,601 in Ashfield. The remaining offers of grant were spread over SIC divisions 1, 2, 3, 45, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with an average size of grant offered of £26,618.

  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average size and number of regional selective assistance grants awarded in(a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) the east midlands since the new assisted areas map was announced in 1993.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As only one company in the Ashfield constituency has been offered regional selective assistance, the average amount of grant offered, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, cannot be disclosed. The average grant offered and the number of offers made are: for Nottinghamshire, £196,786 and 11; and for the east midlands, £141,866 and 25.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has received from the Atomic Energy Authority for plans to reprocess(a) the core fuel pins and (b) the blanket from the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay.

  Mr. Eggar
  The DTI has received proposals from the AEA setting out plans for the reprocessing of all remaining prototype fast reactor—PFR—fuel, including PFR breeder fuel. On the basis of these proposals, reprocessing operations are now expected to continue for between one and three years beyond the 1996–1997 closure date which was foreseen when the Government decided in 1988 that the Dounreay prototype fast reactor would close in 1994.

  Konver Programme
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is his intention that the Cotswolds will continue to be included in the list of areas eligible for funding via the Konver programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Under the Commission's current proposals for Konver II each member state would have to prepare a map which concentrates funding in a limited number of areas which have lost or announced losses of at least 1,000 jobs in defence activities since 1 January 1990.

  The Government have made it clear to the Commission that they favour a more flexible approach which would allow each member state to decide which areas should benefit under the Community initiative.

  Film Lighting
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to examine competition in the supply of lighting equipment to the United Kingdom film industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading, Sir Bryan Carsberg, to consider directly. Any concerns that my hon. Friend has should therefore be addressed to Sir Bryan.

  Cross-Media Promotion
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in preparation of a code of practice on cross-media promotion as recommended in Mr. John Sadler's report on this subject, published in 1991.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I am pleased to announce that the newspaper and periodical industry has today published a code of practice on cross-media promotion in response to Mr. Sadler's recommendation, Cm 1436. The code, which draws on existing good industry practice, covers both the advertising and editorial content of newspapers and magazines as well as the promotion of premium-rate telephone services. It has been endorsed by the Newspaper Society, the Newspaper Publishers Association, the Periodical Publishers Association, the Scottish Daily Newspaper Society and the Scottish Newspaper Publishers Association. Copies of the code have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Plutonium
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on the storage of plutonium; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is for the owners of plutonium to make arrangements for its storage and use, subject to meeting the internationally agreed guidelines for physical protection arrangements and the requirements of the international safeguards regime. The United Kingdom's civil plutonium stock is held safely and securely, principally in purpose-built stores at Sellafield. It is expected that the material will ultimately be burnt in reactors to generate electricity.

  Offshore Oil and Gas Industry
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to impose on oil exploration licences any conditions recommended by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 17 May 1994]Where blocks are offered in sensitive areas, conditions will be attached to licences which will protect those sensitivities. As in previous rounds, these conditions will be discussed with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and other bodies as appropriate.

PRIME MINISTER

  EC White Paper
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a White Paper setting out the economic gains and losses for EEC membership since Britain joined.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's White Paper on competitiveness, to be published on 24 May, will set out the United Kingdom's approach to Europe, the benefits that that has brought, and how we can enhance the performance of the European economy as a whole.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 14 April,Official Report, column 264, if he has now received from the Indian Human Rights Commission its report of the incident at Bijbehara in Kashmir which took place in October 1993.

  The Prime Minister
  The Indian Human Rights Commission report into the incident at Bijbehara in October 1993 was published on 24 April. A copy was placed in the Library of the House of Commons on 12 May.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement as to whether his office has obtained or sought to obtain a copy of the receipt and letter from the Ritz hotel in Paris referred to in the correspondence between the Prime Minister and Mr. Peter Preston, editor of The Guardian newspaper.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 May 1994]I have nothing further to add to the letter sent from my office to Mr. Preston on 29 March 1994.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Police Services
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of total expenditure on police services in Northern Ireland has been deemed attributable to rate-relevant expenditure for each year since 1985.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The cost of policing in Northern Ireland is funded by Government from moneys voted by Parliament. However, in order to ensure that ratepayers contribute towards the cost of services which elsewhere in the United Kingdom are provided by local authorities a regional rate is struck. In striking this rate, approximately 25 per cent. of total expenditure each year on police services is deemed attributable to rate relevant expenditure.

  Neurosurgical Services
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the waiting time for non-emergency neurosurgical admissions at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast; how many consultant neurosurgeons are employed; how many beds are available; and what are the number of operating sessions each week;

  (2) what hospitals in Northern Ireland provide neurosurgical facilities.

  Mr. Ancram
  The number of patients and the lengths of time they have been waiting for admission to the Royal Victoria hospital's neurosurgery unit at 31 March 1994, the latest date for which information is available, are set out in the table.

  Waiting times (months)

  Ordinary admissions

  0–2

  85

  3–5

  43

  6–8

  35

  470

  Waiting times (months)

  Ordinary admissions

  9–11

  33

  12–14

  30

  15–17

  6

  18–20

  3

  Total

  235

  There are currently four consultant neurosurgeons employed in the Royal Victoria hospital, the only hospital in Northern Ireland which provides neurosurgical facilities.

  The average number of beds available during the period 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994 was 42. In the same period the average number of operating sessions held per week was 11.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many further education colleges in Northern Ireland are to be amalgamated during 1994–95 following the publication of the Stewart inquiry; what study has been made of additional expenditure required to carry out the mergers; if that additional expenditure is expected to be met from colleges' own delegated budgets or from additional finance provided by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  Five mergers involving 12 colleges will be implemented on 1 September 1994, reducing the total number of colleges from 24 to 17. There was no overall study on the costs to carry out the mergers; details of additional expenditure will become available following decisions made by local management. The Department of Education will continue to review the situation with the education and library boards concerned and every effort will be made to ensure that college budgets will not be adversely affected.

  Education Budget
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many third level students from Northern Ireland have enrolled in universities or colleges in(a) Eire, (b) Great Britain, (c) other European Community countries and (d) other non-European countries in each year since 1984–85; and what has been the cost or benefit, in each category, to the Northern Ireland education budget.

  Mr. Ancram
  Available information relates to full-time undergraduate students and is as follows:

  Eire

  Great Britain

  Other EC1 and non-EC

  1984–85

  578

  5,051

  —

  1985–86

  489

  5,632

  —

  1986–87

  462

  6,185

  —

  1987–88

  396

  6,968

  —

  1988–89

  367

  7,560

  4

  1989–90

  406

  8,415

  —

  1990–91

  424

  8,970

  —

  1991–92

  408

  9,524

  —

  1992–93

  803

  10,836

  11

  1993–94

  1,120

  11,962

  10

  471
  Notes:

  1 Separate data is not available.

  Figures for 1993–94 are provisional.

  Information on costs is not available for the years requested. However, the estimated cost to public funds during the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 for fees and maintenance awards for students from Northern Ireland attending institutions/colleges in the Republic of Ireland is as follows:

  Cost (£)

  1991–92

  1,530,000

  1992–93

  2,057,000

  1993–94

  3,313,000

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Eire

  178

  305

  441

  764

  1,066

  1,314

  1,516

  1,718

  2,018

  2,288

  Scotland

  66

  94

  110

  114

  101

  95

  96

  75

  72

  64

  England

  534

  637

  629

  623

  560

  537

  596

  591

  575

  526

  Wales

  22

  20

  27

  30

  26

  22

  18

  18

  17

  14

  Other EC

  9

  32

  68

  65

  84

  109

  185

  189

  235

  334

  Other non EC

  270

  245

  341

  405

  484

  448

  405

  382

  352

  372

  Information in the exact form and covering the period requested is not available. However, the estimated cost to the Northern Ireland educational budget for fees for students from the Republic of Ireland enrolled in Northern Ireland universities/colleges during the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 is as follows:

  Year

  Cost £

  1991–92

  3,800,000

  1992–93

  4,500,000

  1993–94

  4,600,000

  Accommodation Addresses
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many successful prosecutions there have been in respect of the acquisition of public sector housing for the purpose of providing an accommodation address for fraudulent social security claims and on the illegal sub-letting of such property in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  None, since neither of these activities constitutes a criminal offence.

  Stewart Report
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from teachers' organisations concerning recommendations contained within the Stewart report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  Representations were invited when the report was published and three teachers' organisations responded; further representations were formally made on three subsequent occasions.

  The main areas of concern have related to the effect and cost of college mergers and the level of capital and recurrent funding for the further education sector in general.
  472
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many third level students from(a) Eire, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales, (e) other European Community countries and (f) other non-European Community countries enrolled in Northern Ireland universities or colleges in each year since 1984–85; and what has been the yearly cost or income, in each category, to the Northern Ireland education budget.

  Mr. Ancram
  Available information relates to full-time undergraduate students and is as follows:

  Rate Poundages
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the percentage increase during each year since 1985 in(a) non-domestic regional rate poundage, (b) domestic regional rate poundange and (c) average district rate poundage; and what is the overall percentage increase in each during that period.

  Sir John Wheeler
  (1) The information is as follows:

  Year

  Non domestic regional rate Per cent.

  Domestic regional rate Per cent.

  Average district rate Per cent.

  1985–86

  +8.07

  +9.26

  +5.61

  1986–87

  +9.43

  +10.70

  +9.76

  1987–88

  +2.85

  +3.20

  +4.98

  1988–89

  +7.98

  +8.92

  +4.25

  1989–90

  +12.63

  +14.00

  +2.38

  1990–91

  +7.39

  +8.09

  +5.52

  1991–92

  +11.55

  -47.60

  +9.45

  1992–93

  -7.39

  -5.92

  +6.16

  1993–94

  -8.61

  -1.77

  +3.52

  1994–95

  +6.22

  +13.19

  +2.73

  (2) Overall percentage increases

  Per cent.

  (a) Non-domestic regional rate

  +59.3

  (b) Domestic regional rate

  -8.2

  (c) Average district rate

  +69.3

  Health and Social Services
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing and midwifery staff, excluding agency staff, were employed by each health and social services board in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  It is for employing authorities to decide the number of nursing and midwifery staff to be employed and the appropriate skill mix to ensure the provision of a quality service to patients and clients.

  The information requested is detailed in the table:
  473

  Nursing and Midwifery Staffing Levels

  September 1991 WTE

  September 1992 WTE

  September 1993 WTE

  Board

  Trained Nurses

  Student Nurses

  Other Nurses

  Trained Nurses

  Student Nurses

  Other Nurses

  Trained Nurses

  Student Nurses

  Other Nurses

  EHSSB

  6,016

  1,411

  1,746

  5,859

  889

  1,783

  5,720

  308

  1,806

  NHSSB

  2,158

  150

  411

  2,152

  60

  412

  2,164

  6

  420

  SHSSB

  1,955

  138

  548

  2,001

  40

  563

  2,025

  2

  573

  WHSSB

  2,088

  352

  486

  2,088

  165

  517

  2,022

  36

  544

  TOTAL

  12,217

  2,051

  3,191

  12,100

  1,154

  3,275

  11,931

  352

  3,343

  Notes:

  1. WTE=Whole Time Equivalent.

  2. Figures for Student Nurses represent Traditional Nurse Students and exclude Project 2000 Nurse Students. (Project 2000 Nurse Students are not employees.)

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many managerial staff were employed by each health and social services board in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  Figures for the managerial staff group specifically are not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The table shows the combined managerial, administrative and clerical staffing levels in whole time equivalents in the four board areas since 1991.

  Board

  September 1991

  September 1992

  September 1993

  Eastern

  3,555

  3,720

  3,621

  Northern

  1,325

  1,395

  1,490

  Southern

  967

  1,044

  1,061

  Western

  912

  1,006

  1,018

  Total

  6,759

  7,165

  7,190

  The intention of the HPSS reforms is to create more effective management of the services and a consequent improvement in patient client care.

  Police Complaints
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will lay before Parliament copies of the annual report of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The Commission's report for 1993, which is the sixth annual report to be produced by the Commission since its establishment in 1988, has been laid before Parliament today. It provides a detailed account of the Commission's oversight of police conduct, including the supervision of complaints against the police and the Commission's role in disciplinary proceedings once a complaint has been investigated.

  It is essential that the community has confidence in the integrity of the police, and the Commission has a vital role in ensuring that complaints are fairly and properly investigated and that appropriate action is taken. Throughout the report, by providing detailed explanations of its work in investigating actual complaints, the Commission demonstrates the high standards and dedication which it applies to its task.

  I am grateful to the Commission for all its work. I have no doubt that it will continue to contribute significantly to the enhancement of public confidence in the RUC. In this it has my full support.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Telephone Inquiry Service
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many requests have been received for copies of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information" on the dedicated telephone line set up for that purpose; what organisations are responsible for operating the telephone inquiry and document distribution service; what required standards have been set down for timeliness of response to telephone inquiries; what is the performance of the telephone inquiry service to date; how many complaints have been received about non-delivery or late delivery of the document following a telephone request; and what has been the total cost to date of operating the service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In all, there have been some 440 calls to the inquiry service on 0345 223242 regarding the code of practice. In addition, my own office has received a further 120 calls. Copies of the code and a leaflet explaining its operation have been sent out in response.

  IBM operates the service. Its contract with OPSS states that the service shall operate between 8 am and 8 pm daily; that 90 per cent. of calls received in a day—80 per cent. of calls received in any one hour—shall be answered within 10 seconds; and that 98 per cent. of all calls shall be answered within 20 seconds. The operators have consistently met their targets.

  I am aware of only four complaints—less than 1 per cent. of requests—of late or non-delivery, and understand that these have now been dealt with to the satisfaction of those involved.

  Dealing with open government inquiries was an addition to the existing service, which deals with inquiries on the 1994 charter mark scheme and the guide to the citizens charter second report, and as such incurred no start-up costs. The cost of responding to open government calls amounted by 12 May to £814.88—just under £2 per call. This figure includes the cost of posting material to callers.

  Electronic Publishing
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his assessment of the environmental benefits that could result from the electronic publishing of(a) Government press releases and (b) other Government information instead of using paper.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No assessment of environmental benefits has been carried out.

  Government Information
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current income earned by the Exchequer from, or costs charged to, the Exchequer by electronic information providers who make available(a) Government Press releases and (b) other Government documents on a commercial basis as a result of contracts or arrangements for the publishing electronically of Government information by (i) the Central Office of Information and (ii) other Government bodies.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In 1993–94 the Central Office of Information was able to offset the cost of distributing Government press releases by £35,186 earned from electronic information providers. The information providers made no charges to the Exchequer for this service.

  During 1993–94 the Central Office of Information also earned £14,641.49 from the electronic publication of other Government documents. The information providers made no charges to the Exchequer for this service.

  Income earned and costs incurred by other Government bodies are a matter for individual Departments.

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the full Internet names of the newsgroups on which the Central Office of Information makes available Government press releases and other information; and whether each of those newsgroups is available to members of the public with Internet access without additional charge.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No central list is kept of the Internet names that might be accessible through the many distributors, some of them overseas, involved in handling the Hermes files of Government press notices.

  All distributors charge users for access.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department will instruct the Central Office of Information to make available more Government information on the Internet and bulletin board systems in order that citizens with computer and modem access can monitor Government decisions and announcements without further charges.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Central Office of Information already makes available a large amount of information on behalf of Government Departments through on-line database files Hermes and Hermes Daily. The COI is always open to representations about demand for additional information which might be made available in this way.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will examine the feasibility of setting up a Central Office of Information electronic bulletin board system covering(a) Government press releases and (b) other Government information for free public access.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Central Office of Information's Hermes database of Government press releases is already available to the public via a number of on-line services. Charges for access are determined by the database hosts. I have no plans to examine the feasibility of setting up a Central Office of Information bulletin board system for free public access.

WALES

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  Based on a text search on the POLIS database, 114 parliamentary questions answered by Ministers in this Department in the period 1 November 1992 and 31 March 1993 were either given a response that the information requested was not held centrally, or that the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This represents 6.2 per cent. of all written answers given in the same period. Five questions were referred to agency chief executives.

  Housing
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the purchase by housing associations in Wales as part of the housing acquisitions initiative, of properties which were in the private sector as a result of earlier sale under the right-to-buy provisions.

  Mr. Redwood
  Under the housing acquisition initiative in 1992–93 housing associations were asked to purchase properties from the private sector on a cost-effective basis so as to maximise the beneficial impact on the market.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much public subsidy was involved in the purchase in 1993–94 by housing associations in Wales of properties which were in the private sector as a result of earlier sale under the right-to-buy provisions;

  (2) how many houses bought by housing associations in Wales in 1993–94 had previously been owned and let for rent by local authorities and housing associations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of former local authority houses purchased by housing associations in 1993–94 is not available centrally.

  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the guidance mechanism for FEOGA grants has been triggered with Wales in the current financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  Reimbursement of expenditure by the Welsh Office is made, usually a year in arrears, from the guidance section of the European agriculture guidance and guarantee fund on receipt of claims from the Welsh Office for the relevant calendar year.

  Schemes that attract reimbursement in this way, and the proportion of expenditure reimbursed by FEOGA, are as follows:
  Hill livestock compensatory allowances, up to 25 per cent. reimbursed.
  Capital grants (mainly the farm and conservation grant scheme), up to 25 per cent. reimbursed.

  477
  Receipts of £6.122 million are anticipated in 1994–95 in respect of expenditure incurred on these schemes in the calendar year 1993.
  The marketing and processing projects scheme and grants for the restructuring of the inshore fishing industry are 100 per cent. reimbursed in-year. Total expenditure on these schemes in 1993–94 is planned to be £0.981 million.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) schools, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools there are in each county and in Wales as a whole;

  Numbers of schools in Wales1

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Clwyd

  245

  32

  277

  Dyfed

  313

  31

  344

  Gwent

  213

  33

  246

  Gwynedd

  191

  23

  214

  Mid Glamorgan

  305

  42

  347

  Powys

  108

  13

  121

  South Glamorgan

  159

  26

  185

  West Glamorgan

  164

  27

  191

  Total

  1,698

  227

  1,925

  1 Number of schools as at January 1994.

  Schools that have held ballots on opting out2

  Number of schools

  Percentage of all schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Clwyd

  4

  6

  10

  1·6

  18·8

  3·6

  Dyfed

  1

  1

  2

  0·3

  3·2

  0·6

  Gwent

  1

  4

  5

  0·5

  12·1

  2·0

  Gwynedd

  1

  0

  1

  0·5

  0·0

  0·5

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  0

  1

  0·3

  0·0

  0·3

  Powys

  1

  1

  2

  0·9

  7·7

  1·7

  South Glamorgan

  1

  3

  4

  0·6

  11·5

  2·2

  West Glamorgan

  0

  3

  3

  0·0

  11·1

  1·6

  Total

  10

  18

  28

  0·6

  7·9

  1·5

  2 Number of ballots up to 30 April 1994.

  Number of schools voting to opt out LEA control

  Number of schools

  Percentage of all schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Clwyd

  2

  4

  6

  0·8

  12·5

  2·2

  Dyfed

  0

  0

  0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Gwent

  1

  4

  5

  0·5

  12·1

  2·0

  Gwynedd

  1

  0

  1

  0·5

  0·0

  0·5

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  0

  1

  0·3

  0·0

  0·3

  Powys

  1

  0

  1

  0·9

  0·0

  0·8

  South Glamorgan

  0

  3

  3

  0·0

  11·5

  1·6

  West Glamorgan

  0

  1

  1

  0·0

  3·7

  0·5

  Total

  6

  12

  18

  0·4

  5·3

  0·9

  General Development Orders
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review the process of granting licences or permission to carry out developments under long-standing general development orders or interim development orders to conform with environmental safeguards introduced during the last 20 years; what representations he has received on the efficacy of such orders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The provisions of the general development order are kept under continual review. My
  478
  how many schools (i) have held ballots to decide whether or not to opt out of local education authority control and (ii) decided to opt out of local education authority control; and what was (i) and (ii) as a percentage of (a), (b) and (c) for each county and for Wales as a whole.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The data requested are given in the following tables.

  right hon. Friend proposes to ensure that "permitted development" rights are not in breach of the habitats and environmental impact assessment directives. The Welsh Office received eight representations following public consultation on these proposals. The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 required holders of mineral permissions granted under interim development orders to apply for registration of the permissions and subsequently to apply for determination of the conditions to which the permissions are to be subject. Minerals planning guidance note 9 gives advice on the preparation and determination of such conditions, and the Welsh Office received six representations following public consultation on the draft.

  Christmas Cards
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 771, how many official Christmas cards were sent out in 1993 by Ministers in his Department; and how much this cost.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]A total of 1,062 Christmas cards were sent out in 1993 by Ministers in this Department, costing £1,154.93, including postage.

  I am very sorry for the long delay in answering. We were held up by delays in invoices and then the question did not receive the prompt attention that it should have.

TREASURY

  Tortoise Imports
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of tortoises and tortoise products seized at ports of entry in each of the past three years; and what were the countries of origin.

  Sir John Cope
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise made 57 such seizures over the period. The details for 1991, 1992 and 1993 are as follows:

  Year

  Number of live tortoises

  Number of derived items

  1991

  67

  44

  1992

  59

  3

  1993

  37

  1

  It is not always possible to determine the origin of goods, although the countries of consignment of the seized items—which in most cases are likely to have corresponded with the countries of origin—were Antigua, Argentine, Brazil, Canary Islands, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, USA and Venezuela.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total value of funds attracted to the former business expansion scheme in each year for construction-related investments; and if he will list by category how many buildings were constructed or are still under construction;

  (2) how many dwellings were built in each year or are still being built, as a result of the business expansion scheme, for the provision of housing in the privately rented market.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Available information is in the table. This relates to BES investments in companies in the construction industry and the numbers of new lettings from investments in private renting companies.

  Year

  Investment in construction companies (£ million)

  Number of new lettings1

  1983–84

  7

  —

  1984–85

  7

  —

  1985–86

  10

  —

  480

  Year

  Investment in construction companies (£ million)

  Number of new lettings1

  1986–87

  12

  —

  1987–88

  17

  —

  1988–89

  2

  6,400

  1989–90

  neg

  3,100

  1990–91

  1

  5,700

  1991–92

  neg

  9,300

  1992–932

  neg

  24,000

  1993–942

  neg

  28,000

  1 Estimates rounded to nearest 100.

  2 Provisional.

  EC Anti-Fraud Funding
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money is available from the European Commission for anti-fraud work; and how much money the British Government have claimed in cash and percentage terms for each of the past five years.

  Sir John Cope
  In addition to the administrative resources within the Commission, the budgetary authority allocated 139.14 million ecu, £105 million, in the 1994 budget to programmes to fight fraud. This compares with an outturn of 115.285 million ecu, £87 million, in 1993, 67.245 million ecu, £51 million, in 1992, 69.626 million, ecu, £53 million, in 1991 and 50.842 million ecu, £38 million, in 1990. The budget for anti-fraud programmes includes both funds spent directly by the Commission and funds available to member states to co-finance new controls and anti-fraud mechanisms.

  United Kingdom receipts from the EC budget for anti-fraud programmes are included with other departmental receipts. This information is not held centrally. However, the United Kingdom does take advantage of Community financing. For example, following the introduction of the integrated control and administration system, some £2.9 million was claimed in 1993 to meet part of the cost of introducing a computer database to record details of areas and livestock numbers subject to support. An application for a further £4.5 million has been made for 1994. The United Kingdom has also taken advantage of the provision for computer systems in the CAP export refund area, where Customs have claimed £110,768 and £74,250 in 1992 and 1993 respectively. Customs have also applied for £248,993 for the same purpose in 1994.

  Revaluations, North Kent
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in how many cases of appeal in north Kent against the 1990 revaluation list, such appeal has resulted in an increase in the assessment;

  (2) how many representations have been received since the adoption of a different basis of zoning by the Valuation Office after the new list came into force on 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 3 May 1994]The information requested is not available centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many council tax banding appeals have been(a) submitted to date, (b) settled without a hearing and (c) settled at appeal.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 6 May 1994]A total of 945,795 council tax proposals for alteration of council tax bandings in England and Wales had been received as at 31 March 1994; 107,818 have been settled without referral to the valuation tribunals and 660,384 have been referred to the valuation tribunals within six months of receipt as required by law.

  Of the 660,384 appeals referred to the tribunals, 189,944 have been settled without a hearing and 2,868 have been determined as a result of a hearing.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many current and former officials and Ministers in his Department have been asked to give written or oral evidence to the Scott inquiry; and what have been the total costs to his Department of the Scott inquiry broken down by major expenditure heading;

  (2) 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.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 12 and 13 May 1994]Five current or former Treasury Ministers—the Prime Minister, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe 482
  (Mr. Clarke), Lord Howe, the right hon. Member for St. Albans (Mr. Lilley) and the right hon. and learned Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) have been asked to give written or oral evidence to Lord Justice Scott's Inquiry. Only one of these Ministers—the right hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major)—gave evidence in respect of his time as a Treasury Minister. One current Treasury official and 17 current and former officials of HM Customs and Excise have been asked to give written and/or oral evidence to the Scott inquiry. They have given this evidence on a personal basis and have not been supervised by the Department in its preparation. There is therefore no central record of the time spent or cost incurred in the provision of such evidence; serving officials prepared and gave their evidence as part of their official duties.

  The direct central cost of providing evidence and information from HM Treasury to the inquiry is estimated to be £90,800 between November 1992 and March 1994. This represents the cost of staff time spent in providing information to the inquiry and the costs of photocopying and general presentation of the information. Four officials plus clerical and secretarial staff have been involved on a full or part-time basis as required. A separate liaison unit has not been created.

  The total cost of Customs and Excise Scott liaison unit has been to date, £423,400 which consists of £420,000 on personnel; £2,700 on transcripts of the oral evidence, and £700 for photocopying. The Scott liaison unit in HM Customs and Excise consists of seven posts which are filled on a full or part-time basis. The unit was set up in the middle of November 1992 and its work will continue until the Department judges that it has been completed.

EDUCATION

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many graduates trained as secondary school teachers at each college in South Yorkshire in the past 10 years and the subjects studied; how many new graduate teachers were employed per local authority in that time; what occupations each graduate qualifying in secondary school teaching has entered in the last 10 years; and what has been the cost of training graduate secondary school teachers in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Table 1 shows the number of students entering postgraduate courses at Sheffield university and Sheffield Hallam university to train as secondary school teachers in each year from 1983 to 1993. Table 2 shows the main subjects being studied for those entering such courses in 1993. Further details of individual subjects being studied in these institutions are available from the final reports of each survey held in the House of Commons Library.

  Table 1

  Recruitment to Secondary PGCE courses

  Year

  Sheffield University

  Sheffield Hallam University

  1983

  153

  73

  1984

  138

  77

  1985

  126

  63

  1986

  118

  98

  1987

  140

  100

  1988

  137

  112

  1989

  153

  98

  1990

  138

  96

  1991

  182

  164

  1992

  180

  155

  1993

  186

  164

  Table 2

  Secondary PCGE students by subject 1993

  Sheffield University

  Sheffield Hallam University

  Business Studies

  —

  34

  Design and Technology

  —

  28

  English

  36

  25

  Geography

  28

  —

  History

  14

  —

  Modern Languages

  37

  15

  Mathematics

  20

  23

  Biology

  14

  —

  Chemistry

  7

  —

  General/Integrated Science

  26

  39

  Physics

  5

  —

  The total number of new entrants to teaching in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England and Wales for each year from 1983 to 1992 is given in table 3. Separate information for graduate teachers is not readily available.

  Table 3

  New entrants to teaching in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector

  Year to March

  Numbers

  1983

  14,000

  1984

  13,400

  1985

  11,900

  484

  Year to March

  Numbers

  1986

  12,000

  1987

  12,600

  1988

  12,500

  1989

  14,200

  1990

  15,300

  1991

  15,300

  1992

  15,800

  Information on the occupations taken up by successful initial teacher training students is not centrally available, although an analysis carried out by the Department shows that about 90 per cent. of completers go on to enter some form of teaching within five years after qualifying. Information on the cost of training secondary school teachers is not available.

  Schools (Harrogate and Knaresborough)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the pupil:teacher ratio in Harrogate and Knaresborough schools in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on pupil:teacher ratios in schools in Harrogate and Knaresborough is not available centrally. The overall pupil:teacher ratio for maintained schools in North Yorkshire local education authority for the years 1978 to 1993 is shown in the table.

  Overall pupil: teacher ratio in maintained schools in North Yorkshire LEA Postion in January each year

  Year

  Overall Pupil: Teacher Ratio1

  1978

  19·5

  1979

  19·0

  1980

  18·7

  1981

  18·4

  1982

  18·4

  1983

  18·1

  1984

  18·0

  1985

  18·0

  1986

  18·0

  1987

  17·9

  1988

  17·6

  1989

  17·4

  1990

  17·3

  1991

  17·2

  1992

  17·1

  1993

  17·0

  1 The overall PTR is calculated using the full-time equivalent (FTE) of all teachers employed by the LEA for service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools with the FTE numbers of pupils attending those schools.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the amount deducted for the provision of central support services by each local authority in England prior to the allocation of funds to grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Annual maintenance grant for grant-maintained schools is calculated in one of two ways. The Government have introduced a common funding formula to fund GM secondary schools in five local
  485
  education authority areas in 1994–95. This takes as its starting point the education standard spending assessment, not including the fifth sub-block which relates to services provided outside the school sector.

  From this SSA-derived total, an amount is first deducted for the LEA's continuing responsibilities. Secondly, an amount is deducted for spending on primary schools, according to the relationship between the authority's spending on primary and secondary education in 1993–94. The remaining total forms the basis of allocations between all secondary schools within the area. The two deductions are shown in the table as percentages of the four schools-related sub-blocks of the SSA.

  Continuing responsibilities

  Primary education

  Bromley

  13·79

  39·16

  Calderdale

  12·41

  45·10

  Essex

  17·41

  39·92

  Gloucestershire

  20·00

  40·06

  Hillingdon

  18·02

  42·08

  For GM schools not funded under the CFF, AMG consists of three separate sums. The first is what the GM school would have received under the local management of schools scheme of its former maintaining LEA. The second consists of an amount for school meals. The third is an amount for services which LEA schools receive free of charge but for which GM schools assume direct responsibility, and is a simple percentage of the first sum. The percentages applying, separately for primary and secondary schools, in 1994–95 in those LEA areas in which there are GM schools are as follows:

  Local education authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  Avon County Council

  14·0

  9·7

  London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

  11·0

  8·4

  London Borough of Barnet

  13·6

  9·8

  Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

  15·2

  9·8

  Bedfordshire County Council

  15·3

  11·6

  Berkshire County Council

  10·6

  7·2

  London Borough of Bexley

  11·9

  8·0

  Birmingham City Council

  14·5

  10·2

  Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

  14·4

  9·8

  Bradford City Council

  11·8

  9·4

  London Borough of Brent

  9·4

  6·7

  London Borough of Bromley

  13·6

  9·5

  Buckinghamshire County Council

  16·1

  11·3

  Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·5

  9·1

  Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·0

  8·4

  London Borough of Camden

  13·6

  10·1

  Cambridgeshire County Council

  11·4

  7·9

  Cheshire County Council

  12·3

  8·4

  Common Council of the City of London

  17·2

  n/a

  Cleveland County Council

  18·0

  11·7

  Cornwall County Council

  10·6

  7·4

  Coventry City Council

  15·5

  10·3

  London Borough of Croydon

  10·4

  8·3

  Cumbria County Council

  10·4

  7·5

  Derbyshire County Council

  14·1

  8·9

  Devon County Council

  10·9

  7·5

  Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

  15·9

  10·5

  Dorset County Council

  13·7

  9·6

  Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

  9·1

  6·6

  Durham County Council

  13·5

  9·4

  London Borough of Ealing

  9·2

  6·9

  East Sussex County Council

  15·4

  10·2

  London Borough of Enfield

  11·9

  8·4

  Essex County Council

  13·3

  8·7

  Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council

  16·8

  11·9

  Gloucestershire County Council

  13·7

  10·8

  London Borough of Greenwich

  18·1

  13·9

  486

  Local education authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  London Borough of Hackney

  19·8

  13·5

  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  22·1

  16·5

  Hampshire County Council

  14·0

  9·8

  London Borough of Haringey

  16·5

  12·0

  London Boroughof Harrow

  13·5

  9·8

  London Borough of Havering

  12·5

  8·0

  Hereford and Worcester County Council

  11·5

  8·8

  Hertfordshire County Council

  7·8

  5·3

  London Borough of Hillingdon

  13·4

  9·9

  London Borough of Hounslow

  11·6

  8·7

  Humberside County Council

  15·1

  10·7

  The Council of the Isles of Scilly

  15·0

  7·5

  Isle of Wight County Council

  17·2

  13·0

  London Borough of Islington

  5·9

  4·7

  The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

  18·8

  13·1

  Kent County Council

  15·6

  10·4

  The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

  12·7

  8·7

  Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

  14·9

  10·2

  Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

  13·7

  9·6

  London Borough of Lambeth

  16·4

  11·1

  Lancashire County Council

  12·9

  8·6

  Leeds City Council

  10·8

  8·2

  Leicestershire County Council

  12·7

  8·9

  London Borough of Lewisham

  15·3

  11·2

  Lincolnshire County Council

  11·6

  7·6

  Liverpool City Council

  17·1

  10·3

  Manchester City Council

  11·3

  7·1

  London Borough of Merton

  12·5

  9·0

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council

  14·1

  9·5

  London Borough of Newham

  11·2

  7·3

  Norfolk County Council

  13·6

  9·2

  North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·4

  8·9

  Northamptonshire County Council

  11·0

  7·7

  Northumberland County Council

  10·2

  7·8

  North Yorkshire County Council

  15·8

  10·6

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  16·2

  12·0

  Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

  17·4

  11·3

  Oxfordshire County Council

  10·8

  8·1

  London Borough of Redbridge

  17·2

  10·7

  London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

  15·1

  11·9

  Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

  11·7

  7·6

  Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

  15·9

  11·3

  St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·6

  8·5

  Salford City Council

  10·9

  7·3

  Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

  17·2

  11·7

  Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

  13·7

  8·8

  Sheffield City Council

  11·3

  8·1

  Shropshire County Council

  12·1

  7·8

  Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

  7·0

  5·1

  Somerset County Council

  13·5

  9·3

  South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

  15·0

  11·1

  London Borough of Southwark

  13·5

  10·0

  Staffordshire County Council

  13·3

  9·7

  Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·2

  8·4

  Suffolk County Council

  11·9

  8·7

  Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council

  13·3

  9·6

  Surrey County Council

  14·6

  10·8

  London Borough of Sutton

  13·5

  9·4

  Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

  13·8

  9·7

  London Borough of Tower Hamlets

  12·4

  9·2

  Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council

  15·3

  8·7

  Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

  16·1

  9·9

  Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

  13·5

  9·6

  London Borough of Waltham Forest

  15·6

  10·6

  London Borough of Wandsworth

  17·0

  10·0

  Warwickshire County Council

  13·7

  9·4

  Westminster City Council

  9·6

  7·5

  West Sussex County Council

  14·0

  9·9

  Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

  17·6

  11·7

  Wiltshire County Council

  13·8

  8·8

  487

  Local education authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

  11·6

  8·0

  Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council

  12·0

  7·7

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) schools, (b) primary schools and (c)

  Schools are parental ballots on the question of seeking grant-maintained status

  LEA Area

  Schools

  Total Ballots

  All Schools Percentage

  "Yes" Votes

  Percentage

  Avon

  429

  11

  2·6

  2

  0·5

  Barking

  63

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  110

  17

  15·5

  12

  10·9

  Barnsley

  111

  3

  2·7

  1

  0·9

  Bedfordshire

  289

  22

  7·6

  14

  4·8

  Berkshire

  334

  27

  8·1

  20

  6·0

  Bexley

  82

  10

  12·2

  8

  9·8

  Birmingham

  413

  35

  8·5

  23

  5·6

  Bolton

  121

  4

  3·3

  4

  3·3

  Bradford

  253

  18

  7·1

  13

  5·1

  Brent

  77

  19

  24·7

  17

  22·1

  Bromley

  95

  21

  22·1

  19

  20·0

  Buckinghamshire

  335

  22

  6·6

  18

  5·4

  Bury

  85

  2

  2·4

  1

  1·2

  Calderdale

  107

  17

  15·9

  13

  12·1

  Cambridgeshire

  310

  34

  11·0

  24

  7·7

  Camden

  52

  3

  5·8

  2

  3·8

  Cheshire

  522

  20

  3·8

  10

  1·9

  Cleveland

  247

  4

  1·6

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  281

  1

  0·4

  1

  0·4

  Corporation of London

  1

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Coventry

  128

  1

  0·8

  0

  0·0

  Croydon

  118

  16

  13·6

  12

  10·2

  Cumbria

  348

  44

  12·6

  37

  10·6

  Derbyshire

  511

  42

  8·2

  25

  4·9

  Devon

  506

  20

  4·0

  8

  1·6

  Doncaster

  161

  6

  3·7

  4

  2·5

  Dorset

  256

  18

  7·0

  15

  5·9

  Dudley

  105

  10

  9·5

  8

  7·6

  Durham

  341

  1

  0·3

  0

  0·0

  Ealing

  99

  12

  12·1

  10

  10·1

  East Sussex

  253

  3

  1·2

  0

  0·0

  Enfield

  87

  10

  11·5

  6

  6·9

  Essex

  686

  157

  22·9

  145

  21·1

  Gateshead

  95

  1

  1·1

  0

  0·0

  Gloucestershire

  305

  57

  18·7

  48

  15·7

  Greenwich

  94

  2

  2·1

  1

  1·1

  Hackney

  73

  2

  2·7

  1

  1·4

  Hammersmith

  48

  2

  4·2

  2

  4·2

  Hampshire

  674

  45

  6·7

  37

  5·5

  Haringey

  86

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  64

  2

  3·1

  1

  1·6

  Havering

  93

  9

  9·7

  4

  4·3

  Hereford and Worcester

  364

  10

  2·7

  5

  1·4

  Hertfordshire

  520

  47

  9·0

  39

  7·5

  Hillingdon

  87

  26

  29·9

  25

  28·7

  Hounslow

  76

  3

  3·9

  2

  2·6

  Humberside

  414

  9

  2·2

  3

  0·7

  Isle of Wight

  67

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Isles of Scilly

  5

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Islington

  66

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  31

  3

  9·7

  3

  9·7

  Kent

  706

  102

  14·4

  96

  13·6

  Kingston upon Thames

  46

  5

  10·9

  5

  10·9

  Kirklees

  192

  8

  4·2

  3

  1·6

  Knowsley

  79

  3

  3·8

  1

  1·3

  Lambeth

  87

  13

  14·9

  13

  14·9

  Lancashire

  711

  24

  3·4

  13

  1·8

  Leeds

  295

  6

  2·0

  2

  0·7

  Leicestershire

  414

  12

  2·9

  5

  1·2

  Lewisham

  85

  3

  3·5

  1

  1·2

  Lincolnshire

  356

  63

  17·7

  58

  16·3

  Liverpool

  234

  8

  3·4

  4

  1·7

  Manchester

  202

  1

  0·5

  0

  0·0

  Merton

  60

  4

  6·7

  1

  1·7

  488
  secondary schools there are in England and in each county; how many schools have (i) held ballots to decide whether or not to opt out of local education authority control and (ii) decided to opt out of local education authority control; and what are (i) and (ii) as a percentage of (a), (b) and (c) for each county and for England.

  Robin Squire
  The information requested is given in the table for each local authority in England.
  489

  LEA Area

  Schools

  Total Ballots

  All Schools Percentage

  "Yes" Votes

  Percentage

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  102

  2

  2·0

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  81

  1

  1·2

  1

  1·2

  Norfolk

  448

  37

  8·3

  29

  6·5

  North Tyneside

  87

  5

  5·7

  3

  3·4

  North Yorkshire

  451

  5

  1·1

  1

  0·2

  Northamptonshire

  335

  37

  11·0

  26

  7·8

  Northumberland

  204

  3

  1·5

  1

  0·5

  Nottinghamshire

  508

  11

  2·2

  4

  0·8

  Oldham

  119

  1

  0·8

  0

  0·0

  Oxfordshire

  284

  3

  1·1

  1

  0·4

  Redbridge

  71

  2

  2·8

  1

  1·4

  Richmond upon Thames

  47

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Rochdale

  90

  13

  14·4

  8

  8·9

  Rotherham

  133

  1

  0·8

  0

  0·0

  Salford

  106

  4

  3·8

  1

  0·9

  Sandwell

  132

  5

  3·8

  2

  1·5

  Sefton

  116

  1

  0·9

  0

  0·0

  Sheffield

  196

  25

  12·8

  21

  10·7

  Shropshire

  250

  12

  4·8

  12

  4·8

  Solihull

  83

  3

  3·6

  2

  2·4

  Somerset

  266

  8

  3·0

  5

  1·9

  South Tyneside

  69

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Southwark

  90

  10

  11·1

  10

  11·1

  St. Helens

  79

  2

  2·5

  1

  1·3

  Staffordshire

  497

  16

  3·2

  9

  1·8

  Stockport

  124

  2

  1·6

  0

  0·0

  Suffolk

  332

  1

  0·3

  0

  0·0

  Sunderland

  122

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  423

  39

  9·2

  36

  8·5

  Sutton

  57

  13

  22·8

  11

  19·3

  Tameside

  100

  6

  6·0

  3

  3·0

  Tower Hamlets

  89

  2

  2·2

  1

  1·1

  Trafford

  94

  6

  6·4

  4

  4·3

  Wakefield

  169

  2

  1·2

  2

  1·2

  Walsall

  125

  14

  11·2

  9

  7·2

  Waltham Forest

  77

  3

  3·9

  2

  2·6

  Wandsworth

  82

  13

  15·9

  10

  12·2

  Warwickshire

  281

  16

  5·7

  12

  4·3

  West Sussex

  287

  4

  1·4

  1

  0·3

  Westminster

  50

  1

  2·0

  0

  0·0

  Wigan

  146

  1

  0·7

  1

  0·7

  Wiltshire

  338

  45

  13·3

  34

  10·1

  Wirral

  127

  4

  3·1

  2

  1·6

  Wolverhampton

  121

  7

  5·8

  5

  4·1

  England

  22,533

  1,486

  6·6

  1,116

  5·0

  Primary schools

  LEA area

  Schools

  Total ballots

  Percentage

  "Yes" votes

  Percentage

  Avon

  369

  6

  1·6

  0

  0·0

  Barking

  55

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  89

  6

  6·7

  2

  2·2

  Barnsley

  96

  1

  1·0

  1

  1·0

  Bedforshire

  218

  3

  1·4

  3

  1·4

  Berkshire

  275

  10

  3·6

  7

  2·5

  Bexley

  65

  4

  6·2

  3

  4·6

  Birmingham

  334

  11

  3·3

  6

  1·8

  Bolton

  105

  1

  1·0

  1

  1·0

  Bradford

  165

  9

  5·5

  7

  4·2

  Brent

  64

  5

  7·8

  5

  7·8

  Bromley

  78

  7

  9·0

  6

  7·7

  Buckinghamshire

  290

  11

  3·8

  8

  2·8

  Bury

  71

  2

  2·8

  1

  1·4

  Calderdale

  91

  6

  6·6

  5

  5·5

  Cambridgeshire

  267

  9

  3·4

  7

  2·6

  Camden

  41

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Cheshire

  454

  9

  2·0

  6

  1·3

  Cleveland

  203

  1

  0·5

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  250

  1

  0·4

  1

  0·4

  Corporation of London

  1

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Coventry

  109

  1

  0·9

  0

  0·0

  Croydon

  98

  5

  5·1

  3

  3·1

  Cumbria

  306

  29

  9·5

  22

  7·2

  Derbyshire

  450

  16

  3·6

  9

  2·0

  490 491

  LEA area

  Schools

  Total ballots

  Percentage

  "Yes" votes

  Percentage

  Devon

  442

  10

  2·3

  2

  0·5

  Doncaster

  127

  5

  3·9

  4

  3·1

  Dorset

  200

  2

  1·0

  1

  0·5

  Dudley

  83

  1

  1·2

  1

  1·2

  Durham

  298

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Ealing

  87

  4

  4·6

  4

  4·6

  East Sussex

  219

  1

  0·5

  0

  0·0

  Enfield

  70

  4

  5·7

  1

  1·4

  Essex

  581

  79

  13·6

  73

  12·6

  Gateshead

  82

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Gloucestershire

  262

  21

  8·0

  18

  6·9

  Greenwich

  79

  1

  1·3

  1

  1·3

  Hackney

  63

  1

  1·6

  1

  1·6

  Hammersmith

  38

  1

  2·6

  1

  2·6

  Hampshire

  580

  21

  3·6

  18

  3·1

  Haringey

  77

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  54

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Havering

  74

  2

  2·7

  0

  0·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  288

  2

  0·7

  0

  0·0

  Hertfordshire

  432

  15

  3·5

  12

  2·8

  Hillingdon

  72

  11

  15·3

  11

  15·3

  Hounslow

  62

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Humberside

  354

  5

  1·4

  3

  0·8

  Isle of Wight

  46

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Isles of Scilly

  4

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Islington

  57

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  27

  2

  7·4

  2

  7·4

  Kent

  570

  27

  4·7

  25

  4·4

  Kingston upon Thames

  36

  1

  2·8

  1

  2·8

  Kirklees

  158

  3

  1·9

  0

  0·0

  Knowsley

  68

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Lambeth

  77

  8

  10·4

  8

  10·4

  Lancashire

  605

  7

  1·2

  4

  0·7

  Leeds

  249

  3

  1·2

  1

  0·4

  Leicestershire

  335

  2

  0·6

  0

  0·0

  Lewisham

  72

  1

  1·4

  1

  1·4

  Lincolnshire

  293

  32

  10·9

  28

  9·6

  Liverpool

  198

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Manchester

  174

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Merton

  49

  1

  2·0

  0

  0·0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  80

  1

  1·3

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  67

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Norfolk

  396

  21

  5·3

  17

  4·3

  North Tyneside

  61

  2

  3·3

  1

  1·6

  North Yorkshire

  392

  3

  0·8

  1

  0·3

  Northamptonshire

  271

  16

  5·9

  12

  4·4

  Northumberland

  143

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Nottinghamshire

  426

  1

  0·2

  0

  0·0

  Oldham

  104

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Oxfordshire

  240

  1

  0·4

  1

  0·4

  Redbridge

  56

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  39

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Rochdale

  76

  9

  11·8

  6

  7·9

  Rotherham

  115

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Salford

  88

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Sandwell

  112

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Sefton

  94

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Sheffield

  165

  17

  10·3

  15

  9·1

  Shropshire

  213

  5

  2·3

  5

  2·3

  Solihull

  70

  1

  1·4

  1

  1·4

  Somerset

  227

  5

  2·2

  3

  1·3

  South Tyneside

  58

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Southwark

  76

  5

  6·6

  5

  6·6

  St. Helens

  67

  1

  1·5

  1

  1·5

  Staffordshire

  412

  5

  1·2

  4

  1·0

  Stockport

  110

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Suffolk

  255

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Sunderland

  105

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  372

  23

  6·2

  21

  5·6

  Sutton

  43

  5

  11·6

  3

  7·0

  Tameside

  82

  1

  1·2

  0

  0·0

  Tower Hamlets

  74

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Trafford

  78

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Wakefield

  131

  2

  1·5

  2

  1·5

  Walsall

  104

  3

  2·9

  2

  1·9

  Waltham Forest

  61

  1

  1·6

  0

  0·0

  Wandsworth

  72

  5

  6·9

  3

  4·2

  Warwickshire

  244

  7

  2·9

  4

  1·6

  492 493

  LEA area

  Schools

  Total ballots

  Percentage

  "Yes" votes

  Percentage

  West Sussex

  246

  1

  0·4

  1

  0·4

  Westminster

  42

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Wigan

  125

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Wiltshire

  294

  21

  7·1

  18

  6·1

  Wirral

  106

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Wolverhampton

  101

  1

  1·0

  0

  0·0

  England

  18,879

  589

  3·1

  450

  2·4

  Secondary Schools

  LEA Area

  Schools

  Total Ballots

  Secondary Schools Per cent.

  "Yes" Votes

  Per cent.

  Avon

  60

  5

  8·3

  2

  3·3

  Barking

  8

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  21

  11

  52·4

  10

  47·6

  Barnsley

  15

  2

  13·3

  0

  0·0

  Bedfordshire

  71

  19

  26·8

  11

  15·5

  Berkshire

  59

  17

  28·8

  13

  22·0

  Bexley

  17

  6

  35·3

  5

  29·4

  Birmingham

  79

  24

  30·4

  17

  21·5

  Bolton

  16

  3

  18·8

  3

  18·8

  Bradford

  88

  9

  10·2

  6

  6·8

  Brent

  13

  14

  107·7

  12

  92·3

  Bromley

  17

  14

  82·4

  13

  76·5

  Buckinghamshire

  45

  11

  24·4

  10

  22·2

  Bury

  14

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Calderdale

  16

  11

  68·8

  8

  50·0

  Cambridgeshire

  43

  25

  58·1

  17

  39·5

  Camden

  11

  3

  27·3

  2

  18·2

  Cheshire

  68

  11

  16·2

  4

  5·9

  Cleveland

  44

  3

  6·8

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  31

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Corporation of London

  0

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Coventry

  19

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Croydon

  20

  11

  55·0

  9

  45·0

  Cumbria

  42

  15

  35·7

  15

  35·7

  Derbyshire

  61

  26

  42·6

  16

  26·2

  Devon

  64

  10

  15·6

  6

  9·4

  Doncaster

  34

  1

  2·9

  0

  0·0

  Dorset

  56

  16

  28·6

  14

  25·0

  Dudley

  22

  9

  40·9

  7

  31·8

  Durham

  43

  1

  2·3

  0

  0·0

  Ealing

  12

  8

  66·7

  6

  50·0

  East Sussex

  34

  2

  5·9

  0

  0·0

  Enfield

  17

  6

  35·3

  5

  29·4

  Essex

  105

  78

  74·3

  72

  68·6

  Gateshead

  13

  1

  7·7

  0

  0·0

  Gloucestershire

  43

  36

  83·7

  30

  69·8

  Greenwich

  15

  1

  6·7

  0

  0·0

  Hackney

  10

  1

  10·0

  0

  0·0

  Hammersmith

  10

  1

  10·0

  1

  10·0

  Hampshire

  94

  24

  25·5

  19

  20·2

  Haringey

  9

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  10

  2

  20·0

  1

  10·0

  Havering

  19

  7

  36·8

  4

  21·1

  Hereford and Worcester

  76

  8

  10·5

  5

  6·6

  Hertfordshire

  88

  32

  36·4

  27

  30·7

  Hillingdon

  15

  15

  100·0

  14

  93·3

  Hounslow

  14

  3

  21·4

  2

  14·3

  Humberside

  60

  4

  6·7

  0

  0·0

  Isle of Wight

  21

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Islington

  9

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  4

  1

  25·0

  1

  25·0

  Kent

  136

  75

  55·1

  71

  52·2

  Kingston upon Thames

  10

  4

  40·0

  4

  40·0

  Kirklees

  34

  5

  14·7

  3

  8·8

  Knowsley

  11

  3

  27·3

  1

  9·1

  Lambeth

  10

  5

  50·0

  5

  50·0

  Lancashire

  106

  17

  16·0

  9

  8·5

  Leeds

  46

  3

  6·5

  1

  2·2

  Leicestershire

  79

  10

  12·7

  5

  6·3

  Lewisham

  13

  2

  15·4

  0

  0·0

  Lincolnshire

  63

  31

  49·2

  30

  47·6

  Liverpool

  36

  8

  22·2

  4

  11·1

  Manchester

  28

  1

  3·6

  0

  0·0

  494 495

  Secondary Schools

  LEA Area

  Schools

  Total Ballots

  Secondary Schools Per cent.

  "Yes" Votes

  Per cent.

  Merton

  11

  3

  27·3

  1

  9·1

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  22

  1

  4·5

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  14

  1

  7·1

  1

  7·1

  Norfolk

  52

  16

  30·8

  12

  23·1

  North Tyneside

  26

  3

  11·5

  2

  7·7

  North Yorkshire

  59

  2

  3·4

  0

  0·0

  Northamptonshire

  64

  21

  32·8

  14

  21·9

  Northumberland

  61

  3

  4·9

  1

  1·6

  Nottinghamshire

  82

  10

  12·2

  4

  4·9

  Oldham

  15

  1

  6·7

  0

  0·0

  Oxfordshire

  4

  2

  4·5

  0

  0·0

  Redbridge

  15

  2

  13·3

  1

  6·7

  Richmond upon Thames

  8

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Rochdale

  14

  4

  28·6

  2

  14·3

  Rotherham

  18

  1

  5·6

  0

  0·0

  Salford

  18

  4

  22·2

  1

  5·6

  Sandwell

  20

  5

  25·0

  2

  10·0

  Sefton

  22

  1

  4·5

  0

  0·0

  Sheffield

  31

  8

  25·8

  6

  19·4

  Shropshire

  37

  7

  18·9

  7

  18·9

  Solihull

  13

  2

  15·4

  1

  7·7

  Somerset

  39

  3

  7·7

  2

  5·1

  South Tyneside

  11

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Southwark

  14

  5

  35·7

  5

  35·7

  St. Helens

  12

  1

  8·3

  0

  0·0

  Staffordshire

  85

  11

  12·9

  5

  5·9

  Stockport

  14

  2

  14·3

  0

  0·0

  Suffolk

  77

  1

  1·3

  0

  0·0

  Sunderland

  17

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  51

  16

  31·4

  15

  29·4

  Sutton

  14

  8

  57·1

  8

  57·1

  Tameside

  18

  5

  27·8

  3

  16·7

  Tower Hamlets

  15

  2

  13·3

  1

  6·7

  Trafford

  16

  6

  37·5

  4

  25·0

  Wakefield

  38

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Walsall

  21

  11

  52·4

  7

  33·3

  Waltham Forest

  16

  2

  12·5

  2

  12·5

  Wandsworth

  10

  8

  80·0

  7

  70·0

  Warwickshire

  37

  9

  24·3

  8

  21·6

  West Sussex

  41

  3

  7·3

  0

  0·0

  Westminster

  8

  1

  12·5

  0

  0·0

  Wigan

  21

  1

  4·8

  1

  4·8

  Wiltshire

  44

  24

  54·5

  16

  36·4

  Wirral

  21

  4

  19·0

  2

  9·5

  Wolverhampton

  20

  6

  30·0

  5

  25·0

  ENGLAND

  3,654

  897

  24·5

  666

  18·2

  Notes:

  1. Numbers of schools shown are of maintained primary and secondary schools, eligible for GM status, currently recorded in the DFE Index of Educational Establishment.

  2. The numbers of ballots are as 10th May 1994. They may change daily.

  3. A small number of schools have held more than one ballot.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children at each grant-maintained school in 1993 had a statement of special educational needs.

  Mr. Forth
  A table giving the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs in each of the 337 grant-maintained schools operating in January 1993 has been placed in the Library.

  Funding Agency for Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if the meetings of the Funding Agency for Schools and its committees and sub-committees will be open to members of the public; if the reports discussed by 496
  the agency and its committees and sub-committees will be available to members of the public; and if he will be represented at meetings of the board.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend wrote to the chairman of the Funding Agency for Schools, Sir Christopher Benson, on 11 April setting out a framework of accountability for the agency. In that letter he made it clear that it would be for the agency itself to develop a strategy for making itself publicly accountable. My right hon. Friend has chosen not to exercise his right to be represented at board meetings at the present time.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which grant-maintained schools, under section 93 of the Education Act 1993, have been transferred from one former maintaining local education authority to another for the purpose of the calculation and recovery of annual maintenance grant by the Funding Agency for
  497
  Schools; what were the local education authorities in each case; and what was the effect on the annual maintenance grant of each school concerned.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Only one operating grant-maintained school has been affected by section 93 of the Education Act 1993. All Hallows RC school, formerly maintained by Hampshire local education authority, is located within the boundaries of Surrey. The Funding Agency for Schools is currently considering the basis for the determination of the school's grant for 1994–95.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives he has taken on aid to Zimbabwe.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We will be providing £15 million of balance-of-payments assistance this financial year to support Zimbabwe's economic structural adjustment programme. In addition, we are launching a £9 million project to help strengthen Zimbabwe's health services and access to them for the poor.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution is being made or is planned by the Overseas Development Administration and the European Union to family planning work in Sierra Leone.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our bilateral contribution is approximately £0.217 million over four years via Marie Stopes International. We are also contributing £7 million in 1994–95 to the United Nations Population Fund worldwide. Its programme includes a $3.5 million programme for Sierra Leone. Our share of EC spending on family planning in Sierra Leone is approximately £80,000 over three years.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current British and European Union distribution to humanitarian work in Liberia; and what is being done to rehabilitate child soldiers.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since 1 January 1993, we have provided more than £1.6 million in bilateral humanitarian assistance. In the same period, European Community humanitarian assistance has totalled almost £7 million.

  The United Nations Children's Fund has done much towards rehabilitation of child soldiers: 133 counsellors have been trained in delivering war trauma counselling services to children; in addition, local community-based rehabilitation activities, integrated with the supply of water and sanitation and health care facilities have been established to assist demobilised child soldiers.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Attendants
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 5 May,Official Report, column 601, if he will make a statement explaining why the number of attendants has been reduced.

  Mr. Beith
  [holding answer 17 May 1994]Following a staff inspection of the attendant grades throughout the House in 1992 and a detailed review of attendants' posts in the Serjeant at Arms' Department in the first part of 1993, the House of Commons Commission agreed that the Department's staffing level of attendants should be reduced by three. This reduction was subsequently achieved by natural wastage. The current staffing levels are being kept under review by the Department and the staff inspector will be reviewing them formally at the end of this year.

DEFENCE

  Defence Accounts Agency
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he has undertaken over the proposal for market testing of the Defence Accounts Agency in Liverpool.

  Mr. Aitken
  Normal and wide-ranging consultation has taken place and regular meetings have been held with both local trade unions and staff. In addition, national trades unions, trade associations and the agency's "customers", among others, have been consulted.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he has undertaken concerning questions of national security in the proposal for market testing of the Defence Accounts Agency in Liverpool.

  Mr. Aitken
  All security considerations will be taken fully into account when reaching a decision on the proposal to market-test the Defence Accounts Agency, Liverpool.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision over market testing of the Defence Accounts Agency in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am currently evaluating the findings of the feasibility study into the possible market test of the Defence Accounts Agency, Liverpool. I am conscious of the need to end uncertainty and I will announce a decision as soon as I am in a position to do so.

  Directorate of Contracts
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs were incurred in moving the Directorate of Contracts from Liverpool and Harrogate to Huntingdon.

  Mr. Aitken
  Collocation of the related staff of the Directorate of Contracts at RAF Brampton and RAF Wyton will improve the efficiency with which the RAF's support management business is handled and follows a detailed investment appraisal. The Harrogate contracts
  499
  posts are due to transfer in 1995 and the majority of the Liverpool posts in the RAF's Support Management Group in 1996. The costs incurred in these moves can be assessed only when the number of staff moving is known.

  EU Security Links
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions in defence preparedness and defence expenditure will be made following the decision of the EU to establish closer security links with nine additional nations in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Hanley
  No such reductions are planned.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Hanley
  Based on figures available from the House of Commons POLIS system, of 1,304 written parliamentary questions answered by my Department between 1 November 1992 and 31 March 1993, full answers could not be given to 34 because of disproportionate cost or because information was not held centrally; and 29 were referred to an agency chief executive for answer.

  Low Flying
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Royal Air Force Tornadoes first carried out instrument low flying, using automatic terrain following radar, from Goose Bay, Labrador.

  Mr. Hanley
  In October 1983.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities were provided to UK-based United States air force F111 units to maintain an instrument low flying capability prior to the establishment of the highlands restricted area.

  Mr. Hanley
  Prior to the introduction of the highlands restricted area in 1981 there were no facilities for flying in instrument meteorological conditions within the United Kingdom low flying system.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects US air force F15E aircraft to commence using the highlands restricted area for instrument low flying training.

  Mr. Hanley
  United Kingdom-based USAF FI5E aircraft began using the highlands restricted area for instrument low flying training in January 1994.

  Canadian Forces Base, Goose Bay
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deployments of forward air control personnel have been made to Canadian forces base Goose Bay in each year since 1990; and what was the purpose of each deployment.
  500
  Mr. Hanley
  There have been no deployments of RAF forward air controllers to Goose Bay.

  Coulport Armaments Depot
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the nuclear accident exercise which took place at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot Coulport on 22 March.

  Mr. Hanley
  The purpose of the exercise was to test the procedures that would be employed in the unlikely event of an accident involving the reactor of a nuclear-powered submarine while berthed at RNAD Coulport. It was part of a programme of routine exercises held each year to test the effectiveness of the MOD's nuclear accident response organisation.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the United Kingdom Polar Medal Assessment Committee.

  Mr. Hanley [holding answer 28 January 1994]
  To ensure that the advice from members of honours committees is fair and impartial, and to avoid lobbying of members, it is Government practice not to publish details of the composition of committees responsible for the awards of honours. This particular committee is made up of a small group of scientists and academics associated with work in the Arctic and Antarctic.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the National Employer Liaison Committee.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]Members of the National Employers Liaison Committee for the Reserve Forces are as follows:

  Sir Alexander Graham, GBE (Chairman)

  Sir Michael Angus

  Professor J. S. Bridgeman

  Sir Dermot de Trafford, Bt

  Mr. A. J. Gooding, OBE

  Mr. F. C. Graves, OBE

  Mr. N. A. Johnson, OBE

  Mr. D. A. C. Lambert

  Mr. D. M. Middleton, CBE

  Mr. J. Miller, CBE

  Baroness O'Cathain, OBE

  Mr. P. D. Orchard-Lisle, CBE

  Mr. D. G. C. Webster

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the Defence Scientific Advisory Council and committees.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January]The members of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council are as follows:

  Professor G. G. Roberts (Chairman)

  Dr. D. S. Aldwinckle

  Dr. A. D. Appleton

  Professor A. Bailey

  Mr. D. R. Barron

  Professor A. C. Baynham

  Dr. A. R. Begg

  Dr. L. Bennett

  Mr. K. P. Blair

  Professor D. Bloor

  Professor R. K. Burcher

  Dr. D. Butler

  501

  Dr. I. L. Buxton

  Professor J. A. Carruthers

  Professor J. E. Castle

  Professor P. C. Chatwin

  Mr. G. M. Churchhouse

  Professor P. J. Clarricoats

  Professor R. Coats

  Professor E. C. Cocking

  Professor R. B. Cundall

  Mr. D. J. Daniels

  Professor K. E. Davies

  Dr. A. A. Denton

  Professor G. B. Donaldson

  Dr. D. Driver

  Professor H. A. Dudley

  Professor P. E. Dyer

  Professor C. S. Easmon

  Professor R. Eatock Taylor

  Professor B. G. Evans

  Professor J. Ferguson

  Dr. J. E. Field

  Mr. P. D. Forrest

  Professor J. H. Freer

  Professor G. S. French

  Professor D. Gardner

  Mr. P. N. Goddard

  Professor B. T. Golding

  Professor F. A. Goldsworthy

  Dr. J. E. Green

  Professor R. L. Grimsdale

  Professor K. B. Haley

  Mr. F. R. Harris

  Professor R. M. Harrison

  Professor P. J. Heggs

  Mr. J. R. Hennessy

  Professor C. Hilsum

  Mr. J. Hough

  Professor C. I. Howarth

  Dr. I. M. Hutchings

  Professor K. R. Jennings

  Professor D. J. Jeffries

  Dr. D. M. Jones

  Professor N. Jones

  Dr. A. J. Keane

  Dr. A. J. Kearsley

  Professor L. J. King

  Dr. R. H. King

  Professor J. F. Scott

  Professor M. H. Lader

  Dr. I. Levack

  Professor A. G. Lockett

  Professor J. B. Long

  Professor M. V. Lowson

  Mr. M. Meek

  Professor J. Melling

  Dr. J. F. Miles

  Mr. M. H. Mills

  Professor D. V. Morgan

  Dr. R. D. Mulligan

  Dr. P. O'Brien

  Dr. M. H. Ogle

  Professor R. M. Ogorkiewicz

  Professor T. F. Page

  Dr. D. J. Price

  Professor W. G. Price

  Dr. S. Primrose

  Professor B. Randell

  Dr. B. M. Richards

  Professor M. W. Roberts

  Mr. P. C. Ruffles

  Dr. S. J. Rushforth

  Dr. J. W. Scadding

  Professor N. Shadbolt

  Professor K. S. Sing

  Sir Joseph Smith

  Dr. L. L. Smith

  Mr. P. J. Stein

  Mr. T. Truman

  Mr. R. V. Turner

  Professor M. J. Underhill

  502

  Professor R. Voles

  Professor I. M. Ward

  Professor K. Warwick

  Professor R. G. White

  Dr. D. P. Wilkinson

  Mr. M. R. Williams

  Dr. N. Williams

  Professor S. Williamson

  Professor J. Yarwood

  There are 14 further members of the DSAC who have asked to remain anonymous as they are associated with sensitive areas of research. Those involved are all members of the scientific and academic community.

EMPLOYMENT

  Workfare
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation he has made of the options for introducing a workfare system for unemployed people aged between 18 and 24 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  "Workfare" is usually taken to mean large-scale, all-embracing compulsory work schemes. The Government do not believe that there can be a single approach to meeting the needs of unemployed people and therefore they reject "workfare" schemes. The more effective approach is to target the individual needs of particular groups and help them back into work. That is why the Government introduced in April two new pilot schemes designed to help 18 to 24-year-olds who have been unemployed for over a year to get back to work. The pilots are: Workwise, a four week personal development and jobsearch course; and 1–2–1, a series of individual advisory interviews. Both pilots are mandatory for people who have declined all other offers of help.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Nichlas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed in the United Kingdom film industry.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest reliable information is from the 1991 census of employment. In September 1991, there were 24,200 jobs in the United Kingdom in film production, distribution and exhibition—activity heading 9711 of the 1980 standard industrial classification.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (I) what steps he is taking to improve the training of technicians within the United Kingdom film industry;

  (2) how many trainees are currently undergoing apprenticeship courses related to the skills of technicians in the film industry; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what is his policy on the maintenance of the technical skills base for the British film industry;

  (4) what assistance is made available by Her Majesty's Government for training technicians for the film industry.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Oversight of training in the broadcast, film and video industry is the responsibility of Skillset, the recognised industry training organisation. In partnership with the Open university, Skillset has already developed nine national vocational qualifications at levels 2 to 4 covering camera, lighting and sound, and is working with the BBC, ITV and training and enterprise councils to implement them.
  503
  The results of a joint Employment Department and Skillset project on training needs in the industry will be announced at ITV Network in London on 19 May 1994. Officials will be working closely with Skillset on their implementation. We are already supporting an industry database of information on training courses.

  There are currently 60 trainees on a film and television scheme. I am also hoping that the film industry will shortly be developing, with Government support, a modern apprenticeship model scheme to include technician training for introduction in September 1995.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the undertakings sought from training and enterprise council secondees in(a) England and (b) Wales, in relation to the obligation to retire early, for those civil servants applying for his Department's voluntary early retirement scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 13 May 1994]There is no specific form of undertaking to place in the Library. Regional directors were instructed that training and enterprise council secondees would qualify for early retirement only if they intended to return to the Department at the end of their secondment. Secondees were required to confirm their intention in writing and our guidance required our regional offices to send a letter to the TEC telling it of the secondee's intention to return to the Department at the end of their secondment.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in each region were in receipt of unemployment benefit only(a) in total and (b) who had been unemployed for more than six months at the latest available date.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [pursuant to her reply, 12 April 1994, c. 57]I regret that my reply to the hon. Lady of 12 April was incorrect. The information requested is available for Great Britain, and is given in the following table. The figures relate to 11 November 1993.

  Number of Unemployed Claimants

  Receiving Unemployment Benefit only

  Receiving Unemployment Benefit only for more than 6 months (thousands)

  South East

  148

  56

  East Anglia

  17

  5

  South West

  37

  13

  West Midlands

  47

  19

  East Midlands

  33

  12

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  44

  13

  North West

  52

  17

  North

  34

  10

  Wales

  22

  6

  Scotland

  49

  14

  GREAT BRITAIN

  483

  165

  Sources: DSS Quarterly Analysis of Unemployment Claimants.

  DSS Half Yearly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants.

ENVIRONMENT

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been allocated to the east midlands in the first year of the new single regeneration budget; and how much was allocated to the same areas under the urban programme over each of the last five years.

  Sir George Young
  Planned expenditure in the east midlands through the single regeneration budget in 1994–95 is £68 million. Under the urban programme, the east midlands was allocated £11.4 million in 1989-90, £11.5 million in 1990–91, £11.7 million in 1991–92, £11.2 million in 1992–93 and £7.5 million in 1993–94.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to reduce harmful levels of air pollution.

  Mr. Atkins
  The quality of air in the United Kingdom is generally good and it is improving. Our recent discussion paper "Improving Air Quality" set out for consultation proposals for maintaining and extending this improvement.

  Greenhouse Gases
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the currently envisaged time scale for the stabilisation of emissions of greenhouse gases.

  Mr. Atkins
  Under the United Nations framework convention on climate change, the United Kingdom and other developed countries are committed to taking measures aimed at returning emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000. The adequacy of the convention's commitments is due to be reviewed by the conference of parties to the convention in 1995 and again by 1998.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of the local authority associations to discuss capping regulations.

  Mr. Curry
  The local government associations have made representations on capping on a number of occasions during the course of the annual cycle of consultations on the local government finance settlement.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of local authority revenue accounts is received from central Government grants; and what were the comparable figures for 1980–81 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Curry
  Comparable figures are not available at an England-only level for years prior to 1981–82.

  The available information is as follows:
  505

  England

  1Revenue Expenditure £ million

  2Government Grants £ million

  Government Grants as percentage of Revenue Expenditure

  1981–82

  20,106

  11,234

  56

  1986–87

  26,630

  13,402

  50

  31993–94

  42,654

  23,582

  55

  1In 1981–82 and 1986–87 local authority expenditure is taken to be "relevant expenditure" plus expenditure on certain non-relevant items such as net expenditure on mandatory student awards. It represents spending to be financed by rate support grant, relevant specific grant, rates and balances. This measure of expenditure is net of sales, fees and charges, interest receipts etc. For 1993–94 local authority expenditure is "revenue expenditure to compare to TSS" which is expenditure to be met from revenue support grant, specific and special grants inside Aggregate External Finance, Non-Domestic Rates, council tax and appropriations from reserves.

  2In 1981–82 and 1986–87 Government Grants comprise Aggregate Exchequer Grant and Rate Rebate Grants. In 1993–94 Government Grants included Revenue Support Grant, Specific and Special Grants in Aggregate External Finance, Council Tax Benefit Grant and Council Tax Transitional Relief Scheme Grant.

  3Budget data.

  Local Government Contracts
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils he has instructed to re-tender for contracts in the last three years.

  Mr. Baldry
  Twelve councils have been required to re-tender 14 contracts since January 1991.

  M25
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the development of motorway service areas on green-belt land adjoining the M25 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Approval should not be given for a motorway service area within a green belt except in very special circumstances.

  Deregulation
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the deregulation programme.

  Mr. Curry
  My Department is taking substantial deregulation action to reduce unnecessary controls on business while maintaining environmental standards and public safety. We have identified several repeals and simplifications, two of which are included on the face of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill and others which are suitable for the general power if enacted. We have also indentified several changes in secondary legislation. We are also taking administrative action aimed at clarification and simplification of bureaucracy, particularly in integrated pollution control and waste management.

  Mineral Planning Guidance
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the new opencast guidelines, MPG3, will be published.
  506
  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Morley and Leeds, South (Mr. Gunnell) earlier today.

  Beaches
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the cleanness of beaches.

  Mr. Atkins
  Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are under a duty to keep amenity beaches, down to high water mark, clear of litter and refuse. The Tidy Britain Group has surveyed the amenities and cleanliness of all British resort beaches and will shortly publish a league table to highlight which are the best and which are the worst.

  Tower Hamlets Council
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has instituted into the way in which Tower Hamlets council is run.

  Mr. Curry
  None. Its internal management arrangements are a matter for the local authority working within the statutory framework.

  Homelessness
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring forward proposals to change the current homelessness legislation.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring forward proposals to change the current legislation regarding local authority obligations in respect of housing the homeless.

  Sir George Young
  I hope to announce the Government's conclusions before the summer recess.

  Radiation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has to reduce the public's exposure to radiation.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is already the Government's policy that exposure of the public to radiation from man-made sources should be as low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to establish the United Kingdom Environment Agency.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government are committed to establishing an Environment Agency for England and Wales and a Scottish Environment Protection Agency as soon as possible. Paving provisions were announced in the Queen's Speech and we will introduce a Bill shortly.

  Construction Industry
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific steps he is taking to lift burdens of over-regulation from the United Kingdom construction industry.
  507
  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are taking substantial deregulation action to reduce unnecessary controls on the construction industry in the United Kingdom. We have identified several repeals and simplifications, such as the proposed changes to building regulations and waste regulations, which are included in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill. We are also responding positively to the recommendations on construction set out in "Deregulation Task Forces—Proposals for Reform".

  Subsidiarity
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to apply the principle of subsidiarity to local government.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government have consistently made clear their commitment to the principle of subsidiarity, both between central and local government and beyond; subsidiarity does not stop at the local authority but continues to whatever level is most consistent with competence, practicality and cost-effectiveness.

  River Doe Lea
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to ensure that the River Doe Lea is cleaned up.

  Mr. Atkins
  The National Rivers Authority is responsible for ensuring that river quality is protected and for dealing with water pollution problems.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to monitor the effects of water privatisation.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since their privatisation in 1989, the monitoring of water and sewerage companies in England and Wales has been the responsibility of the Director General of Water Services, who has a duty to ensure that the companies can finance and carry out their statutory water supply and sewerage functions. He is also responsible for the protection of customers' interests, ensuring that services are provided economically and efficiently, and facilitating competition. The director general publishes an annual report which is presented to Parliament.

  Local Authority Services
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to improve the quality of local authority services.

  Mr. Curry
  As part of the citizens charter initiative, local authorities are required, starting this year, to publish details of their performance against a wide range of performance indicators. For the first time, citizens will be able to make effective judgments about the quality of services provided by their local council compared to other local authorities of a similar background, and over successive years. Many local authority services are also subject to compulsory competitive tendering. This has led to better services at lower costs, and CCT is now being extended to a wide range of further services, including housing management, legal, finance, IT, personnel, architectural, engineering and property management services.

  Local Authority Capital Receipts
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the total accumulated local authority housing capital receipt from the sale of council housing in England at 31 March, by local authority and by Department of the Environment region;

  (2) what is the projected total accumulated local authority housing capital receipts at 31 March 1995, by local authority and by Department of the Environment region.

  Sir George Young
  The total discounted values of all council dwellings sold between April 1980 and December 1993, as reported by each local authority in England, are in the table. The information shown includes reported data on receipts from large-scale voluntary transfers. No estimates have been made for those periods where data have not been supplied by a local authority or were incomplete. Actual cash receipts for the period will depend on the extent to which sales had been financed by loans from the authorities. Data are not yet available for the period January to March 1994.

  No estimates are available by local authority or by Department of Environment regions of projected capital receipts during the calendar year 1994 or the financial year 1994–95.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 May,Official Report, column 443, what guidelines his Department issues in relation to quality and technical competence when contracts are being considered by Government Departments for work which was formerly undertaken by the Property Services Agency.

  Sir George Young
  The DOE issues a range of relevant guidance, dealing with the contracting process, standard forms of contract, managing building works, client requirements for Government office buildings, the special needs of historic buildings, and how fire standards and precautions should be approached. When selecting contractors and consultants for particular works projects, Departments have access to computerised DOE pre-qualification systems that assess the technical and financial standing of contractors and consultants seeking Government work. The Treasury's central unit on procurement has also issued guidance on particular aspects of works procurement, including quality assurance and the selection of works contractors.

  Housing Subsidy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have a negative housing subsidy entitlement.

  Sir George Young
  We have not yet received all the first claims from local authorities for the current financial year. However, from the claims received up to now—excluding the 30 authorities which have conducted large-scale voluntary transfers of their stock, the following authorities have indicated that they will have an overall —negative entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy in 1994–95:

  Crawley

  Dacorum

  509

  Daventry

  Forest Heath

  Isles of Scilly

  Mid Bedfordshire

  North Dorset

  Runnymede

  South Northamptonshire

  St. Edmundsbury

  Stratford-on-Avon

  Tandridge

  Wansdyke

  West Oxfordshire

  All claims are subject to revision and to external audit validation.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have a negative housing entitlement for housing revenue account subsidy purposes in the latest financial year; and what is the cash value of this negative entitlement.

  Sir George Young
  We have not yet received all the first claims from local authorities for the current financial year. However, from the claims received up to now—excluding the 30 authorities which have conducted large-scale voluntary transfers of their stock—290 authorities have indicated that they will have a negative entitlement on the housing element of their housing revenue account subsidy. In total this amounts to £889,671,987. All the claims are subject to revision and to external audit validation.

  As soon as I have complete list of the authorities and the sums involved I will write to the hon. Member with the details.

  Local Government Staff
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people served on(a) rural, (b) urban, (c) borough and (d) metropolitan county boroughs and county councils in 1964; and how many currently serve on (i) district, (ii) London borough, (iii) county and (iv) other councils.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1964 the numbers of councillors in England and Wales were:

  1Numbers

  Rural districts

  14,633

  Urban districts

  9,368

  County boroughs

  5,056

  Metropolitan boroughs

  1,738

  Municipal boroughs

  8,445

  Counties

  5,346

  Parish councils (England only)

  57,000

  1 Separate figures for England and Wales are not available.

  In 1994 the numbers of councillors in England are:

  Numbers

  District councils

  13,459

  London boroughs

  1,914

  County councils

  2,998

  Metropolitan districts

  2,481

  Parish councils

  71,600

  In 1994 the numbers of councillors in Wales are:

  Numbers

  County councils

  502

  District councils

  1,475

  510
  Figures are not available for councillors serving on community and town councils in Wales.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of(a) housing association tenants on assured lettings and (b) secure housing association tenants were in receipt of (i) full housing benefit and (ii) partial housing benefit on 31 March 1993, and at any subsequent date for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  An estimated 60 per cent. of housing association tenants on assured lettings and also 60 per cent. of secure housing association tenants were receiving housing benefit in 1993. A breakdown between full and partial benefit is not currently available.

  The proportions are provisional estimates from the "Survey of English Housing" for the period April to December 1993.

  Rent Assessment Panels
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of administering rent assessment panels in the last year for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  The provisional figure for cost of the rent assessment panels in England for 1993–94 was £5,446,000.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of council houses sold to tenants of Harrogate borough council.

  Sir George Young
  Harrogate borough council has reported the sale of 2,300 dwellings to sitting tenants between April 1980 and December 1993. Information is not available on the number of these sales before 1980–81.

  Living-over-the-shop Initiative
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority(a) the address, (b) the date of approval by his Department's officials, (c) the overall scheme cost, (d) the date of withdrawal, (e) the level of subsidy, (f) the date of completion and (g) the letting date of each completed property for which a supplementary credit approval has been agreed under the LOTS—living-over-the-shop— initiative since its inception.

  Sir George Young
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December 1993,Official Report, column 1097. Details of the allocation of 1993–94 flats-over-the-shops supplementary credit approvals will not be available until the final claims have been received from local authorities. They have six months after the end of the financial year in which to submit claims.

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been spent in the United Kingdom on setting up and running the
  511
  Eco-Labelling Board; how many products have received an eco-label; and how many items of each labelled product have so far been sold.

  Mr. Atkins
  Total expenditure, to date, in setting up and running the United Kingdom Eco-labelling Board amounts to £1.7 million. This expenditure covers the costs of setting up the board, promoting the scheme nationally, assisting the European Commission in developing ecological criteria and processing applications from United Kingdom manufacturers.

  To date, the eco-label has been awarded to seven models of washing machine in Hoover's "New Wave" range. We do not have any information on the number of eco-labelled products sold.

  Waste Water Treatment Directive
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to identify sensitive areas as required by the urban waste water treatment directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following discussions with appropriate bodies, the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today placed in the Library of the House, a map of the 33 areas in England and Wales that we have identified, on advice from the National Rivers Authority, as sensitive areas on the basis of the eutrophic status—SAs(E). We have also placed in the Library a list of these areas along with the sewage treatment works at which the installation of phosphorus removal plants will be required in SAs(E) by the end of 1998 in accordance with the directive. These decisions will make a significant contribution to safeguarding our fresh waters.

  We have accepted the NRA's advice that further monitoring is needed in the case of at least 20 other sites to establish whether they meet the criteria for identification as SAs(E). We have also concluded that current data do not support the case for the identification of nine other candidate SAs(E) proposed by the NRA, and that, before reaching a decision in these cases, further monitoring should be carried out. These cases, along with the 20 areas recommended by the NRA, will be reviewed within the four-year period prescribed by the directive. A list of these areas has also been placed in the Library of the House.

  The map and lists will also be available for inspection at NRA headquarters and their main regional offices.

  Mr. Richard Tracey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to identify high natural dispersion areas, less sensitive areas, as required by the urban waste water treatment directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following discussions with appropriate bodies, the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today placed in the Library of the House a map showing those areas in England and Wales which we have identified as high natural dispersion areas. The map shows all 58 areas around the English and Welsh coastline which the National Rivers Authority has advised meet the criteria in the directive. On the basis of available information, the NRA believes that the provision of primary treatment for the named discharges into these areas will be sufficient and that no further environment benefit will accrue from the provision of additional levels of treatment. We have accepted this advice.
  512
  Comprehensive studies will now be carried out at each location. The NRA must be satisified, before they issue a discharge consent, that the study demonstrates that the proposed discharge of primary treatment effluent will not adversely affect the environment.

  The NRA is also preparing maps defining the outer boundaries of estuaries as required by the directive. In all cases except for the Humber, the Severn and Swansea bay the boundaries are the same as those used by the NRA for other purposes.

  Our decisions will ensure that sewage discharges are properly treated; that the quality of our coastal waters and estuaries will continue to improve, and that costs to water charge payers are kept within acceptable limits.

  The map will be available for inspection at NRA headquarters and their main regional offices.

  Waste Deposits, London
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records are kept, and by whom, concerning toxic or other chemical waste deposits on former industrial sites in the Greater London area.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not held centrally. It is for the owner of any site to decide what records to hold in order to meet its needs or legal obligations. It is for public authorities—including, in particular, the London waste regulation authority, London borough councils and the Common Council of the City of London—to decide what records to hold in connection with the exercise of their pollution control or planning powers, which could impinge on the type of site described.

  Energy Conservation Bill
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many amendments and new clauses tabled at report stage of the Energy Conservation Bill were drafted by parliamentary counsel.

  Mr. Atkins
  Seven new clauses and 216 amendments tabled at Report stage of the Energy Conservation Bill were drafted by Parliamentary Counsel.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hours of civil servants' time, and at what cost, was spent in drafting amendments and new clauses to the Energy Conservation Bill.

  Mr. Atkins
  This information is not available. Civil servants carried out work on the Bill in the course of their normal business and no records are kept of the time spent on individual tasks.

  Housing Management
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of whether authorities which will be restructured following the local government review will have sufficient time to implement the compulsory competitive tendering of housing management.

  Sir George Young
  I am keen that local authorities in the shires should press ahead with their preparations for housing management CCT without delay. Where they can, authorities should let contracts before reorganisation. Where they cannot, their preparatory work will not be wasted but will stand restructured authorities and their tenants in good stead.
  513
  However, as I said in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 15 December 1993, Official Report, columns 733–34, I recognise that restructured authorities will need some extra time to complete the competition process. In my answer, I confirmed the arrangement whereby such authorities will benefit from an exemption of 18 months following reorganisation to complete the first round of competitive tendering. This should give most authorities sufficient time, having regard to the time that their predecessors will have had to prepare.

  Some restructured authorities may, nevertheless, have difficulty in completing the process in the 18-month period. I have therefore decided to extend the exemption to 24 months in certain limited circumstances. The authorities which will benefit from this extension will be those which inherit more than 1,000 dwellings from an outgoing authority which is below the proposed de minimis threshold—and does not, therefore, have to prepare for housing management CCT—and those with a total housing stock of more than 15,000 dwellings. This extension will be granted automatically to restructured authorities meeting one or both of those criteria.

  Nitrates
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the designation of nitrate-vulnerable zones under the EC nitrate directive.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales and I issued today a consultation document giving details of the areas in England and Wales which it is proposed to designate as vulnerable zones under the terms of the EC nitrate directive. Following proposals from the National Rivers Authority, 72 zones, with a total area of about 650,000 hectares, have been identified in accordance with criteria laid down in the directive.

  The designation that we are proposing represent the latest stage in a broad package of measures that the Government are taking to control nitrate pollution from agriculture. Four years ago, we established 10 nitrate sensitive areas and we expect to open a further 22 such areas to applicants very shortly. At the national level we have already anticipated the requirement in the nitrate directive to publish and promote a code of good agricultural practice to help farmers reduce nitrate pollution in water. The Government also maintain a substantial programme of nitrate research and development which helps to provide the basis for a comprehensive range of advice to farmers on sensible nitrate practice through such publications as the Ministry of Agriculture's fertiliser recommendations. A fully revised and updated edition of this publication will be available next week.

  The designations that we are proposing today reflect the fact that the problem of nitrate pollution in England and Wales is largely confined to a number of discrete areas. In due course the directive requires us to introduce measures in these areas to control certain agricultural activities with the aim of reducing nitrate pollution. Considerable care has been taken to ensure that the zones are as precise as possible, thereby ensuring the measures will be effectively targeted and produce the desired environmental benefit. The consultation document provides a preliminary indication of the type of measures that might be introduced in the zones.
  514
  The measures must be established by December 1995 and come into effect at a date to be decided between then and the end of 1999. The resulting reductions in nitrate leaching in vulnerable zones will add to reductions already taking place because of recent changes in agriculture and voluntary application of the code of good agricultural practice for the protection of water issued by MAFF and Welsh Office Agriculture Department.

  I am placing copies of the consultation document in the Library.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what criteria it is determined whether a property occupied by a disabled person should receive a one-band reduction for the purposes of assessing council tax payments.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 16 May 1994]Disabled persons may be entitled to a one-band reduction in council tax if they need extra rooms or more space as a result of their special needs. Reductions apply to dwellings where any one of the following special features is present; an additional kitchen or bathroom, or special room required because of a resident's disability, or extra floorspace where a wheelchair is required to be used indoors. Reductions are determined in accordance with The Council Tax (Reductions for Disabilities) Regulations 1992, SI 1992/554.

  Benzene
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding levels of benzene in vehicle exhaust emissions.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received several representations, from hon. Members and others, about the benzene content of petrol and levels in vehicle emissions.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of changes to the community charge register in England and Wales in the latest available year; and what was the estimate of the level of under-registration for the community charge.

  Mr. Curry
  This information is not available centrally. However, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy has published an estimated percentage turnover on the community charge register in England and Wales for 1992–93 in the results of its "Revenue Collection Statistics 1992/93 Actuals" survey published in January 1994. From a response of 305 out of 403 local authorities in England and Wales, CIPFA gives an estimated percentage turnover on the community charge register for England and Wales of 34 per cent. This represents the total number of additions to, plus deletions from, the register in the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993, expressed as a percentage of the number on the register at 1 April 1992.

HEALTH

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 541, regarding trusts failing to meet their capital return targets, by what percentage and sum each such trust failed to meet its three financial targets.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested for the years 1991–92 and 1992–93 will be placed in the Library. Information for 1993–94 will not be available until the annual accounts of trusts for that year have been audited.

  Cosmetic Surgery
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgeons have been struck off the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons register in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications are required for a person to carry out a liposuction operation.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not illegal for an unqualified person to perform cosmetic surgery procedures as such, as long as that person does not falsely claim to be a doctor or carry out any procedures without the patient's permission.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints her Department has received related to liposuction surgery in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  In the year ending 30 April 1994 there have been three complaints; in the four preceding years there were none.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received alleging negligence during liposuction surgery.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Complaints of medical negligence are a matter for the General Medical Council.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to regulate the advertising of cosmetic treatment by private cosmetic surgeons.

  Mr. Sackville
  Restrictions on advertisements are already in force and regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority and the Office of Fair Trading.

  HIV/AIDS
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in NHS funding in respect of the voluntary sector, with particular reference to groups assisting those with HIV/AIDS;

  (2) what asssessment she has made of the effect of changes in local authority funding on voluntary groups assisting those with HIV/AIDS.

  Mr. Sackville
  National health service funding for HIV and AIDS increased from £214 million in 1993–94 to £225 516
  million in 1994–95, and local authority funding from £14.9 million to £15.4 million. Changes in allocating these funds came into effect only from 1 April. It is too soon to assess any effect that this may have on the voluntary sector.

  Health Education Authority Publications
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Health Education Authority titles have been withdrawn from circulation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Health Education Authority has withdrawn "Your Pocket Guide to Sex" in the light of ministerial advice.

  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made by her Department of the provision of services for people suffering obsessive compulsive disorder; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  It is for each district health authority to decide what range and type of services to provide based on their assessment of local needs. This will include services for people suffering from obsessive compulsive disorders.

  Immigration Control
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for increased medical checks or medical screening on people subject to immigration control and travellers entering United Kingdom airports and ports for the detection of tuberculosis, cholera and typhoid; who will be subject to these measures; on what basis people will be chosen; what diseases or conditions will be checked; under what authority these checks will be made; what will be the outcome for persons found to be suffering from any of the prescribed conditions or diseases; what changes there will be in statutory instruments and immigration rules; and what co-operation there has been with the Home Office on the immigration implications of increased screening and checks.

  Mr. Sackville
  Current policy is that new immigrants from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis entering the United Kingdom for six months or more are screened for tuberculosis. The aim of this policy is not only to identify those with active disease so that they can be referred for further investigation and treatment, but to be able to offer the protection of BCG immunisation where appropriate. The Department, in consultation with the Home Department and within the remit of the inter-departmental working group on tuberculosis, is reviewing the procedures in order that the policy may be more effectively implemented.

  The Department has no plans to screen travellers or new immigrants to the United Kingdom for cholera or typhoid.

  Breast-feeding
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the amount spent on promoting breast feeding; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health continues to support breast-feeding as the best way of feeding a baby. Spending on the promotion of breast-feeding, including grant aid to voluntary organisations, publicity, surveillance and research, reached £118,000 in 1993–94 and is expected to increase to £125,000 in 1994–95.

  Hospitals, London
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of, and how many, patients treated in London teaching hospitals had their main place of residence outside Greater London in the last year for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is not available in the precise form requested.

  Caesarean Births
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year for the last 10 years the number of Caesarean births.

  Mr. Sackville
  The estimated figures for England for the years 1982 to 1985 and 1988–89 to 1991–92 are shown in the table. These figures relate to deliveries in hospitals and not to the number of babies born.

  Data are unavailable for the years 1986 to 1987–88 because of changes to the data collection system.

  Year

  Estimated Number of Deliveries

  Estimated Number of Caesarian Section

  Percentage by Caesarian Section

  1982

  574,620

  58,110

  110.1

  1983

  578,300

  58,370

  110.1

  1984

  586,110

  59,140

  110.1

  1985

  605,120

  63,270

  110.5

  1988–89

  642,000

  64,000

  210.0

  1989–90

  643,000

  77,000

  212.0

  1990–91

  659,000

  86,000

  213.0

  1991–92

  649,000

  84,000

  213.0

  Source:

  1 Hospital in-Patient Enquiry.

  2 Hospital Episode Statistics (These estimates are based upon incomplete data, and are rounded to the nearest 1,000).

  Newly Qualified General Nurses
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses completed their registered general nurse qualification in 1993; and how many of them are now employed by the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of admissions from England to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting register for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 is shown in the table. The total figure represents an increase of 3 per cent. on the previous year.

  Number

  Part 1—First level nurses trained in general nursing

  15,042

  Part 12—First level nurses trained in adult nursing (Project 2000)

  635

  TOTAL

  15,677

  Information relating to nurses qualifying in particular years and employed by the national health service is not available centrally.

  Wandsworth Health Authority Chairman
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the yearly salary of the chairman of Wandsworth health authority.
  518
  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is £19,285.

  Junior Doctors
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of measures taken to reduce hours worked by junior hospital doctors in each year since 1991–92.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Annual figures, since 1991–92, for the central funds spent on measures to reduce junior doctors' hours of work are shown in the table. Action taken includes creating 750 extra senior doctor posts and other local projects to reduce hours and improve living conditions.

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  6,202,000

  1992–93

  24,466,000

  1993–94

  37,048,000

  1994–95

  50,015,000

  TOTAL

  117,731,000

  Note: Figures at cash for each year.

  In addition, authorities and trusts will have devoted their own funds to local measures to reduce hours. Information on the level of such local funding is not available centrally.

  In Vitro Fertilisation
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many health authorities purchase IVF treatment;

  (2) what plans she has to ensure that those health authorities which are currently not purchasing IVF treatment are able to offer the same service to patients as those health authorities which have decided to purchase IVF treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the number of health authorities that provide IVF treatment is not available centrally.

  The national health service provides a wide range of treatments for sub-fertility. Decisions about the resources to be made available for these services must be left to individual health authorities as they are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances. Advice is available to health authorities and clinicians in two publications drawn to the attention of the national health service in 1992:

  (a) The Effective Health Care Bulletin on management of subfertility, published for the NHS Management Executive by a consortium of Leeds and York Universities and the Research Unit of the Royal College of Physicians.

  (b) The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publication "Infertility—Guidelines for Practice".

  Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Stomach Ulcers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated for stomach ulcers in each of the last three years; and what percentage of these patients were treated with maintenance therapy.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information shown in the table relates to finished consultant episodes where the primary diagnosis was for gastric ulcer. Details of medication given to individuals are not available centrally.
  519

  Year

  Number

  1989–90

  24,717

  1990–91

  23,469

  11991–92

  24,075

  1 Preliminary estimate.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research her Department has undertaken into the cause of stomach ulcers and the link with the bacteria helicobacter pylori;

  (2) what research her Department has undertaken into the use of triple therapy through the use of antibiotics as a means of treating stomach ulcers.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health has not undertaken any research on either topic.

  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to do on its own expert judgment. The council is always willing to consider for support soundly based new scientific proposals in competition with other applications.

  In 1992–93 the MRC spent £1.44 million on research into the gastro-intestinal tract, and a further £9 million on research which may have some relevance to the gastro-intestinal tract.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the NHS drugs bill is accounted for by the prescribing of Tagamet and Zantac; and how much the NHS spends on these drugs per year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information cannot be published in the form requested because of commercial confidentiality.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April,Official Report, column 396, what areas have been selected for internal charging; what system of charging is proposed; and how the transaction costs of internal charging will be allocated.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's internal management consultancy unit's services were fully internally charged from 1 April 1993 and the unit competes with commercial management consultancy firms. In addition, for a number of services now contracted out, such as printing and travel, expenditure is charged out within the Department to the point of consumption. For services being market-tested, and any provided to other Government Departments or

  Total is £

  Average real value of benefit at April 1993 prices over the period £

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1993 prices at date of uprating £

  As a percentage of all adults average earnings %

  April 1988

  79.10

  102.19

  104.26

  36.2

  April 1989

  84.80

  103.86

  106.12

  35.4

  April 1990

  89.65

  102.39

  105.51

  34.1

  April 1991

  96.90

  103.86

  105.10

  34.0

  520
  executive agencies under service level agreements, a system of overhead allocation has been developed. The Department is considering further developments in internal charging in areas where this makes management sense, and where the benefits of introduction clearly outweigh the costs of implementing and maintaining the internal charging systems.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April,Official Report, column 396, what was the outcome of the market-testing programme for 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's 1993–1994 market-testing programme runs from October 1993 to September 1994 and was published in the citizens charter second report 1994, copies of which are available in the Library. To date the following market tests have been completed:Reprographic service on the London estate—contract awarded to Libra Business Services.
  Building management in certain Department of Health buildings—contract awarded to Procord Facilities Management.
  Survey of infant feeding practices—contract awarded to Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) of 18 April,Official Report, column 396, what areas the market-testing programme for 1994–95 will cover; and what are the personnel consequences.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department will shortly be agreeing its 1994–1995 programme with the efficiency unit of the Cabinet Office.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures similar to those in his answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) of 25 January,Official Report, column 186, on unemployment benefit, showing the value of income support for a couple with two children under the age of 11 years giving figures for April and using estimates for April prices.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table. It shows that, since 1988, the level of income support as a proportion of full-time adult earnings has fallen but that its value in real terms has risen. In the period covered by the table, average earnings have risen faster than prices. Similar information on supplementary benefit is not readily available.
  521

  Total is £

  Average real value of benefit at April 1993 prices over the period £

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1993 prices at date of uprating £

  As a percentage of all adults average earnings %

  October 1991

  98.15

  102.98

  103.62

  33.4

  April 1992

  105.00

  107.47

  108.13

  34.5

  April 1993

  108.75

  107.99

  108.75

  34.3

  Notes:

  1. Source: Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and the Indices of Retail Prices and Average Earnings; Social Security Statistics.

  2. Earnings are derived from the Employment Departments New Earnings Survey estimates of all adult, full time, earnings.

  3. Real value comparisons have been made using the Retail Prices Index of all items excluding certain housing costs (ROSSI).

  4. Income Support was introduced in April 1988. Estimates for entitlement to Supplementary Benefit (which was replaced by Income Support) are difficult as assessment varied with personal circumstance. For example, in addition to the ages of any children, household status, accommodation type, health and other factors were all relevant.

  Benefit Statistics
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates of the average numbers receiving benefits at any one time on the same

  Figures are shown in thousands (000s)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Retirement pension

  10,094

  10,056

  10,073

  10,122

  Widows benefit

  335

  331

  328

  324

  Unemployment benefit

  620

  625

  623

  558

  Sickness benefit

  142

  142

  142

  142

  Invalidity benefit

  1,536

  1,702

  1,691

  1,578

  Maternity allowance

  11

  11

  11

  11

  Non contributory retirement pension

  28

  28

  28

  28

  War pension

  304

  281

  281

  281

  Attendance allowance

  1,244

  1,371

  1,493

  1,618

  Invalid care allowance

  227

  262

  294

  324

  Severe disability allowance

  311

  318

  326

  333

  Disability living allowance

  1,401

  1,606

  1,772

  1,954

  Disability working allowance

  5

  9

  12

  14

  Industrial injuries disability benefit

  204

  204

  204

  204

  Reduced earnings allowance

  157

  157

  157

  157

  Other industrial injuries scheme

  2

  2

  2

  1

  Industrial death benefit

  23

  22

  21

  20

  Income support

  5,426

  5,605

  5,777

  5,982

  Child benefit—Number of children

  12,718

  12,930

  13,139

  13,336

  Child benefit—Number of families

  6,948

  7,048

  7,146

  7,237

  One parent benefit

  903

  950

  999

  1,047

  Family credit

  410

  448

  491

  521

  Housing benefit—rent allowance

  1,439

  1,432

  1,483

  1,536

  Housing benefit—rent rebate

  3,117

  3,186

  3,230

  3,279

  Council tax benefit/Community charge benefit

  5,252

  5,365

  5,455

  5,519

  Note:

  The forecasts are based on economic and unemployment assumptions published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95.

  Housing Benefit cases.
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the estimated costs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 of increasing disregarded earnings for housing benefit purposes for single people to £10 per week and for couples to £25 per week; and how many claimants would benefit from such a change.

  Mr. Hague
  The cost in 1994–95 is estimated to be £120 million and would benefit some 370,000 claimants. There is insufficient information to calculate figures for 1995–96.

  Source:

  The reply is based on the Family Expenditure Survey data from
  522
  basis as table 6 of the Social Security departmental report giving figures for (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1996–97.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  1989, 1990 and 1991, uprated to 1994–95 prices and caseloads. Figures are rounded down to the nearest £10 million and 10,000 cases.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the estimated costs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 of reducing the housing benefit taper to 50 per cent.; and how many claimants would benefit from such a change.

  Mr. Hague
  The estimated cost in 1994–95 is £730 million and it is estimated that 1,955,000 housing benefit recipients would benefit from such a change. Figures for 1995–96 are not available.

  Source:

  Estimate uses data drawn from the 1989-90–91 Family Expenditure Surveys and modelled at 1994–95 prices and benefit levels. Costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million and numbers of claimants rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he or Ministers in his Department or their parliamentary private secretaries had with the hon. Members who tabled amendments for consideration at the Report stage of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill prior to and following the tabling of those amendments.

  Mr. Lilley
  My ministerial colleagues and I meet hon. Members from time to time on matters relating to our departmental responsibilities.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 212–13, on what date the Minister for Disabled People authorised his Department to instruct Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of the amendments tabled to the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill by five hon. Members on 3 May.

  Mr. Scott
  On 20 April 1994, I authorised my officials to instruct Parliamentary Counsel to draft amendments.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents whose cases were taken on by the Child Support Agency during 1993–94 were on income support; of these how many were(a) exempt from the £2.20 deductions made from income support in lieu of child maintenance, (b) subject to the £2.20 deductions; and how many of the maintenance assessments calculated using the child support formula issued by the end of March were (i) nil assessments, other than those for absent parents on income support and (ii) minimum assessment of £2.20 a week, as opposed to deductions from income support.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about benefit deductions.
  Not all of the information you have requested is available. To the end of March 1994, 40,446 assessments involved cases where the absent parent was in receipt of income support.
  I understand that for the quarter ending 28 February 1994, the Benefits Agency had made deductions from income support in 16,413 cases.
  In addition to those cases involving an absent parent on income support, a further 6,981 assessments resulted in the absent parent being assessed as unable to pay more than the minimum contribution which is now £2.30.
  I am sorry that this reply is not more helpful.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases dealt with by the Child Support Agency in 1993–94 the alleged absent parent disputed paternity; how many of these cases have been resolved without reference to court and in how many of these paternity was established; how many disputed paternity cases have been referred to court by the agency; how many cases have been heard to date and in how many paternity has been established by the court; and how many disputed paternity cases are unresolved to date.
  524
  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adan Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about disputed paternity cases. I am grateful to you for raising the matter of disputed paternity again as I was about to write to you on the subject, following further information which has now come to light.
  When I wrote to you on 31 March in response to Question 1482, Official Report column 1026, I inadvertently provided incorrect figures. I am sorry that the information quoted, which was based on computerised information, was not accurate. We are undertaking immediate action to rectify the error.
  The current position based on clerical checks is that from April 1993 to the end of March 1994, the absent parent disputed paternity in 3,006 cases. Of these, 657 cases were resolved without reference to court and 80 were withdrawn as paternity investigations were progressing. Information is not available on the establishment of paternity in those cases which were resolved without reference to the courts.
  At the end of March 1994, 2,269 cases remained to be resolved and some 23 cases have been referred to the courts but none has yet completed a full hearing.
  I hope this reply is helpful and I apologise again for providing incorrect information earlier.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many section 18 and section 17 reviews of child support officers were requested during 1993–94; how many of each were outstanding at the end of the financial year; in how many of those resolved in each case the decision had been revised; and what is the average number of weeks that the outstanding reviews have been awaiting decison in each Child Support Agency centre.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about child support reviews.
  Not all of the information you have requested is available. I can however tell you that during 1993–94 the Agency processed 20,211 Section 17 reviews. The assessment was revised in 19,952 of those. I am also able to provide you with some of the information about Section 18 reviews. During 1993–94 there were requests for 25,013 such reviews of which 13,281 were cleared leaving 11,732 reviews outstanding.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the maintenance application forms issued by the Child Support Agency during 1993–94 have been issued to(a) non-benefit claimants, (b) family credit claimants, (c) new income support claimants and (d) existing income support claimants; and how many have been issued to absent parents.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the issue of maintenance application forms.

  525
  During the period from April 1993 to the end of March 1994, a total of 858,000 maintenance application forms were issued. Of these, 29,600 were issued to clients who do not receive any of the prescribed benefits; 223,800 were issued to parents with care in receipt of either Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance; 320,400 were issued to new and repeat applicants for Income Support and 284,200 were issued to parents with care in receipt of Income Support before 5th April 1993.
  Information is not recorded on the number of application forms issued to Absent Parents.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 1026, if he will make a statement on the relationship between deductions from earnings orders issued by the Child Support Agency by the end of February and the number of accounts in arrears.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the deductions from earnings orders which have been issued by the Child Support Agency, and the number of client accounts in arrears.
  I regret that validated data on accounts in arrears is not currently available. The Child Support Computer System is being upgraded to provide additional information. The Agency had however issued an estimated 1,400 deductions from earnings orders by the end of February 1994.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the maintenance assessments issued by the Child Support Agency during 1993–94 were interim assessments; how many of these interim maintenance assessments have been subsequently replaced by final maintenance assessments, and how many interim assessments remained in force at 31 March; whether the final maintenance assessment for cases where an interim assessment is originally made appears in the monthly Child Support Agency statistics as another assessment made, and whether the monthly statistics could differentiate interim and final assessments; and when he will be able to give a breakdown of the number of category A interim assessments and category B interim assessments.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  526
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about interim maintenance assessments.
  From April 1993 to the end of March 1994, 73,300 interim maintenance assessments were issued, of which 25,000 were converted to final maintenance assessments. 48,300 interim maintenance assessments remained in place at the end of the period. A breakdown of these figures by category is not available.
  When an interim assessment is included in statistical reports it is excluded on conversion to a full maintenance assessment. Total assessments reported for statistical purposes therefore refer to the number of cases where initial assessments have been made.
  Information on the number of interim maintenance assessments issued will be included in future monthly reports placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 1025, regarding the Child Support Agency, in how many section 6 cases the issue of the requirement to co-operate has been considered by the Child Support Agency during 1993–94; in how many of these cases he agreed that the parent with care need not be required to co-operate; in how many of these cases the agency accepted that there was a risk of harm or undue distress, and what was the range of other reasons accepted for not requiring co-operation; how many parents with care subsequently gave the authorisation or information; how many reduced benefit directions were issued in 1993–94; and when the agency will begin to monitor the number of applicants who have given authorisation but subsequently seek to withdraw it.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 17 May 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the requirement to co-operate.
  During the period April 1993 to March 1994, the requirement to co-operate was considered in 64,800 cases. After investigation, good cause not to co-operate was accepted in 31,700 cases. Of these, 8,400 were cases where the parent with care was unable to name the parent of the child; 15,800 were cases where there was a risk of violence and 7,500 were cases where other reasons such as emotional distress, mental illness or concern for the welfare of the child were accepted. After interview, 14,200 parents with care subsequently provided their authorisation or the necessary information.
  In the same period, 627 Reduced Benefit Directions were referred to the Benefits Agency for implementation.
  The Agency keeps its management information systems in this area under review. At this stage there are no firm plans to record routinely the number of applicants who provide authorisation and subsequently withdraw it.

  WAR PENSIONS: AMENDMENTS
  WAR PENSIONS: AMENDMENTS
  SETTLE-CARLISLE RAIL SERVICE: PROPOSAL
  SETTLE-CARLISLE RAIL SERVICE: PROPOSAL
  LOTS ROAD-CHEYNE WALK: TRAFFIC LIGHTS PROPOSAL
  LOTS ROAD-CHEYNE WALK: TRAFFIC LIGHTS PROPOSAL
  ZIMBABWE: UK AID
  ZIMBABWE: UK AID
  CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS: ALLEGATIONS
  CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS: ALLEGATIONS
  WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION: ESTABLISHMENT PAPERS
  WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION: ESTABLISHMENT PAPERS
  GROUP 4: PRISON MEDICAL SERVICES
  GROUP 4: PRISON MEDICAL SERVICES
  BROCKHALL RESIDENTIAL HOSPITAL
  BROCKHALL RESIDENTIAL HOSPITAL
  ATTENDANCE CENTRE ORDERS: COSTS
  ATTENDANCE CENTRE ORDERS: COSTS
  LOCAL ELECTIONS: VOTING HOURS
  LOCAL ELECTIONS: VOTING HOURS
  OFFENDERS' AFTER-CARE HOSTELS: GRANTS
  OFFENDERS' AFTER-CARE HOSTELS: GRANTS