Written Answers of 1 November 1994

TREASURY

  Back-to-work Bonus
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will explain the tax treatment of a back-to-work bonus of up to £1,000 claimed by a part-time worker who has entered into full-time employment under the scheme announced by the Secretary of State for Social Security on 24 October.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the back-to-work lump sum cash bonus of the new job seeker's allowance will be treated for tax purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The tax treatment of the back-to-work bonus will be announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget.

  Tax Exemptions (MEPs)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament are exempt from United Kingdom taxation.

  Sir George Young
  United Kingdom members of the European Parliament are exempt from United Kingdom taxation in only one respect. A ruling of the European Court of Justice in 1981 said that expense allowances intended to defray costs, paid by the European Parliament to its Members, are not liable to United Kingdom tax.

  Royal British Legion
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the proposed imposition of value added tax on membership subscription to the Royal British Legion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There is no VAT on membership subscriptions to the Royal British Legion where the subscription confers no facility or advantage for the subscriber other than the right to participate in its management or receive reports of its activities.

  Customs and Excise officials are discussing with the legion its existing arrangements for accounting for VAT on the elements of subscriptions which provide entitlement to use of the social facilities of its clubs.

  Tiger Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 October,Official Report, column 754 what happened to the tiger products seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the period 1989 to 1994.
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  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There are no disposal records for 1989, but the 1990 seizure was loaned to a zoological establishment to feature in an endangered species exhibition. The remaining items, from 1991 up to the present time, have either been destroyed or retained by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for display or training purposes and to form the nucleus of a reference collection of tiger derivatives.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 October, if he will give details of the country of origin of tiger products seized between 1989 and 1994.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Customs records for 1989 and 1990 seizures do not contain details of the country of either export or origin.

  Further to my answer of 27 October, Official Report, column 754, four musk and tiger-bone plasters were mistakenly described as tiger bones, and according to recently received scientific advice the 13 claws derived from lion only. For convenience, therefore, the following list reproduces the corrected information on seizures from 1991 to date, together with available details of countries of origin where known—COO—or, when not, the countries whence consigned—CWC:

  Year

  Seizure

  COO

  CWC

  1991

  Handbag

  Australia

  1992

  —

  1993

  Skin, 1 whole & 1 piece

  India

  1 pair of shoes

  Saudi Arabia

  Tincture of tigerbone–2 bottles

  China

  Tiger bone plaster:

  –20 packets

  USA

  –12 packets

  Hong Kong

  –11 packets

  China

  Tiger bone pills:

  –50 boxes

  Hong Kong

  –1 box

  China

  –420 tablets

  China

  Tiger bone medicine:

  –1 packet & 3 sachets

  China

  Tiger claws

  India

  1994

  Tiger bone plasters:

  –20

  Tanzania

  –4

  China

  –2

  N/k

  N/k

  Tincture of tiger bone—

  20 x 70 cl bottles

  China

  USA

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 October, how many prosecutions followed the seizures of tiger products in the period since 1989.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 October,Official Report, column 754, what information he has of the

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  intended destination of the tiger products seized between 1989 and 1994.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  With one exception, customs' action was confined to seizure of the goods and there is no information on the intended destinations apart from the importers' addresses.

  In the one case which was investigated for deliberate evasion, customs was satisfied that a medicinal product had been imported to treat a genuine medical complaint and that there were no grounds to support legal proceedings.

  Vehicle Licensing System
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received about the proposed changes to the vehicle licensing system;

  (2) what plans he has for concessions for the classic car sector from the proposed changes to the vehicle licensing system;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the proposed changes to the vehicle licensing system will encourage registration among those who formerly avoided road tax;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) use-based charges and (b) flat-rate registration fees on car use;

  (5) what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes to the vehicle licensing system on small businesses concerned with classic car restoration.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of representations about the proposed changes to the vehicle licensing system which will introduce a system of continuous licensing based on possession rather than use for all cars and motorcycles. The aim of the change, together with the measure to improve the quality of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's vehicle register, is to counter vehicle excise duty evasion, which costs the taxpayer £145 million or more in lost revenue each year, and assist police efforts against car-related crime. Details of how the new system will operate have yet to be decided. A consultation document, to be issued later this year, will seek views from interested parties.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Treasury's cash and running costs limits in 1994–95.

  Mr. Nelson
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVII, vote 1 will be increased by a token £1,000 from £77,363,000 to £77,364,000. The net increase is mainly to meet the cost of the grant in aid to the private finance panel executive as announced on 21 July,Official Report, column 426 and will be fully offset by savings from within the vote.

  The running costs limit will be reduced by £885,000 from £80,969,000 to £80,084,000 mainly reflecting the transfer of the cost of security guards—£830,000—to the Cabinet Office, class XIX, vote 1.

  Central Statistical Office
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Central Statistical Office's cash and running costs limits in 1994–95.

  Mr. Nelson
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVII, vote 13 will be increased by £3,221,000 from £44,781,000 to £48,002,000 and the running costs limit by £3,261,000 to £48,463,000. These increases reflect:

  (a) A transfer from the Department of National Heritage (Class XI, Vote 7) (£3,080,000), in respect of funding for the International Passenger Survey.

  (b) A transfer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class III, vote 5) (£36,000), in respect of the collection of producer prices information.

  (c) The take up of entitlement under the end year flexibility scheme for running costs (£105,000).

  (d) Additional running costs in respect of increased sales of publications, offset by a corresponding increase in Appropriations in aid (£40,000).

  (e) Expenditure required to fund a capital project, offset by a corresponding increase in Appropriations in aid (£100,000).

  The increase are offset by inter-departmental transfers and additional receipts or are charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Running Costs
  Mr. Grocott
  ]: To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the current annual cost of maintaining and running the House of Lords.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested can be obtained from the House of Lords "Annual Report and Accounts", HL 86, a copy of which is held in the Library.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Disabled People
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the resultant additional expenses, in particular the services of a carer, can be reimbursed by the appropriate administrative department when the hearing of a case at a Crown, county or magistrates court involving a disabled person has to be re-sited because of difficulties of access for that disabled person.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In criminal cases, additional travelling and associated costs properly incurred by a disabled witness or successful defendant may be allowed from public funds. The costs incurred by a carer who necessarily attends may also be allowed. In civil proceedings, the parties' costs are a matter to be determined by the court.

  Northern Ireland Court Service
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary Lord Chancellor's Department, what changes have been made
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  to the class IX vote 3 cash limit and running costs limit for the Northern Ireland court service.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IX, vote 3 has been increased by £758,000 from £26,151,000 to £29,909,000 and the running costs limit by £758,000 from £17,254,000 to £18,012,000. The vote is eligible for a cash limit increase of £94,000 in respect of the end-year flexibility arrangements for running costs. This supplementary estimate gives effect to that increase. The further increase arises out of the transfer from the Crown property unit of the cost of the payment of contributions in lieu of rates.

ENVIRONMENT

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the privatisations which his Department has promoted since 1979 indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Since 1979, my Department has promoted the following privatisations:

  Sale

  Date of Sale

  Net Proceeds from Sale £ millions

  Shares in 10 water holding companies

  December 1989

  15,093·7

  Property Services Agency (PSA) Projects

  1 December 1992

  –49·9

  PSA Services Building Management (BM) Scotland

  1 September 1993

  3·5

  PSA Services BM Manchester

  1 October 1993

  –11·5

  PSA Services North East BM

  1 October 1993

  8.0

  PSA Services BM South East and BM South West

  1 October 1993

  10·4

  My Department promoted the sale of the Crown Suppliers in 1990. The sale was not concluded and the organisation closed on 31 March 1991.

  In addition, the Hydraulics Research Station became private research association on 1 April 1982.

  Details of the current value of each holding are not a matter for my Department.

  1Includes the sale of Welsh Water by the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Water and Sewerage Services
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the powers which rest with the Director General of Water Services to determine the method of charging for water and sewerage services in England and Wales.

  Mr. Atkins
  The method of charging water and sewerage services in England and Wales is a matter for the water and sewerage companies. The Director General 1004
  of Water Services has no powers to determine the method of charging, but he does have powers, in section 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991, to ensure—subject to his obligation to secure that the companies can properly finance the carrying out of their functions—that the interests of customers and potential customers are protected as regards the fixing and recovery of charges by the companies.

  Commission for New Towns
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is to be the new chairman of the Commission for New Towns; and who are its board members.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  An announcement about the new chairman of CNT will be made in due course. The current board members are as follows:

  Sir Neil Shields MC (Chairman)

  Lord Finsberg MBE (Deputy Chairman)

  Lord Bellwin JP

  Mr. R. B. Caws OBE

  Mr. F. C. Graves OBE, DL

  Sir Brian Jenkins GBE

  Ms W. Luscombe

  Mr. M. H. Mallinson

  Lady Marsh

  Mr. J. R. Trustam Eve

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost to his Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The latest estimate of the costs of preparing answers to both written and oral questions was given in the reply by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell) to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 387.

  Teesside Development Corporation
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what current developments Teesside development corporation has in hand; and if he will make a statement on progress to date.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Teesside development corporation has the following schemes currently under way: At Hartlepool, the corporation has just opened a major new tourist attraction, the Hartlepool historic quay, which is well on its way to achieving its target of 250,000 visitors per annum. The opening of the centre has already led to the attraction of substantial private sector investment in complementary developments such as a factory shopping complex, superstore, food courts, public house and restaurant and negotiations are also under way for further commercial and residential schemes.

  At Teesside the corporation is continuing in its drive to transform 100 hectares of formerly derelict land into a high-quality development incorporating commercial, office, residential, retail, educational and leisure facilities. To that end, the Tees barrage, which was commissioned in September 1994, will be fully operational in 1995. This

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  will dramatically improve the environment and water quality of the Tees providing a prestigious and dramatic setting for water sports and recreation. It will also lead to the attraction of further private investment on high-quality sites with attractive water frontage.

  Preston farm, the corporation's main industrial and business site continue to attract new private sector investment. The latest success is the announcement of the creation of 1,000 new jobs within a three-year period by the international cable company COMCAST.

  Overall, the Teesside development corporation in its first six years to 31 March 1994 has achieved the following:
  - 7,000 new jobs in new floorspace
  - 274,000 sq m of new floorspace
  - 700 houses completed with a further 350 underway.
  - £715 million of private sector investment attracted to the area.
  - 330 hectares of land reclaimed.
  - Over 6,000 jobs provided in the construction industry.
  - Over 300 companies assisted to expand and/or to relocate to Teesside
  - £53 million of receipts.
  - £10 million of European assistance secured.
  - Integrated the community into its developments by promoting schemes such as social and sheltered housing, training initiatives, a new University College, two nursing homes, a Community Farm, an Enterprise and Training Centre and wide-spread environmental improvements.

  Belgrave Residents Association, Leicester
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will invite the district auditor to investigate the use of public money by the Belgrave residents association in the city of Leicester and the means by which it came by and disposed of public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  No. If my hon. Friend has concerns about the use of local authority funds he should refer the matter to the district auditor for investigation.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his policy on limiting increases in SSAs over the next two years for local authority expenditure levels;

  Properties with rate bills affected by transitional arrangements in 1994–95, England

  Size of property

  Reduction in bill due to transition

  (1) Number (000's)

  (2) Actual rates bill with transition £ million

  (3) Rates bill without transition £ million

  (4) Amount £ million

  (5) Amount per cent.

  Small

  275

  335

  450

  115

  74

  Large

  55

  1,050

  1,435

  385

  73

  All

  330

  1,385

  1,885

  500

  73

  Source:

  Inland Revenue

  Notes:

  1. Figures (except percentages) are rounded to nearest 5 units.

  2. Small properties have a 1 April 1990 rateable value less than £10,000 (£15,000 in London).

  3. Column 4 is column 3 less column 2.

  4. Column 5 is column 2 as a percentage of column 3.

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  (2) what discussions he has had with his colleagues regarding levels of SSAs; and what effects these will have on local government expenditure over the next two years.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. Friend regularly discusses the future spending needs of local government with colleagues. Conclusions from these discussions will be announced in due course.

  Leicester City Council
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will invite the district auditor to investigate the sale by Leicester city council of land to a temple, a mosque and a gurdwara in Hamilton in Leicester; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  No. This is not a matter for the Government. If my hon. Friend has concerns about any financial transactions by the local authority he should refer the matter to the district auditor.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will estimate the number of hereditaments where the transition for the 1990 change is likely to be incomplete at 31 March 1995 but is likely to be (i) complete and (ii) more nearly complete at 1 April 1995 by virtue of a reduction in the rateable value from the date;

  (2) how many hereditaments in England which currently fall (a) below and (b) above the threshold of rateable value, for determining whether the lower limit on year-on-year increases in non-domestic rates bills applies, there are estimated to be for which the transition to the rateable value and national non-domestic rate introduced in April 1990 will not have been completed at 31 March 1995; and if he will estimate (i) the average percentage and (ii) the aggregate amount by which the 1994–95 rates bills for those hereditaments falls below the amount which would have been payable without transitional relief.

  Mr. Curry
  The information about properties in England which are currently in transition is contained in the table. Assuming for illustrative purposes that the rate poundage is unchanged in real terms between 1994–95 and 1995–96, preliminary results from the 1995 revaluation suggest that 35,000 of an estimated 330,000 properties in transition at 31 March 1995 would find themselves with no further increase next year and 50,000 would be closer to reaching their full liability than they are now.

  Source: Inland Revenue: estimates rounded to nearest 5,000.
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  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what studies he has commissioned, internally and from external consultants, of the likely impact of the April 1995 revaluation of non-domestic property in England on rateable values and non-domestic rate bills in different regions and different sectors of the economy; if he will publish those studies, or summary thereof; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the regions, sectors and types of hereditament most affected by large increases or decreases in non-domestic rates.

  Provisional estimates of impact of 1995 revaluation on rateable value. Average percentage increase (+)/decrease (-) in 1995 list RV compared with 1990 list RV

  Region

  Property type

  Shops

  Offices

  Warehouses

  Factories

  Other

  All

  South west

  +7

  +13

  +12

  +2

  +17

  +11

  Rest of South east

  +2

  –12

  +7

  +2

  +12

  +2

  East Anglia

  +12

  +14

  +9

  +3

  +15

  +11

  North west

  +31

  +51

  +46

  +31

  +21

  +32

  Northern

  +30

  +50

  +43

  +20

  +16

  +24

  East Midlands

  +22

  +35

  +21

  +15

  +17

  +20

  West Midlands

  +31

  +54

  +49

  +40

  +9

  +34

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +27

  +56

  +32

  +23

  +14

  +26

  Inner London

  –16

  –59

  –14

  –14

  –3

  –40

  Outer London

  +12

  –5

  +5

  –8

  +13

  +5

  All

  +10

  –29

  +17

  +13

  +13

  +1

  Source:

  Inland Revenue

  Note:

  All number are still subject to change, possibly significant, as the revaluation work progresses.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hereditaments in England which fall(a) below and (b) above the threshold rateable value, for determining whether the lower limit on year-on-year increases in non-domestic rates bills applies, there are estimated to be whose rates bills for 1995–96 in the absence of transitional relief and assuming the rate poundage as adjusted for the revaluation is indexed for inflation would be (i) under 50 per cent., (ii) between 50 and 80 per cent., (iii) between 80 and 120 per cent., (iv)

  Estimated increase or decrease in rate bills in England between 1994–95 and 1995–96 as a result of the 1995 revaluation, in the absence of transitional relief

  1995–96 bills as a percentage of 1994–95 bills

  Small properties

  Large properties

  Total

  Number (000s)

  Change in bills £ million

  Number (000s)

  Change in bills £ million

  Number (000s)

  Change in bills £ million

  <50

  10

  —320

  15

  –730

  25

  –1050

  50–80

  35

  –80

  25

  —315

  60

  –400

  80–120

  335

  45

  145

  105

  500

  150

  120–200

  695

  670

  165

  1130

  865

  1805

  200–500

  145

  220

  20

  345

  165

  565

  >500

  10

  40

  —

  90

  10

  130

  Total

  1255

  575

  370

  625

  1630

  1200

  Source:

  Inland Revenue

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to nearest 5 units. ('—' means less than 3 units).

  2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  3. Small properties have a 1 April 1990 rateable value less than £10,000 (£15,000 in London).

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  Mr. Curry
  The Inland Revenue is analysing the results of the revaluation as they come in. Although numbers are subject to change, our current estimate of the effect of the revaluation on rateable values is given in the table. The effect on rates bills will depend on the multiplier which is determined for 1995–96, and on the final form of our proposed transitional arrangements for the 1995 revaluation, details of which are contained in a consultation paper that we issued on 3 October. Copies of the consultation paper are in the Library and we expect to announce our decisions by the end of November.

  between 120 and 200 per cent., (v) between 200 and 500 per cent. and (vi) over 500 per cent. of their bills for 1994–95; and if he will estimate for each of those categories the aggregate increase or decrease in the rates bills between the two years.

  Mr. Curry
  Estimates for England based on preliminary results of the 1995 revaluation are given in the table. It has been assumed for illustrative purposes that the rate poundage is unchanged in real terms between 1994–95 and 1995–96.
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  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the regions, sectors and types of hereditament where there is the greatest incidence of incomplete transition to the rateable value and national non-domestic rate introduced in April 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  The greatest incidence of property in England currently remaining in transition under the 1990

  Percentage of properties estimated to be in transition in inner London area as at 31 March 1995

  Properties in transition as a proportion of total number of properties in each class per cent.

  Size

  Shops

  Offices

  Warehouses

  Factories

  Other

  Small

  50

  35

  40

  30

  50

  Large

  60

  30

  20

  20

  60

  Source:

  Inland Revenue

  Note:

  Small properties have a 1 April 1990 rateable value less than £10,000 (£15,000 in London).

  Repair Costs
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has on the number of local authorities which have incurred significant losses as a result of a failure to bill leaseholders for repair costs.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None. The Department does not collect information in this form.

  Westminster City Council
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigation his Department is making into Westminster city council's failure to recover repair costs from leaseholders.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  It is not the role of the Department to carry out such investigations. This is a matter for the authority's auditors.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the reasons for the qualification of Westminster city council's accounts for 1993–94.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  No. This is a matter for the local authority and its appointed auditor.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the additional cost to tenants in Westminster of the failure of the council to recover repair costs from leaseholders.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Department has no details of the alleged undercharging by Westminster city council, and has made no estimate of the cost to tenants.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the date by which the last council tax banding appeals are expected to be heard(a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We expect four out of five initial appeal period appeals to be settled before the end of this year. The remainder will be settled as soon as possible in 1995. I cannot estimate a date by which all such appeals will have been settled since a few may be affected by special factors—such as an appeal on a point of law to the High Court.

  In limited circumstances—for example, on a change of occupier or in the case of a material change affecting the
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  scheme is the inner London, with 45 per cent. of its properties in transition. The incidence is greater than elsewhere for each main sector of the economy, regardless of whether the 1 April 1990 rateable value of property is more or less than the £15,000 threshold used for determining entitlement to transitional relief. The figures for each class of property are given in the table.

  property—appeals can still be made after the end of the initial period.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the percentage of new properties awaiting banding, which has been waiting more than one year(a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire;

  (2) what is the expected date by which the last of the new properties that have been waiting more than a year for their banding will have been banded (a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The local office structure of the Valuation Office Agency is not based on county boundaries and the information for each county is not held centrally. Of the dwellings to be added to valuation lists in the county and district areas of Berkshire, as at 28 October, the following percentage had been outstanding for more than a year:-

  per cent.

  Berkshire

  12·4

  Bracknell Forest

  3·4

  Newbury

  21·1

  Reading

  6·5

  Slough

  2·5

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  4·0

  Wokingham

  18·9

  The Valuation Office Agency at Reading expects to have these dwellings entered in valuation lists before the end of November this year.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of council tax banding appeals made(a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The local office structure of the Valuation Office Agency is not based on county boundaries and the information requested at(a) is not held centrally.

  The number of council tax banding appeals made, as at 28 October, in each district of Berkshire are as follows:

  Appeals

  Berkshire

  17,821

  Bracknell Forest

  1,756

  Newbury

  3,663

  Reading

  4,669

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  Appeals

  Slough

  1,276

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  3,359

  Wokingham

  3,098

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council tax banding appeals were heard by 30 September(a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The local office structure of the Valuation Office Agency is not based on counties. The only centrally held statistics that provide figures for counties are those relating to appeals made during the initial period. The number of initial period council tax banding appeals settled by the end of September were as follows:

  Appeals

  (a) County

  Avon

  12,157

  Bedfordshire

  5,649

  Berkshire

  9,616

  Buckinghamshire

  9,156

  Cambridgeshire

  5,616

  Cheshire

  10,991

  Cleveland

  3,535

  Cornwall

  8,749

  Cumbria

  7,721

  Derbyshire

  10,602

  Devon

  19,339

  Dorset

  11,563

  Durham

  5,432

  East Sussex

  11,089

  Essex

  19,867

  Gloucestershire

  11,086

  Hampshire

  18,297

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  10,740

  Hertfordshire

  9,078

  Humberside

  7,693

  Isle of Wight

  2,330

  Kent

  19,312

  Lancashire

  15,432

  Leicestershire

  8,588

  Lincolnshire

  8,068

  Norfolk

  8,511

  Northamptonshire

  6,358

  Northumberland

  4,432

  North Yorkshire

  14,140

  Nottinghamshire

  9,745

  Oxford

  10,091

  Shropshire

  6,670

  Somerset

  8,709

  Staffordshire

  9,463

  Suffolk

  7,200

  Surrey

  14,919

  Warwickshire

  6,444

  West Sussex

  10,971

  Wiltshire

  9,801

  Isles of Scilly

  165

  Inner London

  36,284

  Outer London

  44,834

  Greater Manchester

  16,016

  Merseyside

  8,870

  South Yorkshire

  6,900

  Tyne and Wear

  6,564

  West Midlands

  14,966

  West Yorkshire

  18,663

  (b) Billing authority in Berkshire

  Bracknell Forest

  845

  Newbury

  1,791

  1012

  Appeals

  Reading

  2,413

  Slough

  781

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  1,935

  Wokingham

  1,851

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new properties are awaiting banding(a) by county and (b) by district in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The local office structure of the Valuation Office Agency is not based on county boundaries and the information for each county is not held centrally.

  Of the dwellings notified to the VOA office at Reading, as at 28 October, the following number had yet to be entered in valuation lists:

  Number

  Berkshire

  1,577

  Bracknell Forest

  116

  Newbury

  452

  Reading

  367

  Slough

  119

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  222

  Wokingham

  301

  Scrap Yards
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends that the new controls envisaged in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 should be enforced in relation to scrap yards.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Pickthall) on 21 October 1994,Official Report, column 352.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to take action to prevent scrap yards from being a source of pollution.

  Mr. Atkins
  The recovery of scrap metal is subject to licensing under part I of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Waste regulation authorities have a duty under section 9 of the 1974 Act to ensure that licensed activities do not cause pollution of water, danger to public health or serious detriment to local amenities; and to ensure that licence conditions are complied with.

  Home Improvement Agency
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusion he has reached in his review of the Home Improvement Agency grant programme.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached following his review of the Home Improvement Agency grant programme.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The review has confirmed that home improvement agencies provide an important service helping a large and increasing number of vulnerable people improve their homes. Their work is highly valued by both clients and practitioners, especially local authorities, and makes a significant contribution to the effective delivery of housing and community care policies.
  1013
  We have therefore concluded that the grant programme should continue for a further five years from 1 April 1995. We are now considering the detailed arrangements under which the programme will operate in the light of suggestions made by consultees.

  I am placing in the Library a report of the studies which informed the review, together with a list of the responses received to the consultation letter issued by my Department in June. Copies of individual responses may be obtained through the Library.

  Rural Development Commission
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish a management statement on relations between his Department and the Rural Development Commission.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am issuing the management statement today. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1994–95.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Department of the Environment/regeneration initiative non-voted cash limit will be increased by £25,081,000 from £1,267,772,000 to £1,292,853,000. Capital end-year flexibility take-up of £28,288,000 will fund payments on capital projects which slipped from previous years for the Victoria arena, Urban Regeneration Agency, housing action trusts, Plymouth development corporation, Central Manchester development corporation, city challenge and the coalfield areas fund. A transfer of £3,000,000 to class VII, vote 1—housing, England,—is necessary to meet an equivalent increase in city challenge Housing Corporation expenditure and a transfer of £207,000 to the Department of Health is necessary for urban programme payments. There will be associated increases to external financing limits as follows: by £3,000,000 from £5,800,000 to £8,800,000 for Central Manchester development corporation; by £1,000,000 from £30,500,000 to £31,500,000 for Tyne and Wear development corporation; by £1,639,000 from £6,500,000 to £8,139,000 for Plymouth development corporation; by £2,500,000 from £88,215,000 to £90,715,000 for the housing action trusts; and by £21,470,000 from £95,336,000 to £116,806,000 for the Urban Regeneration Agency—English Partnerships.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 5—central environmental services, etc—will be reduced by £1,309,000 from £440,954,000 to £439,645,000 to reflect savings in grant in aid paid to the Rural Development Commission and expenditure forecast under various subheads.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 8—revenue support grant, payments of non-domestic rates, Valuation Office services, etc., England—will be increased by £2,166,000 from £29,632,166,000 to £29,634,332,000. This comprises an increase of £3,452,000 in provision for Valuation Office rating services repayment, an increase of
  1014
  £214,000 in provision for Valuation Office banding and valuation services, and an offsetting reduction of £1,500,000 in provision for valuation tribunals.

  The Department of the Environment/local government reorganisation etc. cash limit will be reduced by £3,800,000 from £58,000,000 to £54,200,000. This comprises a reduction of £1,000,000 in provision for supplementary credit approvals to local authorities in respect of commutation of loan charge grants, and a reduction of £2,800,000 in borrowing provision for the local government residuary body.

  All increases will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what amendments he proposes to make to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order following coal privatisation; and what guidance he proposes to issue.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Town and Country Planning General Development Order (Amendment No. 2) Order 1994 which comes into operation on 31 October provides for permitted development rights for licensees of the Coal Authority to continue underground mining at GDO mines subject to conditions requiring the restoration and aftercare of the pithead surface area. These require the operator to submit a scheme for the restoration and aftercare of the site for the Mineral Planning Authority's approval.

  There are also a number of minor technical amendments needed to the GDO, broadly to change references to British Coal to the Coal Authority and to update definitions in line with the Coal Industry Act, 1994.

  The guidance note that we have published today explains the effect of the changes introduced by the amendment order and gives advice on the preparation and content of restoration schemes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has made equivalent arrangements.

  Recycling
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government intend to respond to the second report from the Environment Select Committee on recycling, HC (1993–94) 63.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am pleased to announce that our response to the Environment Select Committee's report on recycling is being published today; copies have been laid in the Journal Office.

  The Government welcome the Environment Committee's wide-ranging and thoughtful report. The report comes at an opportune moment. A range of United Kingdom and international initiatives on waste management are currently being developed. These have the broad aim of securing a more sustainable approach to waste management and increased beneficial use of unavoidable wastes. The report will provide a focal point

  1015
  for informed debate of the many complex issues that need to be addressed.

  The Government are particularly pleased to see the Environment Committee's recognition that recycling should not be pursued for its own sake. It must be seen as part of an integrated approach to waste management. We are also pleased to endorse the Committee's view of the waste management hierarchy as a decision-making tool which balances the environmental and economic considerations in each case. We announced in July that we intend to build upon these principles in the development of a waste strategy for England and Wales.

  Recycling will have an important place in that strategy. In part, this is because recycling is the best option for many wastes—but also, as the Environment Committee point out in its report, because the expansion of recycling and increased opportunities for individual participation can he a springboard for wider environmental awareness and action.

  Grant-in-Aid

  Permanent Jobs1

  £ millions

  (i) Manufacturing

  (ii) Commercial

  (iii) Retail

  (iv) Office

  (v) Other

  Total

  London

  Docklands

  21610·9

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n\a

  n\a

  56,200

  Merseyside

  313·4

  32,400

  32,500

  32,350

  33,125

  3230

  10,605

  Black Country

  253·4

  8,390

  338

  1,040

  1,190

  439

  11,397

  Teeside

  237·3

  4,064

  243

  852

  1,672

  208

  7,039

  Trafford Park

  153·8

  4,359

  4,165

  1,139

  4,312

  819

  14,794

  Tyne and Wear

  227·6

  1,898

  45,713

  —

  —

  8,631

  16,242

  Bristol

  71·0

  —

  1,166

  79

  1,000

  5

  2,250

  Central Manchester

  67·2

  —

  —

  190

  3,341

  1,146

  4,677

  Leeds

  51·5

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8,218

  Sheffield

  74·9

  1,299

  207

  7,512

  759

  305

  10,082

  Birmingham Heartlands

  15·7

  137

  405

  20

  136

  —

  698

  Plymouth

  7·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3,084·6

  142,202

  Notes

  All figures are up to 31 March 1994.

  n/a—Breakdown not available.

  1Permanent jobs = gross jobs provided by first-time occupiers of newly completed development (new build and conversion) in the Designated Area who took up occupation over the reporting period.

  2 Excludes docklands light railway.

  3 Provisional figures based on a preliminary analysis.

  4 Includes office.

  Commentary

  In five cases—Birmingham Heartlands, London Docklands, Sheffield, Teesside and Trafford Park—the employment figures vary from those previously published (Hansard 14 July 1994, Col. 771). The substantial downward revisions of the London Docklands and Teesside totals reflect the fact that the earlier numbers had been built up by combining total employment in the area in 1991 with gross jobs subsequently created.

  Grant-in-Aid

  Private sector investment

  £ millions

  £ millions

  (i) Manufacturing

  (ii) Commercial

  (iii) Retail

  (iv) Office

  (v) Other

  Total

  London

  Docklands

  11610·9

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  5,993·0

  Merseyside

  313·4

  236·2

  237·7

  223·9

  275·4

  2127·8

  301·0

  Black Country

  253·4

  385·7

  13·8

  24·3

  9·9

  146·3

  580·0

  Teeside

  237·3

  500·4

  64·3

  50·1

  64·3

  35·7

  714·8

  Trafford Park

  153·8

  474·0

  50·0

  10·0

  165·0

  20·1

  719·1

  Tyne and Wear

  227·6

  78·5

  3252·7

  1·7

  —

  270·1

  603·0

  Bristol

  71·0

  —

  73·1

  41·5

  44·0

  16·4

  175·0

  Central Manchester

  67·2

  —

  —

  4·0

  92·0

  181·3

  277·3

  Development Corporations
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each development corporation since it inception(a) its total budget, (b) the number of jobs created and (c) the role of private sector investment made in its area, with the jobs and investment broken down into (i) manufacturing, (ii) commercial, (iii) retailing, (iv) office and (v) other.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]: The urban development corporations' programmes are supported by grant in aid, receipts from their activities and funds from the European Community. The table shows the total grant in aid paid to each corporation since its inception; the gross number of new permanent jobs; and the private sector investment in developments in the designated area. Where information is available, the figures for jobs and private sector investment have been broken down into; (i) manufacturing; (ii) commercial; (iii) retailing; (iv) office; and (v) other.
  1017

  Grant-in-Aid

  Private sector investment

  £ millions

  £ millions

  (i) Manufacturing

  (ii) Commercial

  (iii) Retail

  (iv) Office

  (v) Other

  Total

  Leeds

  51·5

  104·0

  3117·0

  35·0

  —

  61·0

  317·0

  Sheffield

  74·9

  35·9

  39·8

  412·4

  27·0

  17·5

  532·6

  Birmingham Heartlands

  15·7

  7·4

  31·8

  2·0

  5·0

  0·1

  46·3

  Plymouth

  7·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3,084·6

  10,259·1

  Notes:

  All figures are up to 31 March 1994.

  n/a—Breakdown not available.

  1 Excludes Docklands Light Railway.

  2 Provisional figures based on a preliminary analysis.

  3Includes office.

  Commentary:

  In five cases—Birmingham Heartlands, London Docklands, Sheffield, Teeside and Trafford Park—the employment figures vary from those previously published in Hansard, 14 July 1994, column 771. The substantial downward revisions of the London Docklands and Teeside totals reflect the fact that the earlier numbers had been built up by combining total employment in the area in 1991 with gross jobs subsequently created.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what additional safety precautions would be required to permit the burying of low-level nuclear waste on landfill tips;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the implications of water pollution at Beighton tip, Sheffield for the suitability of the tip for the burying of low-level nuclear waste.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]A small number of landfill sites, including Beighton tip, already receive some low-level radioactive waste for controlled burial. Authorisations for all such disposals are issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. These are designed to ensure the safe disposal of this waste. Conditions in the authorisations are determined on a case by case basis depending on the nature of the sites and the activity and amount of the wastes.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to consult local communities in the vicinities of landfill tips which are being considered for the burying of low-level nuclear waste;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that local communities are consulted before any nuclear waste is deposited in landfill tips.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]In addition to the specific requirements of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, it is already the practice of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to consult the relevant waste regulatory authority, local councils, and water undertaker, before issuing authorisations for controlled burial of low-level radioactive waste at landfill sites. The Government are currently consulting on proposals to encourage greater use of controlled burial. However, there are no plans in relation to specific sites.

  Ofwat
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to Ofwat of its contract with Ludgate Laud for parliamentary lobbying in the present year.
  1018
  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer, 31 October 1994]This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.

  Economic Development Expenditure
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total spending on economic development measures by(a) the five west Yorkshire district councils, (b) the four south Yorkshire district councils, (c) North Yorkshire county council and (d) Humberside county council under the Housing and Local Government Act 1989 in each financial year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]Section 33 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 allows local authorities to take "such steps as they may from time to time consider appropriate for promoting the economic development of their area". The Department of the Environment does not collect information about expenditure specifically related to section 33, although it does record a number of items of local authority expenditure which can be totalled to produce a figure for economic development generally. For each of the local authorities identified, this gives the following figures for net current and capital expenditure respectively:

  1990–91 £000s

  1991–92 £000s

  1992–93 £000s

  1993–94 £000s

  Net current expenditure

  County Councils

  Humberside

  1,368

  1,899

  1,870

  1,921

  North Yorkshire

  577

  685

  271

  736

  District Councils

  Barnsley

  349

  302

  247

  2,691

  Doncaster

  202

  48

  252

  647

  Rotherham

  -428

  -352

  -138

  -460

  Sheffield

  461

  —

  2,967

  2,749

  Bradford

  1,425

  1,606

  1,750

  1,486

  Calderdale

  570

  581

  280

  193

  Kirklees

  1,468

  1,778

  2,091

  1,950

  Leeds

  1,879

  2,148

  2,004

  48

  Wakefiels

  —

  —

  2,258

  2,110

  1019

  1990–91 £000s

  1991–92 £000s

  1992–93 £000s

  1993–94 £000s

  Capital Expenditure

  County Councils

  Humberside

  226

  293

  271

  269

  North Yorkshire

  183

  213

  —

  —

  District Councils

  Barnsley

  992

  1,246

  1,754

  4,533

  Doncaster

  3,985

  1,287

  6,025

  2,851

  Rotherham

  303

  199

  732

  —

  Sheffield

  9,461

  1,415

  1,238

  n/a

  Bradford

  5,427

  2,637

  1,881

  6,712

  Calderdale

  1,242

  449

  152

  1,019

  Kirklees

  875

  2,151

  2,231

  3,622

  Leeds

  3,304

  5,940

  4,455

  8,613

  Wakefiels

  5,597

  3,239

  2,326

  1,672

  Rents
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average weekly rent paid by people earning less than £10,000 in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  [pursuant to his reply, 25 October 1994, c. 531]Estimates of the average rent paid by households in England headed by people with annual incomes less than £10,000 are as follows:

  Average weekly rents, before and after deduction of Housing Benefit

  £ per week

  Before deduction of housing benefit

  After deduction of housing benefit

  1990

  28·10

  15·60

  1991

  30·10

  14·80

  1992

  35·10

  16·00

  1993

  39·60

  16·90

  These figures are from the family expenditure survey and are subject to sampling error.

  The estimates do not take into account the income of householders other than the head of household.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for 1992–93 and 1993–94 the amount spent in each London borough, with totals for each training and enterprise council area, under each of the programmes now incorporated into the single regeneration budget, and the amount allocated to be spent in 1994–95 on the same basis.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 27 October 1994,Official Report, column 813.

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the I3oard of Trade (1) what is his policy regarding possible future 1020
  exports of casings or components for anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanisms;

  (2) what is his policy regarding possible future exports of anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanisms.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  We have not produced or exported any anti-personnel mines for some years. Nevertheless, any applications to export these forms of mines or their components would be subject to rigorous scrutiny on a case by case basis, with due regard to proposed end users and their adherence to protocol II of the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what failure rate is allowed in the definition of a self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanism on an anti-personnel mine employed by Her Majesty's Government for export purposes.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Applications for licences for the export of anti-personnel mines have not been received for some years and the United Kingdom does not currently produce or export such mines. Failure rate would not, however, be a factor taken into account in considering applications for licences to export such mines. We are working positively towards incorporating achievable criteria into the revised 1981 United Nations weaponry convention which governs the use of such weapons.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the definition of anti-personal mine employed by Her Majesty's Government for export purposes.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Exports of anti-personnel mines are controlled under munitions list 4 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 and our own recently announced export moratorium. Although currently no formal definition on anti-personnel mine is used, companies making applications for licences to export any weapons are required to state the purpose for which those weapons are to be used.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research he has carried out into the impact of production and export of anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanisms by the United Kingdom on the production and export of anti-personnel mines of all types by developing countries; and what were his conclusions.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  No such research has been undertaken by my Department.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade to which countries the United Kingdom has exported casings or components for anti-personnel mines since 1982.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Details of any export licences approved for this equipment could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement o the value of savings identified by Stoy Hayward as obtainable if the work of the Insolvency Service is contracted out; and when details of the cost and savings will be published.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Stoy Hayward offer no quantified estimates of potential savings. Detailed information on the costs and the interest of private sector organisations
  1021
  provided to Stoy Hayward Consulting remains confidential.

  Steel
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the President of the board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect the recent decision of the European Commission in respect of steel will have on British Steel; and if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom steel industry.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I expect that the reported demise of the restructuring plan for the European steel industry will have little effect on British Steel, as it is simply an acknowledgement of what has been apparent for some time. The demise only reinforces the view of both the Government and the United Kingdom steel industry that the only way to achieve successful restructuring of the industry is by strict control of subsidies. The Commission should now be free to devote more effort to achieving this.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the European Commission steel industry restructuring plans.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I was not surprised when the Commission recently announced that the restructuring plan for the European steel industry was dead. The demise of the plan reinforces the Government's view that the only way to achieve successful restructuring of the industry is by strict control of subsidies, so that the inefficient producers come under commercial pressure to make closures where necessary. The Commission should now be free to devote more effort to achieving this.

  Parliamentary Consultancies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it a requirement for companies to disclose publicly the nature of any parliamentary consultancy they may enter into with an hon. Member and the remuneration.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Such consultancies are already subject to disclosure in the Register of Members' Interests. I have no plans to introduce new Companies Act requirements.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The 1994 figures are not yet available. "Public Bodies 1993" shows that, at 1 September 1993, 19 per cent. of the Department's appointments were held by women. The Department is fully committed to equal opportunities for women in public appointments, and has set itself a goal of increasing the number of women in DTI public appointments to 30 per cent. by 1996.

  Nuclear Review
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of submissions received in response to his public consultation on the nuclear review; how many of the submissions have now been placed in the Library; and what is the reason for not placing in the 1022
  Library the submission of the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been 505 formal submissions to the nuclear review: 200 of these, from the nuclear industry and other representative bodies and organisations, have been treated as substantive and placed in the Libraries of both Houses in accordance with my announcement of 19 May,Official Report columns 545–46. This includes the submission from the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith), and I understand that the Library will be writing to confirm this.

  Optical Fibre Networks
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when Her Majesty's Government will respond to the third report from the Trade and Industry Committee of Session 1993–94 on optical fibre networks, HC 285.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Government will publish shortly a Command Paper setting out the opportunities for the United Kingdom arising from the further development of broadband communications networks and services. This Command Paper will incorporate the Government's response to the Trade and Industry Select Committee's report on optical fibre.

  Information Super-highway
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what efforts his Department is making to ensure that the largest possible number of individuals and organisations are connected to the information super-highway.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Government will publish shortly a Command Paper setting out the opportunities for the United Kingdom arising from the further development of broad-band communications networks and services.

  Entertainment Services (BT and Mercury)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to vary the ban on BT and Mercury providing entertainment services via their national networks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 22 June 1994,Official Report, column 227.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what liability will pass to British Coal's successor in regard to the provision of superannuation cover in respect of those employees who accepted the British Coal contract of employment in 1994; and what provision has been made by British Coal to meet this obligation.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Successor companies will be liable only for employers' contribution to the new industry-wide schemes that are to be established and—except where a transferring employee also elects to transfer his past service entitlements—only in respect of transferred employees' future service with the successors. There is full provision for transferred employees' entitlements in respect of past service with British Coal within the funds of the existing pension schemes, now subject to guarantee by Government.
  1023
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes have been made to British Coal's external financing limit for 1994–95.

  Mr. Eggar
  The external financing limit of the British Coal Corporation has been increased from £700 million to £736 million. This is attributable to a variety of factors including the effect on cash flow of privatising British Coal's mining business.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance is being provided towards the contracts recently entered into between Trafalgar house, PowerGen and British Gas with companies in Indonesia, the subject matter of the contracts, their total value and the identity of the Indonesian company in those contracts which involve a joint enterprise.

  Mr. Needham
  The DTI has awarded to Trafalgar house and a subsidiary company two grants under the overseas projects fund. These were to assist with a feasibility study and precontractual activities in Indonesia. Details of these grants are commercially confidential. Where appropriate, in accordance with the scheme rules, grants are repaid.

  In addition, in 1988, Her Majesty's Government offered aid funds under the aid and trade provision of £16·856 million in support of a bid by Trafalgar house to build a toll road between Cikampek and Padalarang at an estimated cost of £56 million. The final value of the contract is subject to ongoing negotiations. The Indonesian partner company is PT Jasa Marga (Persero).

  No financial assistance has been made available to PowerGen or British Gas.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which business people representing which companies were involved in the recent trade mission to Indonesia.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]I visited Indonesia from 18 to 24 October 1994 and was accompanied by the following business people:

  Company

  Brian McCann Director Corporate Development

  AMEC Plc

  Adam Strachan-Stevens Regional Manager

  Avro International

  Ian Thomas Director, International Business Development

  Balfour Beatty

  David Moleshead Export Finance Director

  Banque Paribas, London

  Richard Beresford Manager, Indonesia Global Gas Division

  British Gas Plc

  David Payne Country Representative

  British Telecom

  Peter Burleigh Managing Director, Asia

  Cable and Wireless

  Ray Grimwood Managing Director

  Focas Limited

  Dr. Clive Palmer Director, Exports Division

  GEC Alstom

  1024

  Company

  Andrew Walker Director, PT Indurenco International

  High Point Rendell Group

  Barrie Gannon Chief Executive

  International Power Systems

  Mr. B Dewe Matthews Senior Director

  J. Henry Schroder Wagg

  Raymond McCabe Managing Director

  John Brown Engineering

  Clive Kerner Manager Project and Export Finance

  Kleinwort Benson

  Dr. Nicholas Crosby Office Manager (Indonesia)

  Kvaerner Boving Ltd.

  Roger Walker Chairman and Managing Director

  Long Products Ltd.

  Pat Dougan Chief Executive

  Mackie International

  Alan McCready Director Asia Pacific

  Mivan Group

  Carl Nuttall Managing Director (Australia)

  MMD Group

  Clare Phelan General Manager, Business Development

  National Grid Co Plc

  David Byers International Business Development Manger

  National Grid Co Plc

  Peter Windsor Director International Business

  National Power Plc

  David Smith Executive Project Manager

  Philips Telecom

  Peter Hughes Managing Director, PowerGen International

  PowerGen Plc

  James Carmichael Director, Business Development SE Asia

  PowerGen Plc

  Dr. B Sweeney Marketing Director

  Rolls Royce Industrial Power Group

  Rod Williams Regional Executive (Indonesia)

  Rolls Royce Industrial Power Group

  Roger Harman Business Unit Leader

  Sir Alexander Gibb

  Roger Liew Manager, International Desk

  Swindon Chamber of Commerce

  Douglas Watkinson Managing Director

  Termac Construction International

  John Swann Manager, Business Development (Asia)

  Taylor Woodrow International

  John Cotton Managing Director

  Westinghouse Brakes Ltd.

  Mr C W Lynch Projects Director

  Westinghouse Systems

  1025

  Company

  James Young Director, Project and Export Finance

  West Merchant Bank

  Dr D Keith Far East Director (Singapore)

  Wimpey Construction

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date he expects to announce details of schemes that have been successful under the third non-fossil fuel obligation order.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My Department is currently assessing the cost and quality of the bids received, and carrying out the statutory and other consultations. I hope to be able to announce the order in early December.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to his Department's cash limits and running costs limit for 1994–95.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1—support for business, consumer and investor protection, energy programmes and administration—will be increased by £12,525,000 from £1,173,077,000 to £1,185,602,000.

  The gross running costs limit for the Department of Trade and Industry is being increased by £14,217,000 from £328,000,000 to £342,217,000. This change comprises the take-up of £14,549,000 in running costs end-year flexibility as approved by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July, Official Report, columns 729-34, and the transfer from Her Majesty's Treasury, class XVII, vote 1, of £3,000, offset by machinery of government transfers to the Department of Transport, class VI, vote 2, of £110,000, Office of the Rail Regulator, class VI, vote 8, of £197,000 and Oftel, class IV, vote 10, of £28,000.

  There are some other changes in the allocation of provision. These include a reduction in provision of £1,500,000 on support for business reflecting a forecast underspend and a new provision of £1,795,000 on privatisation and contractorisation of DTI laboratories, the balance being made up by a transfer of £295,000 from other services. They also include the transfer of £740,000 to the Scottish Office and £1,194,000 to the Welsh Office in respect of industrial programmes.

  In addition, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 4, privatisation of the coal industry, will be increased by £3,402,000 from £12,495,000 to £15,897,000. The increase covers additional costs of privatisation advisers' fees.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to the cash limits and running costs limits for the Office of Electricity Regulation, Office of Gas Supply and Office of Telecommunications.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class IV, vote 10, Office of Telecommunications will be 1026
  increased by £299,000 from £9,059,000 to £9,358,000 and the gross running costs limit by £299,000 from £8,627,000 to £8,926,000. The increase includes the take-up of running costs end-year flexibility of £171,000 as announced by the Chief Secretary on 14 July 1994, Official Report, columns 729£34, and increased provision for personnel services. The increase will be offset by transfers from the Department of Trade and Industry, class IV, vote 1, £28,000, and Office of Electricity Regulation, class IV, vote 12, £100,000.

  The cash limit for class IV, vote 11, Office and Gas supply, will be increased by £100,000 from £4,424,000 to £4,524,000. The increase is required for refitting and equipping new offices. The increase will be offset by a transfer from the Office of Electricity Regulation, class IV, vote 12, £100,000.

  As a consequence of the above, the cash limit for class IV, vote 12, Office of Electricity Regulation, class IV, vote 12, will be reduced by £200,000 from £10,871,000 to £10,671,000. The gross running costs limit will be reduced by £200,000 from £11,603,000 to £11,403,000.

  These changes are offsetting or charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Iraq
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect in percentage terms in the amount of trade with Iraq following from business visits of Iraqi business men since February 1993.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]None. Exports of foodstuffs, medicines and humanitarian goods to Iraq in 1993 totalled £12 million. For the first nine months of this year they were about £7·5 million. There have been no imports from Iraq in either year.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the guidelines companies receive when applying for export licences for trade with Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]No written guidelines are issued to companies about exports to Iraq from the United Kingdom, but each proposed export to Iraq is dealt with individually by the Department's sanctions unit.

  All exports to Iraq from the United Kingdom require authorisation from the United Nations Sanctions Committee and an export licence from the DTI. Companies must therefore complete a form provided by the United Nations Sanctions Committee giving details for their proposed exports. The form is sent out to any company who intends to export goods and any query that it may have can be discussed with the sanctions unit.

  Turkey
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the president of the Board of Trade if he will list the dates of each ministerial visit or trade mission to Turkey since April 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]The information requested is as follows:

  Ministerial Visits:

  16–20 July 1993 Richard Needham Minister for Trade

  1027

  Trade Mission

  Sponsored by

  1992

  1–5 June

  London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  21–25 September

  Northants Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  1993

  1–5 March

  Cardiff Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  26–30 April

  Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  14–18 June

  London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  20–24 September

  Northants Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  1994

  17–21 January

  Wales (formerly Cardiff) Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  7–11 March

  Northern Development Company Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  9–13 May

  Wales Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  19–23 September

  Northants Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  10–14 October

  Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to import radioactively contaminated nitric acid from the former nuclear reprocessing plant at Hanford, USA; and what representations his Department has received from staff at the British embassy in Washington on the subject.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 31 october 1994]None. The import of nitric acid is a commercial matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc, subject to meeting appropriate import licensing and regulatory requirements. The British embassy, as part of its policy to support British companies pursuing commercial opportunities, and with the agreement of my Department, wrote to the United States Department of Energy in August 1994 in support of BNFL's commercial activities, including this proposal.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action has been taken by Britain and the European Union to address the humanitarian needs of the people in Liberia and refugees therefrom.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since 1 January, Britain has provided £1·25 million and the European Union approximately –5 million in support of the United Nations and non-governmental organisations emergency relief programmes to those displaced inside Liberia and to refugees in neighbouring states, the United Kingdom share of the EU aid is £0·6 million.

  The Gambia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a1028
  statement about British and European policy towards The Gambia following the recent coup.

  Mr. Baldry
  We and our European partners have condemned the overthrow of the democratically elected government of The Gambia. We have made it clear that the four-year election timetable announced by the armed forces provisional ruling council is wholly unsatisfactory. Together with our EU partners, Britain announced on 12 October that it was suspending all military co-operation and balance of payments support and would review new aid projects on a case-by-case basis.

  Copies of United Kingdom and European Union statements on The Gambia have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Somaliland
  Mr. Worthington
  to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in improving relationships between UNOSOM and Somaliland in adding to the infrastructure of Somaliland.

  Mr. Baldry
  UNOSOM closed its office in Hargeisa on 21 August. We understand that the United Nations Development Office will visit north-west Somalia in the near future to take forward the process of planning rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the humanitarian needs of Kenya; and what is being done by Britain and the European Union in this connection.

  Mr. Baldry
  Harvest prospects are good in most areas. The world food programme will continue to deliver food aid until the end of the year to meet localised needs especially in northern and eastern regions.

  The United Kingdom has contributed over £6 million in bilateral humanitarian aid since January 1994. European Union emergency aid commitments for 1994 amount to £7·35 million, of which the United Kingdom share is £0·92 million.

  Overseas Aid
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the figures, the sources of the figures and the definition of "poorest" which formed the basis of his statement of 24 October,Official Report, column 680, in respect of the focus of bilateral aid.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1992–93, £619 million was spent on aid to the poorest countries. This represents 80 per cent. of United Kingdom bilateral aid to developing countries which is allocable by income group.

  This information is published in table A2 of "British Aid Statistics 1988–89 to 1992–93", a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House.

  "The poorest countries" are defined as low income group countries with a GNP per capita in 1991 of below %765.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to make a direct comparative assessment of how
  1029
  well British overseas aid expenditure is spent through (a) the United Kingdom bilateral programme and (b) multilateral agencies.

  Mr. Baldry
  We attach equal importance to the effectiveness of all projects whether in bilateral or multilateral programmes. A sample of projects financed under the bilateral programme are assessed to determine their effectiveness and the lessons are fed back into the design of future projects. Our approach towards improving the effectiveness of multilateral aid is set out in the speech which my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development gave to the Overseas Development Institute on 14 June 1994, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in the past year the spouse of a Minister in his Department has travelled abroad at public expense to accompany a Minister on public duties, and what has been the total cost to public funds; and on how many occasions such travel has been undertaken at own cost.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  On three such occasions since 1 January 1994, a Minister has been accompanied by his spouse travelling at public expense. The total cost to public funds was £4,197.68. On no occasion has such travel been undertaken at own cost.

  University Students
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students from Northern Ireland who gained university entrance, enrolled in universities in Great Britain during the last academic year; and how many went to each university in Great Britain.

  Mr. Ancram
  Information is not available in the form requested. However, a total of 4,207 students from Northern Ireland entered higher education courses in Great Britain in the 1993–94 academic year.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Asthma
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how much money the Medical Research Council spent in 1993–94 on(a) research into asthma and (b) research which may be relevant to the condition;

  (2) how much money the Medical Research Council plans to spend in the current year and in 1995–96 on (a) research into asthma and (b) research which may be relevant to the condition.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  In the financial year 1993–94, the Medical Research Council's expenditure on research projects directly related to asthma was £0·9 million. Further spending on research which may be relevant to the condition totalled almost £1·1 million. The decision on funding for asthma research in the current year and in 1995–96 rests with the MRC. It will depend, as with all 1030
  other research areas, on the quality of the research proposals that the Council receives. The MRC is, of course, willing to consider soundly based proposals in competition with other applications for council support, and funding decisions are dependent upon a peer review process.

  On 3 October, MRC and the Departments of Health and of the Environment issued a combined call for research proposals on the links between air pollution and respiratory disease, with a special emphasis on asthma. Up to £5 million has been allocated to support this programme over the next four to five years.

TRANSPORT

  Road Repairs
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to co-ordinate road repairs and the digging up of highways by public utilities, to minimise disruption to local communities.

  Mr. Norris
  Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, co-ordination on publicly maintained local roads, the vast majority, is the responsibility of the local highway authority. For trunk roads and motorways the responsibility rests with the Highways Agency which, through its agents, works to the requirements of the Act. A code of practice has been issued under the Act, giving practical guidance on the co-ordination of street works and works for road purposes and related matters.

  Seat Belts
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) of 19 July,Official Report, columns 81–82, what progress he has made in establishing a timetable for the compulsory fitting of seat belts on all new minibuses and coaches.

  Mr. Norris
  We have pressed the Commission on this issue. Work is under way on revised technical proposals on the basis of which we expect the Commission to make a formal proposal for a directive early next year.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relative merits of lap and three-point seat belts in minibuses and coaches.

  Mr. Norris
  An assessment of the relative merits of lap and three-point belts is contained in the review of the technical and cost implications of the fitment of seat belts in minibuses and coaches, which was published on 19 July. A copy of that report was placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to encourage manufacturers of minibuses and coaches, and owners of currently operational minibuses and coaches to fit seat belts to vehicles.
  1031
  Mr. Norris
  The major minibus manufacturers are already fitting seat belts to all seats in their new vehicles as standard equipment.

  We take every available opportunity to encourage coach and minibus manufacturers and operators to fit belts in both new and, where practicable, existing vehicles.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list, for each executive agency in his Department, the number of sick days taken in the past 12 months broken down by grade and gender;

  Agency

  Grade

  Gender

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Vehicle Certification Agency

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  Coastguard Agency

  Coastguard Officer (probationer)

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Coastguard Officer (Watch Officer)

  Male

  —

  1

  —

  District Officer

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Station Officer (District Management Team)

  Male

  —

  1

  1

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  Administrative Assistant

  Female

  1

  1

  1

  Male

  1

  1

  1

  Administrative Officer

  Female

  1

  —

  —

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Executive Officer

  Female

  1

  1

  —

  Stores Officer Grade C

  Male

  —

  1

  —

  Support Grade Band 2

  Male

  2

  1

  —

  Typist

  Female

  2

  1

  —

  Driving Standards Agency

  Driving Examiner

  Female

  —

  —

  1

  Male

  6

  4

  —

  Senior Driving Examiner

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Senior Driving Examiner Managerial

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  Supervising Driving Examiner

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Highways Agency

  Executive Officer

  Female

  —

  —

  1

  Grade 4

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Typist

  Female

  —

  —

  1

  Transport Research Laboratory

  Grade 6

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  Professional and Technical Officer

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  Administrative Officer

  Female

  —

  —

  1

  Male

  —

  1

  —

  Casual Administrative Assistant

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  Executive Officer

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  Higher and Professional and Technical Officer

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  Professional and Technical Officer

  Male

  2

  2

  2

  Senior Traffic Examiner

  Male

  —

  1

  —

  Traffic Examiner

  Male

  2

  1

  —

  Marine Safety Agency

  Executive Officer

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  DVOIT1

  Senior Executive Officer

  Female

  —

  —

  1

  Male

  —

  —

  1

  1DVOIT was privatised in December 1993.

  London Buses
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the application of the expected receipts from the privatisation of London Buses subsidiary companies.

  Mr. Norris
  Under arrangements agreed at the time of the unified budget, provision was made for London Transport to retain all proceeds up to £100 million and 25 per cent. of receipts above this level.
  1032
  (2) if he will list the number of sick days taken during the last 12 months by staff of the Driving Standards Agency, broken down by grade and gender.

  Mr. Norris
  I am placing copies of tables containing the figures in the Libraries.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for each executive agency within his Department, the number of staff who have died while in employment in each of the last three financial years broken down by a grade and gender.

  Mr. Norris
  The figures requested are given in the following table:

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many(a) vehicle examiners and (b) traffic examiners were employed by his Department in each of the last six years;

  (2) to what extent Vehicle Inspectorate and traffic and vehicle examiners undertake random roadside checks of vehicles;
  1033
  (3) how many (a) vehicle examiners and (b) traffic examiners are employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate; and what are his projections for the numbers in the financial years 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Vehicle Inspectorate. The chief executive has written to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ron Oliver to Mrs Gwyneth Dundwoody, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about vehicle and traffic examiner staffing, and roadside enforcement checks.
  i. Vehicle and Traffic Examiner staffing
  Annex 1 updates the tables 1 sent to you on 18 July. These show the current staff in post figures. The information does not distinguish between operational and non operational staff so cannot be used to determine average man years spent on testing, and on roadworthness and traffic enforcement.
  Annex 2 is an analysis of average staffing by grade spent on vehicle testing and roadside enforcement activities. This information has been extracted from the Inspectorate's management accounts for the years 1988/89–1993/94.
  The Inspectorate is planning efficiency savings of 20 per cent. by April 1996. Total staffing across the Inspectorate will fall by 470 from an average staffing figure of 1,758 in 1994/95. Most of these losses will come from natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. Unfortunately it is too early to determine staffing levels in the operational divisions, but we intend to make up for staff reductions by improved efficiency, greater use of information technology, more

  Average Vehicle and Traffic Examiner Staffing–1988/89 to 1993/4

  Average Staffing in Man-Years

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Vehicle Testing

  PTO/AVE1

  237

  240

  253

  263

  252

  237

  Road Transport Enforcement

  Vehicle Examiners

  228

  233

  244

  268

  278

  244

  Traffic Examiners

  2—

  2—

  2—

  170

  172

  166

  Notes:

  1 Vehicle Testing is conducted by PTOs(VEs), Tester and Assistant Vehicle Examiners. Unfortunately it is not possible to separate VE and AVE staffing.

  2 The Traffic Examiners organisation did not become part of VE until April 1991.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 24 October,Official Report, column 398, what plans he has for a press campaign to promote the smoky vehicle hotline.

  Mr. Norris
  The number of hotline calls received has significantly increased since the leaflet explaining the reporting procedure has been included in vehicle excise licence renewal notices.

  I am confident that the recent announcements by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State about targeted emissions enforcement checks will help further increase public awareness.

  We will review the need for further press announcements in due course.
  1034
  automation in vehicle testing work and better targeting of roadside enforcement.

  ii. Roadside Enforcement

  The Inspectorate targets the majority of its work. Whilst we try to examine at least some vehicles from all operators, we also try to concentrate activities on those most likely to be operating illegally.

  In 1993–94, the last full year for which the information is available, vehicle examiners spent a total of 60·89 man years on roadside vehicle checks. VI testing staff carried out an additional 3·93 man years in clearing prohibitions issued by our vehicle examiners.

  VI staff spent 64·88 man years on traffic enforcement checks at the roadside plus an additional 5·7 man years at ports.

  I hope the above information is adequate, but if you would like to discuss the issues in more detail please contact Mrs. Jean Frary on 0117 9543211 who will arrange a convenient appointment.

  Vehicle examiners

  Grade

  27 October 1994

  SPTO

  36

  HPTO

  83

  PTO

  390

  AVE

  83

  Total

  592

  Traffic Examiners

  Grade

  27 October 1994

  Enforcement Co-ordinator

  5

  Supervising Traffic Examiner

  —

  Senior Traffic Examiner

  25

  Traffic Examiner

  161

  Total

  191

  M25
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable for his review of proposed M25 link roads and for an announcement on whether he plans to abandon or push ahead with the scheme.

  Mr. Watts
  It was announced earlier this year that the next stage for the scheme for link roads between junctions 12 and 15 of the M25 would be a public inquiry. A date for the inquiry was not fixed. That remains the position. A further announcement will be made in due course.

  Airport Facilities
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to announce a
  1035
  decision on the location of a new runway in south-east England.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 18 July 1994,Official Report, column 69.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the safety and convenience of the travelling public take precedence over the Government's timetable for the successive stages of railway privatisation.

  Mr. Watts
  Safety is paramount.

  Red Routes
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to implement all existing decisions to designate red routes in London; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Implementation of red route measures will begin later this year. The total cost of implementation is estimated to be £100 million at 1991–92 prices.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits and running costs limits; and what proposals there are to change the cash limit and running costs limit of the Office of the Rail Regulator for 1994–95.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made:(i) the cash limit for class VI, vote 1 (highways agency) will be increased by £44,131,000 from £2,098,528,000 to £2,142,659,000. The increase in the cash limit includes the take up of end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994 (Offical Report, columns 729–734) and subsequently adjusted; and, adjustments in funding relating to the formation of the Highways Agency between this vote and class VI, vote 2 and class VI, vote 5.
  (ii) the cash limit for class VI, vote 2 (administration and transport services) will be increased by £15,620,000 from £235,425,000 to £251,045,000. The additional provision includes the take up of end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994 (Official Report, columns 729–734); the transfer of funds from the Department of Trade and Industry (class IV, vote 1) in respect of the London Regional Passengers Committee; the transfer of funds for research and development from class VI, vote 1 and class VI, vote 5; the transfer to class VI, vote 1 of various items of running costs and administrative capital; and, the transfer of provision to class VI, vote 7 to cover professional advisers' fees.
  (iii) the cash limit for class VI, vote 5 (local roads and transport) will be increased by £59,669,000 from £532,904,000 to £592,573,000. The increase includes the take up of end year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994 (Official Report, columns 729–734); various transfers of funds between this vote and class VI, vote I, class VI, vote 2 and from non-voted expenditure; and, the increase of provision for special grants to passenger transport authorities.
  (iv) the cash limit for class VI, vote 7 (passenger rail services) will he increased by £63,000,000 by transfers from class VI, vote 2, class VI, vote 3 and from non-voted expenditure from £1,684,500,000 to £1,747,500,000. The additional provision is required for sums due to British Railways Board in respect
  1036
  of public service obligations and for the costs of professional advisers' fees in connection with the Franchising Director's duties to designate railway passenger services as eligible for provision under franchise agreements.
  (v) the cash limit for class VI, vote 8 (office of the rail regulator) will be increased by £1,255,000 from £6,457,000 to £7,712,000. The increased cash limit includes the take up of end year flexibility entitlement of £1,058,000 as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994 (Official Report, columns 729–734) and a transfer of £197,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IV, vote 1) for accommodation costs of the rail users committees.
  (vi) The Department of Transport Local Authority Capital cash limit has been increased by £6,000,000 from £291,358,000 to £297,358,000. This reflects the take up of end year flexibility as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 1 July 1994 (Official Report, columns 729–734).
  (vii) The Department of Transport running costs limits has been reduced by £382,000 from £418,375,000 to £417,993,000 and the Office of the Rail Regulator running costs limit has been increased by £197,000 from £5,973,000 to £6,170,000.

  The overall increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, acid to the planned total of public expenditure. In particular, there are a number of adjustments between the voted and non-voted elements of railway expenditure which do not affect the control total.

  Hilton Hotel (Dinner-dance)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any Minister from his Department attended a dinner-dance at the Hilton hotel, Park lane on 14 July 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]My hon. Friend the member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) attended the function in a private capacity.

  Security Guards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new proposals he has to ensure that those convicted of acts of violence are not employed by his Department or their contractors as security guards.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]Contract documents require contractors to obtain tenders for site security services from a list of named, reputable, security firms.

  They require the security company to demonstrate its ability to select guards in terms of aptitude and temperament for the job, and that security guards be restrained, self disciplined and trained for dealing with peaceful protestors as well as those intent on causing damage.

  As for security guards employed by the Department, any checks for criminal records are made in accordance with our stated vetting policy and decisions on whether to employ are taken with due regard to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

  British Rail (Land)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much land, in hectares, was owned by British Rail in Scotland before the present restructuring.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]British Rail owned some 6,475 hectares of land in Scotland as at 31 March 1994. This figure excludes closed branch lines totalling about 134 miles in length.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which former hon. Members of this House have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list, in each case, the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which each represented as an hon. Member.

  Mr. Norris
  Detailed information on past and present appointees to non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs formerly known as quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations—is not held in the Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, from such limited information as is available on present members of NDPBs, there is no evidence that any of them is a former hon. Member, apart from one member of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, Mr. Lewis Carter-Jones, who was a Labour Member of Parliament. He was reappointed as a member of the committee in December 1992 for a three-year period. Committee members are not paid a salary but the Department meets their travel and subsistence costs.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Lady to "Public Bodies 1993".

  Pollution
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many calls the telephone line for reporting vehicles which are polluting excessively has received; how the line is promoted; at what annual cost; and if he will publish a list of action taken as a result of calls made.

  Mr. Norris
  The Vehicle Inspectorate received almost 3,000 calls between April 1993 and March 1994. The cost of dealing with those calls was in the region of £5,500.

  The procedure for reporting vehicles was publicised in a leaflet published in August 1993. This was sent to local authorities, motoring organisations, environmental groups, libraries, citizens' advice bureaux and other interested bodies. I have recently placed copies in the Library in response to a question from the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey). Since February 1994, the reporting procedure has also been explained in one of the small leaflets included with all vehicle excise licence renewal notices.

  Operators who have been reported are asked to have their vehicle checked and are warned that continued use of an excessively smoky vehicle could be in contravention of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

  Ferry Safety
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report from the chief coastguard south-west on the ferry safety exercise that took place on 4 November 1993 on the Quiberon; and if he will make a statement.
  1038
  Mr. Norris
  This is a matter for the Coastguard Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. David Jamieson, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Secretary of the State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as the Question deals with an operational matter, for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive.
  An extensive post exercise discussion was held for all the participants shortly after the exercise and a draft report for the Exercise "EDDYSTONE 93" was circulated in September 1994. A final report will be distributed early in November. Exercise reports deal with operational matters and are not usually submitted to Ministers.

  Air Training College
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the decision of the Civil Aviation Authority to withdraw approvals to train air traffic controllers from the South East Kent college of air training.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on Monday 31 October.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisation has responsibility under the new structure of the railway industry for ensuring that passengers are kept fully informed about the causes of the delays resulting from serious operating incidents; what arrangements exist to ensure that train operating companies have access to the necessary information; and what steps his Department has taken to monitor the policy followed by Railtrack and train operating companies concerning the accuracy and completeness of information supplied to passengers in such circumstances.

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack is required to inform the relevant train operating companies of any incidents. Train operating companies are responsible for informing passengers about delays resulting from serious operating incidents. They work to citizens charter guidelines as laid down in British Rail's passengers charter.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the near collision on the evening of Thursday 20 October involving two passenger trains outside Tunbridge Wells station; what features this incident had in common with the fatal accident at Cowden, Kent on 15 October; how both trains came to be on the same section of track travelling in opposite directions; how close the trains came to colliding and how a collision was averted; what information was given at the time to passengers about the reasons for the resulting delay to services; what telecommunications equipment was available to the relevant signalman and drivers of the two trains; what steps have been taken to ascertain responsibility for the incident; and whether action has been taken against any individual.

  Mr. Watts
  I understand from the Health and Safety Executive that because of a points failure the signalman had appointed hand signalmen at each end of the short single line through Strawberry Hill tunnel, to hand-wind the points according to instructions from the signalman. An error then occurred which led to the 18.45 Charing Cross to Hastings train running on to the northbound line
  1039
  which was occupied by the 17.40 Hastings to Charing Cross train, and which was standing at a red signal.

  The driver of the southbound train was proceeding with caution as instructed, and was thus able to see the points were wrongly set and bring his train to a standstill, 50 yards from the other train.

  There were no injuries to passengers or staff, but both drivers were treated for shock.

  The circumstances of this incident have nothing in common with the Cowden accident.

  I understand that on this line there are telephones on signals which link to signal boxes and these were used as the means of communication between the signalman and the hand-signalmen on site.

  I understand that information about services was made available through radio, ceefax and announcements at stations.

  Railtrack is carrying out an investigation into the cause of the incident and will then decide what further action is necessary.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the demands on the time of railway managers imposed by the current reorganisation of the railway industry; and what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that these are consistent with the unimpaired discharge of their responsibility for operating the network and for maintaining safety and that the conditions of employment of employees of British Rail and Railtrack provide facilities for the making public of fears about safety matters.

  Mr. Watts
  Safety is paramount in all railway operations.

  I am satisfied that the arrangements in place will ensure that the appropriate levels of safety are maintained. The new safety regulations are being monitored and enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Conditions of employment are matters for British Rail and Railtrack.

  Cyclists
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve adherence to the highway code on the part of cyclists; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Cyclists are required by law to comply with traffic directions and signals. This requirement is in the interests of cyclists' own safety and that of other road users. The Road Traffic Act 1991 created the offence of dangerous cycling. The maximum fine is now £2,500 for dangerous cycling and £1,000 for careless cycling. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police.

  Blue Circle and Decision Makers Ltd.
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates representatives of Blue Circle and Decision Makers Ltd. met the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) in his capacity as Secretary of State for Transport to discuss a proposed international passenger station at Ebbsfleet

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]My right hon. Friend had no official meetings organised by the Department with Blue Circle or Decision Makers Ltd.

  Austrian Tunnelling Method
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which(a) current and (b) planned transport schemes, and at which locations, the new Austrian tunnelling method may be used (i) currently and (ii) in the future.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]The information is as follows:

  (a) Current transport schemes

  Two sections of the Jubilee Line Extension, at Jubilee gardens and London Bridge Station, are currently being constructed using the new austrian tunnelling method, although this work is currently suspended pending further information on the Heathrow collapse.

  (b) Planned transport schemes

  Plans for the crossrail project include the use of NATM techniques for station tunnels at platform levels at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street stations and at part of Paddington station. One additional section of the JLE using NATM is planned between London Bridge and Waterloo.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Livestock Transportation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what meetings he has held with hauliers regarding the movement of small livestock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  Officials have held one meeting with representatives of the pet industry and organisations with an interest in the transport of small livestock together with a representative of the parcel-carrying firm which recently announced its intention to stop carrying small consignments of poultry or rabbits.

  The trade interests agreed to hold further discussions with the carrier with a view to developing suitable containers for the carriage of these types of animal. These would need to make food and water available during journeys of more than 12 hours duration as required by the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992.

  Sheep Exports
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when it is expected that the vessels recently applying for licence to export sheep will be licensed by the Ministry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  The Department's responsibility is to ensure that the arrangements for transporting farm animals are in accordance with the legal requirements laid down to protect their welfare.

  We have considered a number of proposals that have been made to transport sheep and calves to the continent by ro-ro ferry from various south and east coast ports. No firm plans have yet been advanced for regular services, but a proposal to ship a single consignment of sheep in a fitted livestock vessel from Grimsby to Calais is likely to proceed, subject to inspection of the vessel and loading of the sheep under official supervision.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to secure a continuation of the EU moratorium on the use of BST beyond the end of 1994.

  Mrs. Browning
  The Government have made clear their view that any final decision on the licensing of BST should be based firmly on scientific principles, taking into account the need to avoid international trading problems, to encourage Community-based research industries and to maintain the competitiveness of the Community's agriculture and food industries. It should be for the marketplace to determine whether BST has a role to play and it is inappropriate to introduce new criteria to the licensing process. Other member states are fully aware of our views.

  We await the report from the Commission on the experience of BST use in the United States where it has been on sale since 4 February 1994. It will also cover the implications for GATT and other trading relationships of a long-term prohibition. Its conclusions will be taken into account, along with the results of the formal consultation on BST carried out earlier this year, together with the representations which we continue to receive on this subject when we come to decide on the approach that the United Kingdom should take on the proposed extension of the EC moratorium later this year.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the privatisation which his Department has promoted since 1979, showing in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The status of the former agricultural training board was changed on 29 March 1994 from that of a statutory, controlled non-departmental public body to a non-statutory private sector organisation with charitable status. The new organisation is known as ATB-Landbase Ltd. No proceeds accrued to the Government on privatisation. The company is now managed by a board of trustees. No information is available as to the estimated current value of the company.

  The commercial artificial insemination service, formerly carried out by the Cattle Breeding Centre was transferred to the private sector in two parts in 1990. Financial details of those sales were not made public; because of subsequent reorganisation and deregulation in those sectors it is not possible to estimate the current value of those businesses.

  Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been carried out by his Department, and what evidence he has on what paralytic shellfish poisoning is caused by naturally occurring algal blooms.

  Mr. Jack
  Paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans is caused by the consumption of shellfish contaminated by naturally occurring biotoxins. At present, we know that shellfish can become toxic by ingesting potentially toxic algae species. However, the correlation between algal blooms and PSP contamination of shellfish is not yet clear. A bloom in the water may be symptomatic of PSP 1042
  toxin; but some blooms are not toxic, and toxin may be present where there are no blooms or other recognisable symptoms. We cannot therefore rely upon the presence of blooms as an indicator and carry out a surveillance programme of sampling and testing of PSP toxin.

  The Government are funding an extensive research programme into the nature and causes of PSP and also into improved methods of detection. The results are published in the scientific literature and elsewhere. In addition, the results of the surveillance programme are published.

  Infant Formulae
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the European Community directive on the marketing of infant formulae was not implemented by the Government in June; and when the statutory-instrument will be made.

  Mrs. Browning
  Consideration of the many points made during the consultation has delayed the implementation of European Community directives 91/321 and 92/52. It is hoped to make and lay the regulations shortly.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average cost to his Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorell) to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 387.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed in his Department's cash limits for 1994–95

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Intervention Board executive agency is eligible for an increase of £1,012,000 in respect of the end year flexibility arrangements for running costs expenditure, as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994,Official Report, columns 729£34. At this stage, it is proposed to take up £600,000 of this entitlement to increase the agency's running costs cash limit for class III vote 2 from £32,852,000 to £33,452,000. The increase will be wholly offset by a £600,000 reduction in payments for agents' services, subhead A3, to £16,848,000 and the increase will not therefore result in a change in the cash limit for the vote.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class III, vote 5—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Departmental Research, Advisory Services and Administration—will be increased by £6,392,000 from £311,890,000 to £318,282,000 and the cash limit for class III, vote 4—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: agricultural, food and fishing services—will be increased by £1,212,000 from £371,418,000 to £372,630,000. The vote 5 supplementary estimate will give effect to the £7,329,000 running costs and £358,000 capital end year entitlement announced by the Chief Secretary to the

  1043
  Treasury on 14 July 1994, Official Report, columns 729–34.

  The gross running costs limit of the Department will be increased by £6,305,000 from £238,060,000 to £289,365,000. The £7,329,000 end year flexibility take-up has been offset by running costs reductions of £1,024,000. Those reductions comprise transfers of £842,000 vote 4 and £25,000 to the Welsh Office for commissioning work with the Central Science Laboratory on the bee health programme; a £36,000 transfer to the Central Statistical Office conferring responsibility for the compilation of the food and feed component of the producer price index; a £44,000 transfer to the Welsh Office to meet redundancy costs of agricultural advisory staff at the Welsh Office and a £77,000 transfer to vote 4 for commissioning work with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in respect of food science.

  The cost of the increase on vote 4 is fully matched by receipts in class III, vote 5 and a transfer from class XII, Vote 3. Within the revised limit, expenditure on support for the fishing industry will be increased by £1,500,000, grants for alternative land uses will be increased by £30,000 and expenditure on agricultural and food services will be increased by £1,212,000. The overall increase will be offset by additional receipts from sales of stocks of £1,530,000.

  All increases will be offset by increased receipts, transfers or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Fox Fur Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to require fox fur farms to be licensed;

  (2) what proposals he has received from the Farm Animal Welfare Council for the licensing of fox fur farms;

  (3) when he last met Respect for Animals; and what proposals it recommends for the licensing of fox fur farms.

  Mrs. Browning
  Respect for Animals met my predecessor in February this year and provided him with a report prepared by Mr. Robert Golding which reviewed the legislation relating to the keeping of mink and Arctic fox. The Farm Animal Welfare Council last week gave me, as requested, its views on Mr. Golding's report. I am asking officials to distribute the advice to interested organisations so that they can make comments which can be taken into account before we form a view.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Hong Kong
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the terms "treason", "secession", "sedition" and "subversion" against the Central People's Government of China contained in article 23 of the Basic Law covering the administration of Hong Kong after 1997;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the implications of the word "turmoil" as used in article 18 of the Chinese Government's Basic Law on Hong Kong, which permits
  1044
  Beijing to extend Chinese national laws to Hong Kong in certain circumstances;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the impact of article 158 of the Basic Law of the People's Republic of China on the administration of Hong Kong after 1997 on the relationship of Hong Kong courts to the National People's Congress.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong after 30 June 1997 are enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, an international treaty registered at the United Nations. The United Kingdom and China are obliged to implement the Joint Declaration in good faith. The Basic Law is a law adopted by the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China. Generally, under article 158 of the Law after 30 June 1997 it will be for the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to interpret the Basic Law, save in certain limited circumstances where interpretation would be for the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Hong Kong regarding an Access to Information Bill; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The hon. Christine Loh, an appointed member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, has prepared a draft Access to Information Bill. The Hong Kong Government have decided that an administrative code of practice is the best way to improve public access to information in Hong Kong. A pilot scheme will test the code early in 1995. The Hong Kong Government expect to implement the code in full by the end of 1996.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which provision of the Hong Kong police force ordinance permits the seizure of news footage of demonstrators from television stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Section 50(7) of the police force ordinance provides for the seizure of news footage of demonstrations from television stations where there is reasonable cause to suspect that the footage may provide information about a person liable to arrest. A magistrate may empower any police officer by warrant to seize such news footage if he has satisfied himself that the request for the warrant is reasonable.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will grant Radio Television Hong Kong a formal charter setting out basic editorial safeguards.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Radio Television Hong Kong—RTHK—has always enjoyed full editorial independence. The Hong Kong Government are considering plans to enact legislation to corporatise RTHK. This would formalise the role of RTHK and set out basic editorial safeguards. The Sino-British Joint Declaration guarantees the freedom of press in Hong Kong after 30 June 1997.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to amend Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority Ordinance before 1997.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There are no plans at present to amend Hong Kong's Broadcasting Authority Ordinance. But the Hong Kong Government plans to amend the Television Ordinance as part of a rationalisation of Hong Kong's broadcasting legislation.
  1045
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the Government of China about article 23 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of China which prohibits after 1997 political organisations in Hong Kong from establishing ties with foreign political organisations or bodies.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Annex I, section XIII of the Sino-British Joint Declaration states that the Hong Kong special administrative region Government shall maintain the rights and freedoms as provided for by the laws previously in force in Hong Kong, including freedom of assembly, of association, of correspondence, of movement and of belief. The Joint Declaration is a solid foundation for Hong Kong's future freedoms in these areas.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will amend the Hong Kong film Censorship Ordinance to bring it in line with United Kingdom legislation.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Hong Kong Government keep the Hong Kong Film Censorship Ordinance under review to ensure that it continues to reflect local needs and values. The ordinance was most recently amended in July 1993. The Hong Kong Government will propose further amendments in January 1995. It is not necessary or desirable to align film censorship legislation in Hong Kong precisely with that of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs which provisions of the Hong Kong Summary Offences Ordinance permit prosecutions of people using a loudhailer without permission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Section 4(29) of the Summary Offences Ordinance prohibits the use of loudhailers in public places without prior permission from the Commissioner of Police. There have been no prosecutions under this section for several years. Since the provisions under the Noise Control Ordinance are adequate for the prevention of nuisance, the Hong Kong Government plan to repeal section 4(29) of the Summary Offences Ordinance in the present session of the Legislative Council.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on setting up an independent human rights commission in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have received a number of representations, including a recommendation in the Foreign Affairs Committee's first report, "Relations between the United Kingdom and China in the period up to and beyond 1997" published on 23 March 1994. Our policy on this question remains as set out in the observations on the report laid before the House on 1 July.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many individuals in Hong Kong have been granted right of abode in the United Kingdom after 1997.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As at 22 October, 100,760 people in Hong Kong have obtained British citizenship, which confers the automatic right of abode in the United Kingdom, under the provisions of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The latest published figures, ie those given in "Public Bodies 1993", show that as at 1 April 1993, 25 per cent. of public appointments made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the Overseas Development Administration, were held by women. Figures for 1994 are being collected and will be announced in due course.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which former hon. Members of this House have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list, in each case, the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which each represented as an hon. Member.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There are currently no former Members of Parliament who have been appointed by the FCO to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations.

  As there are no centrally kept records, to answer the question in full would incur disproportionate cost.

  Embassy Staff
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number and grade of staff at each embassy and high commission whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The numbers and grades of United Kingdom based and locally engaged staff at Foreign and Commonwealth Office missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom are listed in the table.

  There are, in addition, a large number of staff who contribute a lower proportion of their time to export promotion.

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Abidjan

  DS 5

  1·00

  Abidjan

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Abu Dhabi

  DS 6

  1·00

  Abu Dhabi

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Abuja

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Accra

  DS 6

  1·00

  Accra

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Addis Ababa

  LE

  2·00

  Aden

  LE

  1·00

  Al Khobar

  DS 6

  1·00

  Al Khobar

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Alexandria

  LE

  2·00

  Algiers

  LE

  3·00

  Almaty

  DS 7M

  1·00

  1047

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  LE

  2·00

  Amman

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Ankara

  DS 5

  1·00

  Ankara

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Antananarivo

  LE

  2·00

  Antigua

  LE

  1·00

  Asuncion

  LE

  2·00

  Athens

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Atlanta

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Auckland

  DS 4

  1·00

  Auckland

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Bahrain

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Baku

  DS 4

  1·00

  Ban Seri Beg

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Bangalore

  LE

  2·00

  Bangkok

  DS 4

  1·00

  Bangkok

  DS 6

  1·00

  Bangkok

  DS 7M

  2·00

  Bangkok

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  14·00

  Barcelona

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Beirut

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Belgrade

  LE

  6·00

  Belmopan

  LE

  1·00

  Belo Horizonte

  LE

  1·00

  Berlin

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Berne

  LE

  2·00

  Bilbao

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Bogota

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Bombay

  DS 4

  1·00

  Bombay

  DS 6

  1·00

  Bombay

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  9·00

  Bordeaux

  LE

  3·00

  Boston

  LE

  5·00

  Bratislava

  LE

  2·00

  Brasilia

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Bridgetown

  LE

  3·00

  Brisbane

  DS 5

  1·00

  Brisbane

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Brussels

  DS 4

  1·00

  Brussels

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  11·00

  Brussels Ukrep

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Bucharest

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Budapest

  DS 5

  1·00

  Budapest

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Budapest

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Buenos Aires

  DS 6

  1·00

  Buenos Aires

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Cairo

  DS 5

  1·00

  Cairo

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  1048

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Calcutta

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Canberra

  LE

  2·00

  Cape Town

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Caracas

  DS 5

  1·00

  Caracas

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Casablanca

  DS 4

  1·00

  Casablanca

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Castries

  LE

  1·00

  Chicago

  DS 3

  1·00

  Chicago

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Christchurch

  LE

  2·00

  Cleveland

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Colombo

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Copenhagen

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  15·00

  Dakar

  LE

  1·00

  Dallas

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Damascus

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Dar Es Salaam

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Dhaka

  LE

  4·00

  Doha

  DS 6

  1·00

  Doha

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Douala

  LE

  1·00

  Dubai

  DS 5

  1·00

  Dubai

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Dubai

  DS 9

  2·00

  Dubai

  LE

  8·00

  Dublin

  DS 6

  1·00

  Dublin

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Durban

  LE

  2·00

  Dusseldorf

  DS 3

  1·00

  Dusseldorf

  DS 5

  1·00

  Dusseldorf

  DS 6

  1·00

  Dusseldorf

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  17·00

  Florence

  LE

  2·00

  Frankfurt

  DS 4

  1·00

  Frankfurt

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Freetown

  LE

  1·00

  Gaborone

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Gaborone

  LE

  1·00

  Geneva CG

  DS 4

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Gothenburg

  LE

  2·00

  Guatemala City

  LE

  1·00

  Georgetown

  LE

  2·00

  Hamburg

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Hanoi

  DS 3

  1·00

  Hanoi

  DS 5

  1·00

  Hanoi

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Harare

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Havana

  LE

  2·00

  Helsinki

  DS 5

  1·00

  Helsinki

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  9·00

  Ho Chi Minh

  DS 5

  1·00

  1049

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Ho Chi Minh

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Hong Kong BTC

  DS 3

  1·00

  Hong Kong BTC

  DS 4

  0·90

  Hong Kong BTC

  DS 5

  1·00

  Hong Kong BTC

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Hong Kong CTU

  DS 6

  1·00

  Hong Kong CTU

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Houston

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Islamabad

  DS 4

  1·00

  Islamabad

  DS 6

  1·00

  Islamabad

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Istanbul

  DS 6

  1·00

  Istanbul

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Jakarta

  DS 4

  1·00

  Jakarta

  DS 5

  1·00

  Jakarta

  DS 7M

  2·00

  Jakarta

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Jedda

  DS 4

  1·00

  Jedda

  DS 6

  1·00

  Jedda

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Jerusalem

  LE

  2·00

  Johannesburg

  DS 5

  1·00

  Johannesburg

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Johannesburg

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  11·00

  Kabul

  LE

  1·00

  Kaduna

  LE

  2·00

  Kampala

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Kano

  LE

  1·00

  Karachi

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Kathmandu

  LE

  2·00

  Khartoum

  LE

  4·00

  Kiev

  LE

  2·00

  Kingston

  LE

  3·00

  Kinshasa

  LE

  1·00

  Kuala Lumpar

  DS 4

  2·00

  Kuala Lumpar

  DS 6

  1·00

  Kuala Lumpar

  DS 7M

  2·00

  Kuala Lumpar

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  11·00

  Kuwait

  DS 6

  1·00

  Kuwait

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Le Paz

  LE

  2·00

  Lagos

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Las Palmas

  LE

  1·00

  Lille

  LE

  5·00

  Lilongwe

  LE

  2·00

  Lima

  LE

  2·00

  Lisbon

  DS 6

  1·00

  Lisbon

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Ljubljana

  DS 5

  1·00

  Ljubljana

  LE

  2·00

  Lome

  LE

  00

  Los Angeles

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Luanda

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Lusaka

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  1050

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Luxembourg

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Lyons

  DS 4

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Madras

  DS 5

  1·00

  Madras

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Madrid

  DS 4

  1·00

  Madrid

  DS 6

  1·00

  Madrid

  DS 7M

  2·00

  LE

  15·00

  Managua

  LE

  1·00

  Manila

  DS 4

  1·00

  Manila

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Maputo

  LE

  1·00

  Marseilles

  DS 4

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Marseru

  LE

  1·00

  Mbabane

  LE

  1·00

  Melbourne

  DS 4

  1·00

  Melbourne

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Mexico City

  DS 6

  1·00

  Mexico City

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  9·00

  Miaimi

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Milan

  DS 3

  1·00

  Milan

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  19·00

  Minsk

  LE

  1·00

  Montevideo

  LE

  3·00

  Montreal

  DS 6

  1·00

  Montreal

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Moscow

  DS 4

  1·00

  Moscow

  DS 6

  1·00

  Moscow

  DS 7M

  2·00

  Moscow

  DS 10

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Munich

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Muscat

  DS 6

  1·00

  Muscat

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Muscat

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Nagoya

  LE

  3·00

  Nairobi

  DS 5

  1·00

  Nairobi

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Naples

  LE

  2·00

  Nassau

  LE

  1·00

  New Delhi

  DS 4

  1·00

  New Delhi

  DS 5

  1·00

  New Delhi

  DS 7M

  1·00

  New Delhi

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  16·00

  New York CG

  DS 4

  1·00

  New York CG

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  18·00

  Nicosia

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Oporto

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Osaka

  DS 4

  1·00

  Osaka

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  9·00

  Oslo

  DS 5

  1·00

  Oslo

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Oslo

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  1051

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Ottawa

  LE

  3·00

  Panama City

  LE

  2·00

  Paris

  DS 4

  1·00

  Paris

  DS 5

  1·00

  Paris

  DS 7M

  1·00

  Paris

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  23·00

  Peking

  DS 4

  1·00

  Peking

  DS 5

  2·00

  Peking

  DS 7D

  3·00

  Peking

  DS 9

  1·00

  Peking

  S2

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Perth

  DS 5

  1·00

  Perth

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Phnom Penh

  LE

  1·00

  Port Harcourt

  LE

  2·00

  Port Louis

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Port Moresby

  LE

  1·00

  Port of Spain

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Prague

  DS 5

  1·00

  Prague

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Pusan

  LE

  2·00

  Quito

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Rabat

  DS 9

  1·00

  Rangoon

  Ds 3

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Recife

  LE

  3·00

  Reykjavik

  LE

  2·00

  Riga

  LE

  2·00

  Rio de Janeiro

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  8·00

  Riyadh

  DS 4

  1·00

  Riyadh

  DS 5

  1·00

  Riyadh

  DS 7M

  2·00

  Riyadh

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Rome

  DS 4

  1·00

  Rome

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  San Francisco

  DS 4

  1·00

  San Francisco

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  San Jose

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  San Juan

  LE

  1·00

  San Salvador

  LE

  1·00

  Sana'a

  LE

  1·00

  Santiago

  DS 5

  1·00

  Santiago

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  5·00

  Santo Domigo

  LE

  5·00

  Sao Paulo

  Ds 5

  1·00

  Sao Paulo

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  7·00

  Seattle

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Seattle

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Seoul

  DS 4

  2·00

  Seoul

  Ds 6

  1·00

  Seoul

  DS 7M

  2·00

  LE

  21·00

  Seville

  LE

  2.00

  Shanghai

  DS 4

  1·00

  Shanghai

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  1·00

  Singapore

  DS 3

  1·00

  Singapore

  DS 4

  1·00

  1052

  Numbers of staff at FCO missions overseas whose responsibilities lie primarily in promoting trade with the United Kingdom

  Location of mission

  Grade

  Number in Grade

  Singapore

  DS 6

  1·00

  Singapore

  DS 7M

  2·00

  LE

  11·00

  Sofia

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  St. Petersburg

  LE

  3·00

  Stockholm

  DS 4

  1·00

  Stockholm

  DS 5

  1·00

  Stockholm

  DS 9

  1·00

  LE

  12·00

  Stuttgart

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Suva

  LE

  2·00

  Sydney

  DS 4

  1·00

  Sydney

  DS 5

  1·00

  Sydney

  DS 6

  1·00

  Sydney

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  9·00

  Tallinn

  LE

  1·00

  Tashkent

  LE

  1·00

  Tegucigalpa

  LE

  1·00

  Tehran

  DS 5

  1·00

  Tehran

  Ds 7M

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Tel Aviv

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  The Hague

  Ds 4

  1·00

  The Hague

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Tokyo

  DS 4

  1·00

  Tokyo

  DS 5

  3·00

  Tokyo

  DS 7D

  1·00

  Tokyo

  Ds 9

  2·00

  Tokyo

  S2

  1·00

  LE

  29·00

  Toronto

  DS 3

  1·00

  Toronto

  DS 5

  1·00

  Toronto

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Tunis

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  3·00

  Turin

  LE

  1·00

  Ulaanbaatar

  LE

  1·00

  Valletta

  LE

  3·00

  Vancouver

  DS 4

  1·00

  Vancouver

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Victoria

  LE

  1·00

  Vienna

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  6·00

  Vilnius

  LE

  2·00

  Warsaw

  DS 5

  1·00

  Warsaw

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Washington

  DS 6

  1·00

  LE

  4·00

  Wellington

  LE

  3·00

  Windhoek

  LE

  1·00

  Yaounde

  LE

  1·00

  Zagreb

  DS 7M

  1·00

  LE

  2·00

  Zurich

  DS 4

  1·00

  Zurich

  DS 5

  1·00

  LE

  10·00

  Grade Key

  Ds = 1st secretary

  DS 7 = 2nd secretary

  DS 9 = 3rd secretary

  LE = locally engaged

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the present numbers, by nationality, of Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group forces in Liberia.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that he received from my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd) on 22 March,Official Report, column 142. Since then, Nigeria has reportedly reduced its presence. We have no further information

  South Africa
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to South Africa on its arms sales to Sudan.

  Mr. Baldry
  No representations have been made.

  Diplomatic Wing (Costs)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's diplomatic wing cash limits and running costs for 1994·95.

  Mr. Baldry
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the following changes will be made.

  The cash limit for class II, vote 2—other external relations—will be increased by £41,333,000 from £415,509,000 to £456,842,000, mainly to take account of United Nations peacekeeping operations and the repatriation of Vietnamese boat people. The increase is partly offset by appropriations in aid. The balance will be charged to the reserve.

  The cash limit for class II, vote 3—external broadcasting and monitoring—will be increased by £2,749,000 from £171,509,000 to £174,258,000, in respect of the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement announced by my right hon. Friend the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate, (Mr. Portillo) on 14 July 1994, Official Report, columns 729–34.

  The increases will be offset by increased receipts or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. There are no changes to running costs.

  European Union
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement on the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union.

  Mr. David Davis

  The following meetings are planned.

  7 November: ECOFIN

  8 November: Industry

  10 November: Cultural Affairs

  14 November: Agriculture

  15 November: Agriculture

  16 November: Budget

  17 November: Telecom

  21 November: Transport

  1054

  22 November: Transport

  23 November: Fisheries

  25 November: Development

  28 November: FAC

  29 November: FAC, Energy

  30 November: Justice, Youth Council

  1 December: Justice

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed.

  A: 7 November, ECOFIN

  White paper on competitiveness and employment

  Vat definitive regime

  CO2/energy tax (possible)

  Taxation of savings (possible)

  Financial assistance to Slovakia (possible)

  Dinner with CEE Finance Ministers

  B: 8 November, Industry

  Agenda likely to include:

  (i) Resolution on industrial competitiveness

  (ii) Steel (Ekostahl)

  C: 10 November, Cultural Affairs

  Agenda not available

  D: 14/15 November, Agriculture

  Wine (possible)

  Duram wheat (possible)

  Set-aside (possible)

  CAP simplification (possible)

  Fruit and vegetables (possible)

  Yellow fats (possible)

  Definition of butter (possible)

  Sugar (possible)

  Animal welfare (possible)

  Plant breeder rights

  E: 16 November, Budget

  Council second reading of 1995 budget

  Revision to financial perspectives

  F: 17 November, Telecom

  Possible agenda:

  Infrastructure liberalisation

  Digital broadcasting standards

  Interchange of Data between Administrations

  Mutual recognition of Telecoms/Satellite licenses

  Access to Space segment

  TENs ISON

  G: 21 November, Transport

  Maritime

  Port State Control Directive, common position

  Reporting zones Directive, common position

  Ferry safety Directive, possible resolution

  Competition Directive, discussion

  Land

  High Speed Train interoperability—orientation debate

  Tachographs—orientation debate

  Dangerous goods advisers—orientation debate

  Trans European Networks—orientation debate

  Other

  Switzerland discussion

  Satellite Navigation resolution

  H: 23 November, Fisheries

  Spain and Portugal

  Marketing

  Guide prices

  I: 25 November, Development

  Agenda not available

  J: 28 November, FAC

  Agenda not available

  1055
  K: 29 November, Energy

  Internal market in electricity

  Review of Community energy law (Council conclusions)

  Energy networks (possible)

  Energy policy

  Thermie II

  Energy Charter (probably over lunch)

  L: 30 November, Youth Council

  Agenda not available

  M: 30 November/ 1 December, Justice

  A items

  (i) External frontiers convention—Conclusion on Art.8.(3)

  (ii) Form of Council agreements on Asylum

  B items

  (iii) Europol convention

  (iv) Nuclear crime

  (v) Data protection—interim report

  (vi) Extradition—simplified procedure

  (vii) CEES. Follow up to the Berlin declaration

  (viii) Fraud against the Community Budget

  (ix) Asylum: burden-sharing

  (x) Racism and xenophobia—interim report from Consultative Commission

  (xi) Third Pillar priority objectives for 1995

WALES

  Forest Enterprise
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many disposals of land have been completed by Forest Enterprise in the past 18 months.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  One hundred and forty-two.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many access agreements have been completed relating to disposals of forestry land by Forest Enterprise in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Twenty-two.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many parcels of forestry are currently being offered for sale by Forest Enterprise in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Thirty.

  Parents Charter
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether copies of the parents charter have been distributed to schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The latest edition of "Education: A Charter for Parents in Wales" has been distributed to every home in Wales. Advance copies were sent to local education authorities, county chief executives, diocesan authorities, teacher organisations and other education organisations, and arrangements are in hand for schools to receive reference copies.

  NHS Trust
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish an up-to-date list of all the chairs and non-executive directors of each national health service 1056
  trust board indicating the gender and occupation of each individual.

  Mr. Richards
  This information is contained in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales", which is updated quarterly and placed in the Library of the House.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Redwood
  The most recent information about all appointments that I make is set out in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales, 1 September 1994", which is available in the Library of the House: 26·8 per cent. of these appointments are held by women.

  Those figures include a number of appointments to bodies that are not shown in the Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies". The current edition, published in 1993, shows that, of the appointments made by Welsh Office Ministers and included in "Public Bodies", 17 per cent. were held by women in September 1993. Comparable figures for 1994 are being collected and will be published in due course.

  Health Authorities (Pay Award)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the reasons for the relative level of pay award concluded by the health authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  Health authorities in Wales are not responsible for deciding the level of pay awards.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits for(a) his Department and (b) the office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in Wales for the current financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit on class XV, vote 2 will be reduced by £14,867,000 from £175,198,000 to £160,331,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 4 will be increased by £4,734,000, from £565,419,000 to £570,153,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 5 will be increased by £10,133,000, from £492,775,000 to £502,908,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 8 will be increased by £10,409,000 from £1,501,032,000 to £1,511,441,000; the cash limit on class XV, vote 9 will be increased by £819,000 from £65,977,000 to £66,796,000; and the cash limit on class XV, vote 12 will be increased by £203,000 from £7,034,000 to £7,237,000.

  Running costs provision for the Welsh Office and the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in Wales, which was not spent in 1993£94 has been carried forward, under the normal end-year flexibility arrangements, into 1994£95, increasing the running costs limits by £915,000 from £77,094,000 to £78,009,000 and £172,000 from £3,273,000 to £3,445,000 respectively. This is required to cover additional costs in administering agricultural grants following the reform of the common

  1057
  agricultural policy. The local authority capital limit—WO/LACAP—will be increased by £10,996,000 from £465,469,000 to £476,465,000.

  The decrease in the cash limit for vote 2 is the result mainly of a lower than expected demand—£14,400,000—for regional selective assistance, a transfer of £1 million of the Welsh Development Agency's grant in aid to their public expenditure provision for advances from the national loan fund following the introduction of a simplified loan fund scheme, a transfer of £687,000 to WO/LACAP to reflect the transfer of responsibility for rural development grants from the WDA and DBRW to local authorities, a transfer of £1,194,000 from class IV, vote 1 for the SMART and SPUR programmes and a transfer of £25,000 from class III, vote 4 for payments to the Central Science Laboratory.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 4 provides mainly for an additional £2,000,000 for equipment in respect of the "modern apprenticeship" scheme, £2,000,000 extra for the Further Education Funding Council for equipment and building maintenance, £465,000 to fund the transfer of responsibility to the Higher Education Funding Council from the Department for Education and the Home Office for the diplomas in social work and courses in social work and an additional £300,000 for grant-maintained schools for essential maintenance work.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 5 allows mainly for an additional £2,400,000 grant in aid for Cardiff Bay development corporation, £6,532,000 or central Government roads, including the take-up of £3,532,000 end-year flexibility entitlement and the take-up of £1,200,000 end-year flexibility entitlement for the urban investment grant scheme.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 8 results from an additional £4,000,000 for health authorities to help to reduce waiting list times, the take-up of the £10,735,000 of end-year flexibility entitlement for NHS trusts and capital, the transfer of £904,000 from class XII, vote 1 in respect of the purchasing of special health authorities' patient care services from the London postgraduate teaching hospitals and a reduction of £5,230,000 in NHS trusts' investments.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 9 is mainly in respect of the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £948,000 as a result of underspending in 1993–94, a

  Estimated increase or decrease in rate bills in Wales between 1994–95 and 1995–96 as a result of the 1995 revaluation, in the absence of transitional relief

  Small Properties

  Large Properties

  Total

  1995–96 bills as a percentage of 1994–95 bills

  No. (1000s)

  Change in bills (£m)

  No. (000s)

  Change in bills (£m)

  No. (000s)

  Change in bills bills (£m)

  Less than 50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  50–80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  80–120

  20

  —

  5

  5

  25

  —

  120–200

  55

  45

  10

  60

  65

  110

  200–500

  10

  15

  —

  20

  10

  35

  Greater than 500

  —

  —

  —

  5

  —

  5

  Total

  85

  65

  15

  80

  100

  145

  Source: Inland Revenue.

  1. Figures are rounded to nearest 5 units (— means less than 3 units).

  2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  3. Small properties have a 1 April 1990 rateable value less than £10,000.

  1058
  transfer of £77,000 to class XV, vote 12 and increased appropriations in aid. Welsh Office running costs expenditure will be lower in 1995–96 in cash and real terms than in 1993–94 or 1994–95.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 12 results mainly from the take-up of £95,000 end-year flexibility entitlement and a transfer of £77,000 from class XV, vote 9 for the repayment costs for services provided to the office of Her Majesty's inspector of schools in Wales by the Welsh Office.

  There is also a increase to a non-voted cash limit, WO/LACAP, resulting from the take-up of £10,309,000 end-year flexibility entitlement and the switch of £687,000 from class XV, vote 2 in respect of the transfer of responsibility to local authorities for the rural development grant scheme.

  None of the proposed changes will add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hereditaments in Wales which fall(a) below and (b) above the threshold of £10,000 rateable value, for determining whether the lower limit on year-on-year increases in non-domestic rates bills applies, there are estimated to be, whose rates bills for 1995–96 in the absence of any transitional relief and assuming the rate poundage, as adjusted for the revaluation, is indexed for inflation, would be (i) under 50 per cent., (ii) between 50 and 80 per cent., (iii) between 80 and 120 per cent., (iv) between 120 and 200 per cent., (v) between 200 and 500 per cent., and (vi) over 500 per cent. of their bills for 1994–95; and if he will estimate for each of those categories the aggregate increase or decrease in rates bills between the two years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Estimates for Wales based on preliminary results of the 1995 revaluation and assuming for illustrative purposes that the rate poundage is unchanged in real terms between 1994–95 and 1995–96 are given in the following table. In deciding on the actual poundage for 1995–96 my right hon. Friend will have regard to schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 1988, which requires him to take account of both the rise in inflation and the rateable value of all appropriate hereditaments on the last day of the 1990 list and the first day of the 1995 list so that the rate yield from the two lists will be broadly the same.
  1059
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of hereditaments where the transition for the 1990 changes is likely to be incomplete by 31 March 1995 but is likely to be(a) complete and (b) more nearly complete at 1 April 1995 by virtue of a reduction in the rateable value from that date.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  An estimated 19,000 hereditaments in Wales will be in transition on 31 March 1995 when the existing transitional arrangements expire. On the basis of preliminary results from the 1995 revaluation, and assuming the rate poundage rises in line with inflation, less than 1,000 would find themselves with no further increase next year and 1,000 would be closer to reaching their full liability than they are now.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the regions, sectors and types of hereditament most affected by large increases or decreases in bills for non-domestic rates;

  (2) what studies he has commissioned internally and from external consultants, of the likely impact of the April 1995 revaluation of non-domestic property in Wales on rateable values and non-domestic rate bills in different regions and different sectors of the economy; if he will publish those studies or summaries thereof; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Inland Revenue is analysing the results of the revaluation as they come in. Although numbers are subject to change, the current estimate of the effect of the revaluation on rateable values is given in the following table. The effect on rate bills will depend on the rate poundage which is determined for 1995–96 and the final form of the proposed transitional arrangements for the 1995 revaluation, details of which are contained in a Welsh Office consultation paper issued on 4 October. Copies of the consultation paper will be placed in the Library of the House. My right hon. Friend expects to announce his decisions by the end of November.

  Provisional estimates of impact of 1995 revaluation on rateable values. Average percentage increase in 1995 list RV compared with 1990 list RV

  Number

  Shops

  23

  Offices

  43

  Warehouses

  42

  Factories

  29

  Other

  16

  All

  25

  Source: Inland Revenue.

  1 All numbers are still subject to change, possibly significant, as the revaluation work progresses.

  2 The information is not available on a regional basis for Wales.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons (Television)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons prisoners can receive television via satellite dishes; and how many prisons are planning to install such dishes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison 1060
  Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John Marshall, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about satellite television in Prison Service establishments.
  106 establishments in England and Wales have the capacity for prisoners to watch television via satellite dishes, during association periods. Prisoners ability to watch television is restricted and tightly controlled by staff. Satellite television is used as an alternative to the previous practice of watching videos. Satellite television is not financed from public funds. It is funded from the establishment general purposes fund, which is derived from the profits of the prison shop and gifts, or from voluntary contributions by prisoners or well wishers.
  Four further prisons are planning to install this facility.

  Prisons (Education)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what surveys his Department has carried out as to the effect on education courses in prisons in England and Wales when an inmate is moved to another prison where such courses are not being followed; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the effect on prison education courses when a prisoner is moved to a prison that does not offer the same course of study.
  Education courses pursued by a prisoner cannot take precedence when a move between prison establishments is dictated by overriding operational needs. Prison education departments are aware that such moves may occur and courses are planned to be as flexible as possible. This has not been the subject of a national survey.
  On transfer, the receiving education department will make every effort to accommodate the prisoner's needs. The receiving department will accept any continuing costs associated with a course of study which a prisoner is pursuing, including distance learning, course costs and examination fees. We are developing a national curriculum framework, the benefits of which will be to help ensure the continuity of study for prisoners between establishments.

  Prisoners (Possessions)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount of personal possessions a prison inmate is officially allowed to have in a prison.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about prisoners' personal possessions.
  Prison standing orders specify a number of personal items which prisoners may have in possession, and set out the basis on which decisions are to be made about other items. The fundamental principle determining the amount of property allowed in possession, as well as the acceptability of individual items, is that effective searching should not be prevented, nor should any items constitute a security, safety or health risk.

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison inmates(a) men and (b) women have been charged and found guilty of being in possession of drugs in prisons in England and Wales since 1 January.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many inmates in prisons in England and Wales were charged and found guilty of being in possession of drugs since 1 January. The provisional figures for January—september 1994 show 1,722 proved adjudication findings for male inmates and 13 for female inmates charged with being in possession of controlled drugs. The figures include any proved charges of inciting or assisting other prisoners to possess controlled drugs.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors to each of the prisons in England and Wales have been charged with attempting to take drugs into a prison since 1 January.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of visitors to prisons in England and Wales who have been charged with attempting to take drugs into prison since 1 January.
  The Prison Service does not keep a central record of decisions by the police to bring charges.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to support prison officers in their day-to-day duties, with particular reference to the searching of prison inmates and prisoners' cells; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the action taken to support prison officers with their day-to-day duties, particularly with the searching of prison inmates and prisoners' cells.
  Prison Officers duties are varied and include maintenance of security and control; provision of regime activities such as offending behaviour programmes; and other work with prisoners. The Prison Service has made significant progress in all of these areas during
  1062
  the last 18 months, due to the energy and commitment of prison officers and other staff.
  Particular measures to support prison officers in their security role include:
  the use of x-ray machines and metal detector portals and metal detectors to help search people, property and vehicles entering or leaving prisons
  specially trained dog handlers and dogs are available to search and detect items such as drugs or explosives in prisons
  CCTV has been installed in some visits areas
  prison officers receive training in searching procedures and techniques as part of their initial training
  the security manual, issued to all establishments giving advice on searching procedures, is being revised and simplified
  Governors have to draw up local searching strategies based on the nature of the prison and the type of prisoners held
  major refurbishment schemes include significant security improvements, in particular to prisoners' cells
  monthly security bulletins are issued to draw attention to lessons from recent incidents and to provide information to Governors on special security topics
  drug testing is due to be introduced under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill
  perimeter security is being improved in many establishments
  court escorts have been made more security by the use of double cuffing for category B prisoners and the increased use of secure vehicles
  Control measures include:
  the strengthening of Governors' disciplinary powers
  about half of establishments have introduced differential regimes and local incentive schemes to improve behaviour
  more cellular accommodation is being provided for category C prisoners
  new allocation procedures have been introduced for category C prisoners, designed to ensure that the mix of prisoners in establishments is monitored and controlled to minimise the risk of disturbances
  a project is researching violence in prisons with a view to developing guidance on best practice
  Improvements concerned with regimes include:
  prisoners are expected to engage actively in work, training, education and other purposeful activities. The target for increasing levels of purposeful activity is being exceeded
  offending behaviour programmes are being expanded, with more training for officers involved in these programmes
  more than 700 NVQ schemes for prisoners are being implemented through prison workshops and other facilities
  Prison officers will have more time to concentrate on these activities as the disruptive court escort work is contracted out and work not requiring a prison officer's expertise is transferred to other grades.

  Domestic Service
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had as to the feasibility of allowing overseas domestic workers in the United Kingdom to change their employer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We have received a number of representations in support of allowing overseas domestic workers to change employers but we consider that this would be contrary to our immigration controls and against the interest of the resident labour force. Each case involving a domestic worker who wishes to remain in the United Kingdom after having left his or her employer is carefully considered and account is taken of any compassionate circumstances.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the privatisations which

  Name of Body

  Purchaser

  Date sold

  Proceeds of sale £ million

  National Transcommunications Limited (NTL)

  Mercury Asset management

  24 October 1991

  70·00

  DTELS

  NTL

  1 March 1994

  6·60

  United Racecourses (Holdings) Limited

  Racecourse Holdings Trust Limited

  29 April 1994

  30·25

  No information is held on the current value of the companies concerned.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been determined since the passage of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993; in how many cases the applicant has been allowed to stay in the United Kingdom, how many principal applicants were successful; and how many dependants they had.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on decisions made since the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993–1 August 1993 to 30 September 1994—and the estimated number of dependants accompanying these decided cases is given in the table.

  Decisions1 on applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and dependants, August 1993 to September 1994

  Decisions made in August 1993-September 1994

  Total decision made on Principal applications for asylum2

  24,665

  -dependants accompanying cases decided3

  7,565

  Cases recognised as a refugee and granted asylum2

  845

  -dependants accompanying cases granted asylum3

  600

  Cases not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain2

  3,330

  -dependants accompanying cases granted exceptional leave to remain3

  1,620

  Cases refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration2

  19,890

  -dependants accompanying cases refused asylum and exceptional leave3

  5,345

  1 Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

  2 Exclude dependants.

  3 Information on dependants is of those applying with the Principal applicant or arriving subsequently, before the principal application was decided. Information excludes dependants who arrive after the principal decision.

  4Including refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country anf refusals under para 180F of the Immigration Rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum are still outstanding after(a) four years, (b) five years and (c) six years; and if he will make a statement.
  1064
  his Department has promoted since 1979, indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

  Mr. Howard
  The available information is as follows:

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  At 30 September 1994—the latest date for which the information is available—by the estimated number of asylum applications outstanding was 52,760. Information on the number of these cases waiting longer than four, five, or six years is not available.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the processing period of asylum applications at the present time.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided on application for asylum received since the introduction of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993–26 July 1993 to 30 September 1994—was 4.7 months.

  Cannabis
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the therapeutic uses of cannabis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Representations have been received from Members of Parliament, doctors and patients claiming that cannabis relieves the symptoms of a number of medical conditions and asking if it can be made available to treat them.

  The Department of Health is considering these claims in conjunction with the Medicines Control Agency and the Home Office.

  Sri Lankan Tamils
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils(a) have applied for and (b) have been granted political asylum in the United Kingdom since 1 January.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on Sri Lankan Tamils are not separately identifiable in the statistics. The table gives information for the period 1 January 1994 to 30 September 1994 on the number of applications for asylum from nationals of Sri Lanka and decisions made.

  Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, from Sri Lankan nationals, 1 January 1994–30 September 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  Asylum applications2

  1,835

  Decisions2 3

  815

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  10

  1065

  Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, from Sri Lankan nationals, 1 January 1994–30 September 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain4

  65

  Refused asylum and ELR—after full consideration

  615

  Refused under para 180F5

  65

  Refused on safe third country grounds6

  60

  1Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  2Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

  3Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in 1994.

  4Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

  5For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.

  6Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils have been deported from the United Kingdom since 1 January.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Two Sri Lankan citizens were removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process in the period January to September 1994. No distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans.

  West Midlands Police
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the conclusions of the inquiry being carried out by Leicestershire police into alleged bribery in the West Midlands police service will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The investigation, which is being conducted under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority, is still in progress.

  Any announcement of criminal or disciplinary proceedings is a matter for the chief constable of West Midlands police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Police Complaints Authority.

  British Dependent Territories
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to extend the right of abode in the United Kingdom to all British dependent territory passport holders;

  (2) what plans he has to regularise the position of British dependent territories passport holders after June 1997, in respect of the position of Gibraltarians and Falkland Islanders.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  None. There is no reason to change the status of British dependent territories citizens either now or after June 1997.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.
  1066
  Mr. Howard
  As at 1 September 1993, 40 per cent. of public appointments made by the Home Office were held by women. The 1994 figures will be announced in due course.

  Nuclear Materials (Transport)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities his Department has for liaison with the French Government regarding civil defence emergencies resulting from transport of nuclear material near the channel islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply. All movements of radioactive materials in the French and English territorial waters of the English channel are subject to the maritime nuclear emergency plan for the English channel. The plan is administered by the prefet maritime, Cherbourg, controlled through the cross-channel maritime communications centre, and involves all the relevant United Kingdom and French authorities.

  General Oleg Kalugin
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision has been taken on the application by General Oleg Kalugin for a visa to visit the United Kingdom; and what were the reasons for the decision.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Mr. Kalugin's application for a visa is at present under consideration. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as a decision has been taken.

  Airports (Immigration Officers)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom airports receiving scheduled flights form abroad do not have permanent, full-time immigration service staff stationed at the airport.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Immigration Service staff are stationed permanently at all airports where their full-time attendance is justified. There are seven small regional airports operating scheduled passenger flights where Immigration Service staff are not stationed on a permanent basis.

  Misuse
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the number of local drugs prevention teams in(a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Funding for the drugs prevention initiative in England is being renewed for a further four years from April 1995. From that date there will be 12 teams, covering some 16 million people rather than the 6 million covered by the current teams.

  Arrangements for building from the work of the two teams in Scotland is being considered in the light of the report of the drugs task force. In Wales, a new strategy for the prevention of drug and alcohol misuse is being developed. There are no current plans to establish a drugs prevention team in Northern Ireland.

  Police Authorities (Allowances)
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the differences in financial allowances between the independent appointees to the new police authorities and the allowances permitted for the local authority and magistrates' representatives.

  Mr. Maclean
  Councillor and independent members of new police authorities will be able to claim £15 per hour for time spent on police authority business, up to a limit of £120 per day and £3,000 per year—£6,000 per year if they are the chairman of the authority.

  Magistrate members of new police authorities will, as at present, be able to claim financial loss allowance at the rates payable to them as magistrates.

  Al Fayed Brothers (Citizenship Application)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) formal or (b) informal representations he has received from (i) hon. Members and (ii) others asking for reconsideration of the refusal to grant British citizenship to Mr. Mohammed Al Fayed and Mr. Ali Al Fayed.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  As their applications have not yet been determined, the question of representations asking for reconsideration of refusal does not arise.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the referees who have supported the applications for British citizenship of Mr. Ali al Fayed and Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No. It is not our practice to disclose such details.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what formal or informal representations he has received from persons other than hon. Members on the applications by Mr. Mohammed Al Fayed or Mr. Ali Al Fayed for British citizenship.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We have received representations from three people other than hon. Members concerning these applications. It is not our practice to disclose the details of private communications.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the consultations held with ministerial colleagues concerning the applications for British citizenship by Mr. Mohammed Al Fayed and Mr. Ali Al Fayed; and what special principles apply when considering such applications.

  Mr. Howard
  I made a public statement on this matter on 24 October 1994, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Private Security Industries
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his European counterparts regarding regulating standards in the private security industries across the European Union.

  Mr. Maclean
  No such discussions have taken place.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has plans to extend to other categories of offenders the powers contained in section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to require sex 1068
  offenders to be supervised for the whole of the remainder of their sentence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have no plans at present to extend the powers contained in section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to cover other offences.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether judges are sufficiently aware of the powers contained in section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to require offenders to be supervised for the whole of the remainder of their sentence following automatic conditional release.

  Mr. Maclean
  A circular was sent to all judges on 5 March 1992 describing the provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1991 which were to be implemented in 1992, including section 44. The statistics suggest an increased use of the power in the years since its introduction.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 has been used by judges to require contrived supervision of an offender for the remainder of his or her sentence.

  Mr. Maclean
  The number of cases in which a court has ordered that an offender should be supervised for the whole of his sentence under section 44 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 are as follows:

  1992 — 1

  1993 — 11

  1994 (January-June) —34

  It is likely that the recorded figures for 1992 and 1993 are understated because of initial difficulties in probation areas in the recording of such cases.

  Local Government Review
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about future police and fire service arrangements in Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire, and Avon and Somerset.

  Mr. Howard
  In the light of the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 25 October,Official Report, columns 534-37 about the future arrangements for local government in Humberside. I announced my intention to consider and consult upon whether a separate Humberside police force, based on the four unitary authorities, should be retained. I propose to make a statement on future policing arrangements in Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire when the Humberside police review has been completed and I have reached a decision on that matter.

  In the case of the Avon and Somerset constabulary, its present boundaries are unaffected by the decision to replace the county of Avon by four unitary authorities. The new unitary authorities will, from the appointed day of reorganisation, replace Avon county council as relevant councils for the appointment of councillor members of the police authority.

  For fire services, in the light of advice which I have received from the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council and from Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services, I propose to establish combined fire authorities when local government in Avon, Humberside and North Yorkshire is

  1069
  reorganised. These combined authorities will take over the functions under the Fire Services Act 1947 which are currently exercised by separate county councils. The provision of fire services in Lincolnshire and Somerset will remain unchanged.

  Cash Limits
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has for changes to the 1994–95 cash limits within his responsibilities.

  Mr. Howard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class VIII, vote 3—Home Office administration, immigration, probation and police support services, England and Wales—will be increased by £39,000 from £1,212,682,000 to £1,212,721,000. This is to enable a special capital grant at the rate of 100 per cent. to be made in order to fund the preliminary stages of the national probation service information systems strategy, for which the inner London probation service will act as the interim contractual authority. The total grant of £755,000 has been financed by a transfer of £604,000 from other probation capital grants, together with a reduction of £151,000 in the local authority capital non-voted HO/LACAP cash limit from £122,291,000 to £122,140,000. The new grant will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The cash limit for class VIII, vote 3 is increased by only £39,000 because at the same time a transfer of £112,000 is being made to the Welsh Office, class XV, vote 4, to meet the costs of providing additional places for Home Office-sponsored students at universities.

  Drug Deaths
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his calculation of numbers who have died as a result of the use of(a) solvents, (b) LSD, (c) amyl nitrate, (d) butyl nitrate, (e) khat, (1) temazepam, (g) ecstasy, (h) amphetamine and (i) GBH in each of the past five years.

  Mr Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: The information requested is contained in Tables 17, 19 and 20 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Statistics of drug addicts notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom" and is summarised in the table:

  Deaths from solvents and certain controlled drugs, United Kingdom, 1988–921

  Number of persons

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Volatile substances

  89

  84

  112

  87

  68

  LSD

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Benzodiazepines2

  —

  308

  311

  316

  370

  "Ecstasy"3

  1

  2

  —

  5

  —

  Amphetamines

  4

  3

  4

  15

  10

  1No information is available on deaths from the use of alkylnitrites (which includes amyl and butyl nitrite), khat, and GHB (gamma-hydroxy- butyrate), none of which are controlled drugs.

  2No data are available before 1989. This group of drugs includes Temazepam, for which separate figures are not available.

  3MDMA and other drugs related to MDA (methylenedioxy-amphetamine).

  IRA Prisoners
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if IRA prisoners in Whitemoor prison have been permitted to make telephone calls of up to one hour's duration per month on telephones not limited to inland calls;

  (2) what steps were (a) required by his Department and (b) taken by the Prison Service, at Whitemoor prison prior to 9 September, in response to (i) Prison Governors Association comments concerning Whitemoor prison (ii) representations from Whitemoor's board of visitors, (iii) HM chief inspector of prisons' report on Whitemoor and (iv)representations from the Prison Officers Association regarding Whitemoor;

  (3) what (a) discussions there with the present governor of Whitemoor prison and (b) instructions were given to him regarding any change in regime from that pertaining immediately prior to his appointment;

  (4) what arrangements existed for monitoring phone calls made on official telephones by IRA prisoners at Whitemoor prison prior to 9 September;

  (5) how the prison regime at Whitemoor differs from any other comparable prison;

  (6) if high-risk prisoners in special secure units (a) are and (b) have been permitted to make telephone calls of up to one hour's duration per month on telephones not limited to inland calls.

  (7) what special instructions he gave to the director-general of the Prison Service regarding the security arrangements for IRA prisoners, following the announcement that IRA prisoners, following the announcement that IRA prisoners would be moved from the mainland back to Northern Ireland;

  (8) what arrangements exist for monitoring phone calls made on official telephones by high-risk and exceptional risk category A prisoners.

  (9) in what ways the Whitemoor regime for IRA prisoners is different in terms of control and privileges from that of other category A prisoners;

  (10) what measures have been taken to review and improve the security of prisons, following the recent security breaches at Whitemoor and Durham prisons.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: These issues are a matter for the Director General of the Prison Service. He wrote to the hon. Member on 25 October and a copy of that reply has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he required the Director General of the Prison Service to review the circumstances and the security arrangements of IRA prisoners under Prison Service control following the recent movement of IRA prisoners from the mainland to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: There was no requirement to review the security of IRA prisoners remaining in prisons in England and Wales following the transfer of IRA prisoners to Northern Ireland. Security arrangements are to be examined in the light of the results of the inquiry by Sir John Woodcock.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Back-to-work Bonus
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum amount of the proposed back-to-work bonus for each partner where a couple are both claiming benefit on a means-tested basis; and whether the total accumulated credit from part-time earnings of both partners would be payable when one of them moves into full-time work.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The maximum amount of the proposed back-to-work bonus is £1,000 per benefit unit. The earnings of both partners may contribute towards building up this amount, which would be payable in full when the couple left benefit as a result either of the claimant moving into work of 16 hours or more per week, or the claimant's partner moving into work of 24 hours or more per week.

  State Retirement Pension
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women aged 100 years and over are in receipt of a state retirement pension.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  At 31 March 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 830 men and 6,640 women, aged 100 and over (figures include persons residing overseas) were in receipt of state retirement pension ("State Retirement Pension" means a contributory retirement pension, a non-contributory retirement pension or a graduated retirement benefit).

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he estimates will be the cost in a full year of raising the level of pension that may be received without affecting benefit from £35 to £50 a week combined with the removal of the age threshold; and how many people will benefit from this.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Raising the level of occupational or personal pension that can be received without affecting a contribution-based job seeker's allowance from £35 to £50 per week, combined with removing the age threshold, would save around an estimated £10 million in a full year at current prices. It is estimated that around 15,000 claimants would gain through the raising of the abatement limit to £50.

  Notes:
  1. Estimates rounded to nearest £10 million and 5,000 cases.
  2. Estimates assume:

  a. 2.55 million unemployed claimants (GB);

  b. 600,000 Unemployment Benefit claimants.

  3. Losers are estimated using the Policy Simulation Model with 1990/91/92. Family Expenditure Survey data and 1994 Unemployment Benefit Statistics.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give the latest cost of fully restoring the value of retirement pensions paid to United Kingdom citizens living abroad on the basis that the normal uprating had been paid as if the recipient had continued to live in this country;

  (2) what would have been the cost of uprating the retirement pensions of United Kingdom citizens living abroad on the same basis as those pensions paid to those living in the United Kingdom in this financial year.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The estimated cost of paying fully indexed benefits to all people receiving state retirement and widows pensions living abroad whose benefits are not 1072
  uprated is £230 million a year. The cost in the 1994–95 financial year of paying just the April 1994 uprating to these pensioners is estimated to be £16 million. Separate figures are not available on the cost of uprating benefits only for retirement pensioners or those who are citizens of the United Kingdom.

  Income Support
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have received a reduced rate of income support in the form of a hardship payment in the latest year for which figures are available and in each of the preceding three years.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table:

  Awards of income support to prevent hardship

  period

  Number of hardship payments

  April 1990—march 1991

  2,415

  April 1991—march 1992

  2,992

  April 1992—march 1993

  3,477

  April 1993—march 19941

  3,701

  April 1994—August 1994 (4 months)1

  1,677

  Note:

  1Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people who gave up employment to protect the benefit entitlement of a spouse or partner in the latest period for which an estimate can be made; and what change he estimates there would have been in that figure if the 16-hour limit had been raised to 24 hours.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the form requested. We estimate that approximately 20,000 households will benefit from the change in the hours rule for working partners, when the changes from 16 to 24 hours as proposed with the introduction of job seeker's allowance are introduced.

  Family Credit
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many employees of his Department and of each of its agencies are in receipt of family credit payments.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not available.

  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long it took to process a family credit application in each region for England during 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the form requested as family credit claims are administered centrally. The clearance times for Great Britain as a whole were as follows:

  1991–92

  64.4 per cent. in 18 working days

  89.2 per cent. in 35 working days

  1073
  1992–93

  60.7 per cent. in 13 working days

  96.8 per cent. in 45 working days

  Source: Social Security Departmental Report.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what category of claimant would continue to draw income support if the job seeker's allowance were in operation.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Claimants in specified groups who are not required to be available for work could continue to claim income support. The main groups will be lone parents, men aged 60–64, those with significant caring responsibilities and people with disabilities.

  However, claimants in these groups who want to claim job seeker's allowance could do so provided that they meet the entitlement conditions, including being available for and actively seeking work.

  Job Seeker's Allowance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether someone refused a hardship payment in circumstances described in paragraph 4.39 of "Jobseeker's Allowance" is eligible for a crisis loan from the social fund.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Claimants who would not have access to hardship payments in the circumstances described in paragraph 4.39 of the job seekers's allowance White Paper would not have access to the social fund for a crisis loan to cover living expenses. Provision of such a loan would negate the effect of the sanction. Crisis loans would, however, be available in those circumstances to help make good damage caused by unforeseen disaster, such as fire or flood.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes are proposed in the cash limits or running costs limits of his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIII vote 4 will be increased by £45,825,000 from £2,724,356,000 to £2,770,181,000. The revision takes account of increased requirements resulting from policy changes—£43,526,000, of which £29,948,000 is running costs—an increase of £77,454,000—of which £66,474,000 is running costs—in respect of the end-year flexibility arrangements, an increase of £350,000— running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Crown Prosecution Services; Crown Prosecutions and legal services, class IX vote 7, an increase of £3,000—running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Her Majesty's Treasury, class XVII vote 1, an increase of £56,000—running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England, class XII vote 3, a reduction of £5,152,000 in running cost cover for services provided by Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) on repayment and an increase of £75,564,000 in appropriations in aid.

  Further running cost changes arise from a reduction of £3,018,000 as a result of a reallocation to capital and other
  1074
  current expenditure, a reduction of £2,169,000 resulting from a transfer to a net running cost section of the vote and an increase of £5,029,000 in value added tax refunds.

  As a result of these changes, the running cost limit of the Department of Social Security will be increased by £81,463,000 from £2,928,784,000 to £3,010,247,000.

  The additional requirements will be changed to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what consideration she has given to the report on the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation's investigation of complaints from disabled people about delays in assessment for and the provision of services under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; what action she is taking; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what consideration the Minister for Disabled People has given to the report of the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation's investigation of complaints from disabled people about delays in assessment for and the provision of services under section two of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have seen a copy of the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation's end of project report, "Disabled People Have Rights".

  Local authorities' duties under the 1970 Act remain unchanged, however, and they were reminded of their legal obligations in December 1992. We have also set out procedures for the investigation of complaints, and the Department follows up cases where it is alleged that a local authority is in breach of its statutory duties.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was(a) the number and (b) the percentage of (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful claims for disability living allowance and attendance allowance for (1) disability living allowance (care), (2) disability living allowance (mobility) and (3) attendance allowance in each year since 1992–93 and the first quarter of 1994–95.

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is in the table.

  Total decisions

  Number of awards

  Success rate (per cent.)

  Disability Living Allowance

  1992–93

  685,154

  432,382

  63

  1993–94

  441,470

  223,347

  51

  April—june 1994

  112,315

  55,253

  49

  Attendance Allowance

  1992–93

  516,357

  379,298

  73

  1993–94

  480,578

  347,793

  72

  April—june 1994

  118,171

  86,398

  73

  Notes

  1The information is not available in the form requested.

  2Figures for DLA relate only to decisions given on new claims; the figures for AA include first awards on review and appeal.

  3DLA figures for 1992–93 include single component claims made under transitional arrangements.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was(a) the number and (b) the percentage

  1075
  of (i) disability living allowance claims and (ii) attendance allowance claims where an examining medical practitioner's report was commissioned by his Department in respect of (1) disability living allowance (care), (2)

  Total decisions

  EMP report obtained

  Percentage with EMP report

  Adjudication Officer's decisions on DLA

  1992–93

  633,684

  120,506

  19

  1993–94

  429,415

  88,552

  21

  April 1994—june 1994

  109,544

  19,670

  18

  Adjudication Officer's decisions on AA

  1992–93

  415,503

  92,465

  22

  1993–94

  428,974

  74,741

  17

  April 1994—june 1994

  109,435

  15,903

  15

  Notes:

  1. The information is not available in the precise form requested. EMP reports may also be obtained at the request of the claimant.

  2. Figures for DLA relate to new claims; the figures for AA include first awards on review and appeal.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disability living allowance decisions in which(a) review requests and (b) appeals were made in respect of (i) disability living allowance (care), (ii) disability living allowance, mobility and (iii) attendance

  Total decisions

  Number of reviews requested

  Percentage of decisions

  Number of appeals requested

  Percentage of decisions

  DLA decisions

  1992–93

  685,154

  96,799

  14

  6,918

  1

  1993–94

  441,470

  271,165

  61

  29,617

  7

  April 1994—june 1994

  112,315

  77,573

  69

  5,276

  5

  AA decisions

  1992–1993

  516,357

  132,169

  26

  2,130

  —

  1993–94

  480,578

  139,251

  29

  5,025

  1

  April 1994—june 1994

  118,171

  32,670

  28

  743

  1

  Notes:

  1. The information is not available in the precise form requested.

  2. Requests for review and appeal do not necessarily relate to decisions made in the year shown but reflect activity undertaken during the period.

  Children in Hospital
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce a visiting costs scheme for families with a sick child in hospital.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many certificates he issued in 1992 and 1993 under section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 for the purposes of awarding war pension to former service personnel.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Such statistics are not routinely kept; however, it is estimated that, in total, about a dozen section 10 certificates were issued in 1992 and 1993.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total amount spent on official
  1076
  disability living allowance, mobility and (3) attendance allowance in each year since 1992–93 and the first quarter of 1994–95.

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is in the table:

  allowance were made in each year since 1992–93 and the first quarter of 1994–95; and what percentage of all decisions each formed.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the tables.

  hospitality by (a) her Department and (b) her agencies for each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  Expenditure on hospitality, including basic refreshments for meetings of expert advisory groups and working groups and for meetings with representatives of other Government departments, voluntary organisations and public bodies is shown in the table. Separate figures are only available for the agencies from 1991–92. All ministers hospitality budgets are underspent.

  1990–91£millions

  1991–92£millions

  1992–93£millions

  1993–94£millions

  Department

  158,000

  168,151

  246,374

  218,995

  Agencies

  —

  10,318

  15,612

  28,864

  Note:

  Figures have not been adjusted for inflation.

  General Practitioner Fundholding
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has done into the cost-effectiveness of consultant clinics in fundholding practices.

  Mr. Malone
  The proposed programme of work for the National Centre for Primary Care Research includes a
  1077
  study of the cost-effectiveness of specialist clinics in general practice.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of general practitioner fundholding on the doctor/patient relationship.

  Mr. Malone
  General practitioner fundholders are free to use resources directly to improve services and secure the care they judge best for their patients. This can only strengthen the doctor/patient relationship.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the status of fees that consultants receive from general practitioner fundholders.

  Mr. Malone
  National health service consultants are free to make personal arrangements with any health care purchaser, subject to their contractual arrangements with their NHS employer.

  Hormone Replacement Therapy
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on(a) the production and (b) the availability of the hormone replacement drug premarin in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  Premarin is produced by the pharmaceutical industry using pregnant mares' urine, which is collected on farms in Canada and the United States of America, not in the United Kingdom. During that part of the pregnancy when oestrogen levels are high, the mares are' fitted with a lightweight harness. The collection device is attached to this and the urine drains into it. Both the Canadian and United States authorities have said that no mares are catheterised to collect urine, and have confirmed that all the farms satisfy their animal welfare concerns.

  In the United Kingdom, medicinal products need to be licensed under the Medicines Act 1971. Before a product licence is granted, a company needs to satisfy the Licensing Authority of the product's safety, quality and efficacy. Premarin is licensed for use in the United Kingdom, and there are no grounds under the Medicines Act for withdrawing it from use.

  Asthma
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on general practitioner-prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in each family health services authority area in 1993–94 expressed in terms of(a) net ingredient cost and (b) net ingredient cost per capita.

  Mr. Malone
  The information will be placed in the Library.

  Asthma Prescribing Figures-England 1984 to 1993

  Prescriptions ('000) BNF Section

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  3.1.1.1 Selective beta-adrenoceptor stimulants

  9,075·3

  10,125·3

  10,736·1

  11,264·3

  12,231·3

  12,526·8

  13,450·0

  15,460·9

  16160·9

  17125·6

  3.1.1.2 Other adrenoceptor stimulants

  374·5

  504·0

  633·8

  573·3

  640·5

  591·2

  607·0

  673·2

  615·7

  638·9

  1078
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on general practitioner-prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in 1993–94, broken down by drugs prescribed.

  Mr. Malone
  Information on individual drugs prescribed is commercially confidential. Information broken down by British National Formulary classification to sub section level is shown in the table.

  Asthma Prescribing Figures - England 1993

  BNF Section

  Prescriptions (000s)

  Net Ingredient Cost(£000s)

  3.1.1.1 Selective bete-andrenoceptor stimulants

  17,125·6

  119,208·8

  3.1.1.2 Other andrenoceptor stimulants

  638·9

  1,358·6

  3.1.2 Anti muscarinic bronchodilators

  1,341·8

  19,491·5

  3.1.3 Theophyline

  2,194·2

  11,008·9

  3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations

  482·4

  4,573·7

  3.2.0 Corticosteroids

  8,526·1

  172,887·3

  3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy

  936·1

  17,979·9

  21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices

  329·0

  2,079·5

  Total

  31,576·1

  348,588·2

  Notes:

  1. The data are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered.

  2. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained in the British National Formulary sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3. The therapeutic classifications are based on the September 1992 issue. The drugs for Broncholidators may be used for other conditions.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the total number of prescriptions for treatment of asthma and (b) the number of prescriptions of inhalations, broken down by drugs prescribed, to (i) the whole population and (ii) those aged under 16 years for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Malone
  Information on individual prescribed drugs is commercially confidential. The number of prescribed items for asthma preparations down to British National Formulary sub-section level for the whole population is shown in table 1. The number of prescription items for asthma preparations for patients exempt on grounds of youth down to BNF section level is shown in table 2.
  1079

  Asthma Prescribing Figures - England 1984 to 1993

  Prescriptions ('000) BNF Section

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  3.1.2 Antimuscarinic bronchodilators

  373·6

  431·8

  496·3

  552·1

  658·1

  706·0

  856·6

  1,005·1

  1,193·5

  1,341·8

  3.1.3 Theophylline

  2,845·0

  3,125·6

  3,187·4

  3,216·2

  3,196·8

  2,955·8

  2,802·0

  2,634·9

  2,409·5

  2,194·2

  3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations

  883·2

  698·2

  645·9

  662·7

  672·1

  701·2

  706·2

  619·0

  545·3

  482·4

  3.2.0 Corticosteroids

  2,129·4

  2,486·1

  2,919·2

  3.426·4

  4,031·3

  4,391·5,

  5,040·0

  6,265·6

  7,414·0

  8,526·1

  3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy

  1,528·4

  1,480·9

  1,427·1

  1,299·8

  1,206·9

  1,083·1

  998·0

  983·8

  924·9

  938·1

  21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  61·8

  258·1

  297·0

  329·0

  Total Asthma Preparations

  17,209·2

  18,851·9

  20,045·8

  20,994·8

  22,637·1

  22,955·6

  24,521·6

  27,900·6

  29,560·8

  31,576·1

  Net Ingredient Cost (£'000) BNF Section

  3.1.1.1 Selective beta-adrenoceptor stimulants

  35,244·7

  39,389·0

  43,591·2

  47,785·6

  59,442·5

  66,488·7

  76,783·0

  98,538·7

  109,908·4

  119,208·8

  3.1.1.2 Other adrenoceptor stimulants

  1,019·4

  1,232·3

  1,426·2

  1,304·6

  1,424·8

  1,345·4

  1,280·3

  1,354·0

  1,301·1

  1,358·6

  3.1.2 Antimuscarinic bronchodilators

  1,971·8

  2,398·4

  2,857·0

  3,410·3

  5,949·5

  7,658·2

  9,784·0

  12,664·0

  16,354·1

  19,491·5

  3.1.3 Theophylline

  12,274·5

  13,350·5

  14,173·7

  14,435·8

  14,993·7

  14,081·5

  13,458·1

  12,708·3

  11,860·2

  11,008·9

  3.1.4 Compound bronchodilator preparations

  3,674·7

  3,448·3

  3,787·1

  4,453·5

  5,137·4

  5,498·5

  5,773·0

  5,221·4

  4,914·2

  4,573·7

  3.2.0 Cortcosteroids

  18,343·8

  23,726·4

  31,709·1

  41,876·6

  61,021·2

  71,368·7

  86,988·4

  112,412·9

  142,521·8

  172,887·3

  3.3.0 Cromoglycate and related therapy

  16,591·2

  17,005·2

  17,779·5

  17,578·0

  17,737·8

  16,954·5

  16,364·5

  15,956·9

  16,448·7

  17,979·9

  21.12 Peak flow meters and inhaler devices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  378·2

  1,604·4

  1,858·3

  2,079·5

  Total Asthma Preparations

  89,120·1

  100,550·1

  115,324·4

  130,844·4

  165,706·9

  183,395·5

  210,809·5

  260,460·8

  305,166·8

  348,588·2

  Notes:

  1 Data up to 1990 are based on fees and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only.

  2 Data from 1991 are based on items and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered.

  Table 2—England

  1992

  Prescription items(1000s)

  3.1. Bronchodilators

  3,438·8

  3.2. Corticosteroids

  1,188·1

  3.3. Cromoglycate and related therapy

  445·5

  Total

  5,072·4

  1993

  3.1. Bronchodilators

  3,731·7

  3.2. Corticosteroids

  1,461·3

  3.3. Cromoglycate and related therapy

  481·4

  Total

  5,674·4

  Notes:

  1. The data includes items dispensed for people under the age of 16 and aged between 16 and 19 and in full-time education.

  2. The date are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only. Items dispensed by dispensing doctors and personal administration are excluded. Dispensing doctor prescriptions are not analysed into
  1080
  exempt, non-exempt or other categories and are therefore excluded; personally administered items are free of charge.

  3. Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained in the British National Formulary sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. The therapeutic classifications are based on the September 1992 issue. The drugs for Bronchodilators may be used for other conditions.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dental check-ups took place in each year since 1988 by(a) regional health authority, (b) district health authority, on 1 April 1992 boundaries, (c) family health service authority and (d) nationally.

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

  Blood Transfusion Centres
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the blood transfusion centres which have been issued(a) a wholesale dealers' licence and (b)

  1081
  a manufacturer's special licence under the Medicines Act 1968, and those which have not been issued with those licences.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since April 1994, the National Blood Authority has held a wholesale dealers licence and a manufacturers licence for the national blood service as a whole.

  The wholesale dealers licence currently includes the following centres: Northern, West Yorkshire, East Anglia, Trent, Oxford and Mersey. Wessex, West Midlands and Blood Services South-West (Bristol) have been approved and are yet to be shown on the licence. The remaining transfusion centres do not currently undertake wholesale dealing activities and do not therefore require to be licenced.

  In relation to the manufacturers licence; the Medicines Control Agency has identified specific work to be undertaken at the Wessex and West Midlands centres. The NBA has given assurances to the MCA on this and the MCA is content for the processing and testing functions, for which all centres are required to be licenced, to continue at these centres.

  Health Authority Funding
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to implement changes in the weighted capitation formula for London to take account of deprivation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The modified weighted capitation formula takes account of deprivation by including a wide range of health and socio-economic factors.

  In 1995–96, it will be used to inform allocations to regional health authorities. It will be for Thames regions to decide which formula to use for London district health authorities.

  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes for each authority's revenue budget were brought about as a result of the replacement of the resource allocation working party system of determining funding allocation.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 3 December 1993,Official Report, column 808.

  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the figures for revenue funding for each purchasing health authority or equivalent in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 and the estimated figures for 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information for England will be placed in the Library for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95. No information is available for future years.

  Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Performance-related Pay
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received in response to her proposal to introduce local performance-related pay into the NHS; and if she will make a statement.
  1082
  Mr. Malone
  Since announcing our plans for reforming national health services in "Working for Patients" in 1989 and proposals for strengthening the links between reward and performance in the national health service in the citizens charter in 1991, we have received representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals including hon. Members, the Trust Federation, the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts, chairmen, chief executives and human resource directors of trusts and authorities, professional bodies and trade unions.

  Cows' Milk Allergy
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy that new-born babies should be tested for allergy to cows' milk; and what investigation she has conducted into such a proposal.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans to develop a policy to test new babies for allergy to cows' milk. Their risk of allergy may be assessed from their family history of allergic disorder. Breast feeding is recommended for all babies and this is of particular importance for babies at risk of allergic disorder.

  Psychiatric Beds
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that the capital and revenue costs of funding 45 extra NHS medium-secure psychiatric beds for south-east Thames will be made available in the next financial year.

  Mr. Bowis
  South Thames regional health authority, in conjunction with the Department of Health, the national health service executive and North Thames regional health authority, is currently reviewing the supply of medium-secure psychiatric beds in the Thames regions.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had eye tests in each year since 1988; what proportion of these was NHS provided; what proportion was assisted by the voucher scheme, listed by(a) regional health authority, (b) district health authority, on 1 April 1992 boundaries, (c) family health service authority and (d) nationally.

  Mr. Malone
  The total number of sight tests performed has not been collected centrally since April 1989 when universal entitlement to national health service sight tests was ended.

  The number of sight tests paid for by family health services authorities in England since 1988–89 will be placed in the Library. Such information is not available by district health authority.

  From a survey carried out in 1993 on behalf of a technical sub-committee representing the Department and the optometric profession, it was estimated that the total number of sight tests performed in Great Britain in 1993–94 would be 13·184 million, 50 per cent. of which would be NHS.
  1083
  The number of vouchers paid for will be placed in the Library. Such information is not available by district health authority.

  Acute Units (Closure)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether guidance has been issued to health authorities on how funds released by the closure or reductions of acute units are to be transferred to the primary health care sector.

  Mr. Malone
  It is for local health authorities, taking account of clinical priority, the views of local people and the available resources, to assess the level of services needed to meet the requirements in their area and to negotiate appropriate provision. We will be examining the changing pattern of service provision to ensure that patients continue to receive effective and high quality care.

  London Implementation Group
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the budget of the London implementation group for each year since it was established.

  Mr. Malone
  The London implementation group was established in February 1993. The LIG's budget for 1993–94 and 1994–95 has been £2 million. For both years, those figures include the clearing house for displaced staff and for 1994–95 the budget figure includes the primary care support force.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions her Department is taking to ensure that reductions in junior doctors' hours do not create or increase shortages of junior doctors in(a) paediatrics and (b) other specialties.

  Mr. Malone
  Since the new deal was launched in 1991 we have funded an extra 750 career grade posts specifically to reduce juniors' hours.

  The number of paediatric consultants increased by 9·1 per cent. in 1992–93.

  In accident and emergency the increase was 11 per cent. and in both anaesthetics and obstetrics and gynaecology, the increase was nearly 4 per cent.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of public appointments made by her Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest published figures show that 35 per cent. of the public appointments made by the Department were held by women. Figures for 1994 will be announced in due course.

  Visiting Costs Scheme
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has, following the publication of Department of Health advice in "Welfare of Children and Young People in Hospital", to implement a visiting costs scheme to ensure that the parents of hospitalised children 1084
  are not prevented from visiting their children regularly because of a lack of money.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce a visiting costs scheme for families with a sick child in hospital.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will establish a fund for hospital visiting costs; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will list the concessions available to families visiting sick children, in respect of travelling, parking and other necessities.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Hospital travel costs scheme provides financial assistance to parents on low income to enable them to accompany their children to and from hospital where this is medically necessary. The majority of national health service hospitals provide accommodation for parents to enable them to stay overnight at the hospital while their children receive treatment. Financial help is available from the social fund to enable parents in receipt of income support to visit their children in hospital. There are no plans to extend these arrangements.

  Community Health Sheffield NHS Trust
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the transfers of land and property that have taken place over the past six months to Community Health Sheffield NHS trust and their value at the time of transfer.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the Community Health Sheffield national health service trust. The hon. Member may want to contact the chairman, Sir Michael Carlisle, for details.

  Kidney Treatment
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements for availability for kidney dialysis treatments exist in Great Britain for patients requiring regular dialysis treatments whilst on holiday or visiting relatives.

  Mr. Sackville
  Renal units in the United Kingdom will provide dialysis for patients on holiday or visiting relatives provided there is spare dialysis facility available. Usually the patient's regular unit will make the arrangements for them.

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Department's estimate of the cost of providing indoor and outdoor powered wheelchairs remains as set out in the letter date-stamped 23 March, ref. POH(4) 4295/111 from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mrs. Lait); when and by whom the estimate was made; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Calculation of the likely cost of supplying powered indoor/outdoor chairs to all those who qualify and require one is complex. The defining factors are assumed need, purchase cost through bulk purchasing, the
  1085
  cost of maintenance and repair and the effect on costs of refurbishment and re-issue of chairs.

  The estimate referred to was based on a simple extrapolation derived from a broad estimate of need contained in the 1986 McColl report.

  On 1 July I announced a review of wheelchair services in the context of the feasibility and affordability of a voucher scheme. As part of this review we have commissioned firm and practically based costings including for supply of indoor/outdoor powered chairs. We will be announcing our conclusions on this exercise in due course.

  General Practitioner Lists
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each family health services/authority area have been removed from their GP's list and how many have been(a) under 18 years, (b) women over 60 years, (c) men over 65 years of age, (d) registered disabled people, (e) are in receipt of repeat prescriptions and (f) recorded as having been previously removed from a GP's list in each of the past four years.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 25 October,Official Report, column 743–44.

  Nicotine
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will bring forward proposals to require manufacturers to reduce nicotine levels by 10 per cent. each year.

  Mr. Sackville
  No. The Cigarettes (Maximum Tar Yield) (Safety) Regulations 1992 set the current maximum tar yield in cigarettes at 15 mg and require a further reduction to 12 mg from 1 January 1998. There is a relationship between tar and nicotine yields and we have no plans for specific legislation on nicotine yields.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes will be made to the cash limits of her Department in 1994–95.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The cash limit for class XII, vote 1—Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England—will be reduced by £44,104,000, from £21,778,220,000 to £21,734,116,000. That reduction allows for transfers of £44,500,000 to class XII, vote 4—Family health services (part), England—for pharmaceutical services, following a reappraisal of general practitioner fundholders' drugs budget requirements; £120,000 to class XII, vole 3—Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England—for Special Hospitals Services Authority audit services; £241,000 to class XIV, vote 14—Hospital, community health, family health (part) and other services, Scotland—and £165,000 to the Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland for de-designated supra regional services; £904,000 to class XV, vote 8—Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, Wales—£289,000 to class XIV, vote 14—Hospital, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland—and £24,000 to the 1086
  Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland for London post-graduate teaching hospitals special health authorities services and £48,000 to class XIV, vote 17—Education, arts and libraries, Scotland—for clinical placements in England of Glasgow Caledonian university students. The overall reduction is partially offset by £1,647,000 from class XII, vote 3—Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England—for work of the NHS Estates Management and Health Building Agency£1,447,000—and for the regional health authorities print budget for NHS forms—£200,000; £333,000 from class XII, vote 6—Office of Population Censuses and Surveys—for the NHS central register superannuation costs and £207,000 from class VII, vote 3—Regeneration initiatives, England—for the urban programme.

  The cash limit for class XII, vote 3—Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England—will be reduced by £2,946,000—from £1,594,202,000 to £1,591,256,000. This reduction allows for transfers of £1,647,000£200,000 running costs—to class XII, vote 1—Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England—as mentioned above; £1,158,000 to class XIV, vote 14—Hospital, community health, family health (part) and other services, Scotland—for work of the NHS Estate Management and the Health Building Agency–1318,000—and the Prescription Pricing Authority—£840,000; £195,000—£183,000 running costs—to class XIX, vote 3—Privy Council Office—for the drugs co-ordination unit; £56,000—running costs—to class X111 vote 4—Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services—for the departmental records office; and £10,000—running costs—to class III, vote 4—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: agriculture, food and fishing services—for the Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. The overall decrease is partially offset by a transfer of £120,000 from class XII, vote 1 as mentioned above.

  The non-voted cash limit for supplementary credit approvals for personal social services —DoH/LACAP—in England is to be increased by £1,185,000—from £26,100,000 to £27,285,000—in respect of the take-up of entitlement to carry forward of underspends from the 1993-94 financial year under the end year flexibility arrangements as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994, at Official Report, columns 729–34.

  The Department's gross running cost limit will be reduced by £449,000 from £258,302,000 to £257,853,000. This reflects the transfers mentioned above.

  All increases will either be offset by savings, increased receipts or transfers to or from other votes or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Burnley Heath Care Trust
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received regarding Burnley Health Care Trust; and if she will make a statement.

  (2) If she now proposes to call for an independent inquiry into the problems at Burnley Health Care Trust; and if she will make a statement.
  1087
  Mr. Sackville
  We have received a number of representations about Burnley health care national health service trust, some of which call for an independent inquiry. The trust has commissioned an independent expert investigation into the management of the women's unit at the trust and the circumstances of the dismissal of consultant gynaecologist Mr. Ian Mahady, and will make public the findings.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether national health service trusts are required to produce the names and addresses of trust board members; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  National health service trusts publish the names of board members in their annual reports. There is no requirement on NHS trusts to make public the private addresses of board members.

  Sister Pat Cooksley
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the statement of the Minister of State of 25 October,Official Report, column 854, what is, or has been, the nature and type of retraining undertaken by Sister Pat Cooksley.

  Mr. Malone
  That is a confidential matter between Sister Cooksley and the Plymouth Hospitals national health service trust.

  Private Children's Homes
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer of 25 October,Official Report, column 749, how many (a) qualified field social workers, (b) unqualified field social workers, (c) qualified residential social workers and (d) unqualified residential social workers there were in 1974; and what are the latest available figures.

  Mr. Bowis
  There have been changes of definition and coverage in the information on qualifications of social work staff since 1974, and although the Department collected data on qualifications of social work staff in 1974, it no longer does so. It is for that reason that I quoted percentage figures rather than numbers.

  In the 1974 Department of Health staffing return on local authority social services staff, 5,150 field social work staff out of a total of 13,154 or 38 per cent. were reported as having the Certificate of Qualification in Social Work. In 1992, the latest date for which the information is available, the local government management board social services work force analysis showed that, out of a total of 32,826 staff, 26,906, or 82 per cent., had CQSW and a further 3,415, or 10 per cent., had another relevant qualification such as certificate in social service or diploma in social work.

  Corresponding comparative figures for staff in residential establishments are not available.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchcliffe), of 25 October,Official Report, column 749, what information is being requested from local authorities about the placement of children in small unregistered children's homes; and from which date this information is to be requested.
  1088
  Mr. Bowis
  In the current year, figures are being collected about those small unregistered children's homes in which children looked after by a local authority were accommodated in the period 1 April to 30 September 1994. The information collected includes the home's facilities and the age, gender and maximum number of children who can be accommodated. As my reply to the hon. Member for Wakefield said, from now on—that is, from the next annual collection—the number of children placed will also be separately identifiable.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) of 25 October, Official Report, column 749, whether statutory inspections in future will apply to small unregistered children's homes.

  Mr. Bowis
  Section 80 of the Children Act 1989 allows the social services inspectorate to inspect facilities for children in a wide variety of settings, including small children's homes, if circumstances show that it is necessary.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer of 25 October, Official Report, column 748, what are the welfare responsibilities of those authorities in whose areas small unregistered children's homes are located with regard to those homes; and under which section of the Children Act 1989 those welfare regulations are laid down.

  Mr. Bowis
  The local authority which places the child carries full responsibility to satisfy itself that the proposed placement promotes and safeguards the child's welfare— Arrangements for Placements of Children (General) Regulations 1991.

  If a particular placing authority finds a small children's home unsatisfactory, its recourse would be to terminate that placement and not use the home again.

  Authorities placing children in homes in a different area must inform the area authority about the placement—Arrangements for Placements of Children (General) Regulations 1992. Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that a child who lives in its area is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, it shall make inquiries to determine whether to take action to safeguard or promote the child's welfare—section 47, Children Act 1989.

  Where an arrangement has been made with the placing authority, the area authority can carry out the functions in relation to a placement on behalf of the placing authority— Arrangements for Placements of Children (General) Regulations 1991.

  NHS Hospitals (Car Parking)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will establish a maximum charge for car parking in NHS hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  Health Service Workers (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing on the subject of the local determination of pay and conditions of service; what has been the nature of such representations; and if she will make a statement.
  1089
  Mr. Malone
  Discussions have taken place with both the nursing and medical professions and are continuing.

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the Government guidelines for the setting up and staffing of private nursing homes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Statutory control of nursing homes is provided by the Registered Homes Act 1984. Registration and inspection is wholly delegated to health authorities, and the Department of Health endorsed guidance published by the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts in 1985. Homes have a statutory duty to provide adequate nursing and other staff bearing in mind the number, age, and condition of the people being cared for.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes she proposes to the cash limits and running costs limits for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XII, vote 6—Office of Population Censuses and Surveys—will be increased by £1,833,000 from £33,592,000 to £35,425,000 and the running costs limit by £1,515,000 from £48,991,000 to £50,506,000. This reflects the take up of £1,512,000 for running costs and £318,000 for capital under the end-year flexibility entitlements announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994,Official Report, columns 729-34. It also reflects a transfer of running costs provision of £3,000 from the Valuation Office for additional housing costs allowance and increased capital costs provision of £931,000 in the national health service central register for work on the Department of Health's existing number replacement project. The increase in capital costs will be met from within the existing resources of the Department of Health—class XII, vote 3—and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Social Work
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision she has reached on the selection of consultants to undertake work on the definition of standards of conduct and practice in social work.

  Mr. Bowis
  I am pleased to announce that two short separate projects have been commissioned. One is from Price Waterhouse Management Consultants, the other is a joint project by the National Institute for Social Work, North Down and Ards community trust and Eastern health and social services board, Northern Ireland. These two projects will examine the issues from different perspectives.

  The result of both projects will be reported to the Department of Health in the early months of next year.

  Passive Smoking
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have contracted an illness caused by 1090
  passive smoking in the workplace in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is no information available on the number of people who have contracted an illness caused by passive smoking in the workplace.

EMPLOYMENT

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for 1922– 93 and 1993–94, the amount spent in each London borough, with totals for each training and enterprise council area, under each of the programmes now incorporated into the single regeneration budget, regardless of whether the sums were paid to the borough council, and the amount allocated to be spent in 1994–95 on the same basis.

  Mr. Paice
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 27 October 1994,Official Report, column 813.

  Clock Adjustment
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many hours were taken up by adjusting the clocks throughout his Department.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The answer to this question is not readily obtainable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the privatisations which his Department has promoted since 1979, indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There have been two privatisations in the Department of Employment since 1979: the Professional and Executive Register in 1988 and the Skills Training Agency in 1990. Information relating to the proceeds from both sales is set out in the Department's appropriation accounts for 1989–90—pER——and 1990–91 to 1992-93-STA. The Department does not hold information relating to the current value of the companies involved.

  Performance Agreements
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the target figure in the Employment Service performance agreements for the numbers of claimants to be referred for adjudication for the current year, in each of the last three years and the coming year; and how many in each case he estimates lost, or will lose, entitlement to benefit as a consequence.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  1091
  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about target figures in the Employment Service Annual Performance Agreement (APA) for the number of claimants referred to adjudication, and the number of claimants who lost, or will lose benefit as a result of referral.
  We do not currently have, and never have had, a target in our APA for the overall number of submissions to adjudication. Our APA for 1994–95 contains a target of "135,000 submissions to adjudication where there is an arguable case with supporting information to show that the claimant is not available for, actively seeking or willing to accept work." This is the first APA to contain a target relating to the number of submissions to adjudication.
  I am currently negotiating our APA for 1995–96 with officials in the Employment Department acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. It is too early in these negotiations to confirm whether it will include a target relating to the level of adjudication referrals, or what that level might be.
  The information you have requested on the number of decisions and disallowances is not fully available. However, the attached tables give details of the number of decisions and disallowances for the four questions covered by our APA target; availability for employment, restricted availability, actively seeking employment and refusal of employment. The data relates to the past three years and for the quarter ending 30 June. More recent information is not currently available.

  Table 1: Number of decisions made

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Q/E 30 June 1994

  Availability

  86,336

  87,328

  80,248

  19,190

  Restricted Availability

  44,672

  39,642

  33,869

  8,166

  Actively Seeking Employment

  8,539

  6,070

  8,912

  3,666

  Refusal of Employment

  2,789

  1,824

  3,257

  1,858

  Total

  142,336

  134,864

  126,286

  32,880

  Table 2: Number of disallowances

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Q/E 30 June 1994

  Availability

  49,736

  49,463

  51,729

  14,911

  Restricted Availability

  14,467

  13,332

  16,562

  5,323

  Actively Seeking Employment

  2,598

  2,555

  6,274

  3,045

  Refusal of Employment

  979

  685

  1,643

  1,118

  Total

  67,780

  66,035

  76,208

  24,397

  Employment and Training Programmes
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will break down into convenient categories the 1·5 million opportunities on employmnet and training programmes whcih will be available tto unemployed people in the current financial year, giving the number of places available in each category.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delgated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  1092
  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 1 November 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the opportunities on employment and training programmes which will be available to unemployed people in the current financial year. These are as follows:

  Number

  Access to Work

  10,000

  Career Development Loans

  35,000

  Community Action

  50,000

  Employment Rehabilitation

  10,400

  Jobclub

  265,000

  Jobfinders' Grants

  4,400

  Job Interview Guarantee

  300,000

  Jobplan

  250,000

  Job Review Workshop

  40,000

  Job search seminar

  75,000

  One to One

  10,000

  Restart Course

  120,000

  Training for Work

  272,000

  Travel to Interview

  34,000

  Workstart

  1,200

  Work Trials

  20,000

  Workwise/link

  10,000

  1,507,000

  Job Finder's Grant
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to publish a report on the trial testing of the job finder's grant.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Yes.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the area or areas in which the job finder's grant scheme is, or has been, tested, the numbers who have been given a grant and his best estimate of the take-up expressed as a percentage of those eligible to apply.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The job finder's grant pilots are operating in the east midlands and west midlands. Some 3,626 grants have been issued. Information regarding the take-up as a percentage of those eligible to apply is not available.

  Job Seeker's Allowance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there is any power proposed in the White Paper, "Jobseeker's Allowance," to compel a benefit claimant to undertake community or public work in return for the standard benefit to which he or she would be otherwise entitled; and in what circumstances it could he used.

  Miss Widdecombe
  As the White Paper explains, people receiving job seeker's allowance may be required to undertake activities designed to increase their employability and their chances of finding a job. Where it is appropriate, this may include a period of work experience on a community project. Participants in community action currently receive an allowance equivalent to their benefit entitlement plus £10.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out the difference between, and define, the official recommendation and the job seeker's
  1093
  direction as referred to in the White Paper, "Jobseeker's Allowance".

  Miss Widdecombe
  Current legislation provides that a claimant can be disqualified from receiving benefit if he fails to carry out an official recommendation given to him by an Employment Service adviser with a view to assisting him to find a particular type of employment. That power would be carried forward into job seeker's allowance but widened to enable advisers additionally to direct job seekers to improve their employability through, for example, attending a course to improve job-seeking skills or motivation, or taking steps to present themselves acceptably to employers.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the sanctions that will be available to his Department when the proposals in the White Paper, "Jobseeker's Allowance", are implemented which are presently not available; and if he will define the circumstances in which these can be used.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The White Paper explains that the main system of sanctions in the jobseeker's allowance would generally take forward provisions from unemployment benefit and income support. The benefit sanctions for leaving a job voluntarily without just cause, losing a job through misconduct, neglecting to avail oneself of a reasonable opportunity of a job and refusing a job without good cause would continue to last for up to 26 weeks. The sanction for refusing to attend or complete mandatory courses such as jobplan workshops and prescribed training courses, and for failing to act upon a job seeker's direction, would be for a fixed period of two weeks, rising to four weeks if refusal or failure to act is repeated.

  North Norfolk Action Scheme
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to publish a report on the north Norfolk action scheme, including an assessment of the effectiveness of the approach and the costs of the scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Yes.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost to his Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 391.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which former hon. Members of this House have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list, in each case, the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which each represented as an hon. Member.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No further appointments have been made since the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale) on 12 January 1994,Official Report, column 216.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is given in "Public Bodies 1993" which is available in the Library. 1994 figures are still being collected and will be announced in due course.

  Benzene
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to study the health risk of benzene in garages and workplaces.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 require benzene exposure to be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable and in any case below the maximum exposure limit. The Health and Safety Executive plans to reassess the control of exposure to benzene in the workplace and aims to report by the end of 1995.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why the services provided by the regional laboratories of the Health and Safety Executive are being contracted out; and what consideration he gave to allowing those laboratories, individually or collectively, to be market tested.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: The Health and Safety Executive decided to include the regional laboratories in its "Competing for Quality" programme for 1994–95 to seek improvements in value for money from these services. Careful consideration was given to how the laboratories should be treated under the programme. HSE concluded that a bid from the staff in the laboratories, acting on their own account, would not be viable.

  Jobcentres
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy on the advertising of jobs at jobcentres where firms wish to place age restrictions upon applicants.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: Where this occurs, the Employment Service tries to persuade employers to consider job seekers on their merits. The ES has produced a leaflet, "What's Age got to do with it?", designed to persuade employers not to impose upper age limits. If an employer insists on setting a limit, the vacancy will still be advertised. However, this would not prevent ES staff from approaching an employer on behalf of an otherwise suitable job seeker who falls outside the limit stated.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what levels of part-time earnings make job seekers ineligible for consideration under the job interview guarantee scheme; and what plans he has to change the current arrangements.
  1095
  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: The basic eligibility condition for the job interview guarantee scheme is that a job seeker must be unemployed for at least 26 weeks, and be in receipt of benefit. The level of part-time earnings in respect of unemployment benefit, and the number of hours worked in respect of income support, can affect a job seeker's entitlement to benefit. This would also affect his eligibility for JIG in the following circumstances:

  a client loses entitlement to UB for a day he works and earns more than £2.00, or for a week where he earns more than £57 in that week.

  a client loses entitlement to IS for a week in which he works for more than 16 hours.

  There are no plans to change the programme eligibility for JIG or, in the short term, benefit entitlement conditions. There are, however, proposals to change benefit rules from April 1996. Information about the jobseeker's allowance was announced to Parliament on 24 October.

  Self-Employed Workers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria he uses for categorising self-employed workers as being part-time; when this criteria was last changed; and when he plans to alter it in the future.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: Information on the number of self-employed workers is collected from the quarterly labour force survey. As with all LFS questions, the categorisation of full or part-time is based on the self-classification of the respondent.

  Although the methodology used to estimate the numbers of self-employed was refined in April 1994, this did not effect the criteria for categorising part-time workers which has, since its inception in 1979, been based on self-classification from the LFS. There are no plans to alter this method in the future.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at how many deep coal mines in the United Kingdom the refuge holes required under section 40 of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 and regulation 59 of the Shafts Outlets and Roads Regulations have not been excavated; and if he will list the mines.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The legal requirement relating to the provision of refuge holes is absolute and no mine has been granted an exemption from providing refuge holes.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) on what grounds managers of certain deep coal mines have been given a derogation from their liabilities to cause refuge holes to be excavated; and who gave authority for the derogation;

  (2) what is the total number of refuge holes that must now be excavated following the derogation given to managers at certain deep coal mines; and if this work will be completed prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Oppeneheim
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: No manager of a deep coal mine has been given derogation from the provision of refuge holes in roadways.

PRIME MINISTER

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Prime Minister how many people there were in employment(a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Scotland and (c) in the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency in September in each year since 1979; how many of these jobs were (i) full-time or (ii) part-time; and how many were filled by (1) men and (2) women.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested at(a) and (b) is available for all years since 1979 and can be obtained from the Library of the House. Constituency information is available only for September of 1984, 1987, 1989 and 1991.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the latest information available to him about health and malnutrition conditions at the present time in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.

  The Prime Minister
  In addition to information frorn non-governmental organisations we receive reports frorn United Nations agencies. Copies of the most recent report from the office of the United Nations co-ordinator in Baghdad have been placed in both Libraries of the House.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 1 November.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 1 November.

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

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what response he is making to the petition he received from Lord Attenborough and others on 19 October urging the provision of powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs for severely disabled people who cannot be independently mobile without them; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  A reply has been sent to the Muscular Dystrophy Group to acknowledge the petition and explain our policy on the provision of wheelchairs for disabled people. I have passed the petition itself to the Department of Health. Health Ministers are, of course, aware of the "batteries not included" campaign.

  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), is currently studying the feasibility and affordability of a wheelchair voucher scheme and will announce his conclusions in due course.

  Documents for Signature
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 26 October,Official Report, column 619,

  1097
  if he will list the official documents, letters or accords that he has allowed photographic reproduction of his signature to appear on; and if he will list the official documents, letters or accords that he has signed which are written in a language that he does not understand.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 26 October,Official Report, column 619.

  Mohamed Al Fayed
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister when Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed requested a meeting with him; for what reasons he declined the request; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the statement I made to the House on standards of conduct in public life, on 25 October,Official Report, columns 775–70.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1 January 1985 Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed has visited 10 Downing street; and on what dates.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: Mr. Al Fayed visited No. 10 Downing street on the following occasions:

  25 January 1985

  (for the then Prime Minister's meeting with the Sulton of Brunei)

  14 March 1985

  (for the then Prime Minister's lunch for President Mubarak)

  3 April 1985

  (for a meeting with officials)

  7 January 1986

  (for a meeting with officials)

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 370, if his Office will now seek to obtain the full text of the letter from the Ritz hotel referred to in the correspondence between the Prime Minister and Mr. Peter Preston, editor of The Guardian.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to my previous answers on this subject.

  Council of Europe
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the information bulletin on the activities of the Council of Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so today.

  Open Government and Accountability
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Prime Minister what initiatives the Government has taken since November 1990 on open government and accountability.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government launched the citizens charter in July 1991. Information and openness are among its central principles.
  1098
  The membership and terms of reference of ministerial Cabinet committees were published in May 1992, along with "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".

  In May 1992, I avowed for the first time the continuing existence of the secret intelligence service and named its chief. The Intelligence Services Act, which received royal assent in May 1994, puts both Government communications headquarters and the secret intelligence service on a statutory footing. A statutory oversight committee of parliamentarians for the security and intelligence services was also provided for.

  The White paper on open government, published in July 1993, proposed the following measures:

  A code of practice on access to government information.

  Statutory access rights to personal records and health and safety information.

  Greater openness in access to public records.

  The code of practice came into force in April 1994, providing for:

  Information to be volunteered by Government, such as facts and analysis with the policy decisions, and internal guidelines on dealing with the public.

  Government information to be released in response to specific requests.

  Reasons to be provided for administrative decisions.

  Enforcement by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, at no cost to the applicant.

  A similar code of practice, covering the national health service, is currently the subject of consultation.

  Over 24,000 records have been released since the open government initiatives began. These include almost 4,000 pieces of the intelligence material shown to Winston Churchill during the war—the so-called "Dir C Archive"; 840 pieces from the Special Operations Executive archive relating to SOE activities in the far east, Scandinavia, the middle east and Africa; previously withheld wartime Cabinet minutes; Admiralty intelligence papers; and War Office papers relating to the interrogation of prisoners-of-war.

  A code of conduct has been issued to national health service boards, emphasising that high standards of corporate conduct and probity are at the heart of the NHS. Public registers of interests have been established.

  A similar Treasury code of best practice for board members of other public bodies has also been promulgated. It recommends that all boards should establish a register of board members' interests.

  As I announced to the House on 20 October, Official Report, column 421, a review of the system of appointments to public bodies is currently being carried out. The conclusions of the review will be made public, and will also be made available to the Nolan committee.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals there are to change the 1994–95 cash limit or running costs limit in respect of security and intelligence services.

  The Prime Minister
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token supplementary estimate, the cash limit for security and intelligence services, class XIX, vote 2 will be increased by £1,000 from
  1099
  £881,486,000 to £881,487,000 and the gross running cost limit will be reduced by £2,361,000 from £449,850,000 to £447,489,000. This takes account of increased capital spending arising from the slippage of a building project and unforeseen capital and other purchases. These increases are being offset by increased receipts and reductions in both running costs and other current expenditure.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals there are to change the 1994–95 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office: other services vote.

  The Prime Minister
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Cabinet Office: other services, class XIX, vote 1, will be increased by £1,452,000 from £43,381,000 to £44,833,000. At the same time, the running costs limit will be increased by £1,452,000 from £41,762,000 to £43,214,000.
  1100
  The increase reflects the transfer of certain administrative functions and the move to repayment for some common service support as follows:

  (a)transfer of running costs provision for certain Ministry of Defence property charges (Class 1 Vote 1) (£494,000);

  (b) transfer of running costs provision for support to former Prime Ministers (Class VIII, Vote 3) (£163,000);

  (c) transfer of running costs provision for central services (Class XVII, Vote 1) (£80,000); and

  (d) transfer of provision for the calculation of the average property price list (£3,000).

  In addition, as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July 1994, Official Report, columns 729–734, this vote is eligible for a cash limit increase of £721,000 in respect of end year flexibility arrangements for running costs expenditure. This supplementary estimate gives effect to the increase. All the increases are either offset by inter-departmental transfers or have been charged to the reverse and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

EDUCATION

  National Targets Initiative
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the key objectives being sought under the national education and training targets initiative.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The national targets for education and training aim to help improve Britain's competitiveness by raising expectations of what young people and adults can achieve at school, college and at work.

  Schools (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the level of capital expenditure approved for schools in Cornwall.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Cornwalls' allocation for capital for 1994–95 is £1.744 million. With regard to bids for 1995–96, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, South-West (Sir D. Madel).

  Student Grants
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the effect on the welfare of student of the reduction in the worth in real terms of student grant.

  Mr. Boswell
  Since 1990, the total resources available to students through grant and student loan have been uprated annually by the rate of inflation estimated at the time, thus maintaining their value in real terms. Additionally, access funds are available for students who are in particular financial difficulties.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions she has had with teachers' unions concerning pay levels in the profession.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Teachers' pay is a matter for the school teachers pay review body which is in the process of taking evidence from interested parties including the teacher unions and the Government.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 24 October,Official Report, columns 416–17, if she will provide a table showing (a) the cost of teacher salaries by local education authority and (b) the cost of implementing the school teachers pay and conditions document 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Teachers' pay costs by LEA in 1992–93 are shown in the table. Figures for 1993–94, which will include the effect of the 1993 teachers' pay award, are not yet available.

  Teachers' Pay Costs 1992–93

  LEA

  £000

  Corporation of London

  428

  Camden

  36,778

  Greenwich

  57,441

  Hackney

  42,157

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  25,144

  Islington

  40,339

  Kensington and Chelsea

  15,969

  1102

  Teacher's Pay Costs 1992–93

  LEA

  £000

  Lambeth

  45,081

  Lewisham

  43,850

  Southwark

  43,037

  Tower Hamlets

  57,235

  Wandsworth

  41,485

  City of Westminster

  29,064

  Barking

  34,134

  Barnet

  61,723

  Bexley

  43,229

  Brent

  48,628

  Bromley

  37,052

  Croydon

  56,379

  Ealing

  48,569

  Enfield

  57,216

  Haringey

  46,196

  Harrow

  38,397

  Havering

  49,716

  Hillingdon

  32,850

  Hounslow

  48,723

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  26,672

  Merton

  34,380

  Newham

  55,156

  Redbridge

  48,178

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  25,951

  Sutton

  26,067

  Waltham Forest

  49,215

  Birmingham

  226,986

  Coventry

  68,241

  Dudley

  61,409

  Sandwell

  67,116

  Solihull

  44,663

  Walsall

  57,957

  Wolverhamton

  52,823

  Knowsley

  34,957

  Liverpool

  106,122

  St. Helens

  40,656

  Sefton

  58,695

  Wirral

  71,520

  Bolton

  58,731

  Bury

  33,786

  Manchester

  98,210

  Oldham

  57,609

  Rochdale

  44,279

  Salford

  51,731

  Stockport

  58,114

  Tameside

  46,054

  Trafford

  39,523

  Wigan

  72,263

  Barnsley

  40,094

  Doncaster

  61,082

  Rotherham

  59,486

  Sheffield

  95,070

  Bradford

  113,897

  Calderdale

  40,476

  Kirklees

  83,022

  Leeds

  144,719

  Wakefield

  65,138

  Gateshead

  41,420

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  54,297

  North Tyneside

  43,475

  South Tyneside

  31,785

  Sunderland

  64,315

  Isles of Scilly

  599

  Avon

  179,711

  Bedfordshire

  116,753

  Berkshire

  133,913

  Buckinghamshire

  116,645

  Cambridgeshire

  121,295

  Cheshire

  193,359

  Cleveland

  136,127

  Cornwall

  86,734

  Cumbria

  94,791

  Derbyshire

  187,005

  1103

  Teachers' Pay Costs 1992–93

  LEA

  £000

  Devon

  179,197

  Dorset

  99,774

  Durham

  122,305

  East Sussex

  115,326

  Essex

  279,683

  Gloucestershire

  87,598

  Hampshire

  281,689

  Hereford and Worcester

  133,454

  Hertfordshire

  195,847

  Humberside

  184,702

  Isle of Wight

  24,255

  Kent

  257m412

  Lancashire

  290,367

  Leicestershire

  192,009

  Lincolnshire

  94,889

  Norfolk

  129,927

  North Yorkshire

  137,936

  Northamptonshire

  117,669

  Northumberland

  62,703

  Nottinghamshire

  204,216

  Oxfordshire

  102,211

  Shropshire

  87,570

  Somerset

  83,851

  Staffordshire

  201,758

  Suffolk

  126,106

  Surrey

  151,970

  Warwickshire

  90,879

  West Sussex

  128,140

  Wiltshire

  105,215

  Total

  9,371,750

  Note:

  Figures are derived from LEAs' returns of their spending to the Department of Environment.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 24 October,Official Report, columns 416-17, what additional funds her Department has made available to meet the cost of teacher salary re-assessment.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Education's share of the 1993–94 local authority grant settlement was £16·8 billion, 2·6 per cent. higher than the comparable figure for the previous year. It was for local authorities to decide how to meet the cost of the 1993 teachers' pay award from within this total.

  School Inspectors
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to recruit lay inspectors of schools.

  Mr. Forth
  This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, who heads the independent Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Woodhead to write to my right hon. Friend.

  Higher Education Institutions (Accountability)
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures she is taking to ensure proper accountability of the use of public money by higher education institutions.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Higher Education Funding Council for England is responsible for allocating public funds to individual higher education institutions in England. Institutions are required to ensure that the funds they receive are used in accordance with the Further and 1104
  Higher Education Act 1992, a financial memorandum with the council and any other conditions that the council prescribe. They provide audited financial statements to the council annually and their books and records are open to inspection by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  University Degrees
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure uniformity in the standards of degrees between universities.

  Mr. Boswell
  The central responsibility for the quality of education and the standard of degrees rests with the universities themselves, acting individually and also collectively through the higher education quality council. My right hon. Friend has made clear the importance that she places on this responsibility, and has welcomed evidence that it is being taken ever more seriously.

  Specialisms (Schools)
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support she proposes to give to those schools that wish to develop a specialism in music, art, languages or other areas of the curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  As part of our commitment to increasing choice and diversity in education, we want to encourage schools to specialise in particular subjects. We have already introduced the successful technology colleges programme to support schools which wish to specialise in technology, science and mathematics. We hope to extend this principle in due course to other areas of the curriculum.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to improve the funding available for nursery education.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend is now consulting widely a range of interests in pre-school education with a view to drawing up detailed proposals on how to achieve the target for expansion of pre-school provision set by the Prime Minister. The need for additional funding will be determined as part of the development of these proposals.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the percentage of three and four-year-old children receiving full-time nursery provision.

  Mr. Forth
  At January 1994, 3 per cent. of three and four-year-olds attended nursery classes full-time and 24 per cent. attended such classes part-time. A further 25 per cent. of this age group were in attendance at other infant classes, 23 per cent. full-time and 2 per cent. part-time.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she expects to announce details for further provision of nursery education; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Prime Minister recently reaffirmed the Government's firm commitment to pre-school education. He set a target to provide, over time, a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish them to take it up. My right hon. Friend is now consulting widely with a view to drawing up detailed proposals on the expansion. She will make an announcement as soon as practicable.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest estimate she has of the amount of money being tied up in maintaining surplus school places; and what steps she is taking to reduce the number of surplus places.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We estimate the direct costs of maintaining current surplus places— not all of which is in practice removable—as being some £240 million. We announced in June our intention to set targets for those authorities with particularly high levels of removable capacity.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received regarding the Student Loans Company Ltd.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend receives a variety of representations about the Student Loans Company from time to time.

  Sport
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she intends to take to ensure that all children aged between five and 16 years play competitive sports in schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Competitive sports are an important part of a balanced physical education curriculum. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has announced that she will be accepting in full Sir Ron Dearing's recommendations on the new national curriculum. The new curriculum for physical education, which will be published shortly, will require all children aged five to 16 to pursue competitive games—starting with learning the skills of competitive games, right through to playing the full recognised version of a competitive game.

  Parental Choice
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the most accurate assessment she can make of(a) the number of parents who secure for their children their first choice of nursery, primary and secondary schools and (b) the satisfaction of parents about the current systems for choosing nursery, primary and secondary schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not collected centrally. The most recent evidence —from surveys commissioned by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities in 1992 and The Times newspaper in 1993—shows that some 90 per cent. of parents gain a place for their child at their first choice of school. Circular 6/93 stressed that schools' admission arrangements should be clear and objective, and gave parents a clear indication of their chances of gaining a place for their child at a particular school.

  Student Finance
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the number of potential students in further or higher education who have been or are deterred from undertaking or completing a course for financial reasons.
  1106
  Mr. Boswell
  There are record numbers of students in further and higher education. This does not suggest that potential students are being deterred. Some students will inevitably fail to complete their courses for a variety of reasons but wastage rates in higher education have remained broadly steady for a number of years.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received on the financial hardship experienced by students in receipt of student loans; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about the adequacy of the student support system. It is not possible to say how many of them were about the position of students who have taken out student loans.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will retain the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Yes.

  School Buildings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her latest assessment of the fabric of school buildings.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The fabric of school buildings in England is the responsibility of governors and local education authorities. The £600 million of Government support for school capital and repairs that has been made available in 1994–95, together with the additional input which local education authorities are able to make from their own resources, should enable them to make significant progress in improving the state of the school stock.

  English in Schools
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what additional proposals she has for the study of English language in schools.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to improve the standard of spoken and written English in schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has announced that she intends to accept in full Sir Ron Dearing's recommendations for the revised national curriculum. In English, there will be clear and more rigorous requirements for pupils to be taught written and spoken standard English, with a greater emphasis on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. For the first time, there will also be a requirement to pay proper attention to correct English across the curriculum. A full announcement will be made shortly and the revised curriculum will be implemented in September 1995 for five to 14-year-olds and from September 1996 for 14 to 16-year-olds.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many grant-maintained schools have applied to the Treasury for a loan;

  (2) how many loans to grant-maintained schools have been approved by the Treasury;
  1107
  (3) if she will list each grant-maintained school that has been granted Treasury loans and show how much each has been loaned;

  (4) if she will list the grant-maintained schools, which have repaid Treasury loans; and how much each school has repaid.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  These matters are now the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average cost to her Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 387.

  Beechwood Day Nursery, Coventry
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what dates her Department asked Coventry social services to conduct an inspection of day care facilities at Beechwood day nursery in Coventry.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My officials invited Coventry social services department on 15 July this year to visit Beechwood pre-prep independent school and report further on the provision made for children aged under five.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date Coventry social services first raised concerns with her regarding Beechwood day nursery in Coventry.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department first became aware on 10 July 1992 of Coventry social services department's concerns about aspects of the nursery provision at this establishment. These were taken into account when the establishment was subsequently notified of the improvements required in order for final registration as an independent school to be granted.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what dates she received complaints from parents of children attending Beechwood day nursery.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Only one such complaint has been received, on 12 May this year.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date she registered Beechwood day nursery in Coventry.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The establishment in question was provisionally registered on 6 August 1992 as an independent school as required by teh Education Act 1944, under the name of the Abacus pre-prep school. It changed its name to Beechwood pre-prep independent school on 26 September 1992. The Department has notified the school of the improvements required in order for final registration to be granted. We still await confirmation that these have been carried out.

  School Buildings (Basildon)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action she is taking to restore the quality of school buildings in Basildon constructed in the 1960s.
  1108
  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is for Essex LEAs to put forward for the schools they maintain the bids they judge necessary for consideration within the annual capital guidelines, or to use their own resources. It is for grant-maintained schools as they judge necessary, to put forward bids independently for consideration by the Funding Agency for Schools.

SCOTLAND

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hereditaments in Scotland whose rateable values will fall(a) below and (b) above the proposed £10,000 threshold for determining whether the lower limit on year-on-year increases in non-domestic rates bills applies, there are estimated to be whose rates bills for 1995–96 in the absence of any transitional relief would be (i) under 50 per cent., (ii) between 50 and 80 per cent., iii between 80 and 120 per cent., (iv) between 120 and 200 per cent., (v) between 200 and 500 per cent. and (vi) over 500 per cent. of their bills for 1994–95; and if he will estimate for each of those categories the aggregate increase or decrease in rates bills between he two years.

  Mr. Stewart
  The requested estimates depend on an assumption as to rate poundages and cannot therefore be provided until rate poundages have been set for Scotland for 1995–96. It is planned to announce 1995–96 rate poundages in December.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the regions, sectors and types of hereditament most affected by large increases or decreases in bills for non-domestic rates.

  Mr. Stewart
  The requested information depends on assumptions as to the progress made in introducing a unified business rate. It cannot therefore be provided until rate poundages have been set for Scotland for 1995–96. It is planned to announce 1995–96 rate poundages in December.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies he has commissioned, internally and from external consultants, of the likely impact of the April 1995 revaluation of non-domestic property on rateable values and non-domestic rate bills in different regions and different sectors of the economy; if he will publish those studies, or summary thereof; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Between February and July of this year, the Scottish Office employed the research organisation SIAS Ltd. to gather information from Scottish assessors giving the estimated effect of the 1995 revaluation on the rateable value and net annual value of a sample of about one in 10 non-domestic properties in Scotland. The sample was chosen to be representative of all regions of Scotland and of the main sectors, and was weighted to give greater coverage for larger subjects. Overall, subjects in the sample comprise some 42 per cent. of the 1994–95 rateable value of all subjects in the classes surveyed. In the last few weeks, assessors have supplied updated estimates for a number of these properties. The data obtained are still being analysed.
  1109
  The information from the surveys will be used to inform decisions on rate poundages for Scotland for 1995–96, and transitional arrangements. No decision has been taken regarding eventual publication of the results of this survey.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the results of his consultations about the numbers of councillors in the proposed single-tier local authorities.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend will be announcing his decisions on the electoral wards to be used for the elections to the new single-tier councils shortly.

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he intends to make to the cash limits and running costs provision for 1994–95 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, I intend to make changes to eight voted cash limits, two non-voted cash blacks and five running costs limits:a. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 3, training programmes, roads and transport services and industrial support, Scotland, will be increased by £4,248,000 from £872,404,000 to £876,652,000. The increase includes a transfer of £740,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of certain innovation and technology support schemes in Scotland and the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement for Motorways and Trunk Roads, announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 July (official Report Columns 729-734).
  b. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 7, housing and environmental services, Scotland will be increased by £1,747,000 from £432,051,000 to £433,798,000. The increase takes account of a £1,979,000 increase in gross running cost provision for Historic Scotland from £12,725,000 to £14,704,000, reflecting the uptake of end-year flexibility entitlements and various inter-vote transfers representing transference of responsibility. It also takes account of an increase in provision for the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.
  c. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 12, law, order, miscellaneous health and social work services, Scotland, will be increased by a net total of £5,822,000 from £296,863,000 to £302,685,000. Provision for running costs on this vote has been increased by £2,676,000. The changes include the take-up of the end-year flexibility entitlement for the Scottish Prison Service, increasing Departmental running costs and capital provision by £2,656,000 and £359,000 respectively. Other changes include an increase in the capital provision of The Scottish Office Pensions Agency, for information technology investment; and an increase in provision for health education in Scotland, for publicity on measles and rubella vaccination. These changes will be offset by transfers from other votes.
  d. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 14, hospitals, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland, will be increased by a net total of £23,893,000 from £2,988,180,000 to £3,012,073,000. This increase takes account of this vote's end-year flexibility entitlements and various inter-vote and inter-departmental transfers including the Scottish contribution to the Prescription Pricing Authority's administration costs in connection with the assessment of claims under the Scottish Low Income Scheme and for NHS estate management consultancy; a transfer to cover the cost of services previously funded directly by the Department of Health; and a transfer to reflect a change in responsibility for the unlinked anonymous HIV testing programme. It also includes transfers to fund the Scottish Hospital Advisory Service and publicity in connection with the measles and rubella immunisation campaign; and for the capitalisation costs of pension arrangements entered into
  1110
  by the Scottish Ambulance Service. In addition there is a revision of NHS trusts' external financing limit and some adjustments between subheads to reflect revised requirements and changes to anticipated appropriations in aid.
  e. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 17, education, arts and libraries, Scotland will be increased by £434,000 from £918,012,000 to £918,446,000. The increase reflects the full take-up of end-year flexibility for further education capital; an increase in provision for the Scottish mining Museum: and a transfer for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, in respect of additional costs. This increase is partially offset by a transfers to OST as part of a national contribution towards a "Supercomputing: Class Three Time" project; and one in respect of prosthetic student fees.
  f. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 21, Scottish Office Administration, will be increased by £470,000 from £168,264,000 to £168,734,000. Within this total, running cost provision increases by £459,000 arising from take-up of end-year flexibility predominantly to fund staff early departure costs, less inter-vote transfers. The capital provision reduction arises from a take-up of end-year flexibility less inter-vote transfers. Current provision increases to reflect a transfer from the Department of National Heritage, class XI, vote 6.
  g. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 22, Scottish Record Office, will be increased by £1,513,000 from £7,514,000 to £9,027,000. Within this total, running cost provision increases by £438,000, £231,000 of which results from a take-up of end-year flexibility which will reduce the backlog of building maintenance and an infra-vote transfer of £207,000. The capital increase results from a take-up of end-year flexibility and a transfer from Scottish Office Administration which will offset new repository building costs arising in 1994–95 from earlier slippage.
  h. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 23, will be increased by £544,000 from £5,450,000 to £5,994,000. The running cost provision increases by £307,000 due to take-up of end-year flexibility, necessary to continue to meet operational requirements. Capital end-year flexibility will enhance the continued development of the management information systems.
  i. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, is to be increased by £12,004,000 from £610,212,000 to £622,216,000. This reflects full take-up of end-year flexibility together with a transfer from residential accommodation to secure accommodation within class XVI, vote 12.
  j. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA2 which covers housing capital expenditure by local authorities and capital expenditure by New Towns will be increased by £13,215,000 from £262,992,000 to £276,207,000. The increase reflects the full take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement.
  k. The overall running cost limit for the Scottish Office together with its Agencies will be increased by £5,212,000 from £330,676,000 to £335,890,000. This results from take-up of end-year flexibility, increased cost provision arising from increased income by Historic Scotland less a reduction for Common Police Services within vote 12. In addition this running cost limit of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in its first year is £2,699,000.

  The increases will be offset by savings on other votes within my responsibility, transfers from other departments

  1111
  or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Abstraction Controls
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce his response to the comments received on the consultation paper, "Abstraction Controls: A System for Scotland".

  Mr. Lang
  There were 53 responses to the consultation paper, from a wide variety of bodies. Over half supported the introduction of enhanced controls, but a significant minority preferred the status quo. As with other consultation exercises, the comments are available to the public at the Scottish Office.

  In the light of these comments, I have concluded that selective abstraction controls should be introduced in Scotland as envisaged in the consultation paper. Our proposals need however to be seen in the context of current EC developments on groundwater protection. Discussions with the Commission on groundwater protection measures are under way and the Council resolution agreed on 4 October urged the Commission to bring forward by mid-1995 proposals for the implementation of the action programme on groundwater agreed at The Hague in 1991. In the course of these discussions, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I will of course seek to ensure that the principles of subsidiarity are fully respected.

  In these circumstances I have decided not to seek new powers over abstraction at this time. My intention none the less remains to introduce selective abstraction controls

  Persons Called to Peterhead Sheriff Court by Main Crime and Offence Category, 1976–1992

  Main Crime and Offence Category1

  Year2

  Group 1

  Group 2

  Group 3

  Group 4

  Group 5

  Group 6

  Group 7

  Total

  1976

  14

  5

  116

  15

  18

  275

  534

  977

  1977

  22

  7

  152

  23

  17

  338

  531

  1,090

  1978

  20

  13

  149

  20

  29

  384

  590

  1,205

  1979

  17

  5

  193

  24

  16

  281

  674

  1,210

  1980

  31

  7

  174

  27

  29

  302

  555

  1,125

  1981

  43

  2

  161

  15

  17

  185

  574

  997

  1982

  39

  6

  144

  17

  26

  130

  483

  845

  1983

  32

  6

  124

  21

  30

  102

  491

  806

  1984

  26

  4

  138

  7

  46

  105

  382

  708

  1985

  35

  6

  212

  11

  41

  139

  443

  887

  1986

  20

  10

  124

  18

  22

  171

  330

  695

  1987

  21

  14

  159

  12

  37

  120

  336

  699

  1988

  28

  15

  230

  19

  29

  146

  318

  785

  1989

  18

  13

  151

  29

  42

  183

  413

  849

  1990

  15

  7

  183

  27

  42

  190

  460

  924

  1991

  20

  8

  164

  27

  44

  187

  408

  858

  1992

  15

  5

  146

  10

  39

  132

  386

  733

  Notes:

  1 The classification of crimes and offences used by The Scottish Office Home and Health Department for criminal statistics contains about 320 codes. These are grouped in the table as follows:

  Group 1—Non-sexual crimes of violence

  Group 2—Crimes of indecency

  Group 3—Crimes of dishonesty

  Group 4—Fire-raising, vandalism etc

  Group 5—Other crimes

  Group 6—Miscellaneous offences

  Group 7—Motor vehicle offences

  2 The year recorded is the year in which the person's case is disposed of.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for State For Scotland what the were the average waiting times for hospital
  1112
  in Scotland. I will bring forward the necessary legislation in the light of progress on the action programme. In the meantime my officials will take forward with the interested parties various points arising from the responses to the consultation paper.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public appointments(a) he is responsible for making and (b) require his approval including those not listed in "Public Bodies"; and if he will give this figure in terms of (i) appointments to executive bodies, (ii) appointments to advisory bodies and (iii) other appointments.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: Information on non-departmental public bodies and national health service bodies is published in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1993", copies of which are available in the Library. Information about any other appointments made by me, or which I approve, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Law and Order (Peterhead)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the crime figures for cases processed through Peterhead sheriff court, by type, for each year since 1976.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The available information is set out in the table:

  treatment for Patients who suffer From kidney stones, listed by year for the last five years by health board area.

  Lord Douglas James Hamilton
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The mean waiting times—days—for

  1113
  in-patient and day case admissions from the waiting list where the principal diagnosis was calculus of kidney and ureter are shown in the table for each health board of treatment for calendar years 1989–1993.

  Mean waiting time—days—for in-patient and day case admissions from the waiting list where the principal diagnosis was calculus of kidney and ureter, by health board of treatment, calendar years 1989–1993

  HB Treatment

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Argyll and Clyde

  13·9

  39·74

  15·2

  22·3

  54·9

  Ayrshire and Arran

  32·4

  31·1

  37·1

  32·5

  35·0

  Borders

  24·7

  32·2

  13·3

  36·7

  25·7

  Dumfries and Galloway

  68·0

  146·2

  79·4

  69·5

  61·8

  Fife

  29·4

  33·9

  43·9

  17·7

  24·2

  Forth Valley

  32·6

  33·1

  21·3

  29·6

  26·2

  Grampian

  72·4

  41·8

  42·0

  30·8

  26·4

  Greater Glasgow

  40·4

  46·2

  50·7

  49·5

  38·2

  Highland

  46·8

  18·8

  17·8

  30·2

  15·9

  Lanarkshire

  51·9

  49·1

  59·8

  55·3

  56·4

  Lothian

  27·7

  24·9

  49·3

  31·7

  22·5

  Orkney

  15·7

  3·0

  —

  —

  2·0

  Shetland

  1·0

  35·5

  —

  —

  55·0

  Tayside

  35·9

  30·2

  42·6

  50·6

  39·6

  Western Isles

  —

  10·5

  —

  24·3

  23·1

  Scotland

  38·5

  36·8

  46·3

  36·6

  29·6

  Notes:

  1. Diagnostic codes are based on the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases 9th revision (ICD9). The code used in the analysis is ICD9 592, calculus of kidney and ureter.

  2. The table is for elective admissions from the waiting list (SMR1 TADM=1 and WAIT>0).

  3. The table excludes out-patient attendances for teratment of renal calculi for which information is not centrally available.

  Land Ownership and Use
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land, in hectares, was owned by(a) the North of Scotland hydro-electricity board and (b) the South of Scotland electricity board just prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: Information about the area of land owned by the former NSHEB and SSEB, just prior to privatisation, is not held by my Department.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures the Scottish Office takes to ensure land is used productively in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The use to which land is put in Scotland is generally for the

  Number of NHS sight tests1 in Scotland by Health Board area

  Health Board

  1987–88

  1988–89

  21989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Argyll and Clyde

  95,153

  98,926

  36,636

  39,703

  46,243

  50,139

  55,284

  Ayrshire and Arran

  80,202

  85,746

  34,754

  34,606

  38,236

  41,530

  45,739

  Borders

  16,123

  17,981

  7,176

  5,240

  6,316

  7,673

  7,945

  Dumfries and Galloway

  29,324

  31,000

  11,761

  11,336

  13,637

  15,192

  16,003

  Fife

  72,534

  76,854

  24,821

  28,556

  34,049

  36,482

  38,082

  Forth Valley

  54,525

  58,847

  26,276

  18,426

  21,637

  23,141

  25,317

  Grampian

  96,777

  108,592

  30,582

  33,367

  36,977

  39,738

  41,492

  Greater Glasgow

  237,924

  252,843

  131,605

  110,697

  122,878

  135,240

  144,399

  Highland

  36,185

  36,599

  15,841

  13,091

  15,476

  17,234

  18,748

  Lanarkshire

  119,371

  119,307

  47,680

  47,983

  56,269

  59,510

  64,234

  Lothian

  162,353

  176,902

  74,531

  56,682

  66,297

  71,554

  77,065

  Orkney

  2,674

  2,972

  862

  873

  1,034

  1,091

  1,103

  Shetland

  7,000

  7,069

  2,808

  2,420

  2,834

  2,460

  2,560

  Tayside

  83,680

  90,498

  28,103

  28,132

  32,642

  35,414

  39,391

  1114
  landowner to determine, within any constraints that may be imposed by wide-ranging legislation. The United Kingdom strategy on sustainable development sets out the Government's agenda for using such land in productive but environmentally responsible ways, and the Scottish Office is committed to its implementation. The rolling review of national planning policy guidelines and development plans is a prime example of that commitment.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he ensures that land disposed of by the Scottish Office in Scotland has been put to productive use; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: Revised guidance on the disposal of surplus land and buildings was circulated within the Scottish Office and associated Departments last year. This guidance establishes the principles and procedures to be followed when disposing of such assets. Before a property is offered for sale, officials must seek explicit advice on its development potential, and, where appropriate, secure outline planning permission for a suitable use. The sale may entail associated conditions. Within any such constraints, it is then for the new owner to consider subsequent use or development, and to obtain any necessary permissions from the appropriate planning authority. For its part, the authority is required to consider any proposals for development against the land use framework set by the approved development plan for its area, and any other material considerations.

  Gaelic Language
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what new proposals he has to support and promote the Gaelic language.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 31 October 1994]: None, but I am currently considering a report on Gaelic education carried out by HM inspectorate.

  Sight Tests
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS sight tests have been performed in each health board area in Scotland in each year since 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 19941]: The number of national health service sight tests paid for by health boards in each of the financial years since 1987 is shown in the table.
  1115

  Number of NHS sight tests1 in Scotland by Health Board area

  Health Board

  1987–88

  1988–89

  21989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Western Isles

  4,320

  4,467

  2,043

  1,773

  2,073

  2,287

  2,309

  Scotland Total

  1,098,145

  1,168,610

  475,479

  432,885

  496,598

  538,683

  579,671

  1One person may have more than one sight test in the period.

  2Since 1 April 1989 free NHS sight tests have only been available to children, full time students under 19, those in receipt of Income Support or Family Credit, the registered blind or partially sighted, complex lens users, those who hold an AG2 exemption certificate from the Health Benefits Division, diagnosed diabetic or glaucoma sufferers, and close relatives aged 40 or over of glaucoma sufferers.

DEFENCE

  Indonesia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Field Marshall Peter Inge last visited Indonesia; with which Indonesian ministers and officials he discussed the procurement of military equipment; which military equipment was specified; and when he expects contracts for such equipment to be signed.

  Mr. Freeman
  During his visit to Indonesia, from eight to 12 October this year, Field Marshal Inge met with President Suharto, the Commander in Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces General Feisal Tanjung, and other senior military figures. Discussions covered a range of equipments and topics of mutual defence interest. Details of negotiations are commercially confidential between the customer and supplier, but export of military goods from the United Kingdom has been, and will continue to be,subject to export control, which takes into account defence and foreign policy.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the privatisations which his Department has promoted since 1979 showing, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has completed only one full privatisation since 1979. The proceeds of the sale in 1987 of Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds were £15.4 million and the gross receipts from the sale of the rest of royal ordnance were £190 million. Detailed figures are given in the NAO's report into the "Sale of Royal Ordnance plc (House of Commons Paper 162 1987–8 Session)". Current values of those companies are a matter for their present owners.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how recruits are to be accounted for in Territorial Army figures following the abolition of the recruits pool.

  Mr. Soames
  Territorial Army recruits will be held against the establishment of their parent unit.

  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Territorial Army recruits pool of 4,500 personnel is included in the 63,500 establishment figure.

  Mr. Soames
  The previous planned size of the Territorial Army of 63,500 included a margin of 4,500 to allow TA recruits to be held above the formed units' establishment of 59,000.
  1116
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a recruits pool, as referred to in "Front Line First", was attached to the Territorial Army prior to 1992.

  Mr. Soames
  No.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost to his Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Mr. Freeman
  The current average cost of preparing an answer is assessed as £97 for a written question and £225 for an oral question.

  Nuclear Tests
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the United Kingdom organisations which have been engaged to assist with the cleansing of the Maralinga site, with reference to the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of Australia concerning the former United Kingdom nuclear test and experimental programme sites at Maralinga, the Monte Bello islands and Emu field, Cm. 2533; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The clean-up operation at the Maralinga site, and the appointment of organisations involved in it, are matters for the Australian Government. However, the Atomic Energy Authority Harwell has been retained by the Australian Government to act as health and safety advisors for the duration of the rehabilitation project.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent information Her Majesty's Government have received from the Federal Government of Australia regarding the implementation of the cleansing programme at the Maralinga site, with reference to the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of Australia concerning the former United Kingdom nuclear test and experimental programme sites at Maralinga, the Monte Bello islands and Emu field, Cm. 2533; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  We understand that preliminary discussions have taken place regarding the appointment of British contractors.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been paid so far to the Government of Australia in relation to the cleaning up of the Maralinga test site under the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of Australia concerning the former United Kingdom nuclear test and experimental programme sites at Maralinga, the Monte Bello islands and Emu field, Cm. 2533; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  An initial payment of £5,000,000 was made to the Australian Government in December 1993;
  1117
  £4,000,000 was paid in October 1994, leaving a balance of £11,000,000 to be paid in accordance with the exchange of notes.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the cleansing operation at the Maralinga site to be completed under the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of Australia concerning the former United Kingdom nuclear test and experimental programme sites at Maralinga, the Monte Bello islands and Emu field, Cm. 2533; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  That is a matter for the Australian Government.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what visits officials have recently paid to inspect the cleansing operation at the Maralinga site; if such officials and their federal Government counterparts have held discussions with representatives of the Aboriginal people living in the area in relation to the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of Australia concerning the former United Kingdom nuclear test and experimental programme sites at Maralinga, the Monte Bello islands and Emu field, Cm. 2533; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  There have been no such visits or discussions by my officials. Both the operation itself and any discussions with representatives of the Aboriginal people are matters for the Australian Government.

  European Armed Forces
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to whom allegiance will be given by British forces in the 1118
  proposed (a) European Army and (b) Anglo-French or European air force.

  Mr. Soames
  We have no plans for a European army, or for a bi-national or European air force.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to discuss the pooling or merging of(a) some and (b) all of the RAF and the French air force for operations (i) outside and (ii) within continental Europe (1) at the next Franco-British summit and (2) on other occasions;

  (2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the proposal to merge (a) some and (b) all of the RAF and the French air force on an operational basis.

  Mr. Soames
  Discussions are taking place with French officials to identify ways in which British and French air forces may operate together more effectively outside the NATO area. That does not involve any merger of the air forces. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence intends to carry forward those exchanges at the forthcoming summit.

  Defence Forces
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current levels of the defence forces.

  Mr. Soames
  The current strength of the Armed Forces—as at 1 September 1994—is 246,926—Royal Navy 53,961; Army 120,058; Royal Air force 72,907. Our armed forces are manned, equipped and supported to enable them to meet their commitments as laid out in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994".

  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: DISTURBANCES, 19TH OCTOBER
  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: DISTURBANCES, 19TH OCTOBER
  FERRY SAFETY RESEARCH
  FERRY SAFETY RESEARCH
  WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL: REDEVELOPMENT
  WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL: REDEVELOPMENT
  RURAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION: MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
  RURAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION: MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
  COAL AUTHORITY: CHANGES TO GDO
  COAL AUTHORITY: CHANGES TO GDO
  CHILD BENEFIT: TAXATION YIELDS
  CHILD BENEFIT: TAXATION YIELDS
  GULF WAR: DE-INFESTATION PESTICIDE
  GULF WAR: DE-INFESTATION PESTICIDE
  GULF WAR: ALLEGED MUSTARD GAS FIND
  GULF WAR: ALLEGED MUSTARD GAS FIND
  PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL, WROUGHTON AND ARMY VEHICLE DEPOT, LUDGERSHALL
  PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL, WROUGHTON AND ARMY VEHICLE DEPOT, LUDGERSHALL
  GAS INSTALLERS: REGISTRATION
  GAS INSTALLERS: REGISTRATION
  DISCRIMINATION CONVENTION
  DISCRIMINATION CONVENTION
  HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE CONTROL: AGRICULTURAL INSPECTORS
  HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE CONTROL: AGRICULTURAL INSPECTORS
  PESTICIDE MISUSE. PROSECUTIONS
  PESTICIDE MISUSE. PROSECUTIONS