Written Answers of 31 October 1994

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Hunting
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what proposals he has to raise the subject of a ban on fox hunting and stag hunting on church land at the appropriate forum.

  Mr. Alison
  None. The Church Commissioners' long-standing policy on fox hunting is that our tenants should follow their own consciences in deciding whether or not to allow hunts on to land in their care. Our tenancy agreements do not, therefore, reserve the right of hunting to the landlord. This right rests with the tenant. No stag hunting takes place on land owned by the Church Commissioners.

HEALTH

  Measles and Rubella Vaccine
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work her Department is currently undertaking to develop a measles and rubella vaccine which is not dependent on a strain developed from cells front an aborted foetus.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department does not undertake vaccine development. MRCS, the cell culture in which the rubella vaccine is prepared, is used worldwide and no further foetal material has been involved since its development in 1966. Industry is not, as far as we are aware, seeking other culture media. However, there are many research groups actively investigating the application of new technologies such as the use of recombinant proteins for vaccine development. Such new vaccines may not require viruses to be grown in present cell culture methods.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the foetus, whose cells were used to develop the vaccine against measles and rubella being used in the current campaign to vaccinate all school children, had been aborted.

  Mr. Sackville
  All rubella vaccines, including the rubella vaccine being used in the measles and rubella schools immunisation campaign, are grown in cell culture whose cells are called MRC5. This cell line was developed from a small number of cells taken from a single foetus in 1966 and the cells have grown and replicated since and been used widely for growing viruses. The termination of pregnancy was carried out on medical grounds in a national health service hospital. No further foetal material has been involved since 1966. The vaccine is highly purified and does not contain any foetal tissue.900
  There is no question of use of this vaccine enabling anyone to profit from a termination of pregnancy.

  Measles vaccine is prepared on chick embryo tissue.

  Aerosols
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those medical aerosols known to her Department that now contain chlorofluorocarbon gases.

  Mr. Sackville
  Records held by the Medicines Control Agency show that there are 184 products containing chlorofluorocarbons licensed under the Medicines Act for human use at present. A small number, which are listed, contain chlorofluorocarbons as active ingredients. The remainder contain chlorofluorocarbons used as excipients, usually in the form of a propellant. It is not normal practice to disclose excipients, since to do so could prejudice companies' commercially sensitive information, which they are required to provide to obtain a product licence.

  Product Licences with Chlorofluorocarbons

  Product Name

  Deep Freeze Aerosol Spray

  PR Freeze Spray (liquid aerosol)

  Pain Relief Spray

  Stingo (aerosol spray)

  Ultrakool Aerosol Spray

  Pharmaethyl (pressurized gas - aerosol presentation)

  Burnzap

  Fluothane

  Ethrane or Enflurane (generic name)

  Forane or Isoflurane (generic name)

  Isoflurane

  Alyrane (nonflammable liquid)

  Both the Government and industry are working towards replacement of CFC-containing medicinal products.

  Influenza
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days on average are lost annually because of influenza.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the national health service of each influenza vaccination.

  Mr. Sackville
  The basic cost of a pre-filled syringe of influenza vaccine is approximately £5.10. Reimbursement and remuneration for the general practitioner is about £1.00 per patient; this payment forms part of the general practitioner's total payment for providing general medical services.

  Condoms
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of state for health if(a) dispensing general practitioners and (b) non-dispensing general practitioners are able, under terms and condition of service, to sell condoms to their patients.

  Mr. Malone
  General practitioners cannot sell condoms to their national health service patients.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to decrease bureaucratic requirements on general practitioners.

  Mr. Malone
  In 1991 we set up a working group on unnecessary bureaucracy, made up of representatives of
  901
  the general medical services committee, family health services authorities and the Department of Health. It recommended a number of improvements to claim forms and guidance on simplified procedures. These were implemented in June 1991.

  All subsequent changes to the general practitioner contract have been made in consultation with representatives of the profession. Among other considerations, these consultations ensure that the profession's views on such changes are fully addressed and that bureaucracy is kept to a minimum.

  Unemployment
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to the national health service of unemployment(a) in total and (b) by such smaller categories as are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Dental Problems
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients consulted general practitioners about dental problems in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is not available centrally.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the privatisations which her 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. Sackville
  No part of the Department, its agencies or related bodies has been privatised since 1979.

  Blood Supplies (North-West)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the average time taken to deliver blood supplies to hospitals throughout the north-west following the proposed closure of two blood transfusion centres.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Blood Authority is satisfied that its proposal to establish a network of blood banks will enable it to continue to respond to emergency demand for blood without detriment to patient care and will result in an improved service to hospitals.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to replace the blood collected from the blood transfusion service at Lancaster for use throughout the north-west.

  Mr. Sackville
  The majority of blood donation does not take place at transfusion centres. Mobile collection teams go out into the community to conduct pre-arranged donation sessions. Under the NBA's proposals mobile teams would go out to donors in all areas whether the centres are amalgamated or not.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she has made for the specialist provision of factor 8 to hospitals throughout the north-west of England following the proposed closure of two blood transfusion centres.
  902
  Mr. Sackville
  The. availability to hospitals of factor 8 will not be affected by the National Blood Authority's proposals.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the subjects of any reports currently being prepared by the committee on the medical effects of air pollutants, showing the time frames for(a) their completion and (b) their publication.

  Mr. Sackville
  Two sub-groups of the committee on the medical effects of air pollutants, on asthma and particles respectively, are expected to report back to the main committee by early 1995. The committee will consider their draft reports, with a view to agreeing publication as soon as possible thereafter.

  In addition, a summary of COMEAP's work up to the end of 1994 is being prepared and will be published, jointly with material on the work of the advisory committee on the medical aspects of air pollution episodes. Publication is expected towards the end of this year.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each study undertaken for her Department this year on correlations between atmospheric pollution and the incidence of asthma and respiratory illnesses showing the time frames for(a) their completion and (b) their publication.

  Mr. Malone
  The relevant research studies funded in this year through the Department of Health's centrally commissioned programme are:Middlesbrough Childhood Asthma study—University of Teesside 1 May 1994–30 April 1995.
  Health Effects of the Nitrogen Dioxide Episode in London, December 1991—st. George's Hospital Medical School; 1 April 1993-28 February 1994.
  Modified National Study of Health and Growth, which includes the prevalence of asthma in children-United Medical and Dental Schools (UMDS) of Guy's and St. Thomas's; 1 January 1993–31 December 1995 (part of a programme of work and not separately costed).
  It is planned to commission two further studies this year which will begin in 1995.
  Impact of Air Pollution and Temperature on General Practitioner Consultations—University College Medical School; 1 January 1995-31 December 1995.
  Personal exposure to Air Pollutants and Severity of Hay Fever Symptoms in London Traffic Wardens-Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine; 1 February 1995–6 November 1995.
  Reports arising from all these studies will be published in the normal way.

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of the London ambulance service were dismissed in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  I am advised by the London ambulance service that it dismissed five people in 1993–94. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Martin Gorham, chief executive of the London ambulance service, for details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of the London ambulance service were absent for(a) under 20 days, (b) 20 to 39 days and (c) over 40 days in 1993–94.
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  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally in the form requested. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 20 October at column 308–9.

  NHS Estates
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records are held by NHS Estates of transfers of land and property between health authorities, or health authorities and trusts in the Trent region.

  Mr. Sackville
  Transfers of property to trusts are agreed by the district health authority, and the legal transfers are effected by the regional authority on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The regional health authority and the trusts hold records of property transfers. NHS Estates may provide advice about policy matters, but is not involved in reaching agreement, and does not hold records of transfers. NHS Estates collects data on the size and value of the estate in the NHS.

  Private Hospital Treatment
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many in-patients were treated in private hospitals for psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by(a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;

  (2) how many in-patients were treated in private hospitals for non-psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;

  (3) how may out-patients were treated in private hospitals for psychiatric specialties under contracts placed by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available;

  (4) how many out-patients were treated in private hospitals for non-psychiatric specialities under contracts places by (a) GP fundholders and (b) health authorities in the most recent year for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  From April 1998

  From April 1989

  From April 1990

  From January 1991

  From December 1991

  Chairmen

  £11,868

  £12,462

  £17,437

  £17,610

  £19,285

  Since 17 September 1990, non-executives have been remunerated at a rate of £5,000 per annum.

  Details of expenses paid to chairmen and non-executives and the salary of the chief executives are not available centrally.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of severance pay or other financial remuneration paid or agreed to be paid by the Greenwich Healthcare Trust to its former chief executive.

  Mr. Malone
  This is a matter for the Greenwich Healthcare Trust and the hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman for details.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest assessment on the influence that tobacco advertising has on the numbers of children and teenagers who become smokers.

  Mr. Sackville
  With regard specifically to this age group, the report "Why Children Start Smoking", Office

  Cannabis
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to reassess the case for permitting the prescribing of cannabis to those suffering from multiple sclerosis or glaucoma.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), met the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) and a delegation from the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics on 26 October to hear the case for making cannabis available for medical use. We intend to consider carefully the points made to us before coming to a view.

  Any consideration of the use of cannabis as a medicinal product would have to take account of the potential risks associated with short and long-term use of cannabis.

  Health Board Managers (Greenwich)
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list(a) the names of the chairman, general manager or chief executive of the Greenwich health authority and its successor bodies and the Greenwich Healthcare Trust in each of the years since 1988–89 and (b) the amounts paid to each person by way of fees, salaries, other remuneration and expenses for each year;

  (2) if she will list (a) the names of members serving on the Greenwich health authority, its successor bodies and the Greenwich Healthcare Trust in each of the financial years since 1988–89 and (b) the amounts paid to each member by way of fees, salaries, other remuneration and expenses for each year.

  Mr. Malone
  A list of chairmen, non-executive members and chief executives of Greenwich health authority, now Bexley and Greenwich health authority, since 1989 and Greenwich Healthcare Trust since 1992 will be placed in the Library.

  The annual rates of remuneration are as follows:

  of Population Consensus and Surveys 1990, identified a number of risk factors associated with starting to smoke. The report concluded that
  "greater awareness of cigarette advertising is associated with a slightly increased likelihood of starting to smoke in the future. However, the effect appears to be small in comparison with some of the other influences on children such as the example set by parents and siblings."

  The new voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry on advertising announced on 13 May contains measures further to restrict tobacco advertising in general and particular measures in relation to children and young people.

  Staff Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 24 October,Official Report,

  905
  column 451, if she will provide comparable data on staff numbers on the revised basis for each year for which it is available since 1989.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table.

  General and Senior Managers by Region—England as at 30 September 1991 and 1992—Whole Time Equivalents

  1991

  1992

  England Total

  14,500

  17,700

  Northern

  770

  770

  Yorkshire

  1,200

  1,400

  Trent

  810

  1,070

  East Anglian

  570

  660

  NW Thames

  720

  1,050

  NE Thames

  2,120

  1,950

  SE Thames

  1,000

  1,150

  SW Thames

  700

  580

  Wessex

  860

  990

  Oxford

  520

  770

  South Western

  800

  920

  West Midlands

  1,460

  1,770

  Mersey

  740

  900

  North Western

  1,000

  1,270

  SHAs and Others

  1,230

  2,460

  Source:

  Non-Medical Workforce Census and KM49 Returns.

  Notes:

  1. Figures previously published for 1989 and 1990 do not require amendment.

  2. All figures are rounded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalents.

  3. Totals may not equal the sum of the components due to rounding.

  4. Special health authorities and others include London ambulance

  Table 1

  Uprating Rate

  Rate of child benefit plus child dependency increase for first child

  Gross adult weekly average earnings

  As a percentage of gross adult weekly average earnings

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1994 Prices

  November 1979

  £11·10

  £100·60

  11·0

  £26·56

  November 1980

  £12·25

  £120·20

  10·2

  £25·42

  November 1981

  £12·95

  £132·40

  9·8

  £24·00

  November 1982

  £13·80

  £142·40

  9·7

  £24·07

  November 1983

  £14·10

  £156·70

  9·0

  23·46

  November 1984

  £14·50

  £167·00

  8·7

  £22·99

  November 1985

  £15·05

  £178·70

  8·4

  £22·63

  July 1986

  £15·15

  £189·10

  8·0

  £22·40

  April 1987

  £15·30

  £198·90

  7·7

  £21·67

  April 1988

  £15·65

  £218·40

  7·2

  £21·33

  April 1989

  £16·20

  £239·70

  6·8

  £20·44

  April 1990

  £16·90

  £263·10

  6·4

  £19·48

  April 1991

  £17·95

  £284·70

  6·3

  £19·45

  October 1991

  £18·95

  £294·70

  6·4

  £20·23

  April 1992

  £19·40

  £304·60

  6·4

  £20·15

  April 1993

  £19·80

  £316·90

  6·2

  £20·31

  April 1994

  £20·00

  £328·50

  6·1

  £20.00

  Table 2

  Uprating date

  Rate of child benefit plus child dependency icrease for subsequent children £

  Gross adult weekly average earnings £

  As a percentage of gross adult weekly average earnings

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1994 Prices £

  October 1991

  18·20

  294·70

  6·2

  19·43

  April 1992

  18·65

  304·60

  6·1

  19·13

  April 1993

  19·05

  316·90

  6·0

  19·54

  April 1994

  19·25

  328·50

  5·9

  19·25

  Notes:

  1 The figures apply to both widows and invalidity pensioners

  2 Gross adult weekly earnings have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence.

  3 From October 1991 the combined rate of child benefit and child dependency increases for the first child and subsequent children diverged.

  Table 2 reflects the rate in payment for subsequent children from that point.
  906
  service, special health authorities, family health services authorities and other statutory authorities.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

  Mr. Hague
  None.

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

  Mr. Hague
  I refer my hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 30 November 1993 at column 391.

  Benefits (Values)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency addition and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1994 prices and as a percentage of average earnings in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables.
  907
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the level of unemployment benefit in each year since 1979 expressed as a proportion of average male earnings in the same years.

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

  Single rate unemployment benefit £

  As a percentage of average male earnings per cent.

  November 1979

  18·50

  16·2

  November 1980

  20·65

  15·3

  November 1981

  22·50

  15·1

  November 1982

  25·00

  15·6

  November 1983

  27·05

  15·7

  November 1984

  28·45

  15·2

  November 1985

  30·45

  15·3

  July 1986

  30·80

  14·6

  April 1987

  31·45

  14·0

  April 1988

  32·75

  13·3

  April 1989

  34·70

  12·9

  April 1990

  37·35

  12·6

  April 1991

  41·40

  13·0

  April 1992

  43·10

  12·7

  April 1993

  44·65

  12·6

  April 1994

  45·45

  12·4

  Notes:

  1. Average earnings are taken from males all occupations (New Earnings Survey).

  2. Percentages are rounded to one decimal point.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current calculation of the amount of(a) the basic pension, (b) the Christmas bonus and (c) child benefit allowance had they been increased since 1979 by (i) increase in prices and (ii) increase in earnings.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information is in the table.

  Value at November 1979 £

  Current value if increased in line with prices £

  Current value if increased in line with average earnings £

  Basic retirement pension

  23·30

  55·70

  74·75

  Christmas bonus

  10·00

  23·95

  32·15

  Child benefit

  4·00

  9·45

  12·80

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to two decimal places.

  2. In each step of the calculation the benefit has been rounded to the nearest 5 pence.

  3. The retail prices index (all items) as published by Central Statistical Office has been used.

  4. The average earnings index (whole economy unadjusted) as published by the Employment Department has been used to calculate the earnings upratings.

  Advertising Costs
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total cost in advertising(a) personal pensions and SERPS, (b) disability living allowance and disability working allowance and (c) family credit in each year in which a campaign has been run.
  908
  Mr. Roger Evans
  The total costs for advertising by the Department of Social Security were:

  Personal pension and SERPS

  £

  1993–94

  100,000

  Disability living allowance and disability working allowance

  £

  1991–92

  3,043,000

  1992–93

  240,000

  1993–94

  803,000

  Family Credit

  £

  1989–90

  5,518,000

  1990–91

  3,894,000

  1991–92

  1,500,000

  1992–93

  950,000

  1993–94

  3,090,000

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reimburse appellants against a negative diagnosis of PP12 D chronic bronchitis and emphysema who obtain at their own cost International Labour Organisation standard soft exposure X-rays which contribute to a positive diagnosis.

  Mr. Hague
  No. If the medical appeal tribunal considers that an X-ray is needed to decide an appeal it is obtained by the Benefits Agency at no cost to the appellant.

  Carers
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for removing the age limit on elderly carers after the age of 65 years; what are the reasons for the age limit; and if he will consider allowing carers after the age of 65 to claim invalidity care allowance.

  Mr. Hague
  Invalid care allowance is intended for people of working age who give up the opportunity of full-time employment because of their caring responsibilities.

  We have no plans to allow carers over the age of 65 to claim ICA.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to adapt the benefits system for carers in line with the recommendations of the social services committee and the social security advisory committee.

  Mr. Hague
  We welcome the contributions made by the committees. However, we have no plans at present further to amend the system of support for carers.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make it his policy to provide more financial assistance to carers;

  (2) what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the use of savings on his Budget to provide more financial assistance to carers.
  909
  Mr. Hague
  The Government recognise the contribution made by carers to society and will continue to keep the financial provision made for them under review.

  It is not usual practice to divulge the nature of any discussions which may have taken place with the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to his Budget statement.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons underlying the policy whereby a disabled person cannot claim the severe disability premium if the carer is receiving invalid care allowance.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The severe disability premium is intended to give extra help to severely disabled people living independently, who are most likely to need to purchase care. Invalid care allowance is intended to provide a level of financial assistance to those people who have given up the opportunity of full-time employment because of their caring responsibilities. To pay both in respect of an individual's care needs would be to provide the same help twice.

TREASURY

  Counterfeit Coins
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has concerning the circulation of counterfeit pound coins; what steps are being taken to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  While there are some counterfeit £1 coins in circulation, the numbers are believed to be extremely small in relation to the total number of £1 coins in circulation.

  Under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, it is a criminal offence to make a counterfeit of a coin or to pass it on to another person. Where sufficient evidence of such activities exists, it is for the police to take action against those responsible.

  Share Prices
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons why recently floated companies fail to maintain their flotation share price.

  Mr. Nelson
  None. Share prices are determined by market forces. The stock exchange investigates any unusual price movements as part of it's responsibility for market supervision.

  Life Insurance
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax barriers there are to life insurance companies selling their products throughout Europe; and what measures he proposes to remove them.

  Sir George Young
  The EC third life insurance directive which came into force on 1 July brings about a single European market for life assurance. Our insurers have a range of good products and a history of achieving good returns from their policyholders and they are 910
  therefore well placed to compete for business throughout Europe.

  Insurers are taxed in the United Kingdom on the investment income and gains accruing for the benefit of their policyholders. In general, policyholders resident here have no further tax to pay when their policy benefits are paid. This is because the tax the life office pays is treated as satisfying their liability to tax at the basic rate. The tax regimes in other European countries do not all follow this approach. There, the investment income and gains accruing for policyholders are more likely to accrue free of any tax charge. Tax may therefore be payable when policy benefits are paid.

  Our tax system already recognises to an extent that this is the approach in many other countries. United Kingdom insurance companies are not taxed on the investment income and gains accruing for the benefits of non-resident policyholders if the business is conducted through an overseas branch.

  We shall be introducing legislation in the forthcoming Finance Bill to extend this tax treatment to most life insurance business written directly from the United Kingdom with an individual who is resident in another European state, or which is business written with an employer in another European state for the benefit of employees outside the United Kingdom. Such business will in future be taxed in the same way as branch business with a non-resident. United Kingdom branches of overseas life insurance companies will also be able to benefit from this treatment for business with residents of another European state.

  The changes will apply to new contracts written in the first accounting period of an insurer beginning after today.

  We are also making some consequential changes to the existing rules dealing with the investment income and gains and tax credits attributable to overseas life assurance business. New compliance and information requirements will also be introduced to ensure that only genuine non-residents will be able to take out policies falling within the special rules for overseas life assurance.

  Further details are contained in an Inland Revenue press release which is being issued today.

  Taxes Management Act 1970
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions proceedings commenced under section 99 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 in each of the last five financial years resulted in a penalty being assessed.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]The numbers of cases in which penalties have been formally charged under section 99 in each of the last five years are as follows:

  Number

  1989–90

  —

  1990–91

  —

  1991–92

  —

  1992–93

  1

  1993–94

  —

  Welsh Rugby Union
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of the Inland Revenue's special investigations into Welsh Rugby Union; what tax has been recovered; what future 912
  arrangements have been made; and what similar inquiries have been made in England.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]Rugby clubs are entitled to the same degree of confidentiality as any other taxpayers. It would not, therefore, be appropriate for me to comment any further.

PRIME MINISTER

  Conduct of Public Life
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent meetings he has had with Lord Nolan; and what has been their purpose.

  The Prime Minister
  I met Lord Nolan on Wednesday 26 October to discuss various matters relating to the committee on standards in public life, including appointments of Members.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the proposed remuneration of the chairman and board members of the proposed committee on standards in public life.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]I shall publish this information shortly.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons peers are not included in the categories of persons to be considered by the Committee on the conduct of public life in respect of their parliamentary duties.

  The Prime Minister
  It is open to the committee to examine the standards of conduct to be observed by peers as parliamentarians, as Ministers and, indeed, as holders of other public offices.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will include in the terms of reference of the body which will investigate standards of public life the issue of funding of political parties.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The funding of political parties has already been the subject of an investigation by the Home Affairs Select Committee. Under the terms of reference I announced on 25 October, it is open to Lord Nolan's committee to consider concerns that appointments or other Government decisions may be influenced by political contributions.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral statement on standards of conduct in public life of 25 October,Official Report, col. 757, if he will indicate (a) who was the informant mentioned by the Cabinet Secretary in his report, (b) what proposals for a deal were put to him by the intermediary and (c) when he was first contacted by the intermediary.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the statement that I made to the House on Public Life (Standards of Conduct) on 25 October 1994,Official Report, columns 757-770, and to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 25 October 1994, Official Report, columns 521-22.

  Inhumane Weapons
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to ratify the 1980–81 United Nations convention on inhumane weapons.

  The Prime Minister
  We continue to work actively towards ratification of the United Nations weaponry convention review conference. Meanwhile, we do, of course, adhere strictly to the provisions of the convention.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that Ministers should give substantive answers to questions from hon. Members about the contents of books or reports in areas for which they have 914
  responsibility, which are published by sources other than the Minister's Department or a non-departmental public body operating in the area or public policy for which the Minister has responsibility.

  The Prime Minister
  It is for individual Ministers to decide how to answer parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Al Fayed
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister on what date the note of his meeting with the informant acting on behalf of Mr. Al Fayed was passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

  The Prime Minister
  On 20 October 1994.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. Clapham), of 20 October,Official Report, column 420, what arrangements were proposed to him on behalf of Mr. Al Fayed; and if he will make a further statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the statement that I made to the House on Public Life (Standards of Conduct) on 25 October,Official Report 757–70.

  Sanctions (Libya)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has had from the Arab league about Libyan sanctions.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received no such representations.

  Al Fayed Brothers (Citizenship Application)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations have been made to him(a) by right hon. or hon. Members or (b) others concerning the applications for British citizenship by Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed and Mr. Ali Al Fayed.

  The Prime Minister
  So far as I am aware, none.

  Public Sector Pay Review Bodies
  Sir Giles Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the current membership of the public sector pay review bodies.

  The Prime Minister
  The membership of the pay review bodies is as follows:

  Review Body on Senior Salaries

  Lord Nickson KBE DL (Chairman)

  Professor George Bain

  Sir Cecil Clothier KCB QC

  Mr. Gordon Hourston

  Sir Anthony Wilson

  Sir Michael Perry CBE

  Sir Sydney Lipworth QC

  Mrs. Rosemary Day

  Miss Patricia Mann

  Mrs. Yve Newbold

  Mr. Mark Sheldon

  915
  Review Body on Nursing Staff Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine

  Mr. Michael Bett CBE (Chairman)

  Mr. Jan Hildreth

  Miss Anne Mackie OBE

  Professor Gillian Raab

  Professor George Thomason CBE

  Miss Diana Whittingham

  Ms Ruth Lea

  Mrs. Sheila Gleig

  Armed Forces Pay Review Body

  Mr Gordon Hourston (Chairman)

  Mr Michael Bolton

  Mr John Cox CBE

  Mr John Crosby

  Baroness Dean

  Mrs Dorothy Venables

  Air Chief Marshal Sir Roger Palin KCB OBE

  Mr Guy Neely

  Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration

  Mr Brandon Gough (Chairman)

  Mr Douglas Boyd

  Ms Christina Boyden

  Mrs Sally Field

  Dr Elizabeth Nelson

  Professor George Thomason CBE

  Mr Dennis Fredjohn MBE

  Mr David Penton

  School Teachers' Review Body

  Mr John Gardiner (Chairman)

  Mrs Brigita Amey

  Mr Alan Cox CBE

  Mrs Gill Rostron

  Mrs Anna Vinton

  Mr Michael Harding

  Mrs Julia Cuthbertson

  Mr Philip Halsey CB LVO

  Ministerial Conduct
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to assure himself that the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) has, in all respects, complied with the guidelines laid down in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]Ministers have the responsibility to ensure that they comply with the guidelines in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". I have no reason to think that my right hon. Friend failed to do so.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister what declaration of continuing association with Messrs Hill Samuel was made by the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South and on what date.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]Because of his former association with Messrs Hill Samuel, my right hon. Friend gave instructions to his Department that he should play no part in the selection process, in 1993, of financial advisers to the Department of Transport for the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister on what date the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South intimated(a) his desire to leave the Government and (b) his intention to rejoin Hill Samuel.
  916
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]As was made clear in my right hon. Friend's resignation letter of 20 July, he had advised me earlier in the summer of his intention to leave the Government. I was informed of my right hon. Friend's decision to take up his appointment on 6 October.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister what intimation of potential conflict of interest was made by the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South when direction was given by his Department to the British Railways Board to establish a vendor unit; and on what date.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]British Rail decided to establish a vendor unit in order to co-ordinate sales: no direction was given by the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements were intimated by the right hon. Member for Norfolk, South under paragraphs 128 to 134 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers"; and if advice was sought by him from the then Prime Minister's Private Secretary in terms of paragraph 132.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]My right hon. Friend's pension arrangements are a matter for him, but I am advised that they corresponded with the requirements of paragraphs 128-134 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", and no consultation with the then Prime Minister's Private Secretary was therefore necessary.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the contracts awarded by Her Majesty's Government to Messrs Hill Samuel between June 1979 and July 1994, with the value in each case.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1 January 1991 the Cabinet Secretary has advised individual Ministers of his opinion on their conduct in relation to "Questions of Procedure for Ministers"; which Ministers were involved; and on what dates the opinion was given.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]Discussions between Ministers and the Cabinet Secretary are private.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will give details of the current inquiry into the system of public appointments and identify(a) when it was established, (b) its terms of reference, (c) its composition and (d) when it will report;

  (2) if he will give details of the current inquiry into the governance of quangos; when it was established; what are its terms of reference; what is its composition; and when it will report.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]As I told the House on 20 October, I set up a working group in May to review the guidance to Departments on public appointments procedures. The terms of reference for the review are:"To examine, in consultation with departments, the principles that should govern the membership of public bodies and the methods used to identify potential candidates, including questions relating to equal opportunities and multiple appointments, and the procedures leading to disqualification from or premature termination of

  917
  appointments; and to consider whether amendments and additions need to be made to the 'Guide on Public Appointments procedures'."

  The working group is chaired by the director of the public appointments unit and includes representatives from the Department of Employment, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Scottish Office, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Treasury and the Welsh Office.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and I expect to receive the working group's report in a few weeks' time. I have also asked my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to look across the board at appointments to all public bodies and to make any further recommendations he thinks necessary. We shall be making any recommendations, together with the working group's report, available to the committee on standards in public life.

  In addition, the Office of Public Service and Science and the Treasury are preparing, in consultation with Departments generally, a revision of "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: A Guide for Departments". This is intended to assist sponsor Departments on a range of matters concerning non-departmental public bodies. The guide was last revised in March 1992. Work on a further revision began in May, and the aim is to produce the revised guide when the parallel work on public appointments has been concluded. This, too, will be made available to the committee on standards in public life.

  Economic and Finance Council
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to co-ordinate Government policy between the Treasury and the Home Office on the reduction of fines for law breaking in respect of persons, authorities or nations who refused to pay them, in relation to the decision made at the Council of Finance Ministers of the European Union on 21 October.

  The Prime Minister
  The decision taken at ECOFIN on 21 October was to increase the so-called "fine" imposed by the Commission on Italy and Spain by 1.1 becu, and not to reduce the penalties.

  Although disallowance decisions taken by the Commission under the common agricultural policy are often colloquially described as fines, they are in fact completely different from fines imposed by criminal courts. I believe that co-ordination between the Treasury and the Home Office on these areas of policy is satisfactory.

  Cabinet Secretary's Investigation
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 20 October,Official Report, columns 420-22, in regard to the inquiry by the Cabinet Secretary, how many other cases there are of hon. Members who are now Ministers in respect of whom any inquiries are being or have been undertaken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answers of 20 October,Official Report, columns 420-22, (1) which other hon. Members are being questioned by the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet;
  918
  (2) if he will (a) make a statement on the Cabinet Secretary's report when it is complete and (b) publish (i) its contents, including the nature of the complaints and where they originated, (ii) the evidence requested, (iii) details of interviews conducted, (iv) a full summary of points considered and (v) the conclusions drawn.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]I refer the right hon. and hon. Members to the statement that I made to the House on Public Life (Standards of Conduct) on 25 October 1994,Official Report, columns 757–770, and to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 25 October 1994, Official Report, columns 521–22.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) of 25 October,Official Report, column 521-22, if he will identify the informant acting on behalf of Mohamed Al Fayed and all Ministers against whom allegations were made; and what documentary evidence has been requested and examined by the Cabinet Secretary as part of his investigation.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]The answer to the first part of the question is no. On the identity of the Ministers against whom allegations were made, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave today to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr Morris). On the third part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn), on 25 October 1994 Official Report, columns 521-22.

  Butler Inquiry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. Clapham) of 20 October,Official Report, columns 420-21, how many Ministers are being or have been investigated by Sir Robin Butler; when he expects to receive the report; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury have confirmed that they were the subject of allegations investigated at my request by the Cabinet Secretary. No other Ministers were involved.

  Mr. Ian Greer
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister on what dates on and after 29 September he has met Mr. Ian Greer of Ian Greer Associates.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: None.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what is the total number of public appointments which he is responsible for making or which require his approval; and if he will include figures for the Crown appointments on which he is responsible for advising Her Majesty the Queen;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 17 January, Official Report, columns 367–68, if he will give details of the Crown appointments on which he is responsible for advising Her Majesty the Queen.
  919
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: Further to the information on appointments already given to the hon. Member, I am listing those appointments on which at the present time I advise Her Majesty the Queen.

  The total number of appointments for which I am responsible, including those on which I advise Her Majesty the Queen, cannot be accurately calculated since I have discretion in some cases as to how many appointments I make; and in the case of Church appointments some vacancies fall casually and unpredictably to the Crown by virtue of the Royal Prerogative.

  Appointments made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister

  Astronomer royal

  Bank of England

  Governor and Deputy Governor

  Executive and Non-Executive Directors

  British Broadcasting Corporation Governors, including the Chairman and
  Vice-Chairman

  Chancellor of the County Palatine of Durham

  Church Commissioners

  Chairman and six others

  The Churches Conservation Trust

  Chairman and members

  Civil Service

  Head of the Home Civil Service (Cabinet Secretary)

  Board of Customs and Excise, Chairman, Deputy

  Chairman and Commissioners

  Board of Inland Revenue, Chairman and

  Commissioners including Deputy Chairman

  Clerk of the Crown in Chancery

  Civil Service Commissioners

  Her Majesty's Printer of Acts of Parliament

  (Controller of the Stationery Office)

  Procurator General (Solicitor General)

  Registrar General

  Comptroller and Auditor General

  Constables of

  Caernarvon Castle

  Flint Castle

  Harlech Castle

  Tower of London

  Captain of Deal Castle

  Crown Estate Commissioners

  Data Protection Registrar

  Development Commissioners

  Ecclesiastical Appointments in England

  Archbishops of Canterbury and York

  Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops

  Deans

  Crown Canonries

  Crown Livings c. 200

  Appointments under the Royal Prerogative and Sede Vacante

  Ecclesiastical Appointments in Scotland

  Her Majesty's High Commissioner to the General

  Assembly of the Church of Scotland

  Forestry Commissioners

  Governor of the Isle of Wight

  Health Service Commissioners for England, Wales and Scotland

  Interception of Communications Tribunal Vice-President and members

  920

  Ministers of Her Majesty's Government

  Senior Judiciary in England

  Lord Chief Justice of England

  Master of the Rolls

  Vice—chancellor

  President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division

  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary

  Lord Justices of Appeal

  Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved

  Senior Judiciary in Scotland

  Lord Justice Clerk

  Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland

  Judge of the Arches Court of Canterbury and the

  Chancery Court of

  York

  King Edward's Hospital Fund for London

  President, or three Governors

  Lord Clerk Register of Scotland

  Lord Great Chamberlain

  Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports

  Lord-Lieutenants and Vice Lord-Lieutenants of

  England, Scotland, Wales and

  Northern Ireland

  Parliament

  The Speaker

  Clerk of the Parliaments

  Clerk of the House of Commons

  Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration

  Honorary Physicians to The Queen

  Poet Laureate

  Police Complaints Authority

  Chairman

  Public Works Loans Board

  Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Commissioners

  Receiver-General and Deputy Receiver-General of Jersey

  Receiver-General of Guernsey

  Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation

  Members, including President

  Standing Royal Commissions, including Millennium Commission

  Scholastic Appointments

  Regius Professors of Oxford and Cambridge

  School of Oriental and African Studies

  Governing Body members

  Provost of Eton

  Principal of King's College, Cambridge

  Master of Trinity College, Cambridge

  Master of Church College, Cambridge

  Security Service Tribunal

  Members, President and Vice President

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am planning to visit Sri Lanka from 15 to 16 November.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding problems there are for the ECOMOG forces in Liberia; and how the United Nations intends to deal with this.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no information on the funding position of those states which have contributed troops to the ECOMOG peacekeeping effort. The UN trust fund for Liberia was set up in 1993, partly to help support troops of participating ECOMOG countries. So far, only three countries, including the United Kingdom, have contributed to the fund.

  Middle East
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the result of the study tour organised by Her Majesty's Government of middle east countries related to British expertise in waste water, referred to in his letter of 16 September; and what proposals he has to help Libya, Iran and Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As presaged in my letter of 16 September, a group of middle eastern water specialists visited the United Kingdom from 17 to 21 October to take part in a study tour of British waste water facilities. They visited a wide range of facilities in this country.

  The tour was arranged as a United Kingdom contribution to the work of the multilateral water working group, one of the five groups on the multilateral track of the peace process.

  Libya, Iran and Iraq are not members of the multilateral water working group. None of their Governments have sought our help.

  India
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Kashmir, Sind, Karachi and the Punjab.

  Mr. Baldry
  Clashes continue in Kashmir between militant groups and the Indian security forces. The law and order situation in Sind, and particularly in Karachi, remains unsettled. We are encouraged by the growing return to stability in Punjab.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the latest situation regarding the question of the violation of human rights in Pakistan.

  (2) what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to Pakistan concerning the violation of human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  We regularly raise our concerns about human rights with the Pakistani Government.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total cost of all assistance provided to the Falkland Islands in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the House on 20 April 1993 by my hon. Friend 922
  the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Sir M. Lennox-Boyd), which listed such expenditure from 1983. The following figures bring that reply up to date:

  Gross public expenditure on aid to the Falklands

  (£000s)

  1992–93 58

  1993–94 12(provisional)

  Additional assistance was provided by the diplomatic wing as follows:

  Assistant under-secretary's programme budget

  (£000s)

  1992–93 5

  1993–94 7

  FCO scholarship awards scheme

  (£000s)

  1993–94 14

  I have nothing to add to the statement made on 20 April 1993 about costs relating to the defence of the islands.

  Iraq
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for trade with Iraq have been(a) put to the United Nations sanctions committee for consideration by the Government, (b) which companies tendered these applications, (c) how many applications have been granted and (d) which companies succeeded in the applications.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In the interests of commercial confidentiality, we do not disclose details about export licences that have been issued. Given constant changes in procedures for submitting applications to the Iraq sanctions committee throughout the lifetime of the regime, the other information requested could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom policy of the statement by the Russian foreign Minister concerning the lifting of sanctions against Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Despite the efforts of the Russian Foreign Minister, Iraq has still not recognised the sovereignty of Kuwait or the Iraq-Kuwait border as demarcated by the United Nations.

  There can be no question of lifting sanctions until Iraq complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions.

  Gough Island
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to establish Gough island in the Tristan da Cunha group as a world heritage site.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have applied for Gough island's nomination for inclusion in the list of world heritage sites under the world heritage convention. An application was
  923
  lodged with the world heritage committee of UNESCO in Paris on 12 October 1994.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet Libyan officials in Cairo about Lockerbie.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no such plans.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there have recently been sales of British tanks to Nigeria.

  Mr. Baldry
  Yes. Details about the export of tanks can be found in the UK return to the UN register of conventional arms, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House. However, in December 1993 we and our European Union partners announced a series of measures against the Nigerian military Government, including restrictions on new export licence applications for defence equipment. Since that time, no new export licences have been granted for the supply of lethal equipment to the Nigerian armed forces.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  CERN
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to decide on the United Kingdom's future contribution to CERN; what estimates he has made as to how much it will be; what will be the cost for the other countries involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The United Kingdom's contribution to CERN is fixed by an agreed formula based on member states' GNP. The United Kingdom contribution for the 1994 is about £60.5 million. The contributions of all member states for 1994 are shown in the following table. The budgetary process for 1995 is underway and in the current CERN draft budget the United Kingdom's contribution is estimated to be of the order of £64 million.

  Membership of CERN remains a high priority for the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, which pays the United Kingdom's contribution. The full programme of work at CERN complements domestic particle physics research in the United Kingdom.

  Research Councils (Redundancies)
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the current expenditure for each of the research councils on past redundancies.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  In the financial year 1993–94 the research councils then in existence incurred the following costs associated with redundancies (including early retirements and restructuring):

  £ million

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  5·76

  Economic and Social Research Council

  0·02

  924

  £ million

  Medical Research Council

  4·00

  Natural Environment Research Council

  2·60

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  2·30

  Total

  £14·68

  These figures include both payments in respect of departures in 1993–94 and ongoing payments in respect of earlier departures.

  On 1 April 1994 the research council system was reorganised. The Agricultural and Food Research Council and the Science and Engineering Research Council ceased to exist and three new research councils came into being—the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The total expenditure by the research councils in 1994–95 on redundancies, as defined herein is currently estimated at around £16 million.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give a breakdown of people currently holding public appointments in terms of(a) age, (b) sex, (c) race and (d) the region in which they live.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of public appointments made by his Department were held by women at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  At 1 September, 28 per cent. of appointments to public bodies were held by women. Further details are available in "Public Bodies 1993", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Statistics about the number of public appointments held by women at 1 September 1994 are still being collected, and will be published at the end of the year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list each public opinion survey commissioned by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies since 1 October 1992, showing for each the subject, objectives, total costs, the period in which it was conducted and the organisation from which it was commissioned.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information has been placed in the Library.

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

  Sir John Wheeler
  No record is kept of such estimates.

  Prosecution Costs
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the arrest,
  925
  prosecution and appeal for Neil Latimer, Noel Bell, Jim Hegen and Winston Allen since 1983; and how much money it has cost the state to pursue this matter.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Post
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The amount spent on postage by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments in the last five years is:

  £

  1989–90

  4,231,360

  1990–91

  4,884,984

  1991–92

  6,059,985

  1992–93

  6,387,424

  1993–94

  6,889,320

  The Northern Ireland Office can provide information only for 1993–94. Computerised records are not held for the previous years and many of the manual records have been fire damaged.

  No statistics are available on the number of items posted.

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

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies 1993", copies of which are available in the Library, gives a figure of 30 per cent. of public appointments in Northern Ireland being held by women. The 1994 figures are still being collected and will be announced in due course.

  Irish Language
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new proposals he has to promote and support the Irish language.

  Sir John Wheeler
  A draft order will shortly be laid before Parliament which will include a power to enable district councils to erect street names in a second language other than English. In practice, the second language is most likely to be Irish.

  Classical Swine Fever
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Ancram
  There have been no cases of classical swine fever recorded in Northern Ireland since 1985.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Members' Interests
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will recommend the addition of a new requirement from hon. Members to register the amounts paid to them from all sources for parliamentary work in the Register of Members' Interests.

  Mr. Newton
  This is a matter for the Select Committee on Members' Interests. The hon. Member can, if he wishes, make a formal proposal to the Committee.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Charging Practice
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps have been taken this year to improve charging practice.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service and the police have together set up a charging standards group to develop joint guidance to assist police officers when instituting criminal proceedings to select the most appropriate charge.

  Prosecution of Summary Offences
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to review the costs of, and time taken for, preparation of prosecution cases for summary offences.

  The Attorney-General
  The police and Crown Prosecution Service are participating in a pilot study in six police forces on the production of abbreviated files.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has for allowing barristers employed by the Crown Prosecution Service to have rights of audience to act for it.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service is pursuing its application to the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee for rights of audience in the higher courts. The decision is a matter for the Lord Chancellor and the designated judges.

  Brendan Smyth
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Attorney-General on what dates and to what extent representations were made to the Irish Attorney-General about the delay in responding to the RUC's warrant for the extradition of Brendan Smyth; what reasons were offered; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I understand that the Minister for Justice answered a question on this case in the Dail on 25 October 1994.

  Officials of my Department regularly communicate with the Irish Attorney-General's Office about cases where a request for extradition to the United Kingdom has been made. This case figured in such contacts before it became apparent, in November 1993, that there was a

  927
  prospect of Brendan Smyth coming voluntarily to Northern Ireland to face trial.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Attorney-General how long it took to effect the extradition of Brendan Smyth from the Irish Republic following the consideration of the RUC's request in the appropriate Irish court.

  The Attorney-General
  On 29 April 1993, the RUC delivered to the Garda warrants for the arrest of Brendan Smyth and a request for his extradition. Extradition proceedings were not instituted in the Irish courts before he came to Northern Ireland of his own volition, appearing in court there on 21 January 1994.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Attorney-General how long the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic took to initiate the appropriate judicial and courts process in response to the RUC's extradition warrant for Brendan Smyth.

  The Attorney-General
  The hon. Member is referred to my previous answers.

EDUCATION

  Cornish Language
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to increase resources that are available to promote the teaching of the Cornish language.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend does not make resources available specifically for this purpose. Schools are, of course, free to provide teaching in the Cornish language from within their general resources, if there is demand.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been made; and at what cost;

  (2) what were the production costs of the videotape promoting opt-out schools;

  (3) how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been distributed; to whom; and at what cost.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The videotape, "Our Children, Our Choice", provides factual information on grant-maintained status through the experience of four schools. The production costs were some £48,000, and 10,000 copies have been made at a further cost of £16,000. Between June and September this year about 3,500 copies were distributed, including 500 which were sent to grant-maintained headteachers and governors. The remainder are being made available at the Department's "Going GM" conferences or in response to requests from schools and the public. The videotape frequently forms part of a larger order for publications about grant-maintained status and it is therefore not possible to identify specific distribution costs.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications have so far been considered by her Department from schools seeking grant-maintained status; how many such applications are currently under consideration; and what is the normal 928
  length of time taken for the processing of such applications.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A total of 1,125 schools have so far applied for grant-maintained status. Of these applications, 28 are currently being considered by the Department.

  Applications are processed, on average, within about two months of the end of the statutory period for submission of objections. That average time would be shorter but for the minority of difficult cases requiring prolonged consideration, for example where the local education authority has published conflicting proposals affecting the school.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which Department or office provides the inspectors who visit schools at her behest when considering applications for grant-maintained status; how long on average it takes inspectors to provide a report on their visit; how many such reports in total are currently awaited by her Department; and what steps she is taking to ensure the speedy and efficient delivery of such reports in the future.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Schools applying for grant-maintained status are visited by inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education. No record is kept of the average time it takes for inspectors to provide a report of their visit but reports are normally provided speedily. Where the period following the publication of proposals includes school holidays during which the school cannot be visited, the process inevitably takes longer. Eleven reports on applications for grant-maintained status are currently awaited by the Department. Both Ofsted and the Department keep their procedures under continuous review to ensure that they are as efficient as possible.

  Chinese Students
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 24 October,Official Report, column 416, if she will make it her policy to increase the funding available to Chinese students.

  Mr. Boswell
  The answer that I gave on 24 October should have said that Chinese students will receive a total of £3·174 million funding in financial year 1994–95 under the overseas research students awards scheme funded through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, as well as £1·136 million funding from FCO, ODA and British Council scholarship schemes for overseas students during the same period. However, it is not possible to identify how much of this funding will benefit students who wish to study English with the aim of becoming translators. The ORSAS awards are available on a competitive basis to students of outstanding merit and no account is taken of nationality. We do not intend to increase the amount of funding to students from any particular nation. Decisions on any increases in other schemes would be taken by FCO, ODA and the British Council.

  Teachers
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what recent representations she has received from teaching unions about the difficulties faced by their members when subjected to unsubstantiated
  929
  allegations of physical or sexual abuse of pupils; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what steps are taken by her Department to protect teachers against the effect of false allegations of physical and sexual abuse upon pupils;

  (3) how many complaints were made in the latest year for which figures are available alleging physical or sexual abuse of pupils by teachers; how many of those complaints are expected to lead to criminal charges being laid; and what plans she has to review guidelines in this area;

  (4) what compensation is made available to teachers who are unable to continue their careers following unsubstantiated, false and malicious allegations of physical or sexual abuse by pupils; and what plans she has to review policy in this area.

  Mr. Forth
  My officials and I have held a number of meetings in the last 12 months with representatives of the National Union of Teachers, the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the Professional Association of Teachers, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Secondary Heads Association to discuss allegations of abuse against their members. The Department is now considering what new guidance might be issued about child protection and allegations of abuse. No comprehensive figures are available of the number of allegations of physical or sexual abuse made against teachers, or of how many of these lead to criminal charges. A recent survey relating to misconduct more generally suggested that while only 7 per cent. of allegations in 1992–93 had led to conviction for a criminal offence, a further 40 per cent. had been found substantiated and resulted in disciplinary action. Compensation where allegations are shown to be unfounded is in the first place a matter for employers.

  Grant for education support and training Programme
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list for 1992–93 and 1993–94, the amount spent in each London borough, with a total for each training and enterprise council area, under the part of the grant for education support and training programme now incorporated into the single regeneration budget, and the amount allocated to be spent in 1994–95 on the same basis.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment gave to the hon. Member on Thursday 27 October 1994,Official Report, column 813.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Mine Clearance Operations
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training the Government provide to personnel involved in mine clearance operations in the removal of anti-personnel mines with self-neutralising or self-destruct mechanisms which have failed to self-neutralise or self-destruct; and if he will make a statement.
  930
  Mr. Baldry
  We fund a number of UN-sponsored operations, and operations of specialised non-governmental organisations which provide training applicable to the individual mines identified in their areas of operation.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being given to help non-government work in Rwanda.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since 6 April, we have specifically provided £15.5 million to non-governmental organisations implementing emergency relief programmes to displaced and refugee Rwandans.

  Somaliland
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the provision of development aid and assistance to the Republic of Somaliland by British and by international organisations including the European Union.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since May 1991 we have provided £5.3 million of humanitarian assistance to north-west Somalia. ODA established an NGO liaison and support office in Hargeisa in April.

  India
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet members or representatives of the Indian Government to discuss overseas aid.

  Mr. Baldry
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development plans to visit India from 4 to 8 December to see a number of our aid projects and discuss the aid programme with state and Government Ministers.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to extend the scope of the know-how funds in the Baltic states.

  Mr. Baldry
  The know-how fund in the Baltic states continues to provide rapid and flexible help for the reform process. It is very much welcomed by the countries concerned.

  Malaysia
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Malaysia to discuss aid with Ministers of the Malaysian Government.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current overseas development assistance is given to Sierra Leonne by Britain and the European Union; and if he will list the projects assisted by purpose, value and implementing body.

  Mr. Baldry
  In the current financial year, British aid is expected to amount to around £1.5 million on technical
  931
  assistance, plus £0.35 million on humanitarian aid. Further details are set out in the table.

  European Community assistance in 1993 was 20.4 mecu. This comprised: national indicative programme 11.9 mecu; structural adjustment support 2.3 mecu;

  United Kingdom Bilateral Aid Projects currently being implemented in Sierra Leone

  Project

  Purpose

  UK contribution £ Sterling

  Implementing Body

  Moyamba Health: Water & Sanitation

  Provision of clean water and sanitation to reduce diarrhoeal diseases

  977,800

  CARE (UK)

  Customs and Excise Adviser

  Assistance with customs revenue collection to improve economy

  281,000

  ODA

  ASYCUDA (Automated System of Customs Data)

  To increase customs efficiency and receipts and minimise risk of fraud

  140,000

  ODA/UNCTAD

  Income Tax Adviser

  Assistance with income tax collection to improve economy

  240,000

  ODA

  Police Training Adviser

  Provision of advice and training for Police Force to improve police efficiency

  440,000

  ODA

  Constitution

  Assistance with the drafting of new Government constitution, to help forward democratic process

  60,000

  ODA

  Energy Sector Review

  A review of woodfuels and household energy to identify options for improvement to satisfy current and future demands

  110,000

  ODA/World Bank

  Education Administration Advisers

  To advise on administration restructuring and financial management in Sierra Leone's Education Department

  32,000

  ODA

  Records Management Feasibility Study

  To prepare a project for the improvement of Public Administration records

  23,000

  Overseas Records Management Trust

  Economic Planning Workshop

  To review aid monitoring and management process in Department of Development and Economic Planning, and identify requirements for a Management Information System

  12,800

  The British Council

  Agricultural Certificate Training Centre, Njala

  Provision of advice, equipment, and UK training awards for Agricultural Training Centre

  297,000

  Berkshire College of Agriculture

  Good Government Fund

  Provision of advice and equipment to assist with progress towards democratic government

  100,000*

  ODA/The British High Commission

  United Kingdom Training Programme

  Provision of UK training awards for selected Sierr Leone citizens

  316,000 *

  The British Council

  Heads of Mission Gift Scheme

  Provision of developmentally useful gifts to local institutions

  20,000*

  The British High Commission

  Heads of Mission Small Projects Scheme

  Provision of developmentally useful small projects to local communities and institutions

  40,000*

  The British High Commission

  Emergency Humanitarian Aid (1994–95)

  Red Cross Emergency Relief Operation

  Provision of emergency medical supplies and health education programmes to displaced persons in Kenema, Mogbosi, Bomboli and Tomkolili districts

  200,000

  British and Sierra Leone Red Cross Societies

  932
  STABEX—agricultural commodity income support programme—3.4 mecu; other 2.8 mecu.

  Further details may be found in the 1993 annual report on co-operation between the European Union and the Republic of Sierra Leone, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
  933

  United Kingdom Bilateral Aid Projects currently being implemented in Sierra Leone

  Project

  Purpose

  UK Contribution £ Sterling

  Implementing Body

  Relief Supplies for Displaced Persons

  Distribution of emergency food, medical supplies and clothing for displaced persons in Moyamba district

  60,500

  Plan International (United Kingdom)

  Emergency Health Facilities and Medical Supplies for Displaced Persons' Camps

  Provision of emergency health facilities and medical supplies to camps in Gonduma, Gerihun, Bo and Kenema

  91,000

  Concern Universal

  * Allocations for 1994–95

  Palestine
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with the Palestinian national authority in establishing satisfactory forms of financial accountability that allow the efficient and effective disbursement of aid.

  Mr. Baldry
  Agreement has been reached with the Palestinian authority on a mechanism for the proper and efficient disbursement of the £3 million which we are providing towards Palestinian police salaries. The United Nations works and relief agency, which has long experience of paying salaries under conditions that are subject to audit, is being used as paying agent.

  In addition, United Kingdom consultants working with the Palestinian authorities monitor payments and check that the correct amounts are paid to the police officers.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give a progress report on the use of British aid to help the Palestinians on the West Bank and in Gaza.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have pledged £75 million in aid for the Palestinians and in support of the peace process, for the three years 1994–95 to 1996–97. Most of this will be channelled through the programmes of the European Community. The EC has fully committed its programme for this year. Some of our aid will go through the United Nations relief and works agency, to which we have provided £6 million this year.

  Our bilateral programme has spent £3.5 million so far this financial year. The projects include support for the police, the water sector and health care.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the international donors' meeting in Paris between 6 and 9 September at which the disbursement of aid to the Palestinian national authority was discussed.

  Mr. Baldry
  The international donors' meeting in Paris between 6 and 9 September was postponed due to bilateral political issues. No new date for such a meeting has been set.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the current humanitarian needs in Sudan.

  Mr. Baldry
  Harvest prospects are good in most parts of the country, although localised areas of need will remain. United Nations agencies are currently completing 934
  an assessment of humanitarian needs for 1995. The conclusions are expected to be made available shortly.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which parts of Sudan are currently inaccessible to international humanitarian relief organisations.

  Mr. Baldry
  Operation Lifeline Sudan was refused access in September to four of the 77 destinations designated as relief distribution centres: Boma, Kongor, Nimule and Pariang. These are all located in areas of military activity. Access to the Nuba Mountains is as described in my answer of 25 October 1994,Official Report, column 546.

  Yemen
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had in relation to the suspension of Britain's overseas aid to the Yemen.

  Mr. Baldry
  The outbreak of civil war made it impossible to continue with our aid projects. The decision to suspend our bilateral programme was taken at ministerial level. Aid funds were channelled instead to the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide humanitarian relief.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action his Department has taken to protect rain forests.

  Mr. Baldry
  Our policy is to help and encourage countries with rain forests to manage them sustainably. The Overseas Development Administration has around 200 forestry projects in progress or under consideration, at an expected cost to the aid programme of about £157 million. In July we hosted with the Government of India an international workshop in New Delhi which successfully agreed a standard format for countries to use to report to the United Nations commission on sustainable development on progress in implementing the forest principles agreed at the 1992 earth summit.

  Know-How Funds
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the know-how fund projects that have been used for the production or promotion of(a) alcoholic drinks and (b) tobacco products.
  935
  Mr. Baldry
  No know-how fund projects have addressed directly the production or promotion of alcoholic drinks. Privatisation programmes in Hungary and Romania have included advice on the privatisation of breweries and one project in Bulgaria will advise the management of a brewery on an employee buy-out. A visit by a Georgian trade team to Britain, to help develop their export potential, included a component on the management and marketing of wine. Nine managers who have undertaken attachments to United Kingdom companies under a scheme to increase management experience have come from or been attached to companies with some interest in alcoholic drinks. This scheme has, since 1990, brought more than 650 managers to the United Kingdom. Two pre-investment feasibility studies have concerned firms involved in the alcoholic beverages sector.

  On tobacco products, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend, the Member for Morecombe and Lunesdale (Sir M. Lennox-Boyd) on 25 March 1993, Official Report, column 654. No managerial attachments involving the tobacco sector have taken place since then, nor has any other support to tobacco sector projects been provided from the know-how fund.

  Aid
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used to determine whether United Kingdom funding of aid projects will promote the economic development of the recipient country.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers that I gave to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 26 October 1994 at column 713.

EMPLOYMENT

  Whitland and Longridge Creameries
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has imposed a request for a 90-day consultation period with the relevant trade unions at the Whitland and Longridge creameries following the announcement of 156 and 102 staff redundancies at the two creameries on 21 October.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Statutory arrangements concerning redundancy consultation are set out in part IV, chapter II of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. These arrangements provide for application to an industrial tribunal by a recognised trade union where it is alleged that the employer has not complied with the requirements.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the types of special reasons approved by his Department under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 which set aside the requirement for 90 days' consultation with the relevant trade union when more than 100 staff were made redundant.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  It is for an industrial tribunal to determine whether there are "special circumstances" justifying an employer's failure fully to comply with the 936
  duty to consult trade union representatives about proposed redundancies.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what date he was informed by Dairy Crest that it intended to make 156 staff redundant at its Whitland creamery in Dyfed and 102 staff redundant at its Longridge creamery in Lancashire.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information contained in statutory redundancy notifications is supplied in confidence.

DEFENCE

  Armed Forces (Cyprus)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were made in each of the past two years against members of the British forces serving in Cyprus.

  Mr. Soames
  Complaints against members of British forces in Cyprus can be made to a number of agencies. The information requested is not therefore held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving members of the British forces in Cyprus have been sent home to the United Kingdom following disciplinary procedures in each of the past two years.

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of disciplinary cases heard against members of the British forces in Cyprus, the number upheld, the nature of those complaints and the consequent sentence, for each of the past two years.

  Mr. Soames
  Information about the number of disciplinary cases heard against members of the British forces in Cyprus is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, central records are held of courts martial and of cases heard in Cypriot civil courts or the sovereign base area court where, if found guilty, service personnel may receive a penal sentence. A breakdown of these cases over the last two years is as follows:

  Number

  Charge

  Finding/sentence

  1993

  1

  Unauthorised phone calls

  Guilty - reduced in rank

  1

  Attempted arson/arson

  Guilty - three-year custodial sentence and dismissed from HM Forces

  1

  Common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm (OABH)

  Guilty - eight months' detention

  4

  Assault OABH

  All Guilty -six months' detention -nine months' detention -Reduced in rank and stoppages of pay £400 -nine months' detention and stoppages of pay £250

  937

  Number

  Charge

  Finding/sentence

  1

  Obtaining property by deception, avoiding liability by deception forgery

  Not Guilty

  1

  Theft

  Guilty - 56 days' detention and reduced in rank

  1994

  1

  Fraud

  Guilty - 4 months' imprisonment

  1

  Criminal damage

  Guilty - eight months' imprisonment

  1

  Improperly entering the female accommodation

  Guilty - Reduced in rank

  1

  False accounting

  Guilty - Reduced in rank, six months detention and dismissed from HM forces

  1

  Common assault and assault OABH

  Guilty - 112 days' detention and stoppages of pay £300

  3

  Drink-related driving offences

  All Guilty - Fined £150-Fined £600-Fined £500

  2

  Disobedience to standing orders

  Guilty - 28 days' detention

  1

  Assault OABH

  Guilty - seven months' detention and stoppages of pay £250

  1

  Assault OABH

  Not guilty

  1

  Failing to provide a specimen of breath after an accident

  Not guilty

  1

  Theft

  Guilty - Fined £400

  2

  Absenće without leave

  Both guilty - 112 days' detention - five months' detention

  1

  Wounding

  Guilty - Fined £2000

  1

  Theft, false instrument and forgery

  Guilty - six months' detention and stoppages of pay £1,448 90p

  1

  Common assault and drunkenness

  Guilty - Reduced in rank

  Note:

  Figures exclude cases heard in Cyprus but where the offence was committed elsewhere.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and nature of complaints made in each of the past two years against members of the British forces in Cyprus; and how many recorded cases there have been of assualt, criminal damage, rape, attempted rape, grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm.

  Mr. Soames
  Information about the number and nature of complaints against members of the British forces in Cyprus is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, central records are held of courts martial and of cases heard by a civilian court or the sovereign base area court where, if found guilty, service personnel may receive a penal sentence. Details of cases in the categories requested which have been heard in the last years are as follows:

  1993

  1994

  Criminal damage

  —

  1

  Common assault and drunkeness

  —

  1

  Common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm

  1

  1

  938

  1993

  1994

  Assault occasioning actual bodily harm

  4

  12

  Grievous bodily harm

  —

  —

  Rape

  —

  —

  Attempted rape

  —

  —

  Figures exclude cases where the court martial was held in Cyprus but the offence was committed elsewhere.

  Note:

  1 In one of these cases the verdict was not guilty.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and rank of those members of the British forces stationed in Cyprus who have been court martialled either while on the island or in the United Kingdom in each of the past two years.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is as follows:

  1993

  1994 (to date)

  1 Sergeant

  1 Lieutenant1

  1 Corporal

  1 Flying officer

  2 Senior aircraftmen

  1 Master air load master

  5 Private soldiers

  1 Staff sergeant

  4 Corporals2

  1 Lance-corporal

  1 Senior aircraftmen

  7 Private soldiers

  Figures exclude cases where the court martial was held in Cyprus but the offence was committed elsewhere.

  Note:

  1 Found not guilty.

  2 One of the corporals found not guilty.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 17 October,Official Report, column 40, what action he has taken to examine allegations about Gulf war syndrome sickness.

  Mr. Soames
  A medical assessment programme has been established for all former Gulf personnel who have come forward with concerns about their health. As part of the assessment they are given a very detailed medical examination consisting of tests and investigations tailored to the patient's medical and occupational history, their reported symptoms and clinical signs. In addition to clinical information gained through these assessments, we are kept informed of relevant developments by former Gulf allies, including the findings of the ongoing American medical assessment programme for United States Gulf veterans.

  Information from the medical assessment programme and from other recognised scientific sources is reviewed by medical and scientific experts in my Department covering a range of specialities, including general medicine, occupational medicine, public health medicine, pathology and psychiatry. These investigations have produced no evidence of any medical condition peculiar to service in the Gulf.

  Arms Sales (Indonesia)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to sell Scorpion tanks and further Hawk aircraft to Indonesia.
  939
  Mr. Freeman
  A commercial contract was concluded by industry last year for a further 24 Hawk aircraft to Indonesia. No further Hawk contract has been signed. I also understand that no contract for Scorpion vehicles has yet been signed by Industry. Details of negotiations are commercially confidential between the customer and supplier, but the 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 considerations.

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

  Mr. Soames
  My Department makes no record of this information.

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

  Mr Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to "Public Bodies 1993", which shows the number of women serving on MOD non-departmental public bodies. The 1994 figures are still being collated and will be announced in due course.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Residence Permits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average processing time of his Department is in respect of applications for(a) residence permits for migrant citizens of the European Union and (b) residence documents of their third country national family members, as at October 1994; and what it was in October 1993.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information available on processing times for deciding applications for residence documents during October 1993 and September 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, is as follows:

  Residence permits

  Residence documents

  October 1993

  67 per cent. within one month

  48 per cent. within one month

  85 per cent. within two months

  74 per cent. within two months

  98 per cent. within six months

  96 per cent. within six months

  September 1994

  57 per cent. within one month

  38 per cent. within one month

  77 per cent. within two months

  57 per cent. within two months

  98 per cent. within six months

  86 per cent. within six months

  In consequence of the European Economic Area agreement the figures for September 1994 include applications relating to nationals of Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as well as European Union nationals.
  940
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest period during which an application for(a) residence permits for a migrant citizen of the European Union and (b) a residence document for the third country national family member of such a person has been outstanding as at October 1994.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  As at 1 October 1994, the longest period for which a residence permit application had been outstanding was 10 months and the longest period for a residence document application 46 months.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made since July in respect of returning to British jurisdiction fugitives from justice resident in Turkish—occupied Cyprus.

  Mr. Maclean
  The situation which existed in July remains unchanged. We have an extradition arrangement with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, whose writ does not run in the north of the island. We do not recognise northern Cyprus as a separate state. We have made it clear to the Turkish Cypriot "authorities" that we shall continue to press for the return of fugitives resident there.

  Doncaster Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at Doncaster prison since 20 June to the latest available date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: 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 Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a list of incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at Doncaster prison from 20 June to the latest available date.
  Incidents reported by establishments to Prison Service Headquarters fall into the two categories of "major" or "minor" as defined in Prison Service Circular Instruction 18/1988. Details of incidents reported by Doncaster during the period in question are attached.

  Major Incidents From 20 June 1994 to 30 September 1994: HMP Doncaster
  ESCAPES
  10 August 1994
  An unsentenced prisoner charged with criminal damage, escaped posing as a visitor. A visitor who then tried to leave was stopped as the photo image machine revealed a discrepancy. The police were called and the visitor arrested. Police enquiries resulted in the prisoner being recaptured within 30 minutes.
  MAJOR ASSAULTS
  28 July 1994
  One prisoner attacked another, punching him about the head and body with his fists. Minor injuries were treated in the prison Health Care Centre.
  22 August 1994
  One prisoner was attacked by several unknown assailants. There were no serious injuries. He was treated in the prison Health Care Centre.
  22 August 1994
  One prisoner was attacked by three unknown assailants. There were minor injuries, which were treated in the prison Health Care Centre.
  25 August 1994
  A prisoner was arguing with a custody officer and suddenly punched the officer on the shoulder. There were minor injuries but no treatment was required.
  26 August 1994
  One prisoner was attacked by two other prisoners in an argument over property. There were minor injuries which were treated in the Health Care Centre.
  27 August 1994
  One prisoner was punched and kicked by two other prisoners. Minor injuries were treated in the Health Care Centre.
  DEATH OF A PRISONER/SUICIDE
  16 August 1994
  A young offender serving two years eight months for wounding, with a release date of 12 June 1995, was found hanging from the cell window bars at 0055 hours. He was cut down and medical assistance was called. He was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary but died in hospital at 1230 hours.
  16 September 1994
  A prisoner was found by his cell mate hanging from his bunk bed by means of a ligature fashioned from boot laces. Attempts to resuscitate him failed.
  FIRE
  27 July 1994
  A prisoner, located in the Segregation Unit, set fire to his bedding and required outside hospital treatment.
  4 August 1994
  Prisoners on 1A Wing were evacuated when a fire broke out in the shower area. The fire was put out and the prisoners returned to the wing.
  CONCERTED INDISCIPLINE
  6 July 1994
  A number of prisoners refused orders to lock up. They threw rubbish about and confronted staff. After one and three quarter hours they were located in their cells without force being used.
  2 August 1994
  About 30 prisoners forced open a gate lock allowing them access to the perimeter walkway. Full incident procedures followed. Staff gained Control and all prisoners were locked away 45 minutes later.
  13 August 1994
  About 15 prisoners refused to return to their cells at lock up. Some armed themselves with blunt instruments and attempted to build a barricade. Control and Restraint teams were deployed but the incident was resolved without the use of force.
  16 August 1994
  A number of prisoners refused to return to their cells. Minor damage was caused. They went to their cells an hour later. Four prisoners were located in the Segregation Unit.
  22 August 1994
  A number of prisoners damaged equipment and fittings on C Wing and set several fires in recesses and cells. The wing was evacuated and staff extinguished the fires. No injuries were reported and damage was minimal.
  29 August 1994
  A series of acts of indiscipline occurred on Houseblock 3 during the evening, including the barricading of a television room. The wing returned to normal following talks with the prisoners.
  3 September 1994
  Five prisoners refused to leave the exercise yard. They set fire to rubbish in the yard which was extinguished by staff. One prisoner was located in the Segregation Unit.
  8 September 1994
  Prisoners on A Wing refused to return to their cells at normal lock up time. They attempted to build barricades. Staff negotiated with them and they returned to their cells.
  10 September 1994
  A number of prisoners refused to return to their cells at lock up because they wanted to watch boxing on television. All prisoners returned to their cells 50 minutes later.
  KEY/LOCK COMPROMISE
  21 August 1994
  A number of prisoners kicked down a wooden door in the gymnasium and removed the lock. The lock was returned to staff the next morning. The Director and Controller were satisfied that the lock had not been tampered with.
  MAJOR MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS
  8 July 1994
  A quantity of amitryptaline was taken from the hospital trolley. Neither the tablets nor the container was found.
  6 August 1994
  A prisoner complained about the canteen prices and then went on to damage windows in the observation room.
  17 August 1994
  A prisoner was released in error at Barnsley Magistrates' Court. There was an outstanding warrant to Sheffield Crown Court.

  Drug Incidents

  Date of Incident

  Type of Drug/Equipment

  How Found

  17 July 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of visitor

  22 July 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of visitor

  8 August 1994

  Heroin

  Cell search

  13 August 1994

  Heroin

  Cell search

  14 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Information received

  21 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of visitor

  22 September 1994

  Amphetamines

  Cell search

  22 September 1994

  Cocaine

  Cell search

  24 September 1994

  Cocaine

  Property search

  24 September 1994

  Cocaine

  Cell search

  Minor Incidents1 from 20 June 1994 to 30 September 1994: HMP Doncaster

  Number

  Minor assaults

  20

  Attempted suicides

  10

  Minor fires

  4

  Barricade in cell

  1

  Tool loss

  1

  Miscellaneous minor incidents

  12

  1 Minor incidents are not reported with the same detail as major incidents.

  Blackenhurst Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at Blakenhurst prison since 22 May 1993 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: 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.
  943
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a list of incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at Blakenhurst prison, from 22 May 1993 to the latest available date.
  Incidents reported by establishments to Prison Service Headquarters fall into two categories of "major" or "minor" as defined in Prison Service Circular Instruction 18/1988. Details of incidents reported by Blakenhurst during the period in question are attached.

  Major Incidents from 22 May 1993 to 30 September 94: HMP Blakenhurst
  ESCAPES
  28 October 1993
  After a visit, a prisoner charged with possession of drugs with intent to supply, escaped disguised as a visitor. He was recaptured on 10 November 1993.
  5 December 1993
  After a visit, a prisoner charged with robbery, escaped from the establishment disguised as a visitor. He was recaptured on 31 December 1993.
  ESCAPES FROM ESCORTS
  13 October 1993
  An unsentenced adult prisoner charged with burglary and attempted burglary, escaped from custody at his father's funeral. He had been released from his handcuffs when he escaped. He was recaptured on 18 November 1993.
  23 December 1993
  A prisoner charged with child abduction, was admitted to Alexander Hospital in Redditch after having swallowed various items. At 0620 hrs, during a change over of escorting staff, the staff left the room to brief the staff coming on duty. The prisoner escaped by jumping from the window, which was about 20 feet above ground. He was recaptured on 27 December 1993.
  15 March 1994
  An unsentenced adult prisoner charged with threatening behaviour, escaped from escort by running off through the courtyard of Oldbury Magistrates' Court. He was recaptured on 30 March 1994.
  MAJOR ASSAULTS
  26 June 1993
  A prisoner assaulted a police officer in the reception area, punching him on the head and body. The officer was treated in outside hospital.
  21 July 1993
  Two prisoners assaulted a custody officer and then punched a second custody officer who had gone to assist. No treatment was required.
  8 September 1993
  One prisoner was attacked by another prisoner using a pool cue. He was treated in the Health Care Centre.
  24 September 1993
  A prisoner attacked two custody officers striking one on the head rendering him unconscious. He was treated in outside hospital.
  3 October 1993
  A prisoner was punched in the face by another prisoner causing bruising to left eye socket. He was treated in the Health Care Centre.
  3 October 1993
  A prisoner was punched on the head by another prisoner causing bruising. He was treated in the Health Care Centre.
  9 October 1993
  Three prisoners threw a table and chair at a custody officer causing bruising to his body. He was treated in outside hospital.
  9 October 1993
  Several prisoners attacked a custody officer punching and kicking him causing bruising to his body. He was treated in outside hospital.
  23 December 1993
  A custody officer was headbutted and punched by a prisoner. He sustained a minor injury and no treatment required.
  23 December 1993
  A prisoner was attacked with a sharp implement by an unknown assailant. Treated in the Health Care Centre for lacerations.
  16 January 1994
  A prisoner was attacked by an unknown assailant causing injury to his face and jaw. He was treated in outside hospital.
  28 February 1994
  A prisoner was assaulted by several unknown assailants sustaining injury to his head and jaw. He was admitted to outside hospital for treatment.
  30 May 1994
  A prisoner was assaulted by three other prisoners. No injuries were sustained and no treatment was required.
  29 June 1994
  A prisoner was attached by other prisoners with a blunt instrument causing facial injuries. He was treated in outside hospital.
  12 July 1994
  A prisoner punched a custody officer in the face causing bruising. No treatment was required.
  4 August 1994
  A prisoner headbutted a custody officer who suffered slight concussion. He was treated in outside hospital.
  13 August 1994
  A prisoner punched a custody officer in the face causing a bleeding nose. No treatment was required.
  13 August 1994
  A prisoner headbutted a custody officer who sustained a split lip. No treatment was required.
  9 September 1994
  A prisoner assaulted two custody officers. No injuries were sustained.
  DEATH OF PRISONER
  19 September 1994
  A civil prisoner charged with failing to pay community charge with a release date of 20 September 1994, was found collapsed in his cell. He was pronounced dead by the doctor; it is believed he died from a heart attack.
  CONCERTED INDISCIPLINE
  9 August 1993
  Approximately 50 prisoners refused to return to their cells in protest about the food. The imminent transfer of prisoners to training prisons was also thought to have been an issue.
  13 September 1993
  At about 21.00 hours, 62 remand prisoners tagged a passive demonstration by refusing to return to their cells. They made a number of complaints but returned to their cells at 23.45 hours having received an undertaking that their grievances would be heard through the normal channels
  20 September 1993
  A large number of prisoners would not go to their cells at the end of the day. Finally, all were locked in their cells an hour later.
  9 October 1993
  Fourteen prisoners refused to leave the television room in protest. about the re-location of prisoners involved in assaults on staff which had occurred that day. The situation was resolved 1½ hours later when a prisoner was located in the Segregation Unit and the remaining prisoners returned to their cells.
  31 December 1993
  At lock up time in the evening, 35 prisoners from Houseblock 3 refused to return to their cells and passively waited for midnight. At 00.15 hours, all prisoners were in their cells.
  10 February 1994
  At about 21.30 hours, 80 unconvicted prisoners refused to lock up. The protest was about the evening meal they had received. Gradually, they returned to their cells without the use of force.
  24 February 1994
  At 15.00 hours, about 150 prisoners took control of Houseblock 3. Most of the staff withdrew, leaving 3 prison custody officers in the houseblock in possession of their keys. The staff were released by the prisoners 15 minutes later unharmed. A set of keys were taken

  945
  by the prisoners. Negotiations continued throughout and during the evening prisoners began to return to their cells. All the prisoners were fed and locked up by 21.30 hours. The missing keys were recovered.
  23 June 1994
  At tea-time, 17 prisoners on C Spur of Brendan House refused to lock up. Following discussions, all had returned to their cells by 22.00 hours.
  5 September 1994
  About 25 prisoners refused their breakfast in protest about the forcible removal of a prisoner to court. There was a small cell fire and a minor assault on an officer. Staff spoke to prisoners and lunch was taken as normal.
  ROOFTOP DEMONSTRATIONS
  23 September 1993
  At 1755 hrs, during exercise, an unsentenced adult prisoner gained access to the roof where he remained until 2000 hrs.
  September At 1655 hrs, during exercise, an unsentenced adult prisoner gained access to the Segregation Unit roof where he remained until 2045 hrs. He was protesting about being segregated.
  KEY/LOCK COMPROMISE
  17 June 1993
  A photograph appeared in a local newspaper in which the keys of a member of staff were prominent. Although it was not thought that there had been a compromise, all Class 1 locks were replaced and all Class 3 locks relevered.
  24 February 1994
  A set of keys was forcibly removed from a member of staff through the act of concerted indiscipline of 24 February 1994. They were returned to another member of staff. Although it was not thought that they had been removed to be copied, they were sent for forensic testing.
  TOOL/IMPLEMENT LOSS
  1 October 1993
  At 0800 hrs, a knife with a 4" blade was found to be missing from the kitchen. A full search of the prison took place and the knife was found in the toilet area of Houseblock 1.
  MAJOR MISCELLANEOUS
  16 August 1993
  A prisoner was produced at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court. Police inadvertently released him after his appearance.
  6 September 1993
  A member of staff working in education misplaced a UHF radio set. A thorough search of the area was unsuccessful. Acting on information, the radio was found 45 minutes later. It is believed prisoners took it as a practical joke.
  4 May 1994
  A prisoner serving 5 years for attempted robbery with a release date of 1 August 1995, was being transferred to HMP Wymott when he cut his wrist with a blade. He had been strip searched prior to his transfer. First aid was administered by staff on the escort and further medical attention given on arrival at Wymott.
  13 July 1994
  A group of about 15 prisoners shouted abuse at staff and then lit 4 small fires. These were extinguished and the fire brigade attended. The incident lasted 30 minutes.

  Drug Incidents

  Date of Incident

  Type of Drug/Equipment

  How Found

  13 July 1993

  Pipes

  Cell search

  14 July 1993

  Not specified

  Cell search

  17 July 1993

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  8 June 1993

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  946

  Drug Incidents

  Date of Incident

  Type of Drug/Equipment

  How Found

  10 June 1993

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  22 June 1993

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  1 July 1993

  Cannabis

  Observation

  21 August 1993

  Syringe

  Not specified

  30 August 1993

  Heroin

  Wing search

  4 September 1993

  Pipes

  Cell search

  8 September 1994

  Pipes

  Wing search

  9 September 1993

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  17 September 1993

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  18 September 1993

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  19 September 1993

  Pipes

  Not specified

  23 September 1993

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  20 January 1994

  Cocaine

  Cell search

  22 March 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  26 May 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  30 May 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  1 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  2 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  2 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Wing search

  2 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  11 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  11 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Wing search

  14 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  19 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  22 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  10 July 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  17 July 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  25 July 1994

  Syringe

  Cell search

  11 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  19 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  20 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Observation

  21 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of inmate

  21 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  23 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  23 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  Minor Incidents1 From 22–5–93 to 30–9–94: HMP Blakenhurst

  Number

  Attempted escape from escort

  4

  Abscond

  1

  Fail to return from temporary release

  4

  Minor assaults

  104

  Attempted suicides

  9

  Minor fires

  23

  Tool loss

  5

  Miscellaneous minor incidents

  17

  1 Minor incidents are not reported with the same detail as major incidents.

  Prisoners (HIV)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have contracted AIDS/HIV in prison in each of the last five years.

  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. Paul Flynn, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about AIDS/HIV in prison. There is only one documented case of a prisoner who clearly became infected with HIV whilst within the prison system in England and Wales. This infection occurred in 1993.

  Asylum Applications
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of hours work involved in considering and deciding applications for asylum.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The amount of work involved in considering and deciding any individual asylum application is governed by a wide range of different factors, and no average figure of the kind requested is kept.

  Wolds Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at the Wolds prison since 6 April 1992 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: 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 Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a list of incidents, giving in each case the date, type of incident with brief details, and the outcome, at Manchester prison, from April 1994 to the latest available date.
  Incidents reported by establishments to Prison Service Headquarters fall into the two categories of "major" or "minor", as defined in Prison Service Circular Instruction 18/1988. Details of incidents reported by Manchester during the period in question are attached.

  Major incidents from April 1994 to 30 September 1994: HMP Manchester
  ESCAPE FROM ESCORTS
  26 July 1994
  An unsentenced prisoner, charged with driving whilst disqualified, slipped his handcuffs and escaped while leaving the escort bus at Rochdale Magistrates's Court. Officers chased him but failed to catch him. He was recaptured on 7 August 1994.
  DEATH OF AN PRISONER/SUICIDE
  12 May 1994
  An unsentenced prisoner, charged with robbery, was found in his cell hanging from a torn sheet. He was cut down and resuscitation was unsuccessfully attempted. He had not been thought to be a suicide risk.
  BOMB/EXPLOSION THREAT
  4 July 1994
  Three packages were x-rayed. The police were called arid the packages containing computer components were found to be harmless.
  MAJOR MISCELLANEOUS
  8 June 1994
  There was serious jamming of the prison radio network from an outside source, which had also occurred the previous day. The police investigated.
  30 July 1994
  An unsentenced prisoner, charged with rape, was released in error from court. He was recaptured by police and returned to the prison the same day.
  22 August 1994
  Acting on information, A Wing launderette was searched. A 30 foot length of plaited sheet, 3 hacksaw blades (not prison issue) and a set of floor plans for A Wing were found. The same day a large metal hook, suitable for escape, was found in a workshop. Other items such as makeshift screwdrivers, and illicit alcohol were also found. No prisoner could be connected to the escape equipment.
  948

  Drug incidents

  Date of incident

  Type of drug/equipment

  How found

  11 April 1994

  Cannabis plant

  Cell search

  9 June 1994

  Syringe

  Search of prisoner

  10 June 1994

  Barbiturates

  Search of prisoner

  13 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of prisoner

  23 June 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of prisoner

  25 June 1994

  Heroin/Syringe

  Cell search

  26 June 1994

  Syringe

  Cell search

  10 July 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of prisoner

  13 July 1994

  Syringe

  Cell search

  16 July 1994

  Heroin

  Search of prisoner

  23 July 1994

  Heroin

  Cell search

  23 July 1994

  Syringe

  Cell search

  23 July 1994

  Heroin

  Cell search

  6 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  8 August 1994

  Cannabis

  Observation

  16 August 1994

  Heroin

  Search of prisoner

  3 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Cell search

  3 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Wing search

  3 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Wing search

  3 September 1994

  Barbiturates

  Wing search

  3 September 1994

  Heroin

  Wing search

  4 September 1994

  Syringe

  Not specified

  15 September 1994

  Cannabis

  Search of prisoner

  18 September 1994

  syringe

  Wing search

  18 September 1994

  Heroin

  Wing search

  22 September 1994

  Syringe

  Observation

  22 September 1994

  Syringe

  Search of grounds

  23 September 1994

  Syringe

  Wing search

  Minor incidents1 from April 1994 to 30 September 1994: HMP Manchester

  Number

  Minor assaults

  12

  Attempted suicides

  3

  Absconds

  2

  Fail to return from temporary release

  4

  Miscellaneous minor incidents

  6

  Note:
  1 Minor incidents are not reported with the same detail as major incidents.

  Prison Service (Disputes)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many formally registered disputes or failures to agree there were between the Prison Officers Association and the Prison Service in each month in the last three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many formally registered disputes or failures to agree there were between the Prison Officers' Association and the Prison Service in each month in the last three years.
  The Schedule below shows the number of failures to agree listed by month. Most are not new disputes each month, as they may be in procedure for a number of weeks and will be carried over in the figures from month to month.
  The 93 currently in procedure relate to 56 establishments: there are no failures to agree at the remaining 78 establishments.

  949

  Number

  October 1991

  79

  November 1991

  66

  December 1991

  42

  January 1992

  37

  February 1992

  38

  March 1992

  36

  April 1992

  45

  May 1992

  46

  June 1992

  38

  July 1992

  41

  August 1992

  45

  September 1992

  39

  October 1992

  24

  November 1992

  26

  December 1992

  21

  January 1993

  17

  February 1993

  17

  March 1993

  19

  April 1993

  17

  May 1993

  19

  June 1993

  18

  July 1993

  27

  August 1993

  46

  September 1993

  63

  October 1993

  59

  November 1993

  52

  December 1993

  53

  January 1994

  64

  February 1994

  56

  March 1994

  66

  April 1994

  73

  May 1994

  71

  June 1994

  72

  July 1994

  88

  August 1994

  91

  September 1994

  93

  October 1994

  93

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Ali Al Fayed applied for British citizenship; (1) when he was interviewed by a police officer; when a decision was taken on his application; who took the final decision; what was the final decision; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed applied for British citizenship; when he was interviewed by a police officer; when a decision was taken on his application; who took the final decision; what was the final decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Mr. Ali Al Fayed submitted his application on 29 January 1993 and Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed on 15 February 1994. I do not propose to comment further on the detailed processing of their applications.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what formal or informal representations have been made to him or his ministerial colleagues, or any of his or their predecessors by hon. Members in respect of the applications for citizenship of Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed or Mr. Ali Al Fayed.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We have received representations from two right hon. or hon. Members about these applications. It is not our practice to disclose details about private communications.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the main requirements for a950
  person to satisfy currently before British citizenship is granted; what is the average waiting times between an application being accepted, interview by a detective police officer and a decision being taken to grant or refuse an application; and how many applications are currently awaiting decision.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen are set out in schedule 1 46 to the British Nationality Act 1981. For those applying on the basis of their residence in the United Kingdom they are that they were in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the period of five years ending with the date of the application; that they have not been absent for more than 450 days in this five year period, and for no more than 90 days in the last 12 months; that they have not been in breach of the immigration laws during the five years and have been free of any restriction under those laws on the period they might remain in the United Kingdom for 12 months; that they are of good character; that they have a sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language; and that they intend to make their principal home in the United Kingdom. For those applying on the basis of their marriage to a British citizen the qualifying period is three years with no more than 270 days absences in that period, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months. Such applicants are required not to have been in breach of the immigration laws during the three-year period and to be free of any restriction under those laws on the period they might remain in the United Kingdom; and to be of good character.

  At the end of September 1994, the average waiting time for a certificate of naturalisation was 13.6 months. Not all applicants are interviewed by a police officer so it is not possible to give average interval times in the form requested.

  As of 21 October 1994, there were 42,119 applications for British citizenship outstanding of which 33,424 were applications for naturalisation.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances applications for British citizenship are referred to him or Ministers for final decision; and how many such applications have been referred to Ministers in each of the last five years and in the current year to date.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Applications are referred to Ministers where they are especially difficult or sensitive. The number of cases referred to Ministers is not separately recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a person whose application for British citizenship is refused has a right to receive a full explanation of such refusal; if such a person has a right of appeal against refusal; and if application fees are refunded when applications are refused.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Section 44(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 provides that the Secretary of State shall not be required to assign any reason for the grant or refusal of any application under the Act the decision on which is at his discretion; and that his decision on any such application shall not be subject to appeal to, or review in, any court.

  A small proportion of the fee is refunded when an application is refused.

  Iraqi Business Men
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi business men have entered the United Kingdom since October 1992.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is not available, as business men—persons seeking to establish themselves in the United Kingdom in business or self-employment—are not identified separately in the statistics. Five hundred and fifty Iraqi nationals were given leave to enter as business visitors—persons seeking to transact business during their visit—in the period October 1992 to June 1994.

  Sri Lankan Tamils
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils are at present being held in(a) prison and (b) detention centres for alleged immigration offences.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  On 26 October 1994, two Sri Lankan nationals were being held in prison and 13 in detention centres, having been detained on arrival under Immigration Act powers.

  Firearms
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the efficiency savings that will result from operating the best practice guidelines issued to police forces in 1991 for administering the firearms licensing system.

  Mr. Maclean
  The administration of firearms licensing is a matter for individual chief officers of police. The efficiency savings achieved by an individual police force will depend on how closely their existing firearms licensing system follows best practice.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his assessment of the progress made by police forces in adopting the best practice guidelines issued in 1991 for administering the firearms licensing system.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr Griffiths) on 27 October 1994,Official Report, column 770.

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

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No record is kept of such matters.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has undertaken of the various costs of administering the firearms licensing system as calculated by(a) Ernst and Young and (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers multiforce study in setting the levels of fees for firearms certificates.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 20 July at column 282.

  The Association of Chief Officers' study was very helpful, but we could not rely on its figures as a basis for
  952
  reviewing the fees as they did not take account of overheads and other important factors.

  The right course was to base our review on a costing exercise which took full account of the best practise procedures which we have recommended to police forces. That is what we have done.

  Asylum
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to provide information on the original residence or ethnic origin of asylum seekers in official statistics.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  There are no plans to compile statistics on the original residence or ethnic origin of asylum seekers.

  Asylum
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 1,000 ex-Yugoslav detainees whom the Government said, in November 1992, it would accept into Britain have been accepted; and how many of them are already here.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  As at 13 October 1994, 969 particularly vulnerable individuals and 1,293 dependants have been authorised for acceptance under the arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, where the Government offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia and their immediate dependants, an estimated total of 4,000 people in all.

  As at 24 October 1994, 803 particularly vulnerable individuals and 1,104 dependants have arrived under these arrangements. Prior to this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to provide information on the length of time applicants have been waiting for an initial decision on their asylum applications.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Statistics giving the year of decision by year of application is published in table 5.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin: "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1993", issue number 17/94 published on 14 July 1994, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Information on the estimated average length of time between receipt of an application and a decision in a given period is available and is provided on request.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received for asylum from Kenyan citizens in each of the past 10 years and in this year to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  In the period 1 January 1994 to 30 September 1994, 930 applications for asylum have been received from Kenyan nationals. Information for the years 1985 to 1993 is given in table 2.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin: "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1993", issue 14/94 published on 14 July 1994, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Prison Security
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy as to the placing of security
  953
  cameras in the visiting areas of prisons in England and Wales; 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 31 October 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about security cameras in visiting areas of prisons.
  The use of closed circuit television cameras in visits areas in prison can be a valuable security aid. The policy is for governors to install such equipment where they judge that the benefits in terms of improved security and control will justify the investment.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheep and Cattle
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the Government's long-term policies regarding(a) sheep quotas and (b) suckler cow premiums.

  Mr. Jack
  In the long term the Government would like to see agricultural production regulated by price and not by quotas and similar devices, which impose a bureaucratic burden on farmers and prevent or inhibit the rational development of production in response to relative efficiency. In line with this policy the Government have, as a first step, called for the sheep and suckler cow quotas to be replaced by regional reference quantities, with the rate of premium being scaled down proportionately to any excess above the reference levels. Any such change would, of course, require farmers to be given an adequate period of notice before it was introduced.

  Fishing
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actual or previous sums of money have been allocated to the British fishing industry under the PESCA initiative; what proportion of the total EU allocation is allocated to each of the receiving nations, approximately in each European nation; how much will be allocated per person employed in the fishing industry; and what are the funds to be made available in total and per person for Devon.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list in pounds sterling the allocations from PESCA for the United Kingdom and the other eligible member states and the proposed allocations to the regions in the United Kingdom which are highly dependent on fishing;

  (2) what is the basis for proposed allocations of PESCA funding for (a) member states and (b) regions which are highly dependent on fishing.

  Mr. Jack
  [pursuant to the reply on 26 October column 620]: The reply should have read:

  The commission has allocated PESCA funding between member states as follows

  £ million1

  Belgium

  1·52

  Denmark

  12·30

  954

  The commission has allocated PESCA funding between member states as follows

  £ million1

  Germany

  17·44

  Greece

  20·55

  Spain

  31·46

  France

  21·15

  Ireland

  2·80

  Italy

  25·55

  Netherlands

  7·73

  Portugal

  19·41

  United Kingdom

  25·70

  1 Converted at £1 = 1·319 ecu

  This breakdown is based on employment in the fisheries sector as a whole, and on the fleet reductions required by member states' multi-annual guidance programmes.

  My right hon. Friends have yet to take a final decision on the allocation of the United Kingdom's share of this and other Community initiatives between England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The allocations which have been notified to interested organisations in England are currently only provisional.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy concerning the application of BSE safety regulations to animals born since 1 January 1991.

  Mrs. Browning
  The measures currently in force in Great Britain apply to all cattle irrespective of their date of birth. No change in this position is envisaged, but the European Commission is considering whether younger cattle should be excluded from the European Union rules for trade in bone-in beef from the United Kingdom and we are pressing for urgent action on this.

  Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the report produced for the European Commission by the Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute.

  Mr. Jack
  I am not aware of any report produced for the European Commission by the Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute. However the hon. Member may be referring to the report of a study by a team of experts on behalf of the European Commission's DG II (Economy and Finance) and entitled "EC Agriculture Policy for the 21st Century". This report has yet to be published; when it is, copies will be placed in the Library.

  Classical Swine Fever
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985 in(a) England and (b) the European Union.
  955
  Mrs. Browning
  The following is the information:

  Number of Outbreaks

  Year

  England

  European/Union1

  1985

  —

  417

  1986

  10

  106

  1987

  1

  62

  1988

  —

  30

  1989

  —

  75

  1990

  —

  244

  1991

  —

  22

  1992

  —

  39

  1993

  —

  125

  19942

  —

  153

  1 Including Spain and Portugal during the pre-accession period.

  2 To 25–10–94.

  Milk Quota
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the allocation of responsibility for processing milk quota transactions to the Intervention board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 25 October 1994]: The problems faced by the Intervention board in processing milk quota transfer and leasing transactions have been overcome. In a press statement on 27 October, the board's chief executive explained that excellent progress had been made in recent weeks and that within a few days of vesting day–1 November—the board will have processed all acceptable quota movements received by 31 October. The Government have every confidence in the Intervention board's ability to cope with the task of administering milk quotas and have no plans to review the decision to transfer responsibility for that work to the board from the milk marketing boards.

  Less Favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total direct subsidies paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas of England since 1979.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 24 October 1994]: The information requested for hill livestock compensatory allowances is as follows:
  956

  Year

  Cattle £ million

  Sheep £ million

  1979

  5.530

  7.969

  1980

  7.045

  11.358

  1981

  8.638

  12.838

  1982

  8.907

  13.205

  1983

  9.007

  13.555

  1984

  8.910

  13.814

  1985

  9.190

  14.760

  1986

  11.151

  16.142

  1987

  11.505

  16.934

  1988

  11.704

  17.374

  1989

  12.138

  17.907

  1990

  12.770

  19.733

  1991

  14.851

  22.386

  1992

  15.790

  22,584

  1993

  16.168

  17.245

  19941

  12.711

  15.051

  1 Incomplete

  Payments in the less favoured areas under the Suckler Cow and Sheep Annual Premium Schemes are separately available only in the years detailed as follows:

  Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (SCPS)

  £ million

  1990

  12·040

  1991

  14·487

  1992

  15·612

  Sheep Annual Premium Scheme (SAPS)

  £ million

  1991

  57·491

  1992

  92·724

  19931

  72·958

  19941

  91·160

  1 Figures for the 1993 and 1994 Schemes are estimated.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what effect the abolition of the milk marketing board will have on the prices of dairy products.

  Mr. Jack
  The effect on the price of milk products to the consumer under the new arrangements for the marketing of milk will depend on the circumstances of the market for each product.

WALES

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet representatives of Eurostar, Intercity and Regional Railways to discuss the effects of delays in London on travellers from south Wales using the channel tunnel services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The timetabling of services is an operational matter for the railway operators. At present, Eurostar is operating only limited introductory services to Paris and Brussels. From early 1995, Eurostar will begin to operate services every two hours during the day, building to hourly services from Waterloo to both Paris and Brussels. As this service builds, the three trains from south Wales to Waterloo will provide good connections with the Eurostar services, in addition to the hourly service for most of the day from south Wales to Paddington.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer of 20 October to the hon. Member for Delyn, (Mr. Hanson),Official Report, column 311, he will provide comparative figures for information refused in answer to parliamentary questions on grounds of commercial confidentiality for each parliamentary Session since 1979–80 which can be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information provided to the hon. Member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) was obtained following a manual search of parliamentary answers given in the 1993–94 Session. Information on previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  A449
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the reconstruction of the northbound carriageway of the A449 between Raglan and Usk; and when it is likely to be completed.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The estimated cost of the work is £6,400,000. The work is expected to be completed within the contract period, which ends in early January 1995, weather permitting.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the proposed reconstruction of the southbound carriageway of the A449 between Raglan and Usk; and when a decision will be made about proceeding with the contract.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The estimated cost of the works is £5,000,000 at 1994 prices. A decision on the contract will be made by March 1995.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the proposed reconstruction of both carriageways of the A449 between Usk and the Coldra, Newport; and what is the time scale for this work.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The estimated cost of the works is £13,000,000 at 1994 prices. The work is planned to be carried out during 1996 and 1997.

  Quangos
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to register the perceived political affiliation of present and prospective members of quangos in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Classical Swine Fever
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases have occurred in Wales since 1985.

  Press Office (Expenditure)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total spent by his press office in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Redwood
  Welsh Office press office expenditure is as follows:

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  19,498

  1991–92

  34,499

  1992–93

  33,757

  1993–94

  23,538

  Figures for 1989–90 were collected centrally and cannot be separated.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount paid to all members of quangos in Wales in(a) allowances and (b) expenses in each of the past 12 years.

  Mr. Redwood
  This information is not held centrally.

  Dairy Crest
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what day he was informed that Dairy Crest intended to close their Whitland (Dyfed) creamery.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In the interest of maintaining the essential flow of confidential information from private sector companies to the Welsh Office, it is the practice not to reveal details of this nature.

  Lords Lieutenant
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost to public funds spent in each of the past 14 years to pay for the work of each lord lieutenant and each high sheriff in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The total cost to public funds to pay for the work of each high sheriff and lord lieutenant in Wales in 1993-94 was as follows:

  High Sheriff £

  Lord Lieutenant £

  Clwyd

  —

  440·62

  Dyfed

  87·00

  2,534·13

  Gwent

  87·50

  3,307·46

  Gwynedd

  —

  239·31

  Mid Glamorgan

  189·50

  2,247·41

  Powys

  —

  2,370·70

  959

  High Sheriff £

  Lord Lieutenant £

  South Glamorgan

  189·50

  4,481·25

  West Glamorgan

  189·50

  2,102·75

  The information in the form requested prior to 1993 is not readily available in respect of lords lieutenant,and could only be provided in respect of high sheriffs at disproportionate cost.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been distributed; to whom; and at what cost.

  Mr. Richards
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been ordered by his Department; and at what cost.

  Mr. Richards
  None.

  Baglan Hospital
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been spent on the Baglan hospital, to date and in the current financial year.

  Mr. Richards
  Information provided by West Glamorgan health authority indicates expenditure of £5·1 million on the proposed Baglan hospital to 30 September 1994. This includes £214,000 in the current financial year.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many TB cases were reported in Wales in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  [holding answer, 28 October 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

TRANSPORT

  A40/Westway Junctions
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will investigate the phasing of traffic lights on the A40/Westway junctions between the London boundary and the Euston road;

  (2) if the phasing of traffic lights on the A40/Westway junctions within London are part of a traffic management scheme to prevent traffic from entering or leaving Central London.

  Mr. Norris
  These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. John Butcher dated 31 October 1994:
  You raised two questions in the House of Commons in July (numbers 129 and 135) about the phasing of traffic signals at the A40/Westway junctions. These have been passed to me for reply
  960
  as they raise operational matters for which the Highways Agency is responsible.
  I would first confirm that there is no traffic management scheme in operation on the A40/Westway junctions to prevent traffic entering or leaving Central London. Congestion does occur at these junctions but this is due entirely to the volume of traffic passing through them. Essential roadworks such as those recently undertaken along the A40, M25 to the A312, add to the congestion.
  With regard to the actual phasing of the traffic signals, those at Long Lane have been bypassed by the improvement scheme which opened recently. The rest of the traffic signals on the A40 are within the North Circular Road and operate under Urban Traffic Control. This is a computer system which alters the timing of the signals at various times of the day so as to minimise the overall delay to traffic.
  The Metropolitan Police can override this computer system and introduce alternative (contingency) plans if the level of traffic is severe and they consider it necessary.

  Shipping Policy Division
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it remains his intention to transfer the shipping policy division to No. 11 Millbank.

  Mr. Norris
  This remains an option if the shipping policy division cannot be relocated into Great Minster, but a final decision must await further evaluation.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  Company

  Date of sale

  Net equity proceeds to Government £ million

  National Freight Consortium

  1982

  5·0

  Associated British Ports

  1983

  45·4

  (secondary sale by HMT)

  1984

  51·0

  British Airways

  1987

  51·0

  British Airports Authority

  1987

  1,181·6

  DVOIT (the former IT arm of DVLA)

  1993

  3·7

  Information on the current value of private companies is not held by this Department.

  Departmental Offices (Disabled Access)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all his Department's offices, indicating which have disabled access.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department does not keep a central record of the access arrangements for individual offices; there are more than 1,400 premises. Guidance has been issued to all property managers on planning for people with disabilities, including access to and within offices.

  Vehicle Operator Licences
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of vehicles operating with heavy goods vehicle operator licences in each of the past six years and the number of vehicles operating with public service vehicle operator licences.
  961
  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  Vehicles Specified on HGV Operator Licences

  Vehicles Specified on PSV Operator Licences

  1988–89

  461,600

  75,255

  1989–90

  441,656

  77,067

  1990–91

  453,139

  77,697

  1991–92

  446,412

  78,098

  1992–93

  406,443

  79,563

  1993–94

  404,211

  81,130

  Horse Riding (Safety)
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations governing safety clothing and safety markings for horse riders riding at night and in bad weather; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of these regulations.

  Mr. Norris
  There are no such regulations but we strongly advise riders to follow the detailed guidance contained in the highway code.

  Motorways
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish his standing advisory committee on transport's report on generated traffic on motorways.

  Mr. Watts
  We will publish our response in due course.

  Rolling Stock
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the indicative rolling stock leasing charges for the InterCity east coast and the Regional Railways north-east train operating units in 1994–95 were notified to the train operating units.

  Mr. Watts
  On 1 July 1994.

  Cycle Safety
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations governing safety clothing and safety markings and lighting for cyclists riding at night and in bad weather; and what assessment he has made as to the adequacy of these regulations.

  Mr. Norris
  Cycle lighting is governed by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. The lamps and reflectors specified in these regulations provide the cyclist with good conspicuity providing they are kept clean and well maintained. There are no regulations concerning safety clothing for cyclists. The highway code contains detailed advice on conspicuity for cyclists.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) male and (b) female staff of each grade within the Driving Standards Agency have signed up to the agency's attendance bonus pay offer.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency. The chief executive has written to the hon. Member
  962
  Letter from S. J. Ford to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 28 October 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the number of Driving Agency staff who have signed up to the Agency's attendance bonus pay offer.
  To date 557 staff (32 per cent. of the total workforce) have responded to the Ballot, of which 317 have accepted the offer. The breakdown of this figure is attached.
  Returns are still coming in from staff, and there is at present no formal closing date.

  1994–1995 Pay Offer

  Grade

  Gender

  Acceptance

  SEO

  Male

  2

  Female

  —

  HEO

  Male

  6

  Female

  1

  EO

  Male

  3

  Female

  4

  AO

  Male

  8

  Female

  17

  AA

  Male

  15

  Female

  28

  PS

  Male

  —

  Female

  2

  TYP

  Male

  —

  Female

  4

  SGB

  Male

  7

  Female

  2

  ACDE

  Male

  1

  Female

  —

  SE

  Male

  17

  Female

  —

  SDE

  Male

  45

  Female

  —

  DE

  Male

  139

  Female

  16

  Total

  317

  Train Timetables
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the new train operating units' timetables and ticketing arrangements.

  Mr. Watts
  We have received 53 representations about timetable arrangements and 62 concerning ticketing since 1 April 1994.

  Bus Deregulation
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation he has made of the effects of bus deregulation outside London; and what plans he has to introduce deregulation in London.
  963
  Mr. Norris
  Bus deregulation outside London has resulted in more operators running more bus miles at lower cost than previously. While bus deregulation remains our long-term aim for London, we do not intend to bring forward legislation in the life of this Parliament.

  Motorways (Tolling)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his current policy on the tolling of motorways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  The policy is as set out by the then Secretary of State for Transport on 2 December 1993,Official Report, columns 646–49.

  Bus Companies
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the previously publicly owned transport undertakings which are now owned or controlled by Stagecoach or its associated companies.

  Mr. Norris
  The companies are as listed.Bluebird Buses Ltd. - Aberdeen
  Busways Travel services Ltd. - Newcastle upon Tyne
  Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Co. Ltd.
  Cumberland Motor Services Ltd. - Whitehaven
  East Kent Road Car Co. Ltd. - Canterbury
  East London Bus & Coach Co. Ltd. - Ilford
  East Midland Motor Services Ltd. - Chesterfield
  Fife Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. - Kirkcaldy
  Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport Co. Ltd.
  Mainline Group Ltd. - Sheffield (20 per cent. shareholding)
  Midland Red (South) Ltd. - Rugby
  Red and White Services Ltd. - Chepstow (formerly National Welsh Omnibus Services Ltd.)including
  The Valleys Bus Co. Ltd. - Pengam
  Eastern Valley Bus Co. Ltd. - Abergavenny
  Western Valleys Bus Co. Ltd. - Brynmawr
  Aberdare Bus Co. Ltd.
  Ribble Buses Ltd. - Preston
  South Coast Buses Ltd. - Lewes (formerly Southdown Motor Services Ltd/Hastings & District Transport Ltd.)
  South East London and Kent Bus Co. Ltd. - London SE
  Stagecoach (South) Ltd. (formerly Hampshire Bus Co. Ltd.)
  Sussex Coastline Buses Ltd. - Chichester/Worthing (formerly Southdown Motor Services Ltd.)
  United Counties Omnibus Ltd. - Northampton
  Western Scottish Buses Ltd. - Kirmarnock

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the practice of rear-view mirror scheduling by bus companies.

  Mr. Norris
  Bus operators are required to register their services 42 days in advance with the appropriate traffic commissioner. The commissioner can act if operators do

  Work record - falsification

  Year

  Number of proceedings

  Number of findings of guilt

  Number of sentences of immediate imprisonment

  Average fine £

  1980

  *

  652

  0

  *

  1981

  *

  485

  0

  *

  1982

  *

  352

  0

  *

  1983

  682

  541

  0

  *

  1984

  1,554

  644

  0

  *

  1985

  1,070

  858

  0

  *

  1986

  1,517

  1,140

  5

  *

  1987

  1,071

  782

  3

  *

  1988

  1,530

  865

  3

  *

  1989

  1,403

  921

  0

  119

  964
  not run their services in accordance with their registered timetable.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the bus company Stagecoach.

  Mr. Norris
  I receive correspondence about a variety of bus operators, including Stagecoach.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East will receive an acknowledgement or reply to the letter he sent on 7 September, with a reminder on 12 October, on behalf of Mr. Little of Cone Contractors Ltd, Mansfield Road, Hasland, Chesterfield.

  Mr. Watts
  I have now replied to the hon. Gentleman and apologise for not doing so sooner.

  Air Training
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received concerning the withdrawal of training approved from South East Kent College of Air Training by the Civil Aviation Authority;

  (2) what safeguards exist to ensure the Civil Aviation Authority, in its dealings with training providers, does not use its powers as a regulatory body unfairly.

  (3) if he will intervene to ensure the Civil Aviation Authority creates a transitional arrangement for the Southeast Kent college of air training to meet new training standards to allow it to continue to provide training for air traffic controllers;

  (4) what safeguards exist to prevent the use by the Civil Aviation Authority of its powers as a regulatory body to safeguard its own interests as a training provider.

  Mr. Norris
  I am writing to the hon. Member and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Road Hauliers
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers have been prosecuted or found guilty of falsifying tachographs each year since 1980; what was the average fine; and how many served custodial sentences.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  Prosecutions are made under section 99(5) of the Transport Act 1968. The available information is given in the table.
  965

  Work record - falsification

  Year

  Number of proceedings

  Number of findings of guilt

  Number of sentences of immediate imprisonment

  Average fine £

  1990

  1,486

  1,152

  4

  110

  1991

  1,904

  1,160

  1

  138

  1992

  2,131

  1,145

  30

  143

  1993

  2,396

  1,319

  22

  161

  * Not available

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the average fine for road hauliers convicted for accidents involving fatalities in each year from 1980;

  (2) how many road hauliers, who were involved in fatal accidents, were found to have been in breach of the law in each year since 1980;

  (3) how many hauliers, or their employees, have served custodial sentences in respect of accidents involving fatalities in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. Norris
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The information requested, based on that shown in "Public Bodies 1993" and that given by me on 1 March, Official Report, column 656, is as follows.

  (a) Number of public appointments which I am responsible for making:

  Number

  (i) Executives bodies1

  5

  (ii) Advisory bodies1

  73

  (iii) other appointments

  214

  Total

  292

  1as defined in Public Bodies(b)

  I nominate I member of the Covent Garden Market Authority.

SCOTLAND

  Health Care International
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contact there has been between him and Greater Glasgow health board over the future of Health Care International in Clydebank; and what action he is expecting from the Greater Glasgow health board.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  At the instigation of one of the banks involved in the leading consortium, one of my officials spoke to the acting general manager of the Greater Glasgow health board. No further contact is contemplated.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place the terms of the initial agreement 966
  between the Scottish Office and Health Care International in the Library.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A copy of the Secretary of State's authorisation of the construction of the Health Care International hospital at Clydebank is available in the Library.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if(a) he or (b) the Greater Glasgow health board conducted any work to estimate how much it would cost to adapt Health Care International in Clydebank for use in the national health service.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In response to a request in mid-September from one of the members of the HCI lending consortium, my officials made a very rough estimate of the cost of adapting the HCI hospital for use as an NHS hospital. Their co-operation was given in order to assist the banks in examining the full range of options available for the future funding of HCI. My officials made clear that the option of bringing the hospital into NHS use was not one which the Government favoured.

  Careers Guidance
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from women on income support about adult careers guidance; and what action on careers advice for adults he plans.

  Mr. Lang
  I am not aware of having received specific representations from women on income support about adult guidance matters. Guidance on vocational and informal education opportunities is available to adults from a variety of sources, including colleges of further education and the community education service of local authorities. Guidance specifically on employment and training opportunities is available through the Employment Service and the enterprise networks respectively, while the skillchoice initiative now being piloted by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise is designed to bring vocational assessment and guidance to people at work. Guidance is also available, particularly to the unemployed and those on low incomes, through a number of projects funded under the urban programme. I have funded the adult education guidance initiative in Scotland, which, in its second year of operation, will be reporting on best practice and possible future developments for adult guidance principally in the informal education setting.

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidelines the Government follow in deciding the amount of cardiac surgery to fund; and whether the amount of cardiac surgery being undertaken in Glasgow is above or below those guidelines;
  967
  (2) whether Government funding for heart surgery in Greater Glasgow allows operating units to work to full capacity.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Department of Health, in 1986, set a national guideline of a minimum of 300 coronary artery bypass grafts per million population and the guideline in Scotland is 350 per million. The current level of CABGs is substantially above that level at 436 per million. CABGs represent the large majority of cardiac surgery operations.

  The contracts with both the Glasgow royal infirmary NHS Trust and the West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust are worth £11 million in 1994–95 and will enable 1,800 cardiac procedures to be carried out.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) individual insolvencies and (b) corporate insolvencies there were in each of the last seven years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of individual insolvencies in Scotland for the last seven years was as follows:

  Sequestrations

  Protected trust deeds

  Total

  1987–88

  951

  36

  987

  1088–89

  1,612

  10

  1,622

  1989–90

  2,618

  12

  2,630

  1990–91

  5,451

  3

  5,454

  1991–92

  8,584

  1

  9,585

  1992–93

  11,970

  2

  11,972

  1993–94

  4022

  282

  14,304

  1 Follows implementation of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1993.

  Corporate insolvency in Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

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

  Mr. Lang
  The time taken by staff to adjust clocks throughout the Scottish Office is not recorded, and in view of the wide range of circumstances no reasonable estimate can be made.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the reduction in junior doctors' hours will not create or exacerbate shortages of junior doctors in(a) paediatrics and (b) other specialties.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Doctors in training in hard-pressed posts should not be contracted for more than 72 hours per week after 31 December 1994. Additional funding of £1·2 million has been made available in 1994–95, bringing the cumulative total to £9·2 million, to assist NHS employers with the greatest difficulties in meeting the hours targets. It should be possible to make the required reductions in junior doctors' hours by the 968
  effective deployment of staff without adversely affecting the level of services to patients.

  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the present and expected shortage of junior hospital doctors in each of the health board areas in Scotland; and if he will break down these figures by each hospital-based specialty.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The numbers of doctors in higher specialist training in Scotland are based on the numbers estimated to be needed for consultant posts in the future. The assessment of the numbers of doctors, including those in training, needed to provide services for patients is a matter for individual NHS trusts in consultation with health boards.

  Property Law
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Scottish Law Commission to report on its review of property law in Scotland arid the future of the feudal system.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission has now completed the consultation process which followed its discussion paper on the abolition of the feudal system. Several substantial issues have emerged as a result of the consultation process and the commission is unable to give a precise indication as to when its report will be available.

  Classical Swine Fever
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985.

  Sir Hector Monro
  There have been no recorded cases of classical swine fever in Scotland over this period.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish and place in the Library a list of all health projects involved in the private finance initiative as at September, setting out in each case the name of the health board or trust, the name of the private firm, and a brief description of the nature of the financial arrangements; and if he will also publish(a) the total of elderly care beds in the scheme and (b) the steps he is taking to ensure proper medical and social care in the light of the recent fatal accident inquiry into the death of an elderly resident.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A list of major health projects which have been completed involving private sector finance at September 1994 has been placed in the Library.

  The number of elderly care beds provided by the private sector following approval of schemes by my officials is 785. There may, however, be other projects involving private finance which have been completed, approval of which falls within the delegated limit of the health board or NHS trust concerned. Information on these projects is not held centrally.

  In each of the projects involving elderly care and the private finance initiative, the patients are still under NHS

  969
  care and health boards therefore are responsible, through contracts set, to ensure the quality of the medical and social care provided.

  Information Services
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many calls have been received by the Scottish Office's information line for each month since January; and how much the Scottish Office has spent publicising and administering the information line during this period.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]: The number of calls received were:

  Number

  January

  211

  February

  239

  March

  199

  April

  220

  May

  308

  June

  315

  July

  305

  August

  341

  September

  334

  October (to 21 October)

  237

  No money has been spent on publicising the inquiry line during this period.

  Approximately £21,150 has been spent on administering the line this year.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the addresses of the Scottish Office's information points currently operating, (b) the costs of establishing, publicising and administering these facilities since their establishment and (c) how many people have visited each facility since their establishment.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]: The addresses of 25 Scottish Office information points currently operating are:

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office:

  Cotgreen Road

  Tweedbank

  by Galashiels

  TD1 3SG

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Tankerness Lane

  Kirkwall

  Orkney

  KW15 1AQ

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Thainstone Court

  by Inverurie

  Aberdeenshire

  AB51 5YA

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Government Buildings

  2 St. Ninians Road

  Stirling

  FK8 2HR

  970

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Reception

  Pentland House

  47 Robbs Loan

  Edinburgh

  EH14 1TW

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  32 Reidhaven Street

  Elgin

  1V30 1VE

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Strathbeg House

  Clarence Street

  Thurso

  KW 14 7JS

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Government Building

  28 Longman Road

  Longman East

  Inverness

  IV1 1SF

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Cameron House

  Albany Street

  Oban

  PA34 4AE

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Charlotte House

  Commercial Road

  Lerwick

  Shetland

  ZE1 OHZ

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Government Buildings

  161 Brooms Road

  Dumfries

  DG1 3ES

  The Scottish Office Environment Department

  132 Seagate

  Dundee

  DD1 2HB

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  10 Keith Street

  Stornoway

  Isle of Lewis

  PA87 2QG

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Animal Health Sub Office

  Station Street

  Stranraer

  DG9 7HJ

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Balivanich

  Isle of Benbecula

  PA88 5LA

  The Scottish Office Industry Department

  Alhambra House

  45 Waterloo Street

  Glasgow

  G2 6AT

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Area Office

  Russell House

  King Street

  Ayr

  KA8 OBE

  971

  The Scottish Office Education Department

  Greyfriars House (East Wing)

  Gallowgate

  Aberdeen

  AB9 IUE

  The Scottish Office

  Reception

  New St Andrew's House

  Edinburgh

  EH1 3TG

  The Scottish Office

  Reception

  St. Andrew's House

  Regent Road

  Edinburgh

  EH1 3DE

  Citizens Advice Bureau

  14 Anderson Street

  Airdrie

  ML6 0AA

  Citizens Advice Bureau

  22 College Way

  Dumbarton

  G82 1LJ

  Citizens Advice Bureau

  11 Wemyssfield

  Kirkcaldy

  KY1 1XN

  Gilespie, Gifford and Brown

  Solicitors and Estate Agents

  27 St. Cuthbert Street

  Kirkcudbright

  DG6 4DJ

  Thorntons WS

  Solicitors and Estate Agents

  27 George Street

  Perth

  PH1 5JY

  The cost of establishing the information points was about £26,900. No publicity costs have been incurred. The administration costs since establishment are about £3,500.

  No records are maintained of the numbers of visitors to information points.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to the Exchequer in each of the past seven years of the processing of insolvencies.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The annual total net cost of processing individual insolvencies, including payments to insolvency practitioners and direct administrative expenses, in Scotland, was as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  0·42

  1988–89

  2·76

  1989–90

  7·60

  1990–91

  12·51

  1991–92

  18·59

  1992–93

  21·77

  1993–94

  22·96

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 October 1994]: In the last 12 months, no such travel has been undertaken, either at public expense or at own cost.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much grain was in intervention storage in Scotland in each of the years from 1984 to 1994; and what were the figures for the past five years for(a) the number of farmers on the five-year set-aside scheme, (b) the amount of land, in hectares, in the five-year set-aside scheme and (c) the amount of money paid to farmers in the five-year set-aside scheme in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  (i) Grain in intervention storage in Scotland

  Year

  '000 tonnes

  1984

  40

  1985

  319

  1986

  594

  1987

  452

  1988

  452

  1989

  318

  1990

  302

  1991

  327

  1992

  341

  1993

  638

  1994

  523

  (ii) Five-year set-aside scheme (Scotland)

  Year

  Number of participants

  Area (hectares)

  Amount paid (£'000)

  1989

  364

  12,555

  2,207

  1990

  529

  18,752

  3,434

  1991

  658

  23,040

  4,194

  1992

  780

  23,366

  5,037

  1993

  712

  23,766

  3,700

  Feudal System
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to bring forward legislation to abolish the feudal system in Scotland as outlined in the Scottish Law Commission's discussion paper on the abolition of the feudal system; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The Scottish Law Commission has now completed the consultation process which followed its discussion paper on the abolition of the feudal system. Several substantial issues have emerged as a result of the consultation process and the commission is unable to give a precise indication as to when its report will be available.

  The Government are committed to completing the reform of the feudal system and will give careful

  973
  consideration to the commission's recommendations, when they are received, and to the need for legislation.

  Land Ownership and Use
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much(a) urban and (b) rural land, in hectares, is owned by local authorities in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: No figures are kept centrally.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the arable land cover for Scotland in each of the past five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  1989

  1,065,286

  1990

  1,046,624

  1991

  1,023,055

  1992

  1,022,492

  1993

  1,019,899

  Source:

  June agricultural census.

  The figures relate to the area of crops and fallow, including set-aside, and grass under five years old.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to ensure access to the countryside for leisure pursuits; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The responsibility for promoting access to the countryside lies with Scottish Natural Heritage and local authorities. My right hon. Friend expects the recently published Scottish Natural Heritage paper, "Enjoying the Outdoors: A Programme for Action", to make a major contribution to the development of wider access to the countryside.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to bring forward legislation to ensure the land register covers all the counties of Scotland; when he envisages its full implementation; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The land register for Scotland was created under the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979. At present the land register is operational in seven counties covering more than 40 per cent. of the Scottish housing stock. It is due to be extended to the county of Fife on 1 April 1995, and will be progressively extended to cover the remaining counties by 2003.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land he expects the Forestry Commission to own in(a) 2000, (b) 2005 and (c) 2010; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: We expect the Forestry Commission to own just over 1 million hectares of land at the end of this century and the early part of the next.

  Crofting
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to dispose of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries' crofting estates to community ownership following the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993; if 974
  he plans to bring forward legislation to increase the number of crofts in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: My Department has no plans at present to dispose of its crofting estates; nor are there any plans to bring forward new legislation to increase the number of crofts in Scotland.

  Law and Order (Peterhead)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police personnel were stationed at Peterhead police station in each year since 1976.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: The information available is as follows:

  Police personnel stationed at Peterhead

  Number

  1976

  39

  1980

  44

  1986

  48

  1988

  55

  1992

  64

  1994

  66

  Deployment of officers to particular police stations is the responsibility of the chief constable.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water and Sewerage
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those water and sewerage companies that have decided not to embark on a policy of installing meters in domestic properties on a compulsory basis;

  (2) if he will list those water companies that have a policy of installing meters in domestic households against the wish of the resident.

  Mr. Atkins
  Only one water and sewerage company, Anglian Water, has so far announced a widespread programme of metering existing domestic properties. The company announced recently a review of the compulsory element of its metering programme. Several water supply companies have decided to install meters in existing domestic properties in certain parts of their area. Most companies have a policy of installing meters in new and substantially converted domestic properties.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions he has held with the Water Services Association about charging systems for water and sewerage in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what discussions he has held with water companies or the Water Services Association about the method of charges for water and sewerage in new and refurbished properties.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend and I have discussions with water companies and the water industry associations from time to time about matters of mutual interest. The Water Services Association and the Water Companies Association have recently submitted their views on future methods of charging for water and
  975
  sewerage services and that is currently being considered. Most water companies require new and substantially converted properties to be metered and charges are recovered on that basis.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the water industry about the connection charge imposed on new properties.

  Mr. Atkins
  None. This is a matter for the director general of water services.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers rest with the director general of water services to determine a fixed connection charge for new properties.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Water Industry Act 1991 recognises three separate elements to charging for a new connection to the mains or sewer. A connection charge is payable to cover the direct cost of connecting a new property to the water company's main or sewer. If there is a dispute between the customer and the company about the amount of the charge, the director general of water services has powers to determine the charge. Where it is necessary to requisition the provision of a public water main or sewer, a requisitioning charge is payable. Payment of this charge may be spread over a 12-year period at a rate of interest approved by the director general. When new properties are connected for the first time to a public water main or sewer for domestic purposes, an infrastructure charge is payable. The director general has powers to set limits on each company's infrastructure charges. In his recent periodic review of price limits, the director general set new infrastructure charge limits of £200 each for water and for sewerage. These limits, will apply to all water and sewerage companies from 1 April 1995.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will investigate the case of the application by Mr. John Large for documentation held by Her Majesty's pollution inspectorate on past nuclear waste policy and practice with particular reference to the basis for calculation of the cost quoted for the information to be provided; and if he will make a statement on the effectiveness to date of the Environmental Information Regulations 1992.

  Mr. Atkins
  The response to Mr. Large quoted a rate of charging for the inspector's time of £993 per man-day. This is the standard rate of charging levied on applicants for authorisation, and includes an allowance for overheads. However, there is a different rate of charging for the provision of information to members of the public, based on the direct costs of inspectorate staff time. The rate varies with the location and grade of staff involved. For staff based in London, the rate is, for example, £33 per hour for a pollution inspector and £19 per hour for an executive officer. The higher rate of charging was inadvertently quoted to Mr. Large. HMIP will be writing again to Mr. Large to apologise and to provide him with the correct charging information.

  Regarding the effectiveness to date of the Environmental Information Regulations, I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 26 January 1994, Official Report, column 240.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which agency would carry any extra 976
  costs associated with the burying of low-level nuclear waste on landfill tips;

  (2) what are the estimated costs of burying low-level nuclear waste on landfill tips.

  Mr. Atkins
  Charges for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste at landfill sites are a commercial matter for the operators of the sites and those disposing of the waste. It is for the site operators to set an appropriate rate, and for the disposers to bear the costs.

  Housing Investment
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what percentage of gross domestic product(a) the United Kingdom Government and (b) each other EC country invests in housing;

  (2) what percentage of housing stock in each other EC country is provided by the equivalent of housing associations.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Comparable information in the form requested is not available. The booklet "Statistics on Housing in the European Community 1993," published by the European Commission, sets out a range of comparative information which may be of interest to the hon. Member. I have placed a copy in the Library.

  Housing
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of housing stock in England and Wales is provided by housing associations.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The proportion of the overall housing stock that was provided by housing associations at the end of December 1993 is estimated as 3·8 per cent. in England and 2·9 per cent. in Wales.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the availability of specialised housing for the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Research into the housing needs of elderly people has revealed that there is approximately 16 per cent. more subsidised housing provision for elderly people in England than was previously thought to exist, and that there is currently over-provision of ordinary sheltered housing but under-provision of very sheltered housing. Details are in the table following:

  Type of housing provider

  Dwellings

  Local authorities

  465,920

  Housing Associations

  148,586

  Abbeyfield societies

  6,230

  Almshouses

  20,i58

  Total

  641,494

  I hope to publish the results of the research later this year.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of dwellings were owner-occupied in each year since 1979; what percentage of owner-occupation resulted from the right-to-buy scheme; and what percentage of properties sold under the right to buy is represented by newly constructed local authority accommodation over the same period.
  977
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The available information is given in the table. Information on newly constructed local authority accommodation sold under right-to-buy is not available centrally.

  End of Year

  Percentage of dwellings which were owner occupied

  Percentage of owner occupied dwellings purchased under right-to-buy scheme

  1979

  56·6

  —

  1980

  57·7

  —

  1981

  58·2

  0·6

  1982

  59·5

  2·2

  1983

  60·5

  3·3

  1984

  61·3

  3·9

  1985

  62·2

  4·5

  1986

  63·2

  5·1

  1987

  64·3

  5·6

  1988

  65·6

  6·5

  1989

  66·6

  7·5

  1990

  67·1

  8·1

  1991

  67·2

  8·4

  1992

  67·2

  8·7

  1993

  67·3

  8·9

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households were accepted as homeless in rural areas for each year since 1979 and for the current year; and how many dwellings were built in such areas in those years by(a) local authorities and (b) housing associations.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Department collects information about homelessness and about house building for each local authority area. This information does not distinguish between rural and urban areas.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 19 October,Official Report, column 265, how many tenants of (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) private landlords, occupying (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three or more bedrooms more than required by members of their household are over retirement age.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 29 October 1994]: The latest available estimates for England are as follows:

  Tenants over retirement age and having more bedrooms than the bedroom standard 1993–94 England

  Tenure

  Number of bedrooms more than bedroom standard

  One thousands

  Two thousands

  Three or more thousands

  Council tenants

  530

  280

  10

  Housing associations tenants

  60

  20

  —

  Private tenants

  160

  120

  10

  All tenants

  750

  420

  20

  Note:

  "—" indicates less than 5,000.

  These figures are from the 1993–94 Survey of English Housing and are subject to sampling error.

  Rough Sleepers
  Mr. Pike
  to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the Government have spent on projects for rough sleepers since the introduction of the rough sleepers initiative; and what is the number and capacity of hostels created under the initiative in(a) London and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Under the rough sleepers initiative the Government are spending £182 million over the period 1990–96 with the aim of making it unnecessary for people to sleep rough on the streets of central London. The bulk of these resources have been channelled through the Housing Corporation to enable housing associations to develop at least 3,300 places in permanent accommodation in flats and houses. The initiative has also funded 950 places in 25 temporary hostels and night shelters in London. In addition, the initiative has funded 700 places in properties leased for up to three years from private sector landlords, an annual winter shelter programme and outreach, resettlement and other support services. No hostel provision has been funded under this initiative outside London.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend the rough sleepers initiative to cover(a) Greater London and (b) other towns and cities.

  Mr. Curry
  None. The rough sleepers initiative focuses available resources on central London because that is where the greatest concentrations of people sleep rough. Part of the success of this initiative has stemmed from encouraging close links between statutory and voluntary sector agencies. Local authorities outside central London are encouraged to follow this model in devising their strategies to help people sleeping rough within their area.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the budget of, and how many voluntary sector proposals were financed through, the urban programme in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The figures for expenditure on voluntary sector projects, and for the number of such projects, funded through the urban programme in the years requested are set out in the table:

  Year

  Expenditure £ millions (forecast)

  Number of Projects (forecast)

  1993–94

  34·938

  1,331

  1994–95

  122·717

  1801

  1 These figures exclude the London boroughs of Lewisham and Newham, which are not yet available.

  Sheltered Accommodation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the elderly population lives in sheltered accommodation.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  There is no source of data providing a direct count of the numbers of elderly people in sheltered housing in England. The 1991 census does not separately identify households in this form of accommodation.
  979
  It is possible to produce an estimate that approximately 8 per cent. of the population aged 65 or over live in sheltered housing.

  This estimate is derived from two sources: First, a study of the housing needs of elderly people commissioned by the Department from Ernst and Young management consultants included a survey of residents of sheltered housing which asked a question about household size. Combining this data with information also collected in the study on the numbers of units of sheltered housing for rent produces an estimate of 579,000 elderly people in this form of accommodation. Secondly, to this must be added 51,000 elderly people in private sector sheltered housing. This is calculated in the same way but uses data from local authority housing investment programme returns for 1 April 1993 on units of private sheltered housing.

  Shared Ownership Scheme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the take-up rate of the shared ownership scheme for the elderly.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information requested, based on returns to the Housing Corporation, is as follows:

  Units

  1992–93

  335

  1993–94

  210

  1994–951

  117

  1 To 30 September 1994.

  Sheltered Accommodation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding new developments for sheltered accommodation by(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The number of new sheltered housing starts in the first six months of this year is shown in the following table:

  Sheltered housing starts: England 1994

  1 January 1994 to 31 March 1994

  1 April 1994 to 30 June 1994

  Local authorities

  5

  13

  Housing associations

  204

  284

  Private sector

  142

  234

  Source:

  Housing and Construction Statistics

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the sites to be included in the enhanced air pollution monitoring programme by 1997, including the time frame for each site.

  Mr. Atkins
  We are committed to expanding the enhanced urban network from 12 to 24 sites by 1997. The location of new sites is being reviewed in the light of our consultation proposals for the integration of central and local government monitoring networks.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total budget for the air 980
  quality research programme for the current year and for 1995–96

  Mr. Atkins
  The budget for air quality research for the current year, 1994–95, is £9·95 million. The allocation for 1995–96 will be settled in due course

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the review of the air quality research programme

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on all projects carried out within the air quality research programme is published annually. This year's report will be produced in November 1994

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total budget for the enhanced urban network air pollution monitoring programme for the current year and for 1995–96

  Mr. Atkins
  The total budget for the enhanced urban network air pollution monitoring programme for the current year, 1994–95, is £3·2 million. The provision for 1995–96 will be determined when tenders have been assessed

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what preliminary study his officials have made of the Heilbronn-Neckarsulm experiment banning dirty old cars and lorries to cut air pollution in urban areas, referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 19 September

  Mr. Atkins
  No data have yet been released by the German authorities on the Heilbronn-Neckarsulm experiment. I understand that first results are likely to be published within the next six months. We shall study them when they become available

  Empty Dwellings
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning the number of empty dwellings owned by Government Departments, and which Departments, for latest available year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Information about Government Departments' empty residential property is set out in the table:

  Total stock at 1 April 1994

  Empty at 1 April 1994

  Empty as percentage of total stock Per cent.

  Department of Transport

  3,845

  887

  23

  Home Office

  14,524

  498

  11

  Ministry of Defence

  68,106

  11,313

  17

  Department of Health

  215,000

  31,800

  12

  Scottish Office

  41,601

  158

  10

  Welsh Office

  239

  343

  18

  The management, use and disposal of Government residential property is the responsibility of the Department concerned.

  Notes:

  1 Excludes figures for the provincial police authorities.

  2 Most up-to-date figures available are as at 31 December 1992.

  3 Excludes bed-spaces in hostels.

  4 NHS figures included in this stock are as at 1 April 1993

  5 Excludes properties awaiting demolition or conversion to non-residential use.

  Housing Needs Index
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to alter the weight given to homelessness in the housing needs index

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The weights given to homelessness in the 1995–96 housing needs index and the 1995–96 generalised needs index are being held at the same levels as in the 1994–95 indices

  The Government believe, however, that the present mechanisms used to calculate the HNI and the GNI require substantial revision. The Department has recently completed a fundamental review of the indices which looked at all the elements of the current mechanisms and the principles underlying them. We wish to consider further and in detail the changes proposed during the review before making any major changes to the composition of the indices

  Scrap Metal Yards
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many scrap metal yards in the south Yorkshire area are licensed at the present time;

  (2) if he will list the scrap metal yards in the south Yorkshire area which have been given licences in each of the past five years

  Mr. Atkins
  The recovery of scrap metal is subject to licensing under part I of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Waste regulation authorities are responsible for issuing licences under section 5 of the 1974 Act and details of them are not held centrally. Section 6(4) of the 1974 Act requires each waste regulation authority to maintain a register containing copies of all current licences which it has issued; and to ensure that its register is open for public inspection at its principal office

  Cockington Valley
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider his decision not to call in the planning application made in respect of the development within the conservation area of Cockington Valley

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Torbay borough council issued the planning decision and listed building consent on 28 October. It is now too late for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to reconsider calling in the applications

  Council Housing
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities which have handed their council housing over through the large-scale voluntary transfer scheme and the number and total value of properties concerned

  Mr. Curry
  Since 1988, 34 local authorities have transferred a total of 154,081 homes through large-scale voluntary transfer. These authorities are as listed. The tenanted market value of the dwellings transferred is £1,358 million. Tenanted market value reflects the fact that the stock is transferred as a going concern for the long term provision of social rented housing.982

  Chiltern

  Sevenoaks

  Newbury

  Swale

  Broadland

  North Bedfordshire

  Medina

  Rochester

  South Wight

  Mid Sussex

  East Dorset

  Tonbridge and Malling

  Rydale

  South Bucks

  Christchurch

  Suffolk Coastal

  Tunbridge Wells

  Bromley

  Surrey Heath

  Breckland

  East Cambridgeshire

  Hambleton

  West Dorset

  Havant

  Epsom and Ewell

  Hart

  South Shropshire

  Leominster

  South Ribble

  Hertsmere

  Penwith

  North Dorset

  Wychavon

  Mid Bedfordshire

  Private Consultants
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been paid in fees to private consultants employed by each local authority in the county of Durham in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is not available centrally.

  Dioxins
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the findings of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's report on dioxins released on 13 September; and if he will reconsider the findings of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution on incineration capacity.

  Mr. Aitkins
  The United States Environmental Protection Agency's report, though both long and in parts technical, is still a preliminary draft, issued for public comment. Its content and findings will be revised during the coming year in the light of the comments received. The Government are studying the draft report, and intend to complete their own preliminary assessment of it by the end of the year. The Government, in responding to the royal commission, have already given a public reassurance that, in deciding its policy on the use of incineration for waste disposal, it will take into account the advice of the chief medical officer about the implications of this and other major dioxins studies.

  Chlorine Production
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation calling for an end to chlorine production.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government have no plans to ban the production of chlorine, which is already subject to integrated pollution control. In common with the rest of
  983
  the European Union, the United Kingdom Government support a science-based approach to evaluating the risk and benefits of substances including chlorine. Existing controls on the production of chlorine are considered to be adequate on the basis of current evaluations of the risks.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to introduce legislation to end the importing of another country's toxic waste; and if he will introduce a new classification to cover such categories of toxic material as the scrap metal contaminated with polychlorinated bi-phenyls.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer to my answer to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Benton) on 17 October 1994,Official Report, columns 17–18. All imports into the United Kingdom of waste for disposal, and of hazardous waste for recovery, are covered by the provisions of the EC Waste Shipments Regulation, 259/93, and the United Kingdom Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994, S.I. No. 1137. Scrap metal contaminated by PCBs is therefore covered by existing legislation.

  Blue Circle and Decision Makers Ltd
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any Minister in his Department attended a dinner or other function with representatives of Blue Circle and Decision Makers Ltd. at Hampton Court on 12 and 18 June 1993.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  No.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) attended a dinner on 25 May 1993 with representatives of Blue Circle, Decision Makers Ltd. and the right hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Angela Rumbold) in his official capacity.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) attended the Conservative women's national dinner on 25 May in a private capacity.

  Housing Grants
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of replacing mandatory grants for housing maintenance by loans; and what plans he has to do this.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Loans are one of the options being considered in the current review of the future of private housing renewal programmes. An announcement on the outcome of the review will be made in due course.

  Unfit Homes
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the report by the National Home Improvement Council on expenditure on improving unfit homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The National Home Improvement Council has made some interesting comments which we will consider in the framework of the current review of the future of private housing renewal programmes

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to set targets to 984
  reduce the number of unfit dwellings; and in what time ranges the targets will be set

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  It is not appropriate to set targets to reduce the number of unfit properties to a particular level. We aim to help improve conditions for those people unable to help themselves and to educate those who can

  Housing Improvements
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities to ensure that high standards of housing improvements are achieved by the grant system

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The current guidance to local authorities on the house renovation grant system encourages them to ensure that work is of a high standard before grant is paid

  Housing Maintenance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer(a) to re-introduce MIRAS on loans for housing maintenance and (b) to allow landlords relief for repair costs to be offset against tax rather than rent

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the new formula for standard spending assessments has had on Coventry city council; and where the city would have ranked in England for council tax levels under(a) the old standard spending assessment formula and (b) the new one

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Between 1993–94 and 1994–45 there was a reduction of 3·7 per cent. in Coventry's SSA attributable to the SSA review and the introduction of 1991 census information. Differences in the information available for 1993–94 and 1994–95 make it impossible to disaggregate this figure further

  RSG is distributed so that if all authorities spent at the level of their SSA, then all taxpayers in a given band could pay the same level of council tax whilst receiving a standard level of service. In practice, council tax levels are determined by the local authority's own decisions on spending levels and the use of reserves, not by standard spending assessments

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his target maximum percentage rise in standard spending assessments over the next two years

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced increases in total standard spending for 1995–96 and 1996–7. They were laid before the House in the"Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95" on 30 November 1993. Paragraph 5·75, page 104, refers to them.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with his colleagues on the effects on standard spending assessments of establishing new police authorities and the implementation of universal nursery education

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  On the standard spending assessments for the police, there has been continuous
  985
  contact between officials about development of the formula. Ministers in the Home Office and in my Department are jointly considering the options

  The Government are considering the implications of the commitment to nursery education and will announce its conclusions in due course.

  Local Government Expenditure
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding local government expenditure

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. Friend will make a statement on the provisional 1995–96 revenue support grant settlement for local authorities shortly after my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor's Budget statement

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 25 October,Official Report, column 541, under what United Kingdom legislation environmental assessments are required before consent is given in respect of the operation of any offshore oil and gas production, exploration or appraisal installation within 25 miles of the coast or in environmentally sensitive areas beyond 25 miles

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

  Direct Services Organisations
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken against those local authorities whose direct services organisations failed to meet statutory financial objectives in 1992–93

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  One hundred and three statutory notices have been served on 71 local authorities concerning the failure of their DSOs to meet the required financial objective in 1992–93. To date, we have announced final decisions on 81 of the notices.

  My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses of the remaining authorities on whom notices were served in June, July and August. He has today given 13 directions to the following local authorities:

  (a) Allerdale district council (other cleaning, refuse collection), requiring the authority to seek the Secretary of State's consent if it wishes to award work on the defined activity to their DSO following re-tendering which is currently in hand.

  (b) Bedfordshire county council (highways and sewerage), preventing the authority from carrying out the defined activity if it fails to meet the financial objective for the work in 1994–95.

  (c) London borough of Camden (other catering, school and welfare catering, sport and leisure management). The other catering and school and welfare catering direction prevent the authority from carrying out all or some of the defined activity through its own DSO. For sport and leisure management the direction requires the authority to re-tender the work and subsequently seek the Secretary of State's consent if it wishes to award it to their DSO.

  (d) Canterbury city council (building maintenance), preventing the authority from carrying out the defined activity if it fails to meet a specific financial objective for the work in 1994–95 and the statutory financial objective for 1995–96.

  986

  (e) Corby district council (sport and leisure management), requiring the authority to re-tender some of the work if they fail to meet the financial objective in 1994–95.

  (f) London borough of Ealing (sport and leisure management), requiring the authority to seek the Secretary of State's consent if it wishes to award work on the defined activity to their DSO following re-tendering which is currently in hand.

  (g) Kerrier district council (sport and leisure management), requiring the authority to re-tender all of the work if it fails to meet the financial objective in 1994–95.

  (h) Leicester county council (building cleaning), preventing the authority, from carrying out the activity through its own DSO from 1 January 1996.

  (i) Rochester-upon-Medway city council (sport and leisure management), requiring the authority to re-tender the work and subsequently seek the Secretary of State's consent if it wishes to award it to their DSO, and,

  (j) Slough borough council (sport and leisure management), requiring the authority to seek the Secretary of State's consent if it wishes to award work on the defined activity to their DSO following re-tendering which is currently in hand.

  The Secretary of State has also decided to take no further statutory action on this occasion against Camden (other cleaning), Kingswood (sport and leisure management), Northampton (building maintenance), Peterborough (building maintenance), Selby (sport and leisure management), South Bedfordshire (sport and leisure management), Stafford (sport and leisure management), and Wellingborough (highways and sewerage, building maintenance).

  A statutory financial objective is set for local authority DSOs to ensure that bids are realistically priced and services delivered at that price.

  For the financial year 1992–93, 350 DSOs out of a total of 2,400, failed to meet the prescribed financial objectives. This underlines the need for local authorities to take firm steps to address and correct any financial problems in DSOs, and for the Secretary of State to use the powers given to him by Parliament to ensure that this happens.

  In 70 per cent. of the cases notified to the Department, local authorities had already taken action to reduce costs, improve management or, in some cases, withdraw from the activity concerned, and no statutory action was called for.

  Over the year, statutory notices were served in respect of 103 accounts, leading to 39 directions. In the remaining cases, the authorities' responses and proposals for action were sufficient for the Secretary of State to be satisfied that no further statutory action was necessary. In addition, 30 out of the 39 directions reflected authorities' projections that their DSOs would meet the prescribed financial objective; the directions required retendering of work or closure of the DSO only if the projected results were not in the event achieved.

  The remaining nine directions required authorities to take further action beyond that already proposed—in four cases this involved the closure of the DSOs in question.

  I should emphasise that the great majority of DSOs deliver services successfully and meet the prescribed financial objectives. Where problems arise, authorities have the primary responsibility for taking the necessary steps, and the majority of authorities do so without any intervention or prompting by the Department. Their responsible action is to be commended.

  Local authorities are required to submit DSO accounts for 1993–94 to the Department not later than today, 31

  987
  October. My right hon. Friend will consider shortly what action would be appropriate in respect of any accounts that fail to meet the statutory financial objective in the year.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state, in relation to his decision to open the docklands light railway to an offer of franchise(a) to whom the franchise will revert at the conclusion of the stated period, (b) whether Railtrack will own the railway infrastructure and (c) what is the current ratio between current fare-box takings, including joint ticketing income and annual revenue costs.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Docklands Light Railway Limited (DLR Ltd) will let a vertical franchise to the private sector, transferring specific responsibilities in relation to both DLR infrastructure and operations. Reversion will be to DLR Ltd. The Government have no plans to transfer the infrastructure to Railtrack. The current ratio between the current farebox takings, including joint ticketing income, and annual revenue costs is 1:3·4.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects the first applications for grants for national lottery funding to be made.

  Mr. Sproat
  I understand that most of the distributing bodies intend to invite applications from 4 January 1995.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assistance his Department has provided the national lottery distributory bodies with regard to setting up their operations.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department and the other Departments with lottery responsibilities have provided the distributing bodies with all possible assistance in setting up their systems.

  Independent Television Franchises
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has for allowing takeovers of failing television companies holding the franchise.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The present ITV ownership rules allow the takeover of a Channel 3 company provided that no one company holds more than two licences. The rules are being looked at as part of the review on cross-ownership.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he will next meet the chairman of the Independent Television Association to discuss the independent television franchises.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am meeting the chairman of the Independent Television Commission on 2 November. I expect to discuss a number of issues, including Channel 3.

  Performing Arts (Teesside)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assistance is given to develop performing arts on Teesside.
  988
  Mr. Sproat
  Public sector support for the performing arts on Teesside is provided through a partnership between Northern Arts, which is largely centrally funded by the Arts Council, and the local authorities in the area. In 1993–94 this support amounted to over £1·3 million, with approximately £700,000 from Northern Arts arid more than £300,000 each from Cleveland county council and the district councils.

  Millennium Fund Projects
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to ensure a geographical distribution of millennium fund projects.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Millennium Commission has been directed that it must take account of the objective of ensuring that major projects are supported in each country of the United Kingdom when considering applications for lottery funds.

  Statues
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to encourage the erection of more statues(a) in London and (b) elsewhere.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I do not currently have any plans to encourage the erection of more statues.

  Media Ownership
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he now expects to publish the results of his consultation on media ownership and cross-ownership.

  Mr. Dorrell
  An announcement about the outcome will be made once the Government have determined the best way forward.

  Sport in Schools
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what importance he attaches to competitive sport in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  I consider competitive sport in schools to be of the utmost importance in enabling children to learn to work together as a team within a framework of rules. This is an essential skill for adult life and we are currently working with the Department for Education on proposals for putting competitive sport back at the heart of school life.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he is taking to improve facilities for school sport.

  Mr. Sproat
  The Sports Council supports the community use of school sports facilities and has provided £12 million for upgrading existing facilities or building new ones over the last 11 years. In addition, schools satisfying certain criteria will be eligible to receive national lottery funds for dual use facilities when they come on stream in 1995.

  Popular Music Industry
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations have taken place with representatives of the popular music industry to discuss the future of the industry.
  989
  Mr. Sproat
  My Department maintains regular contacts with representatives of the popular music industry at ministerial and official levels.

  Sportsmatch Scheme
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received regarding the Sportsmatch scheme to promote business sponsorship of sport.

  Mr. Sproat
  I have received a number of letters from hon. Members and others regarding the Sportsmatch scheme. I have replied to one from my hon. Friend recently.

  Arts Sponsorship
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to promote business sponsorship of the arts.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Over the last 20 years, businesses have increasingly recognised the commercial benefits that flow from their links with excellence in the arts. The Government have welcomed and actively encouraged this trend, and the resulting strengthening of the arts economy. Growth in business sponsorship has been developed and maintained by the efforts of the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts, and through the Government's own business sponsorship incentive scheme, which since it inception in 1984 has attracted more than £82 million in new money to the arts.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the channel tunnel on the United Kingdom tourism industry.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I believe that the channel tunnel is an exciting opportunity for the United Kingdom tourism industry. With more than 60 per cent. of visitors to the United Kingdom already coming from western Europe, and France—our second largest market in terms of overseas visitors—there is clearly great potential for the industry to exploit.

  Historic Buildings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what study he is making of the availability of stone and other traditional building materials for repairs to historic buildings.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department of the Environment's building research establishment undertakes research into the selection and availability of building materials in the British Isles. It has published the following relevant reports:

  Title

  year of publication

  The Building Limestones of the British Isles

  1993

  The Building Sandstones of the British Isles

  1986

  The Building Magnesian Limestones of the British Isles

  1988

  The Building Slates of the British Isles

  1991

  990
  English Heritage is shortly to commence a study into the problems facing the fissile stone slate industry in the Cotswolds and the Peak district. English Heritage is also funding research into supplies of lime for conservation mortars, plasters and renders and will be publishing a directory of small-scale lime burning and ready mixed materials traditionally used in conservation work.

  Library Commission
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritiage what representations he has received regarding his proposals for a library commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  We received more than 150 responses to our public consultation paper on a new library and information commission, of which most were strongly in favour. The Government have therefore decided to proceed with the establishment of the commission from January 1995, thus providing an influential new forum for the development of policy on library provision.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the costs of training(a) an Insolvency Service examiner, (b) an E grade examiner and (c) a D grade examiner.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The direct costs associated with the basic professional and technical training of an E grade examiner are £7,000 and for a D grade are £8,500. These do not include the salary cost of the examiner or of internal presenters and tutors

  In addition, examiners undergo development and management training and have the opportunity to progress to full accountancy qualification

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the Insolvency Service's LOIS computer system in the event of the recommendation of Stoy Hayward in respect of contracting out Insolvency Service work being accepted

  Mr. Heseltine
  Consideration will be given to the application of the Insolvency Service LOIS computer system in the event that the case administration work of official receivers is contracted out.

  Creditors' Committees
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many creditors' committees were appointed for each of the last three years for(a) creditors' voluntary liquidations, (b) compulsory liquidations and (c) individual bankruptcies

  Mr. Heseltine
  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Post Office
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice he has given Post Office Counters Ltd. on whether it is bound by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to ensure
  991
  that where a main office's work is franchised to a private retail outlet its former employees working for the franchisee should enjoy the same pay and conditions as hitherto.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is an operational matter for the Post Office.

  Clock Adjustment
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many man hours were taken up by adjusting the clocks throughout his Department.

  Proceeds £ millions

  Date of Sale

  Net Equity to Government

  Redemption of Debt

  Amersham International

  1982

  62

  —

  British Aerospace (secondary sale by HM Treasury)

  1981

  43

  —

  1985

  347

  —

  British Gas

  1986

  5,143

  2,500

  1990

  150

  —

  British Steel

  1988

  2,425

  —

  British Telecommunications (secondary sale by HM Treasury)

  1984

  3,685

  3,500

  1991

  5,218

  —

  1993

  5,201

  —

  Britoil (secondary sale)

  1982

  536

  —

  1985

  426

  —

  Cable and Wireless (secondary sales by HM Treasury)

  1981

  181

  —

  1983

  263

  —

  1985

  577

  —

  Electricity Generating Companies

  1991

  12,201

  768

  Enterprise Oil

  1984

  382

  —

  Girobank

  1990

  2—

  —

  Insurance Services Group

  1991

  313

  —

  Jaguar

  1984

  4—

  —

  Regional Electricity Companies (England and Wales)

  1990

  15,182

  2,815

  Rolls-Royce

  1987

  1,031

  —

  Rover Group5

  1988

  6150

  —

  British Technology Group

  1992

  25

  —

  Wytch Farm

  1984

  149

  —

  1 Gross equity proceeds

  2 Proceeds to the Post Office

  3 Proceeds to Export Credits Guarantee Department

  4 Proceeds to BL plc (Rover Group)

  5 Private sector company

  6 This does not take into account exchequer payments (including cash injection of £547 million) or exchequer cost of deferring payments of consideration

  Samsung
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement setting out the role of his
  992
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and effort.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information requested on proceeds from privatisations promoted by my Department and the former Department of Energy since 1979 is given in the table. The current market value of companies is not held centrally by my Department.

  Department in helping to attract Samsung's recent investment to Stockton-on-Tees.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department took the lead in discussions with Samsung about the company's decision to locate its manufacturing complex in Cleveland. The
  993
  Department's Invest in Britain Bureau, whose role it is to promote overseas investment in the United Kingdom, has been in close contact with Samsung for several months. Discussions about the regional financial support offer were conducted by the Department's industrial development unit. The support offered was neutral between alternative United Kingdom locations and left the decision for Samsung to make on commercial and operational grounds. Throughout, my Department also maintained contact with other Departments, the Government office for the north-east and a number of local authorities and other agencies including the Northern Development Company and English Partnerships.

  I am delighted to note that these efforts, together with the £58 million financial support offered, influenced Samsung's decision to locate in Cleveland, a decision which I am sure will bring significant and lasting benefits to the company, to Cleveland and the north-east region and to the country as a whole.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average cost to his Department of answering(a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The current average cost of preparing an answer, as announced on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 387 by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr Dorrell) is assessed as being £97 for a written question and £225 for an oral question.

  Consumer Councils
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish details of the spending powers devolved by the National Consumer Council to the Welsh Consumer Council; and what authority is devolved to officers of the Welsh Consumer Council.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Welsh Consumer Council's budget is set at a level agreed between the national and the Scottish and Welsh Consumer Councils from the grant in aid that the National Consumer Council receives from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Welsh Consumer Council has established procedures for controlling and monitoring its own expenditure within the agreed limit. Decisions on incurring actual expenditure are taken by council, but authority for payment of goods and services received is delegated to its director. The director of the National Consumer Council, as accounting officer, is responsible, under the grant in aid conditions, for ensuring that expenditure by all three councils is properly authorised and contained within the agreed allocation.

  Business Probity
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals he has to improve business probity and ethics.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As part of its programme of reviewing company law, my Department will publish a consultation document early in 1995 on directors' duties. This will invite views on proposals for a statement of directors' duties and for reforming part X of the Companies Act on the enforcement of fair dealing by directors.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the salaries of the chairman and chief executive of the Coal Authority.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Sir David White as part-time chairman of the Coal Authority receives a salary of £18,000 a year for one day per week. Mr Neville Washington, who will be full-time chief executive, receives a salary of £55,000 plus pension and a car allowance. He is also eligible for a non-pensionable performance bonus.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will name the consultants he has employed to give advice on disposal of British Coal's property interests; what are their terms of reference; when their commission was(a) started and (b) completed; and what was the cost.

  Mr. Eggar
  No consultants have been commissioned by the Department to advise on the disposal of British Coal's non-operational property interests, which are a matter for the corporation.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Coal Authority's budget in 1994–95; and what budget is planned for 1995—l96.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The net provision for the Coal Authority in 1994–95, as published in the revised estimates in June, is £30.9 million. The provision for 1995–96 is currently under consideration and will be published in the 1995–96 supply estimates in March 1995.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the method and timetable of the disposal of British Coal's property interests.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Coal. The corporation is currently considering the options for transferring its non-operational land and property to the private sector. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will name each member of the Coal Authority; and if he will give details of their experience and background.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have today announced the appointment of five part-time members of the Coal Authority. The Coal Authority now comprises:Sir David White DL (part-time Chairman), Chairman of the Mansfield Brewery plc, of the Nottingham Health Authority, and of the Board of Governors, the Nottingham Trent University.
  Mr. Neville Washington (full-time member), who was Director of Human Resources and Operations at the Victoria Infirmary, a NHS Trust Hospital in Glasgow. Previously he was in the armed forces, leaving the army in 1992 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
  Mr. John Cunliffe, barrister and, until his recent retirement, a senior legal adviser within The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies and Secretary of The "Shell" Transport and Trading Company, plc.
  Mr. Eric Hassall, a qualified chartered engineer currently Chairman of Wardell Armstrong, mining consultants. He is a Member of Council of the Natural Environment Research Council. His previous career included working as the Crown Mineral Agent and employment with the (then) National Coal Board.
  Mr. Roy Lynk OBE, National President of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers from 1987 to 1993 and General Secretary from 1985. He was previously a full-time official of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1979, after 19 years as a branch official.

  995
  He was a coal face worker for nearly thirty years. Mr. Lynk was a Councillor on Ashfield District Council for eight years.
  Mr. Leslie Rendell, the retiring Director of Planning and Transport of Warwickshire County Council and the immediate past President of the County Planning Officers' Society. Until recently he was Chairman of the West Midlands Regional Aggregates Working Party. He has served as a planning officer in seven counties, including two coal producing regions. His particular interests include environmental sustainability.
  Mr. Tom Slee, a Chartered Accountant and Finance Director of Pittencrieff Resources plc, an Edinburgh-based oil and gas company. He is also a non-executive director of Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Ltd. His previous career was with Costain Group, Courtaulds and KPMG Peat Marwick.

  Parliamentary Lobbyists
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the parliamentary lobbyists contracted to the regulators of privatised utilities over the past three years and their cost.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for the regulators.

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much uranium recovered for reprocessing is stored at British Nuclear Fuels plc's facility at Capenhurst; what plans there are to increase the amount; and by how much.

  Mr. Eggar
  Some 10,000 tonnes of uranium as uranium trioxide, recovered from reprocessing irradiated fuel, is currently stored on the Capenhurst site of British Nuclear Fuels plc. The hulk of this material is owned by BNFL's reprocessing customers and the amount to be stored in the future is a commercial matter for the parties concerned.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 25 October,Official Report, column 541, under what United Kingdom legislation he requires environmental assessments before giving consent in respect of the operation at any offshore oil or gas production installation within 25 miles of the coast or in environmentally sensitive areas more than 25 miles offshore.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Environmental assessments are required before consent is given in respect of the operations of any offshore oil and gas production installation within 25 miles of the coast or in environmentally sensitive areas beyond 25 miles by conditions incorporated into licences granted under the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934. Environmental assessments are not required for oil and gas exploration and appraisal.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what formal or informal representations he or any of his Ministerial colleagues or their predecessors received as from(a) any right hon. Member of hon. Member or (b) any other person regarding the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors' report on the takeover of the House of Fraser; what departmental record exists of such representations; and if they were reported to the Cabinet Secretary.
  996
  Mr. Heseltine
  My Department has received a very large number of representations concerning the takeover of House of Fraser and the DTI inspectors' report. It would not be possible to provide a complete record of these representations without incurring disproportionate cost. The hon. Member may recall that the matter was discussed in the House on 4 April 1989 and on 7 March 1990, and in another place on 3 April 1989, on 7 March 1990 and 28 March 1990. The matter was also referred to in the proceedings of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry. A number of hon. Members also asked questions on the subject. Such representations are not, as a general rule, reported to the Cabinet Secretary.

  Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 24 October,Official Report, column 412, what action he has taken to obtain Lord Archer's consent to releasing the information that Lord Archer provided to those compiling the report.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 28 October 1994]: I have taken no such action.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies from overseas qualified for regional selective assistance between(a) March 1979 and June 1983, (b) June 1983 and June 1987 and (c) June 1987 and May 1992; and what was the total amount of regional selective assistance paid to them in each period.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The number of offers of regional selective assistance made to foreign-owned companies in each of the periods and the amount of grant paid was as follows:

  Number of offers made

  Amount paid in period £ million

  1 March 1979 to 30 June 1983

  203

  22.5

  1 July 1983 to 30 June 1987

  274

  31.5

  1 July 1987 to 31 May 1992

  275

  81.5

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many jobs were created by those overseas companies receiving regional selective assistance between(a) March 1979 and June 1983, (b) June 1983 and June 1987 and (c) June 1987 and May 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The number of jobs created by foreign-owned companies related to offers of regional selective assistance accepted in the periods was as follows:

  Period

  Number of Jobs to date

  1 March 1979 to 30 June 1983

  13,815

  1 July 1983 to 30 June 1987

  23,418

  1 July 1987 to 31 May 1992

  14,420

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inward investments which received regional selective assistance between(a) March 1979 and

  997
  June 1993, (b) between June 1983 and June 1989 and (c) between June 1989 and May 1992 have since closed the operation for which the grants were received and, in the case of (a) and (b), how many such closures have taken place in the past four years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 27 October 1994]: Regional selective assistance projects are normally monitored for only a limited number of years after final payment of the grant; complete information on this question is not available.

  CORRIGENDUM
  Official Report, 31 October 1994: In column 911, Mr. Llew Smith's written question, the last under the heading "Conduct of Public Life", should read as follows:
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on standards of conduct in public life of 25 October,Official Report, column 757, if he will indicate (a) who was the informant mentioned by the Cabinet Secretary in his report, (b) what proposals for a deal were put to him by the intermediary and (c) when he was first contacted by the intermediary.

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  DRIVING LICENCES: NEW STYLE
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  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL 24th-25th October
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