Written Answers of 20 May 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the accuracy of DNA tests; and if he will now introduce legislation to make blood tests compulsory in cases of disputed paternity.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  DNA profiling evidence may be conclusive in eliminating a putative father from being the natural father of a child. It is also a technique which can provide extremely strong evidence of positive association and in most instances of dispute is the most accurate way to determine paternity. Courts already have the power to order such tests in appropriate cases. I have no plans to amend the law to make blood tests compulsory in cases of disputed paternity.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the representation he has received regarding the changes to the legal aid eligibility levels since they came into force.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  From 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994 the Lord Chancellor and I received 368 representations from hon. Members about the financial conditions for legal aid. In the same period we received over 300 letter from members of the public. Those figures include representations about individual cases. We continue to have exchanges with the Law Society, the Bar Council and other bodies about matter relating to legal aid.

PRIME MINISTER

  Citizens Charter (Disabled People)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the application of the citizens charter to the rights of disabled people.

  The Prime Minister
  The principles underlying the citizens charter apply to everyone, including people with disabilities. Public services should consider the needs of all their customers, including those with special needs, when drawing up charters and planning service provision.

  Downing Street Declaration
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library questions concerning the Downing street declaration that he has received from Sinn Fein, together with the Government's answers.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland issued a commentary yesterday alongside questions from Sinn Fein 578
  which the Irish Government handed over last week. This commentary, including the Sinn Fein questions, has been placed in the Library.

TREASURY

  Child Maintenance
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend as a matter of urgency the present Inland Revenue new rules issued in April 1988–89 which debar an unwed parent from maintenance tax relief though paying maintenance to a child or children in accordance with the Child Support Act 1991 and which also affects those ex-married payers who lose their maintenance relief if their ex-spouse remarries, in order to allow those taxpayers to receive tax relief in accordance with the old rules.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No. The new rules on tax relief for maintenance payments, which were introduced in the Finance Act 1988, ensure that married couples are not treated less generously than divorced, separated and unmarried people.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, column 657, what was the cost of calls made on (a) car and (b) portable telephones in 1993–94; how much this equipment costs to buy or hire; and what were the maintenance costs.

  Sir John Cope
  The cost to the Treasury in 1993–94 of calls made on car telephones and mobile telephones excluding VAT was £2,332 and £1,585 respectively. The telephones themselves cost between £140 and £500 depending on type. Total annual maintenance for this equipment in 1993–94 was about £250.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principle causes of the difference between the figure for local authority self-financed expenditure of £9,700 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £10,400 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The principal cause is revised estimates by local authorities of their capital receipts in 1993–94, as reported to the Department of the Environment in their capital payments returns for the third quarter of 1993–94, which became available in the spring of 1994.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principal causes of the difference between the figure for expenditure on the European Communities of £1,620 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £2,450 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if he will make statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The main cause is unexpected changes to the timing of contributions to the Community budget. The
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  precise moment at which contributions are made to the Community and their quantum depend on many factors outside the Government's control, making this programme difficult to forecast with accuracy.

EMPLOYMENT

  North Yorkshire TEC
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of North Yorkshire training and enterprise council's budget for 1993–94 was devoted to the development of(a) self-employed businesses and (b) new businesses in the Harrogate/Knaresborough travel-to-work area.

  Miss Widdecombe
  North Yorkshire training and enterprise council's budget for 1993–94 was £21,193,516. Many elements of the budget include assistance for the development of self-employed and new businesses. In addition, £265,268 was devoted to services exclusively for existing businesses, many of them self-employed, and £1,710,800 exclusively for the development of new businesses.

  It is not possible to give a complete indication of the proportion of spending on the development of businesses which was devoted to the Harrogate and Knaresborough area, as some of the services are demand led rather than allocated to areas. However, for two of the services for existing businesses, business skill seminars and the business development service, 433 out of a total of 2,191 people assisted during 1993–94 came from the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. For the development of new business, in 1993–94, North Yorkshire TEC allocated 20.1 per cent. of its business start-up budget to the Harrogate and Knaresborough area.

  West Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice was given on requests to the West Wales TEC, in response to inquiries about the legality, propriety and regularity of expenditure under the voluntary early retirement scheme for secondees from the department who were proposing to continue in full-time employment with that TEC.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The training and enterprise council was told that the early retirement schemes were not meant for secondees who intended to continue full-time employment with their TEC.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what times he or his office, and the Minister for Disabled People or his office, were informed of the text of the reply from the Lord President of the Council to the question tabled by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) for answer on 6 May in regard to the number of amendments to the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

  Mr. Lilley
  Details of such exchanges between Departments are not normally divulged.
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  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what calculations Her Majesty's Government made of the expenditure implications of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill when the money resolution for the Bill was tabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The money resolution was not dependent upon quantification of the impact of the Bill. It was necessary to enable consideration in Committee of those provisions, identified in italics in the Bill as first printed, which give rise to public expenditure.

  Uniform Claimant System
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what costs have been incurred in splitting the previous DHSS uniform claimant system into the current separate agency system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not available.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principal causes of the difference between the figure for expenditure by the Department of Social Security of £67,800 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £67,300 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The difference is caused by a spring supplementary estimate of £274 million plus a late year reapportionment of expenditure from cyclical to new control total.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, if he will publish a table setting out the principal causes of the difference between the figure for cyclical social security expenditure of £14,400 million in 1993–94 compared with the equivalent figure of £14,000 million in table 5.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The difference is caused by a spring supplementary estimate of £568 million minus a late year reapportionment of expenditure from cyclical to new control total.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what social fund budget the(a) East Nottinghamshire, (b) North Nottinghamshire and (c) West Nottinghamshire district offices held in 1993–94; and what budget they hold for 1994–95 on a comparable cost basis.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paddy Tipping, dated 20 May 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Social Fund budget in the Benefits Agency's East, North and West Nottinghamshire Districts.

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  You asked for details of these Districts' budget for 1993–94 and 1994–95 on a comparable cost basis. Those details are shown at Appendix A.

  Appendix A

  1993–94 actual allocation (£)

  1993–94 allocation expressed in terms of 1994–95 prices1 (£)

  1994–95 actual allocation (£)

  Grants

  Nottinghamshire, East

  497,433

  517,330

  507,531

  Nottinghamshire, North

  382,419

  397,716

  390,182

  Nottinghamshire, West

  563,412

  585,948

  574,849

  Loans

  Nottinghamshire, East

  1,484,763

  1,544,154

  1,514,904

  Nottinghamshire, North

  1,023,815

  1,064,768

  1,044,598

  Nottinghamshire, West

  1,545,010

  1,606,810

  1,576,374

  1 Real terms figures have been calculated using the current GDP deflator (4 per cent.) and may alter.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Science Minister
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the benefits to the United Kingdom in the past two years from the presence of a Science Minister in the Cabinet.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since the last election, the Government have published a White Paper on Science, Engineering and Technology (Cm 2250), the first major policy review for over 20 years; restructured the research councils with mission statements focused on wealth creation, the quality of life and user needs; launched a technology foresight programme to help industrialists and scientists identify market and technological opportunities over the next 10 to 20 years; inaugurated a major campaign to promote the public understanding of science; published a forward look representing a first step towards developing a process of annual critical review of the balance and direction of SET, across the whole of the public sector; agreed with our European partners a fourth Community framework programme for science and technology, reflecting in many respects United Kingdom priorities and maintained the budget for the science base in real terms.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Counsel
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what instructions he proposes to issue to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the priority to be given to the drafting of amendments for Departments to(a) Government legislation in Standing Committee, pursuant to undertakings given by Ministers in Second Reading debates and (b) for use by Back Benchers in debate on Private Members' Bills; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  It is a matter for the First Parliamentary Counsel to arrange the work load of his office to meet priorities set out by Ministers in their instructions. I therefore have no plans to issue instructions.
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  I hope you find this reply helpful.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Health and Social Serivices
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total spent on(a) clerical staff and (b) administrative staff by area health and social services boards in each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev. Martin Smyth) on 16 December 1993,Official Report, column 867–68. Figures are available only for the combined administrative and clerical group of staff.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total spent on management salaries by each health and social services boards in each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev. Martin Smyth) on 16 December 1993,Official Report, column 867–68.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent in total on nursing and midwifery staff(a) including and (b) excluding agency staff, by area health and social services boards in each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev.r j 1–10 Martin Smyth) on 16 December 1993,Official Report, column 867–68. There are no agency nurses employed in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland.

  Cereals
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are their most recent figures for yield factor per hectare for(a) wheat production in Northern Ireland and (b) barley production in Northern Ireland; how many hectares were used for the growing of (i) wheat and (ii) barley; and when representations were last made to the European Commission to have Northern Ireland included with England and Wales as the yield region for cereal aid purposes.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer sent 19 May 1994]: The average yield in Northern Ireland in 1993 of wheat was

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  5.85 tonnes per hectare and of barley was 3.75 tonnes per hectare. The June 1993 agricultural census in Northern Ireland recorded 6,701 hectares of wheat and 38,554 hectares of barley.

  Representations have never been made to the European Commission to have Northern Ireland included with England and Wales as a yield region for cereal aid purposes—that is an internal matter for the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, all efforts have been made by Government to convince the European Commission of the needs of Northern Ireland's specialist growers.

EDUCATION

  Higher Education
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether students who are being trained in school-centred consortia, in the absence of a direct involvement by an institute of higher education, came within the scope of the provisions of the charter for higher education.

  Mr. Boswell
  The charter for higher education explains the standards of service that higher education users can expect of publicly funded universities and colleges. It does not relate directly to the standards of service provided by other institutions involved in the delivery of education or training of a similar level or kind.

  Upper Limb Disorders
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the present number of civil servants taking legal action against his Department as a result of work-related upper limb disorders.

  Mr. Boswell
  None.

  Colleges, Lancashire
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the total funding given in 1994–95 to each college and sixth-form tertiary college in Lancashire.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Further Education Funding Council has not yet announced its allocations to individual colleges for the academic year 1994–95.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many surplus school places there are currently in the local education authority of(a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley, (c) Rotherham and (d) Sheffield; and what were the figures (i) five years and (ii) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Forth
  The latest figures available on a comprehensive basis were collected by the Department through a detailed survey of all local education authorities in 1991. For the figures derived from that survey, I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. O'Brien) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, columns 517–21. Detailed information by local education authority is not available for earlier years since no common basis for assessing school capacity existed until the introduction of the more open enrolment provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the schools involved in his schools-based initial teacher training pilot programme indicating for each school the number of children receiving prescribed extra support to overcome learning difficulties which are not the subject of statements, the number of children who have been assessed for statements in the last year and the number of children who have statements of special educational need.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member, enclosing a list of those schools involved in the first round of the school-centred initial teacher training scheme and showing the number of pupils with a statement of special education needs as shown in the 1993 school performance tables. The other information requested is not collected centrally.

  Portable Telephones
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, column 648, what was the cost of calls made on portable telephones in 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  In 1993–94, the cost of calls from the Department's mobile telephones was £8,244.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Health Promotion Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Attorney-General on what date the Wales area office of the Crown Prosecution Service received the papers from the South Wales police fraud squad and the district audit service in relation to the claiming of travel expenses by the previous chief executive of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  The Solicitor-General
  On 10 May 1994, the Crown Prosecution Service Cardiff branch received the papers from the South Wales police following their investigation of the activities of the previous chief executive of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales. The police submitted the papers for advice as to whether criminal proceedings should be instituted.

  There has been a meeting between the police and CPS lawyers and the CPS has asked for a number of additional inquiries to be made. Only when the results are available will it be possible for the CPS to advise.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Deportation Unit
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the future of the Metropolitan police's deportation unit.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Metropolitan Police headquarters functions and specialist units, including the deportation group, fall within the scope of the commissioner's current review. The object of the review is to make the best possible use of resources and to place functions where they are most appropriate.

  Electronic Bulletin Boards
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research his Department is currently engaged in concerning the use of public electronic bulletin board systems by criminals;

  (2) which police forces currently deploy and train officers specifically in monitoring the electronic communication of information through bulletin boards and equivalent technology;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the use being made by criminals of (a) the international and (b) other electronic bulletin board systems;

  (4) how he proposes that the electronic telecommunication of illegal pornographic material through public electronic bulletin board systems will be monitored.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office has not commissioned any research into the unlawful use of electronic bulletin boards, but the police have estimated that there are about 1,200 such boards in this country, the great majority of which are used entirely innocently. However, we are aware of certain cases where the police believe that bulletin boards are being used to disseminate obscene material or child pornography in breach of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and the Protection of Children Act: 1978 respectively.

  What action the police take to monitor such bulletin boards, and whether any forces train and deploy officers specifically for this task, is an operational matter for chief officer to determine. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill will make it clear that the electronic transmission of data constitutes publication for the purposes of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and will make obscenity and child pornography offences serious arrestable offences within the meaning of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, thereby giving the police a range of increased powers, including powers of search and seizure as well as powers of arrest. These will apply to those who disseminate obscene material via bulletin boards as they apply to pornographers in other media. We also propose to table an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill in another place to ensure that the police and other law enforcement officers cannot be excluded from publicly accessible bulletin board systems by notices purporting to bar their entry.

  Computer transmissions to this country from abroad are not subject to our criminal law, but the Government will consider whether it is possible to make such transmissions subject to controls equivalent to those on the importation of obscene or indecent articles.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters from Mr. Ian Mann of the Chiswick crime prevention panel, dated 18 October 1993 and 27 April 1994, concerning the Chiswick initiative for mobile phone security.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Following receipt of Mr. Mann's letter of 18 October, which asked for a response within 24 hours, officials telephoned him to discuss its content. Full consideration has now been given to this letter, and his further letter of 27 April, and I have written to Mr. Mann today. I am sending copies of the correspondence to the hon. Gentleman.

  Darius Guppy
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what open prison establishment Darius Guppy has been held since beginning his prison sentence;

  (2) for how long Darius Guppy was held in a closed prison establishment after he had been sentenced; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what security is given to Darius Guppy when he is allowed out of prison;

  (4) what is the earliest date of release that Darius Guppy has been given following his sentence; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) on how many occasions Darius Guppy has been allowed out of prison, and for what reasons, since commencing his prison sentence.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 20 May 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Darius Guppy.
  Since the beginning of his prison sentence Mr. Guppy has been held in three different open prisons; Kirkham, Standford Hill, and Ford. He was initially held in closed conditions for just over four weeks whilst his security category was assessed and allocation decided.
  Mr. Guppy is classified as a category D prisoner. This means that he has been assessed as a person who can reasonably be trusted to serve his sentence in open conditions without absconding, and also that he is not considered to pose any threat to members of the public. Prisoners in category D who are granted temporary release are subject to licence conditions but are not generally subject to a physical escort. Failure to comply with the licence conditions is an offence under Prison Rules and may lead to a return to closed conditions as well as a delayed release date.
  Since beginning his sentence on 25 March 1993 Mr. Guppy has been allowed out of prison on a total of 19 occasions, most of which have been for meetings with solicitors, counsel, insolvency consultants and appearances in court.
  Unless he is granted parole on or after 12 August 1995, the earliest date for Mr. Guppy's release is 12 June 1996.

  Drug Offenders
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested for drug offences in public houses in the North Yorkshire area over the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available.

  Policemen (Attacks)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attacks on policemen have occurred in the North Yorkshire area over the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information relates to assaults on police and is published annually in the report of the chief constable for North Yorkshire, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Drug-related Crime
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crimes is estimated to be drugs related; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I would refer my hon. Friend the to reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) on 16 May 1994,Official Report, column 337.

HEALTH

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the number of national health service nursing and midwifery staff by pay grades within the groups of(a) senior nursing and midwifery staff, (b) education staff, (c) clinical nursing and midwifery staff, (d) learner, (e) other staff; and (f) Project 2000 nursing students, in each year since 1989; and if she will give the percentage change each year.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available will be placed in the Library. The figures requested do not include practice nurses who contribute significantly to community nursing work. The number of practice nurses increased by 96·98 per cent. from 4,630 in 1989 to 9,120 in 1992.

  Paracetamol
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many instances paracetamol has been mentioned on death records as a cause of death in each EEC country in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information for England and Wales is shown in the table.

  Number of instances where paracetamol has been mentioned on death records as a cause of death, England and Wales, 1988–1992

  Number

  1988

  491

  1989

  458

  1990

  512

  1991

  544

  1992

  585

  Information is not available centrally for European Economic Community countries.

  Patients Charter
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the patients charter in each of the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Implementation of patients charter rights and standards by the NHS has been at negligible cost; the charter is about doing things differently and does not need extra resources to implement.

  GP Trainees
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors applied for general practitioner trainee posts in each of the last 10 years.
  588
  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Civil Servants, London
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants were employed in London in each year since 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Department of Health staff in London 1991–94 Wholetime equivalents as at 1 April

  Numbers

  1991

  3,016

  1992

  3,677

  1993

  3,719

  1994

  2,892

  1. Numbers include inward loans and secondments, fixed term appointments and Agency staff in London.

  2. Numbers exclude outward loans and secondments and casual staff.

  Post-mortem Reports
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that general practitioners and hospital doctors receive post-mortem reports on their patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  Post mortems may be requested for clinical purposes, if relatives' permission is obtained, or by the coroner. Guidelines issued in August 1993 by the Royal College of Pathologists drew attention to the desirability of sending post mortem reports to general practitioners and hospital consultants, but noted the particular considerations where the post mortem has been requested by the coroner. The report is his property but the Coroners Rules 1984 provide for it to be supplied to those with a proper interest. Further consideration is being given to means of facilitating access to reports.

  Contraceptive Services
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of patients in each year since 1983 for whom payment was due to general medical practitioners for the provision of contraceptive services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Family Planning Clinics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family planning clinics there were, and how many women were seen by them, in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the number of family planning clinics for the years 1983–87 is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1983

  1,755

  1984

  1,768

  1985

  1,746

  1986

  1,756

  1987–88

  1,754

  These statistics were not collected after 1987–88. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 5 May, Official Report, column 627–28, for information on the number of women seen in family planning clinics.

  Child Vaccinations
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current take-up of child vaccinations; and what assessment she has made of the factors which lead some parents not to have children vaccinated.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Public Health Laboratory Service's latest "Cover of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly" figures are:

  93 per cent. of children have received diphtheria, tetanus and polio immunisations;

  92 per cent. of children have received pertussis immunisation;

  92 per cent. of children have received Hib immunisation(all at 12 months);

  92 per cent. of children have received measles, mumps and rubella immunisation (at 24 months).

  The figures show that there are not many children who remain unimmunised. The Health Education Authority has commissioned research with parents of very young children to find out why immunisations were not completed. The main reasons why parents decided not to complete immunisations are:

  (i) loss of commitment after first born child;

  (ii) perception that diseases are no longer serious;

  (iii) perceived difficulty over access to services; and

  (iv) vaccine safety.

  Water Quality
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the benefits to health of a continuous high quality water supply.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. It is recognised that the availability of a supply of good quality drinking water is important for health and well-being.

  Staff Statistics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed in her Department and the NHS management executive in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Department of Health and NHS Executive 1989–94 Whole-time Equivalents as at 1 April

  Year

  DH

  NHS Executive1

  1989

  8,799

  666

  1990

  5,388

  797

  1991

  4,651

  677

  1992

  4,803

  776

  1993

  4,846

  931

  1994

  4,690

  838

  1 Figures are included in overall Department of Health numbers.

  Notes:

  1. Figures include inward loans and secondments, fixed term appointments and staff in Agencies.

  2. Figures exclude casual staff and outward loans and secondments.

  Poverty
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to investigate the relationship between poverty and ill health.

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Health of the Nation" White Paper noted that variations in health exist between different 590
  groups of the population and that these are associated with a wide range of factors—socio-economic, geographical, age, gender and others. The Chief Medical Officer has recently established a sub-group of his "Health of the Nation" working group to consider health variations in relation to the five key areas in the health strategy. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 12 May, Official Report, columns 217–18, which gives the terms of reference of the sub-group.

  GP Fundholders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to review the use of general practitioner fundholders' savings;

  (2) what plans she has to introduce new regulations for general practitioner fundholders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ministers will be reviewing options for expanding and developing the fundholding scheme during the summer.

  Travel and Subsistence Costs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for 1993–94 the expenditure on travelling and subsistence for each(a) health authority and (b) national health service trust in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not yet available.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, column 664, what was the cost of calls made on mobile telephones in 1993–94; how much this equipment cost to buy or hire; and what were the maintenance costs.

  Mr. Sackville
  The standing charges for mobile telephones in 1993–94 was £150,000 and the cost of calls made in the year was £152,000. All mobile telephones have been purchased over a period of several years; the average price paid in 1993–94 was £232, including value added tax. In view of the warranties provided and long-term reliability of this equipment, the Department has not entered into any maintenance contracts.

  Health Trusts
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to whom those wishing to be considered for appointment to a health trust should apply; and if she will make a statement on the procedures to be followed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Those wishing to nominate themselves, or be nominated by others, should contact their regional health authority, which may also advertise for candidates from time to time. Regional health authorities are responsible for appraising and selecting candidates for recommendation to Ministers.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many tuberculosis tracing nurses are currently employed in the national health service, listed by district; and what has been the change in the number of such appointments in each year since 1982–83.
  591
  Mr. Sackville
  It is not possible, from the data collected centrally, to identify those nurses specifically involved with tuberculosis tracing.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the unit cost of a single BCG vaccination to her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  The cost is subject to commercial confidence.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) of 30 March,Official Report, column 890, if she will list by region those district health authorities which routinely offer BCG vaccinations to all new-born babies.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply, I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 29 April,Official Report, column 370.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation recommended in 1985 and 1990 on the continuation of the BCG schools immunisation programmes;

  (2) what written instruction she has circulated to health authorities on restarting the school BCG vaccination programme.

  Mr. Sackville
  Following consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, DA(85)27 was issued on 17 December 1985 recommending continuation of the schools' BCG programme. On 21 August 1990, EL(90)166 was issued following further consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and immunisation recommending continuation of the programme at least until 1995–96 when a further review would take place. Copies of both letters are available in the Library.

  In addition to the above, a reminder of the importance of the BCG immunisation programme has been brought to the attention of regional health authorities through the regional review process; regions have been asked to consider carefully whether their arrangements to protect against tuberculosis are adequate.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list members of the departmental task force for tuberculosis; and when the task force will submit a final report to her.

  Mr. Sackville
  The inter-departmental working group on tuberculosis will include officials from the Departments of Health, of Social Security, of Transport, of the Environment, the Home Department, the Department of Health and Social Security Northern Ireland Office, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office Home and Health Department. There will also be a representative from the Public Health Laboratory Service and experts representing health care professionals.

  The working group will oversee a number of sub-groups who will address the following issues:

  the need for guidance on local control procedures;

  screening of immigrants and refugees;

  the impact of tuberculosis on the homeless;

  the need to review prevention and control measures in prisons;

  the need to review monitoring and surveillance mechanisms.

  These groups will consist of officials from the interested Departments and others with expertise in the prevention
  592
  and control of tuberculosis in each of these areas. Each sub-group will provide a paper for ministerial consideration with a final report giving key outcomes and recommendations. At this stage it is not possible to give a date for the final report.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of respiratory and non-respiratory tuberculosis have been notified via the Home Office to her Department in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not part of the notification procedures for the Home Department to provide the Department of Health with data on cases of tuberculosis.

  Statutory notifications of tuberculosis are made by registered medical practitioners to the proper officer of the local authority or port health district. Reports of these notifications are sent to the Registrar General at the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.

  Immigration Service officials have the power to refer for medical examination persons covered by the Immigration Act 1971 seeking to enter the United Kingdom. If any of these were found to have tuberculosis, notification would then be made to the proper officer of the relevant local authority or port health district.

  The number of notifications of tuberculosis reported to the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys for England and Wales during the years 1985–92 are shown in the table.

  Notification of tuberculosis 1985–92, England and Wales Tuberculosis (excluding chemoprophylaxis)

  Respiratory

  Non-respiratory

  Total

  1985

  4,660

  1,197

  5,857

  1986

  4,759

  1,234

  5,993

  1987

  4,010

  1,076

  5,086

  1988

  4,022

  1,142

  5,164

  1989

  4,146

  1,286

  5,432

  1990

  3,942

  1,262

  5,204

  1991

  3,950

  1,486

  5,436

  1992

  4,205

  1,593

  5,798

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the specific level of research funding allocated by her Department via the Medical Research Council into the prevention and cure of tuberculosis in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Medical Research Council is already funding a considerable amount of basic research into tuberculosis. The Department has not allocated any specific research funds via the MRC, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, into the prevention and cure of tuberculosis since 1979.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principal causes of the difference between the figure for expenditure by the Department of Health of £29,950 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £30,090 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The main differences are an addition of £111 million, net, provided to meet a forecast increase in
  593
  demand on the family health services and for hospital and community health services expenditure an underspend of £257 million. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the underspends of health authorities are eligible for carry forward into 1994–95.

  Final outturn figures will be published in the appropriation accounts in the autumn.

  Nursing Students
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing students took up places in each region in England in each year since 1990; and if she will make a statement on the likely level for 1994–95 assuming both volume and percentage changes.

  Mr. Sackville
  I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.

  Research Projects
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of the research projects her Department has commissioned for the past five years; and what was the total cost of projects undertaken by staff employed by(a) universities and polytechnics, (b) independent research institutes, (c) health authorities, (d) management consultants and (e) other organisations, in each of those years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.

  Hospital and Community Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of current spending on the hospital and community health services for each national health service region and for the special health authorities, in each year since 1974–75(a) in cash terms, (b) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator and (c) adjusted using the national health service pay and prices index.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held in this form and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Surgical Procedures (Cost)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost of national health service procedures for(a) total hip replacement, (b) total knee replacement, (c) coronary artery bypass grafting, (d) mitral/aortic valve replacement, (e) hernia repair, (f) stripping of varicose veins, (g) hysterectomy, (h) tonsillectomy, (i) cataract extraction and lens implant, (j) heart transplant, (l) heart/lung transplant and (m) surgery for an enlarged prostate.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available. The costing systems used are currently under review to enable the methodologies used to be standardised in all hospitals.

  Repairs and Maintenance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated expenditure required to clear the backlog of repairs and maintenance in each district health authority and national health service trust in England.
  594
  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 November 1993,Official Report, column 64, for the latest available information.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to ambulance service providers on the length of regular work shifts by(a) paramedic emergency services and (b) patient transport services; when this guidance was issued; whether it is under current review; and if copies of such guidance can be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Sackville
  No such guidance has been issued.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 May,Official Report, column 324, if she will show for each NHS trust by district health authority, those chairmen and non-executive directors who live outside the boundaries of the district health authority within which that trust is situated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

  Traffic Generation
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment has submitted its report on traffic generation; and what action he is planning to take.

  Mr. Key
  I received SACTRA's report on Wednesday 18 May. The issues covered are extremely complex, and a full response will be published in due course.

  Seat Belts
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefits of the compulsory fitting of seat belts in(a) school coaches and (b) minibuses.

  Mr. Key
  I have now received the report of the review of the technical and cost implications of seat belt fitment in these vehicles. I hope to be able to announce the conclusions shortly.

  Coach Safety
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety benefits of anti-crush zones in place of the rear seats of coaches.

  Mr. Key
  None.

  Motorways
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications in terms of traffic volume of road pricing motorways for A and B roads.

  Mr. Key
  Research described in the Green Paper "Paying for Better Motorways" (Cm 2200) shows that
  595
  substantial revenue could be raised at toll levels which would cause relatively little diversion to other roads. For example, charges of 1.5p per mile for cars and light goods vehicles and 4.5p per mile for other vehicles would raise some £700 million and might cause diversion of some 10 per cent. in terms of vehicle miles at peak periods. Further traffic modelling conducted since the Green Paper was published has broadly confirmed these estimates.

  Rising congestion on a motorway network which was not improved quickly enough would of itself cause increasing diversion to other roads. Motorway charging offers the key to accelerating expansion of inter-urban road capacity, thereby reducing the diversion which would otherwise occur.

  Accidents (Fatalities)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many child passengers have died in accidents involving(a) school coaches or (b) minibuses in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Key
  It is not possible to identify school coaches or minibuses in the road injury accident data collection system. However, it is possible to identify school children in coaches and minibuses, during journeys to and from school, and also in other types of journey. Both these categories are included in the table along with children of school age, classified as school pupils, but not necessarily travelling in a school minibus on a school activity. The information requested is shown in the attached table.

  School pupil1 fatalities: by vehicle type: GB 1982–92

  Casualties

  Minibus/motor caravan

  Bus or coach

  1982

  1

  5

  1983

  0

  2

  1984

  5

  1

  1985

  1

  1

  1986

  0

  1

  1987

  3

  0

  1988

  7

  0

  1989

  3

  2

  1990

  3

  1

  1991

  1

  0

  1992

  0

  1

  1 Aged 0–15.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to reduce the number of fatalities resulting from accidents involving coaches and minibuses.

  Mr. Key
  I have now received the report of the review of the technical and cost implications of seat belt fitment in these vehicles. I hope to be able to announce the conclusions shortly.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents in which children died in each of the last 10 years have been caused by excessive speed.

  Mr. Key
  The national road accident database includes only objective accident details. It does not include information on the cause of accidents and the information requested is not available.

  Daylight Saving
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the road safety benefits of the adoption of daylight saving.

  Mr. Key
  The Transport Research Laboratory has estimated that a move to central European time would give a United Kingdom-wide net total reduction in road traffic casualties of 140 deaths, 520 serious injuries and 2,000 other casualties each year.

  Road Traffic Accidents
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of annual road traffic accidents occur on(a) A roads, (b) B roads and (c) motorways.

  Mr. Key
  In 1992, 47 per cent. of personal injury road traffic accidents occurred on A roads, 13 per cent. on B roads and 3 per cent. on motorways.

  Crossrail Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the nature of written or oral evidence given by, or on behalf of, his Department, to the Private Bill Committee considering the Crossrail Bill in respect of(a) cost restraint relative to protection of the environment or property, (b) difficulty or prohibition of through running to and from Heathrow airport and (c) obstacles to, or prohibition of links, in east London to the projected union railway.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport, for the Environment and for National Heritage submitted a report to the Committee on 14 July 1993. The Secretary of State for Transport submitted a further report on 15 October 1993. I gave evidence to the Committee on 16 March 1994 and a senior departmental official gave evidence to the Committee on 14 April 1994. In addition, a substantial amount of material relating to Government studies of the scheme was made available to the Committee on 11 April. On the same day a letter was sent to the Committee at official level on the subject of links to Union Railways.

  None of the evidence given dealt specifically with the subject of cost restraint relative to protection of the environment or property, although broad estimates of the cost of land and property purchase and special works needed to protect buildings and restore worksites were made available in the copies of the studies referred to above. The Bill makes provision for a juhction in the vincinity of Hayes, which would enable Crossrail trains to run through to Heathrow.

  A substantial amount of written and oral evidence was given in respect of links to the second channel tunnel rail link. Transcripts of the oral evidence are of course available. The burden of the evidence was that the proposed link at Forest Gate/Ripple lane had been ruled out, but it remained open to the private sector promoters of the two railways to decide whether they wanted a connection and, if they did, to seek the necessary powers and to pay for it.

  Trunk Road Assessment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report by the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment.

  Mr. Key
  Following past practice, SACTRA's report will be published when it has been fully considered, and the Government are ready also to publish their formal response.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principal causes of the difference between the figure for expenditure by the Department of Transport of £6,010 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £6,150 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" in 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The difference between the Department's latest estimated 1993–94 outturn and the forecast outturn last autumn which appears in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" is due principally to the following: deferred payment by BR of a substantial sum on railway rolling stock due to delayed entry into service, delays to the start of the Jubilee line extension and underspend on the Department's highways programme and reduced call on provision for BR pensions because of fewer than expected retirements.

  Office of Passenger Rail Franchising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract issued by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising to Shandwick plc for work as marketing consultants to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and his Department.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. The information requested is in confidence for commercial reasons.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list all meetings held between Ministers and officials in his Department and the Cabinet Office and all correspondence, in which was discussed the recruitment of marketing consultants by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising, giving dates and persons involved, together with the nature of each meeting or item of correspondence;

  (2) if he will list all meetings held or correspondence between any Ministers and officials in his Department and the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising at which recruitment of marketing consultants by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising was discussed giving dates and persons involved;

  (3) if he will publish a list of all Ministers or officials from his Department who attended presentations by prospective bidders, or who were sent for consultation bid documents by prospective bidders, for the post of marketing consultant to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and his Department, together with the dates of attendance or receipt of documents;

  (4) if he will list all meetings held, or planned to be held, between Ministers and officials in his Department and
  598
  Shandwick plc to discuss Shandwick's work as marketing consultants to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and his Department, giving dates and persons involved;

  (5) if he will list all meetings and correspondence between Ministers or officials of his Department and the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising in which the recruitment of marketing consultants by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising was discussed, giving dates and persons involved and the nature of each meeting or item of correspondence;

  (6) if he will set out each stage of the process whereby Ministers or officials in his Department were consulted by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising over the recruitment of marketing consultants by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising; and at whose suggestion and on what date potential work for his Department was included within the brief sent to prospective bidders for this post.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department appointed the marketing consultants Dewe Rogerson in March 1993 to advise on its marketing strategy for rail privatisation. The targets for the passenger franchising programme set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 March 1994 shifted the focus of marketing activity. It was therefore sensible for Opraf to appoint marketing advisers. Officials agreed that the successful consultants would also work direct to the Department on any residual general rail privatisation marketing issues because it would not be right for Government to place different commissions for overlapping work.

  Opraf appointed Shandwick Consultants Ltd. following an open competition which was entirely consistent with Cabinet Office guidelines. Officials of Opraf, the Department, the Central Office of Information and Samuel Montagu—merchant banking advisers—formed the sift and selection panels. Ministers were not involved in the selection. They were informed by officials after the selection panel had made its decision. Ministers' only involvement was in responding to a letter dated 19 April 1994 from the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras to Sir Robin Butler.

  Dewe Rogerson has been given formal notice of the termination of its contract with the Department. Officials from both the Department and Opraf have since met with Shandwick to discuss the work programme. Ministers have not met Shandwick and have no current plans to do so.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all meetings held, or planned to be held, between the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and Shandwick plc to discuss Shandwick's work as marketing consultants to the Office of Rail Franchising and his Department, giving dates and persons involved.

  Mr. Freeman
  A number of meetings with Shandwick are likely to be held separately by the Franchising Director, officials from Opraf and officials from my Department to discuss their work in connection with rail privatisation.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish a list showing for all services provided under the timetables for each train operating unit and for each equivalent British Rail profit centre for the year 1994–95 relative to the year 1993–94(a)

  599
  all services withdrawn completely, (b) all services with increased journey times and (c) all services with reduced stops at stations, naming the affected stations;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for services provided under the published timetables for each train operating unit and for each equivalent British Rail profit centre for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95 (a) the total number of train journeys run within each area, (b) the total number of trains operating within each area and (c) the total passenger capacity provided within each area, broken down by hour and day of the week.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Traffic Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest assessment of the effect of(a) lowest traffic forecasts and (b) highest traffic forecasts on the Government's commitment made at the United Nations conference on environment and development to reduce carbon dioxide levels to 1990 levels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The "low" and "high" traffic forecasts were taken into account when compiling the CO, projections for road transport and deciding on the measures which were announced in "Climate Change, the UK programme". Emissions from the transport sector, along with those from other sectors, are monitored so that any significant changes from expected trends that might persist for some time could be accomodated by revision of the measures in the programme. The four months since announcement of the strategy is too short a period in which to perceive significant deviations from trend projections.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the expenditure on management and financial consultants by his Department in 1992–93.

  Mr. Sproat
  Total expenditure on consultancies in 1992–93 was £1.3 million.

  Mobile Telephones and Pagers
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many(a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment; and to which personnel it is made available;

  (2) what was the cost of calls made on (a) car and (b) portable telephones in 1993–94; how much this equipment cost to buy or hire; and what were the maintenance costs.

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department of National Heritage currently has 17 portable telephones, nine pagers and two car phones in use. The cost of operating the above equipment in 1993–94 was £9,200 which included £2,000 pager line rental, £4,900 mobile/car phone line rental and £2,300 call charges. The total equipment cost in 1993–94 amounted to £800; there were no maintenance costs. The 600
  equipment is made available to Ministers, and officials where there is a requirement for mobile communications outside the office.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 13, in respect of his Department's estimated outturn expenditure, if he will account for the remainder of the administration costs excluding expenditure on premises, publicity and salaries.

  Mr. Sproat
  My reply of 9 May estimated expenditure of £12.7 million in respect of premises, publicity and salaries in my Department in 1994–95. Estimated expenditure on administration costs excluding these three elements is:

  £ million

  Staff Related (eg travel and subsistence, recruitment)

  1·5

  Central Services (eg security, stationery)

  1·4

  Consultancies

  1·2

  Publications

  0·5

  Training/Conferences

  0·7

  IT/Telecommunications

  1·7

  Miscellaneous (eg Surveys, subscriptions, supplies/printing)

  0·6

  In addition, administration costs of £700,000 for the Royal Fine Arts Commission and £1 million for the Millennium Commission are included in the Department's administration vote. A further £3 million is due to be transferred to the Central Satistical Office for costs on the international passenger survey.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on whether the conduct of the Rwandan Government is compatible with membership of the Security Council of the United Nations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The UN charter contains no provision regarding the expulsion of a member of the Security Council.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy in respect of a proposal for an emergency session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on atrocities in Rwanda.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We supported the proposal for a special session of the UN Commission on Human Rights to discuss Rwanda. The session will take place on 24 and 25 May.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries of the world where the treatment of human rights gives Her Majesty's Government cause for concern.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We monitor the human rights records of many countries world wide. Few have grounds for complacency over their respect for human rights.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support is received by the United Kingdom in connection with the placement of military personnel within the peacekeeping forces in Bosnia, other than expenditure by the British Government and the United Nations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Italy
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the present Italian Government.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We intend to work closely and effectively with the present Italian Government across the range of issues where our Governments have mutual interests.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider his policy in respect of Her Majesty's Government's relations with Italy.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We see no reason to reconsider our policy towards relations with Italy, which are very good.

DEFENCE

  Submarines (Radiation Emergencies)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what instructions concerning radiation emergency procedures were issued or will be issued to local residents near submarine berths in(a) Glenmallen,(b)Portree, (c) Loch Goil, (d) Campbeltown, (e) Loch Ewe and (f) the Shetlands;

  (2) when leaflets on what to do in a radiation emergency were issued or will be issued to local residents near submarine berths in Glenmallen, Portree, Lochgoil, Campbeltown, Loch Ewe and the Shetlands; if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  A booklet entitled "What to do in a Radiation Emergency", containing advice in accordance with the Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992, has been prepared for issue to those residents living within 550 m of such submarine berths.

  This booklet was issued to residents living within 550 m of the berths at Loch Goil in June 1993 and at Campbeltown in January 1994, in co-operation with the local authority. Arrangements are currently in hand to issue booklets to residents living within the same distance of the berth at Glenmallen and the Shetland berth at Lerwick. No residents live within 550 m of the other berths listed. All of the berths in question are visited only infrequently.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distance within which leaflets on what to do in a radiation emergency have been or will be issued to local residents near berths at the Clyde Submarine Base, Faslane and near submarine berths at Glenmallan, Portree, Loch Goil, Campbeltown, Loch Ewe and the Shetlands; and if he will make a statement.
  602
  Mr. Hanley
  Booklets containing this advice have been, or will be, issued to residents living within 2,000 m at Faslane, where nuclear repairs take place, and 550 m at the other locations, which are only infrequently visited and where nuclear repairs are not undertaken.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the X and Z berths which may be used by nuclear-powered submarines at which leaflets to local residents as to what to do in a radiation emergency(a) have been issued, (b) will be issued in the near future and (c) are not planned to be issued.

  Mr. Hanley
  Booklets have been issued to local residents as to what to do in the unlikely event of a radiation emergency at the X-berths at Barrow-in-Furness, Devonport, Faslane and Rosyth and at the Z-berths at Campbeltown and Loch Goil. Arrangements are in hand to issue booklets to residents living within 550 m of the berths at Glen Mallan, Holy Loch and Lerwick in the event of a planned nuclear powered warship visit. There are no plans to issue leaflets to local residents at other Z-berths since no one resides within 550 m of the berth and there is therefore no requirement for issue.

  Faslane
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the shiplift at Faslane will receive a full certification to lift a nuclear-powered submarine; and what alternative facilities are available for Vanguard class submarines.

  Mr. Aitken
  Following the successful completion of a nuclear audit earlier this month, work continues to prepare the shiplift for full authorisation for use. This involves finalisation of operating procedures, analysis and operator training. The shiplift is needed for docking maintenance purposes and no directly equivalent facilities are available elsewhere.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total annual cost of recruitment for the services including advertising and careers information offices; and how many personnel were recruited in the last year.

  Mr. Hanley
  The total cost of recruitment, including advertising and careers information offices was £96,710,000 in financial year 1993–94, when 12,109 personnel entered the armed forces from civilian life.

  Spent Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which type of commercial container is to be used in the short term for the transport of used fuel cores from naval reactors; how many containers have been or will be ordered; and what proportion of a naval used fuel core can be transported in one container.

  Mr. Aitken
  The two commercial containers will be supplied by Nuclear Transport Ltd. suitably licensed for the transportation of naval nuclear used fuel. It is not our practice to comment on the proportion of a naval fuel core transported in containers, though fewer fuel elements will be carried compared to the previous used core transportation packages.
  603
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a contract will be placed for the design and procurement of purpose-built containers for the transport of used fuel cores from the naval reactors; when these containers are likely to enter service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 25 March, 1994,Official Report, column 469.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes to procedure for loading containers at the royal dockyards and at HMS Vulcan following the introduction of the use of existing commercial containers to transport used fuel cores from naval reactors; and what increase in the radiation doses received by service and civilian personnel will result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The use of the commercial containers will not result in a change in general procedures. However, given the different size and geometry compared to the previous used core transportation packages some detailed changes will be necessary. No increase in radiation doses received by service and civilian personnel is expected.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when existing commercial containers will be introduced for the transport of used fuel cores from naval reactors; and from which site or sites they will be transporting used fuel cores.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 25 March 1994,Official Report, column 469. The containers will be used to transport used fuel from Devonport, Rosyth and the Naval Reactor Test Establishment, Dounreay.

  Homosexual Service Personnel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 5 May,Official Report, column 591, regarding homosexual service personnel, whether a copy of the letter from the Under-Secretary of State will be placed in the Library; and if he will make it his practice to include in such answers in the future a statement of his intention to put a copy of such letters in the Library.

  Mr. Hanley
  In accordance with established practice, a copy of the reply to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Merchant Vessels (Chartering)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many British merchant vessels were chartered in each year since 1984 for United Kingdom national maritime exercises; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many British merchant vessels were chartered in each year since 1984 for multinational maritime exercises; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Some 68 British merchant vessels have been chartered in support of multinational—NATO—maritime exercises as follows:
  604

  Year

  Number of vessels

  1984

  11

  1985

  8

  1986

  8

  1987

  8

  1988

  8

  1989

  15

  1990

  3

  1991

  4

  1992

  Nil

  1993

  3

  19941

  Nil

  1 To date.

  From available records, three British merchant vessels were chartered in support of United Kingdom national maritime exercises in the same period: two in 1985 and one in 1990.

  Afloat support for United Kingdom national maritime exercises is usually provided by the ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. Additional vessels, if required, are obtained from the world-wide market on the basis of cost, availability and suitability, with as many shipowners as possible being notified of the requirement. Vessels for multinational—NATO—exercises are obtained in the same way.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent changes he has made to his procedures for chartering merchant vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department's arrangements for chartering merchant vessels are kept under constant review. Last August we placed a one-year ship broking services contract with the Baltic Exchange to cover most of our requirements. That contract is currently being reassessed.

  Anglo-Eastern Maritime Ltd.
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name those ex-MOD personnel who have been employed by the firm Anglo-Eastern Maritime Ltd. after leaving his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  According to official departmental records, no ex-MOD personnel are employed by the firm Anglo-Eastern Maritime Ltd.

  Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Harding
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what posts the late Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Harding held within his Department; and over what periods of time he held those posts.

  Mr. Aitken
  Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas Harding was commissioned in 1947 and served in the Royal Engineers and the Royal Corps of Transport until he was made redundant in April 1977. He was appointed to the retired officer grade of the civil service on 12 April 1977 and served as a staff officer within the Directorate of Movements (Army) in the Ministry of Defence until his death on 25 November 1990.

  Hogg Robinson
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name those ex-MOD personnel who have been employed by the firm Hogg Robinson after leaving his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Official Departmental records list one individual as being employed by Hogg Robinson. It is not the Department's policy to disclose the names of ex-employees.

  Elite Shipping
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name those ex-MoD personnel who have been employed by the firm Elite Shipping; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  According to official Departmental records, no ex-MoD personnel are employed by the firm Elite Shipping.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has held with the customers of proof and experimental establishment facilities in the United Kingdom as part of the current review.

  Mr. Aitken
  The director general test and evaluation review of test and evaluation facilities including the proof and experimental establishments involved widespread discussion within the Department, with interested trade associations and individual customers.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from customers of Pendine proof and experimental establishment on the effect of rationalisation of ranges in the United Kingdom on their trials planning.

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of an increase in small arms testing and proofing activity at Shoeburyness proof and experimental establishment on noise levels in the Shoeburyness area;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the comparative noise absorption of the topography around the proof and experimental establishments at Pendine and Shoeburyness.

  Mr. Aitken
  Detailed work of this nature would be performed if it is decided that a case for the move of these activities exists.

  Second World War Commemorative Events
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is intended for Italy to be involved in next year's events to celebrate the end of the second world war.

  Mr. Hanley
  Plans for commemorative events to mark the 50th anniversary of the "End of the War in Europe" are being developed. They will be based on the theme of peace and reconciliation. Consideration is being given to which countries should be involved but no firm decisions have yet been made.

  Mr. Paul Martin
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the appointment of Mr. Paul Martin to the Ministry of Defence as a permanent civil servant was referred to his Public Appointments Unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. Mr. Martin was appointed to the Ministry of Defence as a higher executive officer, development, a junior training grade. Such appointments are not referred to the public appointments unit.

  Military Bands
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the costs and sources of finance for military bands for the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate he can make of the costs and their sources after the present reorganisation.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 13 May 1994]: The cost of Army music to departmental funds in 1993–94 was around £46 million. This covered the costs of manpower, phase 1 training, transport, and the running costs of the Royal Military school of music. It excluded the costs of basic and certain full dress uniforms, food, accommodation, travel and subsistence, which cannot be identified separately. All other items were funded at non-public expense. The annual cost to public funds of the smaller structure announced in March 1993 and to be implemented from 1 April 1995 is likely to be in the order of £30 million, which includes the costs of manpower, phase 1 training, transport, maintenance and insurance of uniforms and instruments, replacement instruments, and running the Royal Military school of music. The likely costs of food, accommodation, travel and subsistence cannot be identified separately. In addition, the cost of providing the new bands with instruments and appropriate uniforms will be met from public funds.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for how many regular publications she was responsible for in 1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

  Mr. Jack
  Details are set out in the Department's current publications catalogue. In addition, specialist statistical and fisheries publications are listed in separate catalogues. Copies of all three publications catalogues have been placed in the Library. Most publications are available on request either from the Department or through HMSO, and some are available on subscription. Of the regular publications where circulation details are kept centrally, the numbers involved are as follows:

  State Veterinary Journal—quarterly, 5,000 copies.

  Food Safety Directorate Information Bulletin—monthly, 3,000 copies.

  Survey News (for users of Government dietary survey data)—twice a year, 300 copies.

  Flood and Coastal Defence R & D Newsletter—twice a year, 3,000 copies.

  Campaign Against Illegal Poisoning of Wildlife Newsletter—quarterly, 2,000 copies.

  Race Bank
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in finding alternative sources of sand for flood defence works other than source extraction from Race Bank; what environmental impact studies are continuing in respect of sand extraction from Race Bank; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The National Rivers Authority has sought tenders for the supply of sand for the Lincolnshire sea defences in 1994 from a range of sources, including existing licensed areas as well as Race Bank. Those tenders are now being evaluated before decisions are made on the source of material to be used in this year's operations.

  A substantial environmental assessment programme has already been completed in respect of the Race Bank and the outstanding results of the Hull university studies relating to the seasonal variability of crab populations and marine environmental conditions in and around the area of Race Bank will be available later this year. Those results will inform decisions to be made about the source of sand to be used in the Lincolnshire sea defences in 1995 and subsequent years.

WALES

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future prospects for the Welsh steel industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  Following substantial investment over the last decade, the Welsh steel industry is in a strong position to take advantage of increasing demand resulting from improving economic prosperity in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance and additional resources he will give to the training and enterprise councils to encourage training of craftsmen for the construction industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  Training and enterprise councils have responsibility for planning and arranging Government-funded training in the light of their knowledge of local labour markets. I have allocated sufficient resources in 1994–95 to enable the TECs to meet their training plans.

  GCSE
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of pupils who re-sat GCSE in English and mathematics last November in each county; and how many of these in each county achieved A to C grades.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available, as data collected about candidates who are entered for GCSE examinations do not include how many previous attempts the candidate has made at a particular subject.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of pupils who re-sat GCSE last summer in each county; and how many achieved A to C grades.
  608
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available, as data collected about candidates who are entered for GCSE examinations do not include how many previous attempts the candidate has made.

  Health Promotion Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the report by the South Wales area office of the district audit service of the Audit Commission into the allegations of malpractice by Professor Catford, the former chief executive of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. Publication of the report could prejudice possible legal proceedings.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in relation to the reinstatement of Mr. David Griffiths to the audit committee of the authority.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in relation to the recovery of sums owing to it from its former chief executive in respect of work commissioned by other authorities carried out in the authority's time and travel expenses.

  Mr. Redwood
  The chairman and officials of my Department have kept in close touch on this matter. The authority has already set in hand action to recover certain moneys it believes to be owing from Dr. Catford.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will specify the level of supplementary credit approvals to be allocated to the residuary body for Wales in the(a) present financial year and (b) 1995–96.

  Mr. Redwood
  A final decision on funding the residuary body for 1994–95 has not yet been taken. If the residuary body were to be set up in January 1995, I would envisage issuing a supplementary credit approval of about £70,000. We have no plans to make a supplementary credit approval available to the residuary body for 1995–96.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he expects to announce the name of(a) the chairman and (b) membership of the board of the residuary body for Wales; and what guidelines he has issued with respect to previous local government experience for such memberships.

  Mr. Redwood
  If the residuary body were to be established in January 1995 I would expect to announce the chairman and members in December 1994. I have not issued any guidelines as yet, but as my right hon. Friend said in Standing Committee A on 17 May 1994 there would be a need for members with property expertise and experience of local government.

  Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation in relation to the
  609
  setting of an upper limit to the expenditure of public money that the corporation and other Welsh Office sponsored quangos on the resourcing of a Welsh Challenge in the Whitbread round the world yacht race.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Grant-maintained Status
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has had to take action in respect of any local authority in Wales which has issued misleading information about grant-maintained status.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There have been several instances where it has been suggested that the information being made available by local education authorities to schools that were considering grant-maintained status or where parents were about to ballot on grant-maintained status, was incorrect and misleading. There has, however, been only one instance to date where there has been sufficient firm evidence that the information was misleading, to justify intervention by the Welsh Office.

  Some schools in Dyfed have been advised by their LEA that should a school successfully apply to become grant-maintained, both teaching and non-teaching staff working at the school would have no security of employment and would be required to apply 10 the grant-maintained governing body for their own jobs. That is clearly incorrect. The contracts of employment of staff who work only at the school transfer automatically from the former employer to the school's governing body on the day the school takes on its new status. Officials wrote to Dyfed county council to correct this misunderstanding and the letter was copied to all head teachers in Dyfed as well as other directors of education.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Heseltine
  According to the POLIS database, 14 parliamentary questions answered by Ministers in this Department in the period 1 November 1992 to 31 March 1993 were replied to in terms that the information was not held centrally or that the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Fourteen questions were referred to agency chief executives during the same period. Both of these figures represent less than 1 per cent. of written answers given by my Department during the period.

  Company Investigations
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Furdrove Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was 610
  completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (2) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Signal Life Assurance Co. Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (3) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Pharmaceutex (IV Fluid) Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (4) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Riafield Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports.

  (5) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Corporate Planning Management Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (6) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Hartley Baird plc were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (7) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Allied Suppliers (Ireland) Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published; and when he will publish the final reports;

  (8) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Drivehouse Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation; how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have been published, and when he will publish the final reports;

  (9) when the inspectors to inquire into the affairs of Cubar Construction Company Ltd. were appointed; when their inquiry was completed; what are the business connections of the inspectors; what is the cost of the investigation and how it has been disbursed to each inspector; what reports have so far been published; and when he will publish the final reports.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  All inspectors were Department officers and the costs of their investigations are not available. Decisions not to publish their reports were all taken before 1990. The further information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the table.
  611

  Company

  Date of appointment of inspectors

  Date of Report

  Allied Suppliers (Ireland Ltd.)

  14 August 1978

  29 April 1983

  Riafield Ltd.

  24 August 1981

  30 December 1983

  Corporate Management Planning Ltd.

  11 November 1981

  24 September 1986

  Pharmaceutex (IV Fluid) Ltd.

  25 March 1982

  4 June 1986

  Drivehouse Ltd.

  —

  —

  Furdrove Ltd.

  —

  —

  Cubar Construction Ltd.

  10 May 1982

  28 August 1984

  Signal Life Assurance Co. Ltd.

  19 November 1982

  16 November 1988

  Hartley Baird Plc

  25 February 1983

  21 December 1983

  9 May 1985

  23 May 1986

  Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the expenditure on management and financial consultants by his Department in 1992–93.

  Mr. Eggar
  Expenditure committed to consultants in the financial year 1992–93 was £36 million. That figure does not include contracts let independently by the Department's executive agencies.

  China (Forced Labour)
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department has taken to ensure that no products from forced labour camps in China are imported into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Needham
  With limited exceptions, the importation into the United Kingdom of goods produced in any foreign prison or like establishment is banned by the Foreign Prison-Made Goods Act 1897, as amended in 1988. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, which depends on receiving sufficient evidence, specific to the consignment concerned.

  Warren Spring Laboratory Staff
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many of the original staff at Warren Spring Laboratory have transferred to AEA Technology Ltd.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Some 85 Warren Spring Laboratory staff transferred to AEA Technology.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of(a) the core fuel and (b) the breeder blanket have been reprocessed annually at the Dounreay nuclear power development establishment for (i) the prototype fast reactor and (ii) the Dounreay fast reactor since each was commissioned; and where the arising plutonium is now stored or has been put to use.

  Mr. Eggar
  An average of 19·2 PFR core fuel elements have been reprocessed annually and in the last year PFR breeder reprocessing commenced with 148 elements being reprocessed. An average of 576 DFR core fuel elements were reprocessed annually up to 1977 but no DFR breeder elements have been reprocessed. The plutonium arising from this reprocessing is stored under international safeguards at BNFL's Sellafield site. Some of the plutonium arising from reprocessing has been recycled into new fast reactor fuel which has been used to generate electricity.
  612
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of(a) core fuel and (b) breeder blanket nuclear material remain inside prototype and demonstration fast reactors at Dounreay; and what proposals there are for reprocessing or direct disposal of both the core and breeder blanket from each reactor.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are 83 core fuel elements and 34 breeder elements remaining inside PFR and 977 breeder elements and no core elements remaining inside DFR. Regarding proposals for reprocessing, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 18 May 1994,Official Report, column 469.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the options for the disposal of radioactive wastes from AEA Technology sites in light of the recent report of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The disposal of radioactive wastes from UKAEA sites is the responsibility of UKAEA management. However, frequent discussions of the options have taken place between the UKAEA and officials from my Department both before and since the recent report of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations recent report.

  RECOD Conference
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a summary of the Minister for Energy's address to the RECOD 1994 international conference on nuclear fuel reprocessing and waste management, held in London on 24 to 28 April; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the address.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have placed a copy of my speech opening the RECOD conference in the Library of the House.

  Energy Resources
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what access exists for United Kingdom companies and research organisations to the SESAME database on energy resources operated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Development.

  Mr. Eggar
  The SESAME database may be accessed on-line from EUROBASES—the European Commission's agent—and via a diskette of SESAME available from Infopartners and a CD-ROM version obtainable from Longman World.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 15, what was the cost of calls made on mobile telephones in 1993–94; how much this equipment cost to buy or hire; and what were the maintenance costs.

  Mr. Eggar
  As stated in my reply of 9 May, records are no longer kept centrally of all uses of mobile telephones. However, using the same basis as before it is estimated that call charges in respect of the mobile telephones in use in my department, excluding "next steps" agencies, were around £91,000 in 1993–94.

  The equipment in use was bought over the last three years or so at an annual average cost in the region of £45,000. It is not my Department's general policy to take out maintenance contracts on mobile telephones but the costs of repairs and new batteries are estimated to be in the region of £10,000 per annum.

  Motor Vehicles Block Exemption System
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress being made in Government discussions with the European Commission on the motor vehicles block exemption system renewal.
  614
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Government are awaiting the Commission's proposals to amend and renew the block exemption. When these are received, officials will consult relevant parties in the United Kingdom motor trade.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade pursuant to the answer of 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34, what were the principal causes of the difference between the figure for expenditure by the Department of Trade and Industry of £3,340 million in 1993–94 and the equivalent figure of £3,630 million published in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures shown in table 5B.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1994–95 and on 12 May,Official Report, columns 232–34 for trade and industry expenditure include expenditure by nationalised industries and regulatory departments as well as the Department of Trade and Industry. The principal cause of the difference between the two figures is a reduction in estimated expenditure by British Coal reflecting reduced capital expenditure and tighter control of operating costs. The figures shown on 12 May are subject to revision and may differ from the figures eventually published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1995–96.