Written Answers of 25 April 1995

TREASURY

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue raised from taxing child benefit where either parent is a higher rate taxpayer and the administrative cost of doing this. [19698]

  Sir George Young
  The Government are committed to maintaining child benefit, which recognises that all families with children face additional costs.

  Now that husbands and wives are taxed independently, it would be administratively complex to tax child benefit in a way which fairly reflected family circumstances.

  However, were child benefit to be taxed, the yield for 1995–96 from taxing it at the higher rate for lone parents who are higher rate taxpayers, and for married couples where either the husband or wife is a higher rate taxpayer, would be about £320 million.

  The cost of administration would depend on the method used to collect the tax.

  Whitehall Buildings
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish detailed plans for the sale or lease of part of the Treasury's Whitehall buildings including full calculations of the economic justification of such plans or decisions. [19892]

  Mr. Nelson
  In his speech to the private finance panel conference on 24 January, my right hon. and learned Friend announced that the redevelopment of the Treasury building in Great George street will be taken forward under the private finance initiative. The process to define our requirement and conduct the competition to find a consortium to take the project forward is continuing. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider what information can be published at the appropriate time.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will submit to Parliament for its approval or rejection any plans to sell or lease part of the Treasury's Whitehall buildings; and, under what other auspices such a transaction might be concluded. [19893]

  Mr. Nelson
  It has not yet been decided exactly how the redevelopment of the Parliament street building will be taken forward. When the decision is taken, Ministers will consider how the House should be informed.

  Public Sector Construction
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 4 April,Official Report, column 1052, what view his Department has put to the working groups as to the desirability of a single exclusive register for public sector work. [20209]
  406
  Mr. Nelson
  HM Treasury has expressed no view to the working groups on the desirability of a single register for public sector construction work. It is awaiting the outcome of the study by Capita Management Consultancy Ltd. before reaching conclusions. It has, however, indicated to the working groups that it doubts whether excluding certain companies from bidding for public sector work merely because they were not on a register could be justified on value-for-money grounds.

  Value Added Tax
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to resist any proposals for the European Commission to prevent member states from continuing to exempt those goods and services which are currently zero-rated for VAT when the transitional period agreed under the sixth VAT directive expires. [20388]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government have consistently made it clear that, as a condition of any move to a definitive system for VAT within the European Community, provision must be made for the UK to continue to apply those zero rates which are in force at the time any new system is introduced.

  Valuation Office
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets will be set for the Valuation Office executive agency for the year 1995–96. [21194]

  Mr. Nelson
  I have set the follwing key targets for the agency in 1995–96: [21194]

  Key Targets

  Operational targets Council tax

  to clear 240,000 appeals against the council tax valuation lists

  Non-domestic

  to clear 330,000 appeals in aggregate against the 1990 and the 1995 rating lists

  Direct taxes

  to undertake 70,000 valuation cases for the Inland Revenue for capital gains and inheritance tax purposes

  Financial performance and cost efficiency

  to ensure the agency's net operating cost before cost of statutory non-chargeble work is at least fully covered by receipts

  to break even from year to year within each business segment, after charging for the full cost of chargeable services including notional interest of 6 per cent. on the average working capital

  to achieve efficiency savings of 6 per cent. on the agency gross expenditure

  Quality of Service

  to reply to 100 per cent. of correspondence within 35 days of receipt

  to achieve specified time limits in 96 per cent. of cases undertaken

  to achieve specified valuation quality standard in 84 per cent. of cases carried out

  407
  Further details are set out in the agency's business plan for 1995–96, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House on publication.

  Central Statistical Office
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, columns 594–95, whether he and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health have decided whether the Central Statistical Office and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys should be merged. [21274]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and I have concluded that there would be benefits from such a merger. Subject to the views of other interested parties, we propose that on 1 April 1996 the two organisations should merge to form a new next steps agency which would be accountable to me.

  I am placing in the Library a document setting out the functions and responsibilities of the proposed new agency and the benefits which we believe would arise from the merger. Copies of this document will shortly be sent to those known to have a close interest in the work of the two organisations, with an invitation to make any comments on the proposals within three months.

  A decision on the proposed merger will be announced as soon as possible after that.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the outcome of the review of the agency status for the Central Statistical Office. [21226]

  Mr. Nelson
  I announced on 18 November 1994,Official Report, column 12, that a review of the agency status of the Central Statistical Office was being undertaken by a small team representing a cross-section of interest in the CSO and its statistics. Since then, the performance of the CSO has been evaluated and CSO activities have been subjected to the prior options tests set out in "Next Steps Review', Cm 2430. A wide-ranging consultation exercise has been carried out and the views received have been incorporated in the team's report. The team recommended that the CSO remain an agency and the Government have accepted this recommendation. A copy of the review team's report is being placed in the Library. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced today that the Government propose that, subject to the views of other interested parties, the CSO should merge with the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from 1 April 1996. We therefore propose to take forward the outcome of the CSO agency review in that context.

  Official Statistics
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what guidance is given by the Head of the Government Statistical Service as to the maximum advance notice to be given to Ministers of the publication of regular statistical series; [18897]

  (2) what advance notice Ministers are given of the publication of the main monthly economic statistical series. [18896]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 April 19951]: The practice followed by the Central Statistical Office is set out in the open government White Paper, Cm 2290, and
  408
  was announced previously by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. The code of practice for official statistics, a copy of which is in the Library, was released earlier this month by the Head of the Government Statistical Service.

  Data are made available to all users at the same time, although Ministers, officials and the Governor of the Bank of England may receive copies of key statistical information at 5 pm two working days before publication on a strict need-to-know basis.

  In the case of the retail prices index, although the main release of the RPI does conform to standard release practices, Treasury Ministers, named officials and the Governor of the Bank of England receive an early unpublished projection about a week in advance of the first release.

  African Development Bank
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has a vote in the election for the presidency of the African development bank; and which candidate he supports. [19916]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The president of the African development bank is elected by a majority of the total voting power of its members, including a majority of the voting power of regional members. We are giving careful consideration to the five candidates nominated for the post.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Child Care Facilities
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what child care facilities are currently available in the House of Commons;

  (2) what studies he has undertaken of child care facilities in other Parliament buildings; and what conclusions he has drawn from this;

  (3) what is his estimate of the number of pre-school child care places needed in the Palace of Westminster by (a) staff and (b) hon. Members; and what surveys have been done to determine likely need.

  Mr. Beith
  [holding answer 24 April 19951]: I refer the hon. Member to the debate on child care facilities held on 12 January, Official Report, columns 323–45, and to the report on potential demand for child care facilities published by the House of Commons Commission in July 1994. Following the debate, the commission considered its policy on child care facilities and decided to implement a child care voucher scheme for staff of the House of Commons Service under arrangements set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mrs. Maddock) on 2 March 1995, Official Report, column 637. No studies of child care facilities in other Parliament buildings have been undertaken.

  Staff of the House have now been circulated with details of the voucher scheme, which will operate with effect from 1 April 1995.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number and location of Chessington Computer Centre, Civil Service College, HMSO, Occupational Health Service, Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [19966]

  Mr. Horam
  Of the agencies listed, only HMSO and the Occupational Health and Safety Agency have had offices in Scotland during the last five years. As the question concerns operational matters, I have asked the chief executives of HMSO and OHSA to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Paul Freeman to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 21 April 1995:
  I have been asked to reply, in respect of HMSO, to your question tabled on 18 April (No. 196) regarding offices opened and closed and the numbers of jobs lost from and gained in Scotland.
  HMSO Scotland trades in a dynamic environment and provides a wide range of services to Scottish public sector customers from its South Gyle, Edinburgh, headquarters. The picture over the past five years shows a net gain of 13 jobs. The detail is as follows:

  Posts

  Work transferred

  Jobs lost

  Bookshop Assistant

  1

  Standing orders for HMSO Books and the supply of non-Scottish titles to HMSO Agents transferred to our Publications Centre in London to obviate double-handling and service delays.

  Jobs gained

  Accountant and Assistant

  2

  Responsibilities devolved from Norwich HQ to increase local control of business operational decisions.

  Debt Management Staff

  2

  Information Systems Bureau Staff

  5

  Customers Services Staff

  5

  North of England office supplies order processing: closer proximity to customers.

  14

  No offices were opened or closed as a result of these changes, but three existing premises ie warehouse, printing press and offices were replaced by the new HQ building at South Gyle in 1993.

  Letter from J. L. Gordon to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 24 April 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your question on behalf of Dr. McCloy, Chief Executive of the Agency, who is on sick leave.
  Since the Agency moved its Headquarters function from London to Edinburgh in 1989, to join the existing Regional Office, there have been no further moves into or out of Scotland.
  Prior to 1980, six (6) staff were based in Scotland, and the relocation of the Headquarters unit brought an additional nineteen (19) posts. Although OHSA is a relatively small agency the intervening period has seen a modest increase, including senior
  410
  posts, and the number of staff now based in Edinburgh is thirty-one (31) with a further medical officer due to take up post later this year. There is one post located in Glasgow.

  Official Report'
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the institutions which subscribed to the Official Report in the 1978–79 Session and in the 1993–94 Session; and what were the prices of annual subscriptions in 1978–79 and 1993–94 in cash terms and at constant prices. [20016]

  Mr. Horam
  HMSO does not keep lists of subscribers to the Official Report other than for current dispatches. Details for 1978–79 and 1993–94 cannot therefore be provided.

  The price of the annual subscription to the daily Official Report in 1978–79 was £93 and in 1993–94 £1,275. The sum of £93 is equivalent to just over £265 in 1993–94 prices. The subsidy needed in 1978–79 to maintain Hansard at this artificially low price was £2.4 million, equivalent to over £6.8 million in 1993–94. The actual subsidy in 1993–94 was nil.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what profit or loss was made from producing and publishing the Official Report in 1978–79 and in 1993–94. [20017]

  Mr. Horam
  In 1978–79, the subsidy voted to reimburse HMSO for losses arising from the sale of the Official Report of both Houses at less than the costs of production and distribution stood at £2.4 million. This subsidy was systematically eliminated between 1983—when it had reached £6 million—and 1991, by a combination of productivity improvements and price increases.

  The financial position in 1993–94 was distorted by significant investments in new technology and redundancy payments, following HMSO's successful in-house bids for two Hansard market tests; as a result, there is now the prospect that a profit may be made on Hansard for the first time ever next year.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has issued with respect to in-house bids in market-testing exercises and the circumstances in which there should not be in-house bids in such exercises. [20867]

  Mr. Horam
  Guidance on in-house bids is set out in the "Government's Guide to Market Testing', a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Examples of the circumstances in which in-house bids might not be considered are set out in the White Paper "Taking forward Continuity and Change', Cm 2748. They include occasions when a Department judges that the private sector is clearly better equipped to deliver a specific service, has a better understanding of market needs or has a capacity to invest in new technology or where an activity is relatively small and peripheral to a department's functions. It is, however, for individual Departments to decide in each case whether or not to consider an in-house bid.

  Departmental Reports
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each annual departmental report, the estimated cost of printing and publishing last year the total sales to(a) the Department and (b) other buyers; and if HMSO covered its costs. [20187]

  Mr Horam
  Sales to the author Department and to other buyers for each 1994 departmental report are as follows:

  Cm No.

  Author Department

  Sales to Author Department1

  Other Sales2

  2501

  Defence

  500

  699

  2502

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  2,770

  632

  2503

  Agriculture

  776

  593

  2504

  Trade and Industry

  3,850

  955

  2505

  Employment

  982

  758

  2506

  Transport

  530

  972

  2507

  Environment

  1,540

  955

  2508

  Home Office

  806

  613

  2509

  Lord Chancellor and Law Officers

  206

  606

  2510

  Education

  705

  834

  2511

  National Heritage

  825

  688

  2512

  Health

  1,157

  855

  2513

  Social Security

  1,870

  807

  2514

  Scottish Office

  35

  694

  2515

  Welsh Office

  450

  628

  2516

  Northern Ireland Office

  137

  681

  2517

  Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments

  301

  554

  2518

  Cabinet Office etc

  340

  582

  2519

  Statistical Supplement

  263

  857

  Complete Sets

  Nil

  222

  1Initial supplies only, any subsequent orders are not recorded.

  2 As at 20 April 1995.

  The printing costs result from competitive tendering undertaken by HMSO and are therefore commercially confidential. Printing and publishing costs were borne by HMSO, which aims to recover these from the sales revenue.

  Research Council
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the ways in which his Department disseminates information from EU Research Council meetings to potential beneficiaries in British industry. [20242]

  Mr. Horam
  My Department, the Department of Trade and Industry and other Departments concerned inform British companies about the opportunities available under the framework of EU research programmes agreed by the Research Council, principally by means of publications, supported by a programme of information days and seminars.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20493]
  412
  Mr. Horam
  The executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Public Service and Science are as follows:

  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Medical Research Council

  Natural Environment Research Council

  Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council.

  The research councils are responsible to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Each council is required under the terms of the Science and Technology Act 1965 to publish an annual report and annual accounts. None of the councils is required to publish minutes or agendas of council meetings or registers of its members' interests.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20652]

  Mr. Horam
  The executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Public Service and Science are as follows:

  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Medical Research Council

  Natural Environment Research Council

  Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council

  The research councils are responsible to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  (a) The councils are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner;

  (b) the councils are not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission;

  (c) the councils are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office;

  (d) there are no statutory provisions, but the code of practice on open government applies to all councils; each council is required, under the terms of the Science and Technology Act 1965, to publish an annual report and annual accounts.

  (e) the councils publish performance indicators in their annual corporate plans;

  (f) the councils are encouraged to adopt charter principles.

HEALTH

  Prescriptions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provision the national health service makes for patients awaiting organ transplants requiring multiple prescriptions who are disqualified from free prescriptions because they are above income support levels, what plans she has to revise the specified conditions list to make patients awaiting organ transplants exempt from
  413
  prescription charges either totally or above a specified level; and if she will make a statement; [19038]

  (2) when the last review of the specified conditions list was carried out; on what date changes resulting from this review were implemented; how the review and its implementation impacted on those awaiting organ transplants; how the review and its implementation impacted upon those whose medical condition precludes the reasonable prospect of an organ transplant; and if she will make a statement. [19036]

  Mr. Malone
  Patients awaiting organ transplants who are not otherwise exempt or entitled to charge remission may qualify for free prescriptions if they have any one of the specified medical conditions, including a permanent fistula requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance, and hold an exemption certificate issued by a family health services authority. The specified medical conditions were last reviewed in 1993 as part of the fundamental review of health expenditure and we have

  £1000s

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  UK

  Foreign

  UK

  Foreign

  UK

  Foreign

  Central Department

  1,497

  11,253

  1,456

  39

  1,379

  80

  Agencies

  NHS Estates2

  148

  3

  260

  —

  221

  28

  Medicines ControlAgency2

  78

  158

  85

  252

  92

  173

  NHS Pensions Agency

  12

  —

  26

  —

  23

  —

  Medical Devices Agency3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  21

  —

  Notes:

  1 This figure includes the cost of foreign travel as well as subsistence as these were not separately identified in 1992–93.

  2 The figures for NHS Estates and the Medicines Control Agency include the cost of travel as well as subsistence as these are not separately identified.

  3 The Medical Devices Agency was established on 27 September 1994. The figures for 1994–95 reported for the agency were for 27 September 1994 to 31 March 1995 only. Prior to this, its figures were included in those for the central Department.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number and location of Medicines Control Agency, NHS Estates and NHS Pensions Agency offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if she will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [20302]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Asbestos-related Diseases
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 816, what representations have been made to her about the difficulties experienced by sufferers from asbestos-related diseases in obtaining such diagnosis as an explanation of their health problems. [19927]

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received no such representations.

  Private Finance Initiatives
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response her Department has received to health service schemes under the private finance initiative. [19962]
  414
  no plans for change. Prescription prepayment certificates continue to offer real savings for anyone not entitled to free prescriptions who needs frequent or extensive medication. Coupled with the wide-ranging arrangements for charge exemption and remission, they ensure that no one need be deterred from obtaining necessary prescribed medication for financial reasons.

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total amount paid by her central Department and each agency for which she is responsible in subsistence allowances for travel(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [19555]

  Mr. Sackville
  The amounts paid by the Department and its agencies in subsistence allowances for travel in the United Kingdom and outside for 1992–93 to 1994–95 were as follows:

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 21 April,Official Report, columns 312–13.

  Confidentiality
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish a further paper concerning the confidentiality of health information; and if she will make a statement. [20040]

  Mr. Sackville
  Draft Guidance, "Confidentiality, Use and Disclosure of Personal Health Information', was issued for consultation in August 1994. The consultation period closed on 9 December. We are considering the many responses received and will be making any appropriate revisions to the guidance in due course.

  Hospital Matrons
  Mr. Critchley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will re-establish the position of matron in NHS hospitals. [19902]

  Mr. Sackville
  The exact titles and responsibilities of senior nurses are for local decision. The title of matron may be used if appropriate. Every national health service trust is required to have a senior nurse as an executive director.

  Health Authority Allocations
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what 1995–96 cash allocation has been made to each district health authority, including fundholding GP practices within the authority's area for hospital and community health services. [20022]

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1995–96 recurrent allocations for resident population to district health authorities for hospital and community health services will be placed in the Library.

  Hepatitis C
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information her Department has on the number of people in England and Wales affected by hepatitis C as a result of contaminated blood prior to the introduction of screening in 1991. [20284]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made by her Department's working group into research regarding the bacteria strain in beef which has caused deaths; [20462]

  (2) if she will list the members of the committee that was set up to investigate health hazards in respect of bacterium, E coli 0157; what are the members' qualifications; when the report will be published; and if she will make a statement. [20727]

  Mr. Sackville
  The report of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food on verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli—VTEC—will be published shortly with the Government's response to its recommendations. Details of the membership of the ACMSF and its working group on VTEC are contained in the ACMSF's annual report 1993, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from doctors about the bacteria strain linked to beef responsible for deaths; and what trends there have been in the number of deaths caused. [20461]

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received no such representations. Information on deaths associated with verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli is not available centrally. However, available evidence does not suggest a change in the mortality associated with infection.

  Clinical Grading Appeals
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances interest is payable on back pay arising from clinical grading appeals which are upheld. [20618]

  Mr. Malone
  Retrospective payments to national health service staff do not attract interest.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require all NHS trusts to display on the exterior hospital name boards the names and home telephone numbers of the chairman and chief executive. [20692]
  416
  Mr. Malone
  The provision of the names and office telephone numbers of board members and senior officers of national health service trusts is detailed as an example of good practice in the new code of openness in the NHS published in April.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national health service trusts have(a) completed contracts with purchasers for the year 1995–96 and (b) not yet completed contracts for 1995–96; and how many in the latter category are in the process of arbitration. [19880]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS Pension Scheme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take action to ensure that the fee obtained by the Paymaster General for sending private pension correspondence to NHS pensioners is paid into the NHS benevolent fund. [20677]

  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice was given by her Department to the Bristol royal infirmary on the future programme of paediatric cardiac surgery for(a) switch, (b) atrial ventricular canal, (c) ventricular septal defects and (d) tetralogy of fallow. [20508]

  Mr. Sackville
  A protocol covering the future performance of all complex paediatric cardiac surgery in United Bristol Healthcare trust hospitals has been agreed jointly between my Department, the Director of Public Health Medicine for the south and west region, South and West regional health authority and the UBHT pending the arrival of the newly appointed paediatric cardiac surgeon.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to continue to monitor the success rate of paediatric cardiac surgery at the Bristol royal infirmary; and what steps she has taken to satisfy herself that the procedures are carried out correctly. [20510]

  Mr. Sackville
  Monitoring the results of treatment is an integral part of clinical audit and as such is the responsibility of health professionals. Audit methodology is continually improving, but there are at present no agreed national standards for paediatric cardiac surgery. Improved audit arrangements for paediatric cardiac surgery are being agreed between the United Bristol Healthcare trusts and Avon Health. In addition, my Department has just provided funding for a pilot project to assess the feasibility of establishing a national central cardiac audit database to enable cardiac surgeons and cardiologists to monitor the outcome of all cardiac interventions against agreed standards.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department recommended following the visit by Stewart Hunter, Sir Keith Ross, Sir Terence English and David Hamilton in 1992 to investigate the Bristol royal infirmary's paediatric cardiac record. [20512]

  Mr. Sackville
  No such visit took place.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has received on the reasons why the Senning operation was carried out in much larger numbers
  417
  at the Bristol royal infirmary as compared to switch operators in the 1990s and on the relative life expectancies and success rate. [20509]

  Mr. Sackville
  These were matters of clinical judgement.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she was informed of the record of open heart surgery on children at the Bristol royal infirmary in the 1990s. [20511]

  Mr. Sackville
  My Department was informed in July 1994 that there was a difference of professional opinion about the results of an audit of paediatric cardiac surgery at Bristol royal infirmary. The United Bristol Healthcare trust management was asked to resolve the matter.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20498]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is as follows. Non departmental public bodies that:

  Publish annual reports:

  Under a statutory requirement:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Voluntarily:

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  Medical Practices Committee

  Public Health Laboratory Service Board

  National Biological Standards Board

  National Radiological Protection Board

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

  Publish annual accounts:

  Under a statutory requirement:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Public Health Laboratory Service Board

  National Biological Standards Board

  National Radiological Protection Board

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Voluntarily:

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work.

  Publish the minutes of meetings:

  Under a statutory requirement:

  None.

  Voluntarily:

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Publish the agendas for meetings:

  Under a statutory requirement:

  None.

  Voluntarily:

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  418

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Publish registers of members' interests:

  Under a statutory requirement:

  None.

  Voluntarily:

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20658]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is as follows:

  Those non-departmental public bodies that are:

  Subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  Subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office:

  Public Health Laboratory Service Board

  National Biological Standards Board

  National Radiological Protection Board

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  Subject to statutory provisions for open government:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Subject to performance indicators:

  Public Health Laboratory Service Board

  National Biological Standards Board

  National Radiological Protection Board

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Subject to provisions under the citizens charter:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental
  Education.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the 1976 Royal College of Physicians study of fluoridation in 1976; and if she will order an inquiry as to the safety of fluoride in humans. [20797]
  419
  Mr. Malone
  The 1976 report "Fluoride, Teeth and Health', from the Royal College of Physicians of London, concluded that fluoridation is safe and effective in reducing dental caries, and recommended fluoridation of water supplies in the United Kingdom where the fluoride level is appreciably below 1 mg per litre.

  Government policy continues to be in line with this recommendation. Water fluoridation at 1 mg per litre is considered, on the scientific evidence currently available, to be safe for humans, and is an effective way of improving oral health. The Department of Health will continue to monitor information relevant to the safety and efficacy of fluoridation of drinking water.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 25 April. [19504]

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 25 April 1995. [19506]

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

  Downing Street Admissions
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many individuals accompanying delegations of hon. Members were refused admission to Downing street on 19 April; and on what grounds they were refused entry; [20364]

  (2) what dress restrictions govern admission of individuals to Downing street; [20365]

  (3) when the decision was taken to restrict delegations to 10 Downing street to six people; who took it; and if he will list all restrictions applying to hon. Members. [20363]

  The Prime Minister
  Three members of the public were refused entry to Downing street on 19 April because they were dressed as foxes.

  Since 1980s, if petitioners have wished to wear costume, it has been the practice to restrict admission to those wearing national dress or working uniforms. This is to maintain the dignity of the street and its surroundings. Delegations are normally restricted to six people in order to ensure the staff in the street can cope during busy periods.

  There are no written restrictions on access to the street by hon. Members, but entry must remain at the discretion of the police on duty.

  VE Day Commemorations
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will state which of the VE commemorations Her Majesty the Queen will be participating in the United Kingdom and overseas as (i) Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, (ii) head of all those countries of which she is Head of State, (iii) Head of the Commonwealth and (iv) on which combination of (i) to (iii) above; and if he will make a statement. [20856]
  420
  The Prime Minister
  Her Majesty the Queen, who is Head of the Commonwealth, will be participating in the VE day commemorations in the United Kingdom as Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Her Majesty will not participate in VE day commemorations outside the United Kingdom.

  Governor-Generals
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister on whose advice governor-generals make visits in their capacity as representatives of Her Majesty the Queen to overseas countries; and if he will make a statement. [20860]

  The Prime Minister
  Governor-generals make official visits to overseas countries in their capacity as representative of Her Majesty the Queen on the advice of her Ministers in the realm concerned.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if the governor-generals of the countries of which Her Majesty is Head of State are deemed for the purpose of the VE commemorations to be Head of State in their own right; and if he will make a statement. [20855]

  The Prime Minister
  The only governor-general of Her Majesty's other realms who is expected to attend the VE day commemorations in London on 6 and 7 May is the Governor-General of Jamaica. He will attend in his capacity as Her Majesty's representative in Jamaica on behalf of the people of that country.

  Her Majesty the Queen
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if a state visit made by an overseas Head of State to Britain is a visit to(a) Her Majesty the Queen as Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, (b) Great Britain hosted by Her Majesty the Queen, (c) Her Majesty the Queen as Head of State of all those countries of which she is Head of State, (d) Her Majesty the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth or (e) in a combination of the above. [20857]

  (2) if on the occasion of the state visit of (a) the President of Zimbabwe in May 1994 and (b) the King and Queen of Norway in July 1994, the Queen received these guests in her capacity as (i) Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, (ii) Head of State of all those countries of which she is Head of State, (iii) as Head of the Commonwealth on (iv) or which combination of (i) to (iii) above; and if he will make a statement. [20858]

  The Prime Minister
  State visitors to the United Kingdom are invited by Her Majesty the Queen, who is Head of the Commonwealth, as Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on behalf of the nation as a whole following consultation with her Ministers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) by what method and which Heads of government the Queen is advised before and during an official visit to republics where she is making the visit as Head of State and not merely as the Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [20861]

  (2) on the occasion of the visit by Her Majesty the Queen to Russia in October 1994 and South Africa in March 1995, if the Queen was received in her capacity as (i) Head of State of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,

  421
  (ii) Head of State of all those countries of which she is Head of State, (iii) as Head of the Commonwealth, or (iv) on which combination of (i) to (iii) above; and if he will make a statement. [20859]

  The Prime Minister
  Her Majesty the Queen makes official visits overseas in her capacity as Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on the advice of her Ministers in the United Kingdom unless the visit is to one of Her Majesty's other realms. In those latter cases, her visit is as Head of State of the realm concerned, and is made on the advice of her Ministers in that realm.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the factors which have led to World Food Programme trucks not reaching their targets in Rwanda; and what international action is being taken to allow them to progress to camps for Rwandan refugees in Zaire. [20251]

  Mr. Baldry
  The rapid response from the UK and other donors to a recent World Food Programme—United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appeal means that supplies are now assured until October. However, Rwanda's landlocked position has made it difficult to gauge the amount needed in the supply pipeline so as to ensure a continuous flow of food at the required level to people in need. On the question of access to camps in Zaire, we are in close touch with the WFP to see if we can help find a solution to the closing of the border. In the meantime, WFP is actively exploring alternative routes.

  Botswana
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government and by the international community to alleviate drought in Botswana. [20252]

  Mr. Baldry
  No formal appeal for assistance has been made by the Government of Botswana, but we have had discussions on the drought with them, and other donors, and are ready to consider a request for assistance. There is unlikely to be a need for food aid as Botswana, in a non-drought year, already imports some 90 per cent. of its food requirements. It is therefore likely that any UK assistance will focus on technical and logistical support for food distribution to vulnerable communities.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what ways the Government of Kenya(a) meet and (b) do not meet the yardstick of good governance for the receipt of bilateral or multilateral aid. [19909]

  Mr. Baldry
  Kenya's governance has improved significantly over recent years, which have seen the restoration of multi-party politics, serious discussion of 422
  issues of substance in Parliament and a much freer press. But concerns remain on a number of issues, including the status of the Government of Kenya—United Nations Development Programme displaced persons programme, the frustration by some officials of legitimate political activity, the arrests of opposition MPs, and corruption. The continuation of our substantial aid programme at current levels will depend on further progress on these and other governance issues.

  India
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he is giving to India to raise environmental standards of coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Baldry
  We are helping the Indian authorities to improve environmental auditing and dry ash disposal. In collaboration with the World bank, we have also funded work on environmental management of coal-fired power stations in Singrauli; and are contributing to a programme in Orissa which includes renovation of existing thermal generation and construction of new capacity to current environmental standards. Other projects are under consideration.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Link Outlets
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants from his Department have been seconded to, or are otherwise employed within, business link outlets. [18110]

  Mr. Page
  Thirty-nine civil servants have been co-located in business link outlets as at 31 March 1995. Annexe A gives a regional breakdown by Government office of staff co-locations to business links.

  Government office for:

  Number of staff co-located

  East Midlands

  8

  London

  0

  South East

  1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4

  South West

  1

  East

  2

  North West

  6

  West Midlands

  13

  North East

  2

  Merseyside

  2

  Franchising
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to protect franchisees from false claims by franchisers. [20029]

  Mr. Page
  Franchising in the United Kingdom is subject to the general law of contract and other general laws applying to commercial relationships. There are no current plans to introduce specific legislation for franchise agreements.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many actions were taken by his Department, against franchisers, for false claims in 1994. [20030]
  423
  Mr. Page
  This information is not held in the form requested.

  The Department records only action taken under the Companies Act 1948 and 1985. These figures are not broken down by type of business.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of his Department's grant was made available to the franchise centre. [20031]

  Mr. Page
  The franchise centre received £10,000 regional selective assistance in 1993 to aid the establishment of 6.5 permanent jobs.

  Manufacturing Company Wages
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average percentage increase in real wages since 1979 of chairs of the top 500 United Kingdom manufacturing companies. [20558]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Government do not compile statistics of the type requested by the hon. Member.

  Murvi Motorcaravans
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to complete his investigations into the matters raised by the hon. Member for South Hams in his

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  CPS

  353,492

  n/a

  14,140

  499,405

  26,468

  18,496

  444,531

  20,418

  12,348

  23,433

  15,985

  22,406

  15,752

  T. SOL.

  26,237

  8,418

  4,373

  4,318

  2,931

  1,439

  4,448

  3,033

  2,224

  6,313

  1,367

  1,415

  5,860

  20

  —

  GPL1

  —

  —

  —

  19,878

  nil

  29,391

  9,513

  29,391

  nil

  SFO

  26,245

  2,214

  7,184

  27,001

  26,219

  13,501

  22,792

  6,151

  11,396

  —

  28,733

  —

  —

  —

  LSLO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Government Property Lawyers was established on 1 April 1993.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the total amount paid by his central Department and each agency for which he is responsible in subsistence allowances for travel(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [19548]

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  CPS1

  894,140

  788,055

  1,072,030

  T.SOL.

  10,217

  9,893

  4,066

  864

  2,969

  10,637

  GPL2

  —

  —

  4,155

  NIL

  3,566

  NIL

  SFO

  38,255

  14,639

  71,812

  22,133

  62,920

  19,302

  LSLO

  Included inT.SOL. above

  938

  1,417

  1,030

  1,526

  1 Aggregate for (a) and (b).

  2 Government Property Lawyers was established on 1 April 1993.

  424
  letters to him of 4 April and 13 April regarding the refusal of his office in Plymouth to award a regional selective assistance grant to Murvi Motorcaravans. [20590]

  Mr. Page
  My investigations into this case are complete and I replied to my hon. Friend on 24 April 1995.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment, (b) the amount of each of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c) the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19666]

  The Attorney-General
  The information for the Departments and agency for which I am responsible—Crown Prosecution Service, Treasury Solicitor's Department, Government Property Lawyers agency, Serious Fraud Office and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—is given in the table.

  The Attorney-General
  The information for the Departments and agency for which I am responsible—the Crown Prosecution Service, Treasury Solicitor's Department, Government Property Lawyers agency, Serious Fraud Office and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—is given in the table.

  Overtime
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total hours of overtime worked for which payment has been made, (b) the total amount paid in overtime and (c) the total time in days and its monetary equivalent lost through sickness in each of the last three years. [19668]

  The Attorney-General
  The information for the Departments and agency for which I am responsible—Crown Prosecution Service, Treasury Solicitor's Department, Government Property Lawyers agency,

  Overtime

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  (a) hours

  (b) £

  (a) hours

  (b) £

  (a) hours

  (b) £

  CPS

  n/a

  587,268

  n/a

  685,179

  n/a

  523,439

  T.SOL.

  2,589.0

  24,025

  3,027.5

  30,220

  1,701.5

  18,190

  GPL1

  —

  —

  313.0

  2,873

  286.0

  2,555

  SFO

  5,236.0

  42,872

  6,711.0

  55,748

  5,795.0

  55,188

  LSLO

  1,781.5

  14,426

  1,943.5

  17,279

  1,435.25

  12,990

  1 Government Property Lawyers was established on 1 April 1993.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iran
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific recent representations have been made to Iran regarding its nuclear programme. [20362]

  Mr. David Davies
  We have made no specific representations to Iran regarding its nuclear programme, but we have made public our concerns at reports that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made it clear in his evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 18 January that the US assessment indicating that Iran could possess a nuclear explosive device within seven to 15 years gave serious cause for concern.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements Her Majesty's Government intend to make to permit international safeguards inspectors to verify the United Kingdom's cessation of production of fissile material for explosive uses. [20384]

  Mr. David Davis
  The announcement that the UK has ceased production of fissile material for explosive purposes was made to show our commitment to the negotiation of a treaty banning such productions. We anticipate that negotiations will begin in June at the conference on disarmament in Geneva. We intend that the treaty should include appropriate verification arrangements.

  Russia (Nuclear Safeguards)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to fulfil the commitment made by the European Union
  426
  Serious Fraud Office and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—is given in the tables.

  Sickness1

  1992 days

  1993 days

  CPS

  48,213.00

  53,495.00

  T.SOL.

  2,965.83

  3,098.94

  GPL2

  —

  868.00

  SFO

  842.42

  1,609.90

  LSLO

  18.75

  56.55

  1 Figures provided by the Occupational Health Service agency. Figures for 1994 are not yet available. No records are available which give figures for a monetary equivalent.

  2 Government Property Lawyers was established on 1 April 1993.

  Energy Commissioner on the nuclear safeguards conference in St. Petersburg on 10 April that the European Union would assist the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States in developing a regional safeguards system; and whether he raised this matter, in regard to its relevance to combating illicit trafficking in nuclear materials, with his Russian counterpart at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York.

  Mr. David Davis
  The UK—through the DTI, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and the AEA—has been closely involved in international programmes of safeguards collaboration with nuclear authorities and facility operators in both Russia and Kazakhstan. UK efforts initially focused on the provision of training seminars covering a wide range of safeguards issues. Direct collaboration between UK and Russian and Kazakh operators on facility specific safeguards systems is now being developed as a result of these seminars. The Russian Foreign Minister was not in New York at the time of the Foreign Secretary's visit.

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in establishing Organisation on Security and Co-operation in Europe monitors of the ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute following the decision of the Budapest summit last November; what is the United Kingdom's contribution to it; and if he will make a statement. [20474]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Budapest summit of the OSCE in December 1994 decided that an agreement between the parties on the cessation of hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would be a necessary precondition for the deployment of a multi-national peacekeeping operation. Although a ceasefire has now been in place for almost a year, no agreement has yet been reached. The OSCE Minsk group is actively engaged, with our full support, in efforts to promote an agreement.
  427
  We have offered to send a team of signallers to a monitoring mission, if required. We are providing personnel for the high-level planning group which is working in Vienna on a possible peacekeeping operation.

  Azerbaijan
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Azerbaijan; and what plans he has to visit the country in the near future. [20472]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We enjoy excellent relations with Azerbaijan. Bilateral trade is increasing rapidly. We have provided substantial humanitarian aid and we have a programme of technical assistance through the know-how fund.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs does not at present have plans to visit Azerbaijan.

  Non-proliferation Treaty Conference
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech to the non-proliferation treaty conference in New York on 18 April. [20382]

  Mr. David Davis
  A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Smoking
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities are provided and arrangements made for the well-being and comfort of staff who(a) smoke and (b) do not wish to be affected by smoking at (i) the work-station and (ii) rest, recreation and refreshment facilities at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles street, London.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There are designated smoking areas, and smoking is permitted in single-occupancy offices.

  Smoking is not permitted in shared offices, or at meetings, or in other common areas apart from designated smoking areas.

  In general, rest, recreation and refreshment facilities either have smoking and no-smoking areas or do not permit any smoking.

  Leader of the Opposition (Briefing
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the extent of the briefing Foreign Office officials or Ministers provided to the right hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) for this trip to Washington in 1986. [20610]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have no record of any such briefing.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what briefing the United Kingdom ambassador to the United States of America provided to press during the right hon. Member for Sedgefield's visit to Washington in 1986 as to whether the visit was official. [20581]

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Georgia
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a428
  statement on relations with Georgia; and what plans he has to visit the country in the near future. [20471]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We enjoy excellent relations with Georgia. A British embassy will open in Tbilisi later this year; Georgia intends to open an embassy in the UK soon. Head of State Eduard Shevardnadze visited the UK as a guest of Government in February. We have provided substantial humanitarian aid, and are developing a programme of technical assistance through the know-how fund.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs does not at present have plans to visit Georgia.

  Armenia
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Armenia; and what plans he has to visit the country in the near future. [20473]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We enjoy excellent relations with Armenia. A British embassy will open in Yerevan later this year. We have provided substantial humanitarian aid for Armenia, and are developing a programme of technical assistance through the know-how fund.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs does not at present have plans to visit Armenia.

  Unitary Tax Campaign
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's ambassador attended all the official meetings held by the three hon. Members in Washington DC in May 1986 as part of the unitary tax campaign; and what was the purpose of such attendance. [20611]

  Mr. Baldry
  A visit by parliamentary supporteurs of the unitary tax campaign took place on 19 and 20 June 1986. We no longer have records of which, if any, of the delegation's official meetings the ambassador attended.

  European Union Legislation
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he is considering for changing the system of comitology in EU decision making; and if he will make a statement.
  [20245]

  Mr. David Davis
  None. Comitology was re-examined as recently as last year. In December, the Council, Commission and European Parliament agreed to a limited EP role in comitology measures stemming from co-decision legislations. It was agreed that the European Parliament should be able to give an opinion on the few measures of general application which are proposed under the Commission's delegated powers in co-decision legislation, when, following a negative opinion, these measures are referred by the relevant comitology committee back to the Council for decision.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual

  429
  accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and public bodies sponsored by the FCO, including the whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory Overseas Development Administration, is shown in the requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20497]

  Publishes

  Annual Reports

  Annual Accounts

  Minutes

  Agendas

  Registers

  British Council

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  1No

  British-Russia Centre

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  British Association for Central and Eastern Europe

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  Commonwealth Institutes in London and Edinburgh

  Yes (voluntary)

  Yes (voluntary)

  No

  No

  No

  Great Britain-China Centre

  Yes (voluntary)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  2No

  1No

  No

  Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board

  Yes (statutory)

  Yes (statutory)

  No

  No

  No

  1 Available for inspection on request.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office,

  Subject to:

  Investigation by Parliamentary Commissioner

  Scrutiny by Audit Commission

  Scrutiny by HAO

  Statutory Provisions for open government

  Performance Indicators

  Provisions under citizens charter

  British Council

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  Britain-Russia Centre

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  British Association for Central and Eastern Europe

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Commonwealth Institutes in London and Edinburgh

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  Great Britain-China Centre

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  Yes

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Crown Agent's Holding and Realisation Board

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Tibet
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed Tibet with the Government of the People's Republic of China; and if he will make a statement on the issues which were discussed. [20798]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised Tibet with the Chinese Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen in New York on 18 April during discussions on a broad range of bilateral and international issues.

  Ambassadors' Pay
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the pay of the most senior ambassadors.

  Mr. Hurd
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 9 February,Official Report, columns
  430
  Mr. Goodlad
  The answer for non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the FCO, including the Overseas Development Administration, is shown in the table.

  (d) statutory provisions for open government,
  (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20657]

  Mr. Goodlad
  The answer for non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the FCO, including the Overseas Development Administration, is shown in the table.

  345–47, that parallel arrangements to those established for the pay of permanent secretaries would be made for the most senior ambassadors—that is, those with a rank equivalent to permanent secretary.

  A remuneration committee has now been established to advise me on the pay of those ambassadors. The full terms of reference are given. Although the final decisions on the pay of individual ambassadors will be for me to take, I would expect normally to accept the recommendations of the committee.

  As in the case of the remuneration committee dealing with permanent secretaries' pay, there will be five members of the committee, three from the private sector, the head of the diplomatic service and the chief clerk of the diplomatic service. The recommendations made to me will be those of the three private sector members and the terms of reference provide that the chairman be drawn from their number.
  431
  Sir Denys Henderson has agreed to be the first chairman of the committee. Sir Michael Perry and Mr. Allan Gormly have also agreed to serve on it. I am grateful to all of them. The presence of Sir Michael Perry, who is also chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body and of the Committee on Permanent Secretaries Pay, will help ensure that awards made to senior ambassadors are in balance with those made to permanent secretaries.

  The salaries of individual ambassadors will be published in £5,000 bands in the departmental report each year.

  TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
  Membership
  1. There shall be a committee on the pay of grade I ambassadors of whom the members will be:
  —Three members drawn from the private sector, including
  —One member of the Senior Salaries Review Body
  —the head of the diplomatic service
  —the chief clerk of the diplomatic service.
  2. The chairman of the committee will be one of the private sector members.
  Remit
  3. The purpose of the committee is for the private sector members to make proposals to the Secretary of State on the pay of individual grade 1 ambassadors save in so far as their pay is determined by the terms of an individual appointment.
  4. The pay of grade 1 ambassadors will be accommodated within the pay range of permanent secretaries to be determined from time to time by the Government. The committee may not propose other forms of remuneration or benefit than pay falling within this range.
  5. In making proposals the committee shall take the following factors into account in relation to individuals:
  —the relative level of responsibility of the post occupied;
  —the performance of the embassy in meeting its objectives and executing the policy of Ministers and, in particular, the personal contribution the individual has made in terms of policy advice and efficient management, including where appropriate meeting the measured objectives of the embassy;
  —the particular demands placed on the individual, including those stemming from his or her public role;
  —the experience of the individual in the present post or in others occupied at grade I level;
  —in the case of those newly promoted, the level of pay in their previous post;
  —the individual's own assessment of his/her achievements and the main requirements of the job.
  6. The committee shall also take into account these wider factors:
  —the pay levels of permanent secretaries in the home civil service and of other senior staff in the diplomatic and civil services, and in particular those immediately below grade I/permanent secretary;
  —the increase recently given, or likely to be given in the period ahead, to DS staff and civil servants generally, and the pay progression available to them;
  —the extent of the change for any individual as well as the absolute level of pay, and the presentation of both;
  —any movement in the pay range as a whole;
  —the nature and terms of the civil service pension scheme;
  —any statements made by the Government on public sector pay;
  —the maintenance of the confidence on the individual, that recommendations have been properly and fairly determined;
  —the need to ensure recommendations are consistent with the Government's equal opportunities policies.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Kenya about arrests of opposition members of Parliament. [19908]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have made clear to the Kenyan authorities at the highest level our concerns at the arrest of opposition members of Parliament, and the damage such actions do to Kenya's image in the international community.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the representations made to the Government of Kenya by the American ambassador in Nairobi about the arrest of six trustees of the Mzangaza Trust. [19910]

  Mr. Baldry
  Our high commission in Nairobi contacted the Kenyan authorities at a high level to register our strong concern at these arrests as soon as they heard the news. The six trustees were released shortly thereafter.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the views expressed in the Catholic bishops' recent pastoral letter in Kenya are in accord with the reports he receives from the high commission in Nairobi. [19928]

  Mr. Baldry
  We receive regular reports from our high commission in Nairobi. They cover various issues including those raised in the Catholic bishops' recent pastoral letter. We have noted the concerns expressed by the bishops, many of which are widely shared.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals have been put forward by the United Nation's special envoy to Sierra Leone for making progress to a peaceful settlement. [19912]

  Mr. Baldry
  None. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General continues his good offices mission.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to support the facilitation by the international community of the establishment of a Government of national unity in Sierra Leone prior to the holding of free and fair elections. [19911]

  Mr. Baldry
  It is our policy to support efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict. We also look to the Sierra Leone Government to press ahead with the transition to civilian democratic rule.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Thames Valley Police
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to the Thames Valley police force of security provided for Ministers and members of the royal family; and what additional allocation of resources from his Department the Thames Valley police force receives in relation to these responsibilities. [19886]

  Mr. Howard
  For security reasons, it is not the practice to disclose the cost to individual police authorities of
  433
  carrying out protection duties. Thames Valley police's known security commitments were taken into account under the police funding formula for 1995–96.

  Police Resignations
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for each of the last six years for which figures are available the number of police officers in England and Wales who(a) resigned after criminal charges had been preferred against them but before such proceedings were completed, (b) resigned after disciplinary charges had been preferred against them but before such proceedings had been completed, (c) were under suspension at the time of their resignation and
  (d) resigned while under investigation for disciplinary matters. [20032]

  Mr. Maclean
  Figures for the number of officers in England and Wales, excluding the Metropolitan police, who resigned after criminal or disciplinary charges were preferred but before such proceedings were completed are set out in the table. Information collected centrally in respect of officers who resigned while under suspension is restricted to those resignations before disciplinary charges were preferred.

  In 1993, there were 56 officers in England and Wales who resigned while under investigation for disciplinary matters but before disciplinary charges were preferred, including 13 in the Metropolitan police. Figures for earlier years are not available centrally.

  Resignations among officers in England and Wales, excluding the Metropolitan police, facing criminal or disciplinary proceedings

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Resignations

  25

  17

  22

  21

  20

  15

  after criminal

  1(4)

  charges

  preferred but

  before

  completed.

  Resignations

  20

  21

  32

  12

  15

  18

  after

  1(10)

  disciplinary

  charges

  preferred but

  before

  completed.

  Resignations

  33

  37

  31

  14

  24

  19

  while under

  1(3)

  suspension, but

  before charges

  preferred.

  1 Figures for the Metropolitan police—only available from 1993.

  Police Complaints
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of police complaints, or cases of complaint, in each of the last five years for which figures are available which led to police officers being charged with(a) a criminal offence, or, if the information is held or recorded in a suitable form, (b) a non—traffic criminal offence, and (c) a traffic offence, and in each caste, the number of police officers convicted. [20033]
  434
  Mr. Maclean
  The information on complaints resulting in criminal proceedings, for England and Wales, excluding the Metropolitan police, is shown in the table. Information held centrally does not show the number of convictions resulting from complaints.

  Number of substantiated complaints by type of criminal proceedings

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Traffic offences

  5

  0

  4

  0

  4

  Other criminal offences

  15

  27

  8

  7

  21

  Total complaints resulting in proceedings

  20

  27

  12

  7

  123

  1Two complaints resulted in proceedings for both traffic and other criminal offences.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the total number of police officers in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan police, against whom disciplinary charges were brought in each of the last six years for which figures are available showing(a) in the case of discipline charges arising out of a complaint from a member of the public (i) the number of officers charged and (ii) the number of officers against whom charges were proved, (b) in the case of discipline charges arising out of other circumstances (i) the number of officers charged, (ii) the number of officers against whom charges were proved and (c) the total of (a) and (b) (i) charged and (ii) proved.[20034]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is set out in the table, with the exception of figures for the Metropolitan police, which were not collected centrally before 1993. Revised collection criteria introduced from 1993 also mean that figures for the number of disciplinary charges arising in circumstances other than from a compliant are no longer available centrally.

  Police officers charged—found guilty of disciplinary offences arising from a complaint or other circumstances—England and Wales excluding Metropolitan police.

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Complaints

  Officers charged

  108

  84

  102

  121

  101

  121

  Officers found guilty

  63

  61

  75

  100

  70

  106

  Other Circumstances

  Officers charged

  358

  278

  258

  271

  269

  n/a

  Officers found guilty

  329

  265

  246

  264

  259

  1256

  Total charged

  466

  362

  360

  392

  370

  n/a

  Total found guilty

  392

  326

  321

  364

  329

  1362

  1The 1993 figure relates to officers receiving disciplinary punishments.

  Unemployment and Crime
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list research carried out since 1979 by his Department on any link between unemployment and crime. [20488]
  435
  Mr. Howard
  Since 1979, the following research studies bearing on any link between unemployment and crime have been carried out by my Department:Tarling, R. (1982). "Unemployment and Crime', Home Office Research Bulletin 14.
  (1983). "Unemployment, Crime and Sentencing: Some Time Series and Cross Sectional Studies for England and Wales', unpublished internal Home Office report.
  Field, S. (1990). "Trends in Crime and their Interpretation', Home Office research study No. 119.
  Orme, J. (1994). "A Study of the Relationship between Unemployment and Recorded Crime', Home Office Statistical Findings 1/94.

  Name of applicant

  Nature of allegations and inquiries

  Length of inquiries to date

  Total cost to date £

  Case 1: Avon and Somerset constabutary Barry Pitcher

  Disputed forensic and medical evidence. Inquiries included forensic tests and examination of court documents.

  84 weeks

  5,541.02

  Case 2: Lancashire constabulary Dave Berry and Barry Dewhurst

  Allegations were that other individuals had committed the offence. Inquiries included interviewing all the parties involved.

  31 hours

  570.04

  Case 3: Northumbria police Gary Turner

  Disputed prosecution evidence including identification evidence. Inquiries covered all the allegations made.

  10 days

  3,113.02

  Case 4: Devon and Cornwall constabulary Brian Parsons

  Prosecution case alleged to have involved fabrication of evidence; identification evidence also disputed. Inquiries covered all the matters raised.

  8 months

  122,386.28

  Case 5: West Midlands police Anthony Benton

  Allegations involved alleged new evidence. A full criminal investigation was carried out into all the allegations.

  86 weeks

  98,610

  Case 6: West Midlands police Derek Lee Abraha

  Allegations that other individuals committed the offence. Inquiries involved interviewing those involved and forensic tests.

  14 weeks

  18,072

  Case 7: Greater Manchester police All Fox

  Alleged new evidence and fabrication of evidence at trial. Inquiry incolved study of all relevant documents and re-interviewing all witnesses.

  67 weeks

  192,913

  It is not the responsibility of an investigating officer to make recommendations as to what action my right hon. and learned Friend should take on a case. In cases Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6 my right hon. and learned Friend decided not to refer the case to the Court of Appeal. The remaining cases are still being considered, or are the subject of further inquiries.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects or investigations have been undertaken by his Department or on behalf of his Department into the costs of investigating alleged miscarriages of justice, and what conclusions were arrived at. [21036]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information about the present and possible future costs of investigating alleged miscarriages of justice is contained in the explanatory and financial memorandum to the Criminal Appeal Bill. Information about the costs of police inquiries carried out in seven such cases was obtained in a recent survey whose results were reported in my reply to the hon. Member of 20 April,Official Report, column 271.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 271, (1) if he will list the four

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 271, if he will place in the Library full details of the responses to his Department's inquiries into miscarriages of justice, including the nature of the allegation, the nature of the inquiries undertaken, the recommendations made by the investigating officer and the decision made on each case by him. [21038]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is as follows:

  police forces from which replies are still awaited in respect of investigations of alleged miscarriages of justice; [21044]

  (2) if he will list the 11 police forces from which information in regard of miscarriages of justice was requested; and how many cases were raised with each force. [21035]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information was requested from the following forces:

  Number of cases

  Avon and Somerset constabulary

  1

  Lancashire constabulary

  1

  Northumbria police

  1

  Devon and Cornwall constabulary

  1

  West Midlands police

  2

  Greater Manchester police

  2

  Metropolitan police1

  3

  West Mercia constabulary1

  1

  Kent constabulary1

  2

  Thames Valley police1

  1

  West Yorkshire police1

  1

  1These forces were unable to provide the information requested. Greater Manchester police were able to provide the information in one of the two cases concerned.

  437
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects or investigations have been undertaken by his Department or on behalf of his Department into international comparisons of the costs of investigating miscarriages of justice. [21037]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  None.

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the Prison Service drugs strategy. [21217]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have today arranged for copies of the Prison Service drugs strategy to be placed in the Library.

  The Prison Service drugs strategy has been developed as part of the Government's strategy against the misuse of drugs, as set out in the Green Paper "Tackling Drugs Together'. The presence of drugs in prisons is unacceptable and leads to bullying, violence and intimidation, while undermining regimes. Dealing with this problem is, therefore, being given high priority by the service.

  Local drugs strategies will be developed which will have the objective of:
  reducing the supply of drugs
  reducing the demand for drugs
  rehabilitating drug misusers, and reducing the potential for damage to the health of prisoners, staff and the wider community, arising from the misuse of drugs.

  Mandatory drugs testing is an important part of the strategy. The first phase of implementation has already started in eight establishments—Lindholme, Wakefield, Feltham, Stoke Heath, Pentonville, Bristol, Holloway and Wayland. This phase will be carefully monitored and evaluated and the results will provide the basis for testing throughout the Prison Service. Prisoners who test positive will be liable to the usual range of disciplinary action on adjudication including additional days, loss of privileges and fines. Other measures to be taken will include imposition of closed visits and removal of home leave. Prisoners who test positive will be offered treatment for their drug misuse problem.

  A wide range of other measures is being taken to prevent drugs entering prisons. These include the increased use of drug dogs; more effective searching of prisoners, staff and visitors; the use of closed circuit television cameras during visits; and the imposition of closed visits for prisoners found guilty of drug offences in prison.

  The Prison Service is also committed to providing help to prisoners who misuse, have misused or are at risk of misusing drugs. A senior manager will be responsible for the through-care of drug misusers in each establishment, and will co-ordinate procedures for the identification, support and treatment of drug misusers whilst in custody. Preventive education programmes will be made available to all prisoners with the objective of informing prisoners about the dangers of drug misuse, instructing them in ways of minimising health risks, providing information about local treatment and support initiatives and who to contact if they require further help. A health care standard on the clinical management of drug misusers was issued to all establishments on 12 April 1995.
  438
  This year, the Prison Service will be expanding substantially the number and types of drug treatment programmes. These programmes include therapeutic communities; three-month treatment programmes; intensive counselling and education services; detoxification units; and community linked through-care programmes. Careful monitoring and evaluation of these programmes will help to determine the development of drug treatment in other establishments.

  The Prison Service is also committed to improving its working relationship with community drug agencies to ensure continuity of care for prisoners with drug misuse problems upon release from prisons.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the terms of reference of his officials' monitoring exercise on the impact of the national lottery on charities and charity lotteries. [20985]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Government have undertaken to monitor changes in charitable income following the introduction of the national lottery. The most effective methods of doing this are currently under consideration.

  Port Talbot Bail Hostel
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decisions have recently been made as to the future and management of the bail hostel at Port Talbot; and if he will publish the report of the inspector who evaluated the role and functions of the hostel. [20351]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No decisions have yet been taken as a result of the recent review by HM inspectorate of probation. The inspectorate's report will be published in due course.

  Fixed Penalty Charges
  Mr. Sheerman
  To as the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines his Department gives to police forces regarding fixed penalty charges; [20005]

  (2) what plans he has to introduce a standardised national charging system for fixed penalty charges; [20007]

  (3) what representations he has received regarding fixed penalty charges imposed by police forces in the last two years. [20006]

  Mr. Maclean
  The national levels of fixed penalties for road traffic offences are set by my right hon. and learned Friend under section 53 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. Chief officers of police have been advised that the national rates in England and Wales are £40 for offences involving obligatory endorsement and £20 for non-endorsable offences including illegal parking, with the exception of illegal parking in London. For London, which is defined as the Metropolitan police district and the City of London, the following differential rates were set in view of the particular problems of congestion:£40 for illegal parking on a red route;
  £30 for illegal parking elsewhere in London

  No representations have been received regarding the current levels of fixed penalty, which came into force on 1 April 1992.

  Police Statistics
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were in post in(a) north Yorkshire and (b) England and Wales on 31 December 1974 and on the same date in 1979 and 1994. [20021]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is as follows:

  North Yorkshire

  England and Wales

  December 1974

  1,209

  100,774

  December 1979

  1,338

  111,754

  December 1994

  1,313

  125,293

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are available for(a) front-line, (b) support and front-line and (c) administrative duties; and what is the resident population in each police force in England and Wales. [20018]

  Mr. Maclean
  Data on deployment of police officers are not available in the form requested. The numbers of police officers deployed on operational policing and on support duties are set out in the table. Data on the population in each force area in England and Wales are in the annual report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Police strength— and support roles1(1993)

  Police strength (operations)

  Police strength (support)

  Avon and Somerset

  2,286

  738

  Bedfordshire

  838

  329

  Cambridgeshire

  940

  285

  Cheshire

  1,542

  331

  City of London

  564

  228

  Cleveland

  1,116

  298

  Cumbria

  968

  216

  Derbyshire

  1,408

  382

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,391

  514

  Dorset

  1,056

  236

  Durham

  1,028

  359

  Dyfed-Powys

  844

  122

  Essex

  2,256

  691

  Gloucestershire

  866

  274

  Greater Manchester

  4,971

  2,074

  Gwent

  819

  170

  Hampshire

  2,663

  607

  Hertfordshire

  1,356

  323

  Humberside

  1,522

  511

  Kent

  2,629

  524

  Lancashire

  2,343

  794

  Leicestershire

  1,365

  472

  Lincolnshire

  1,028

  176

  Merseyside

  3,494

  1,168

  Metropolitan Police

  19,932

  7,211

  Norfolk

  1,102

  332

  North Wales

  1,104

  237

  North Yorkshire

  1,034

  300

  Northamptonshire

  1,002

  179

  Northumbria

  2,742

  849

  Nottinghamshire

  1,900

  449

  South Wales

  2,628

  514

  South Yorkshire

  2,389

  626

  Staffordshire

  1,697

  502

  Suffolk

  976

  239

  Surrey

  1,451

  199

  Sussex

  2,285

  692

  Thames Valley

  2,827

  996

  Warwickshire

  761

  242

  440

  Police strength—operations and support roles1 (1993)

  Police strength (operations)

  Police strength (support)

  West Mercia

  1,578

  478

  West Midlands

  5,012

  1,932

  West Yorkshire

  3,641

  1,345

  Wiltshire

  929

  247

  1 The police strength figures do not include supernumerary officers, officers on secondment—for example, regional crime squads—or officers working overseas. The figures are full-time equivalents.

  Fire Service Pensions Scheme
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest progress made by his Department's review body of the fire service pensions review; and if he will make a statement. [20050]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The review group is producing a consultation paper suggesting new arrangements for the fire service pensions scheme. The consultation document will be circulated as soon as possible.

  Police Diving Teams
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the information his Department holds on the performance and expenditure by police authorities on police diving teams. [19933]

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not held centrally.

  Data Protection Directive
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning progress towards agreement on the European Union's data protection directive; if he will indicate those areas where the United Kingdom Government still have major concerns; what plans he has to oppose implementation of the data protection directive; and if he will make a statement. [20038]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Council adopted a common position on the directive on 20 February. The United Kingdom abstained. The directive is currently before the European Parliament, where it has been referred to the Legal Affairs and Citizens Rights Committee. The Government hope that the directive will be further improved in its application to manual records, political canvassing, and financial and other commercial regulation, and by the removal of the requirement for prior checking of certain categories of processing operation. The Government's position is described in a briefing paper on the directive which has been sent to United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament. I am placing a copy of this paper in the Library.

  Decisions on how the directive should be implemented in national law will be taken when its final form is known.

  Firefighters
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been undertaken by his Department's scientific research and development branch into the exposure of firefighters to diesel exhaust emissions from fire appliances in fire stations. [20046]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No research has been undertaken by the Home Office on this topic.
  441
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been promulgated by his Department to local fire authorities and brigades on post-traumatic stress disorder among fire service personnel. [20054]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We have received no requests for such guidance, but it is for individual fire authorities to decide what arrangements—for example, for the provision of professional counselling—might be appropriate in particular circumstances.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been promulgated by his Department to local fire authorities and brigades on the wearing and use of extended duration breathing apparatus by firefighters. [20052]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Technical and procedural advice to the fire service on the use of breathing apparatus in the course of duty is contained in "Technical Bulletin', 1/1989, and in book 6, "Breathing Apparatus and Resuscitation', of the "Manual of Firemanship'. The guidance is subject to monitoring and review.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been undertaken by his department's scientific research and development branch into the effects of radiation on firefighters. [20049]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No research has been undertaken by the Home Office on this matter. Comprehensive operational and procedural guidance on the role of the fire service at incidents involving radioactivity is contained in "Technical Bulletin', 2/1993, "Incidents Involving Radioactive Materials', which is published by HMSO, ISBN 0 11 341034 4.

  Police Funding
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) what factors his Department is considering using in the funding formula for police authorities to reflect the additional costs of policing rural counties; [20019]

  (2) when his Department intends to introduce changes to the funding formula for police authorities to reflect the additional costs of policing rural counties. [20020]

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. and learned Friend has asked the allocation formula working group to advise him whether the police funding formula in England and Wales takes adequate account of any extra police costs in both densely and sparsely populated areas. The group is following a unit costing approach, and will have access to the expertise of external consultants. If there is a sound statistical basis for changes to the formula, we will introduce these as soon as we can.

  London Fire Brigade
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the London fire and civil defence authority has to equip fire rescue unit appliances in the London fire brigade with geiger counter equipment. [20051]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I am informed by the chief fire officer that fire rescue units, of which there are six strategically located across London, are currently equipped with radiation detection devices based on the geiger principle.
  442
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by the London fire and civil defence authority to implement the recommendations of the Hidden inquiry report into the 1988 Clapham rail disaster as regards the London fire brigade. [20047]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I am informed by chief fire officer that eight of the 93 recommendations resulting from the investigation into the Clapham Junction railway accident conducted by Mr. Anthony Hidden QC had implications for the London fire and civil defence authority and that all these recommendations have been met.

  Fire Research
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been undertaken by his Department's scientific research and development branch on flashover and backdraught. [20053]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  In 1992, the Home Office fire research and development group commissioned the fire research station to undertake a study into what was known about flashovers and backdraughts. This was completed in 1994 and issued as FRDG publication No. 5/94. Following this research, a supplement to the manual of firemanship entitled "The Behaviour of Fire—Compartment Fires' was published in February 1995. Further research is being undertaken by the fire experimental unit of the FRDG into the feasibility of producing a small-scale compartment fire simulator for use as a training tool for firefighters.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been undertaken by the fire research station into flashover and backdraught. [20048]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The fire research station, part of the Building Research Establishment of DOE, has studied, over many years, the transition of small fires, through flashover, to fully developed conditions. The work has included experimental fires in compartments, the development of mathematical models to describe smoke and fire spread and studies of real fires. Results of the work have been used in the development of regulations and supporting codes and standards.

  FRS has recently completed a review for the Home Office to define the technical conditions of "backdraught" where the rapid ignition of partially burnt combustion products may place the lives of firefighters at risk when a compartment is ventilated.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with coroners courts conducting inquests on prison suicides about measures to reduce such suicides. [19951]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We have drawn the attention of coroners to Prison Service guidance on a range of matters, including measures aimed at reducing the number of prison suicides. The issues were also discussed at a seminar for coroners on deaths in custody.

  Deceased Persons (Severed Hands)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the
  443
  documents relating to the procedures authorising the severance of hands from deceased persons in mortuaries, or elsewhere, extant in August 1989, stating the purposes for which such action was authorised, the criteria used for assessing its necessity, compared to procedures in situ, and the rank of those making decisions in respect of any individual case. [19775]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 18 April 1995]: I am not aware of the existence of any written procedures, extant in 1989, governing the removal of hands of deceased persons for identification purposes.

  Hospital Crime
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed in national health service hospitals in each of the last five years; and if he will break down the figures by type of crime. [20628]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: This information is not collected centrally.

  Extradition
  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give an assurance that persons wanted for questioning in connection with murders in the United Kingdom continue to be the subject of arrangements for extradition for the Irish Republic; [20013]
  444
  (2) if he will give an assurance that persons wanted for questioning in connection with murders in the United Kingdom continue to be the subject of arrangements for extradition from the Irish Republic. [20012]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Extradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland takes place under the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 and the corresponding legislation of the Republic of Ireland. As with all extradition arrangements, the legislation makes no provision for extradition solely for the purposes of questioning, but makes provisions for the extradition of those who are either unlawfully at large having been convicted of a crime, or for whom an arrest warrant has been issued so that they may stand trial. It remains Her Majesty's Government's policy, wherever possible, to seek the return of those who have escaped from justice.

  Tokyo Subway Chemical Agent
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increased numbers of experiments at Porton Down on antidotes to chemical warfare agents following the Tokyo subway attack; and what plans he has to use animals in such experiments. [19725]

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  We currently have no plans to increase experiments on the agent reportedly used in the attack on the Tokyo subway.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Claimants' Mail
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what considerations underlay the contracting out of the opening by non-DSS staff of mail form claimants; and if he will make a statement. [19128]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the acting chief executive of the Benefits Agency, and he will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. David Marshall, dated 24 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the opening of Departmental post by private sector companies.
  The "Competing for Quality" White Paper set out the Government's policy for extending choice and competition in the public sector in order to secure better services and better value for money. Market testing is one of the ways in which the Government aims to extend competition and achieve more effective, more accountable and more business-like management in the public sector. This does not mean that work is automatically contracted out to the private sector. Main elements of the market testing process are to review the existing in house service, to establish precisely the standard of service that the customer requires, and to encourage and support the existing staff in seeking ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work. The work will only be awarded to an external contractor if the existing staff cannot provide the required service at best value for money for the taxpayer.
  As part of this initiative the Benefits Agency has market tested a number of accommodation and office services including typing, security guarding, messengers and post opening operations. The work was grouped in geographical packages before being market tested. The outcome of the tests has been a mixture of wins by in-house and external suppliers. Some of the successful in-house bids were made in partnership with the Royal Mail and in the Tyne/Tees, North and West Yorkshire, Scotland, East Midlands, Wales, Greater Manchester and South East areas the Royal Mail now open and sort post under contract to the Benefits Agency.
  All mail is opened under careful supervision in a separate, secure area which is locked at all times and only staff directly involved in the contract will be allowed access to this area. Whilst the post is being opened and sorted no one is allowed to enter or leave the room. Any mail marked "Private', "Personal" or "Confidential" is left unopened. The sorted mail is then placed in sealed bags and delivered to the Agency's District Offices each morning.
  Benefits Agency contracts with external suppliers contain all the safeguards that are normally applied to Civil Servants including the requirement to sign a declaration acknowledging the provisions of Section 123 of the Social Security Act 1992 which makes it a criminal offence to disclose personal information needed to establish benefit entitlement.
  This is a highly complex operation run by well-trained staff, who previously had to be removed from benefit work to attend post opening. This method of operation cost the Benefits Agency a considerable amount of staff time and money and the new arrangements free staff to deal with benefit work. Typically the revised operation frees the equivalent of 2 extra staff in an average office, and also guarantees that the mail is ready to be dealt with by staff, on average, 11 hours earlier than had previously been the case. This presents a real opportunity for enhanced customer service. Savings, in simple cost terms, have also been achieved for the tax payer.
  The Benefits Agency has ensured that in seeking to provide better value for money in the delivery of public services the highest standards of quality and confidentiality will be maintained.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for industrial injuries benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema were made in Nottinghamshire up to 31 March; and how many were successful. [19882]

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the acting chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Paddy Tipping, dated 24 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of claims for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit made in respect of chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema in Nottinghamshire up to 31 March 1995.
  The information is not available in the precise format requested. Statistics are maintained by Benefits Agency Branch Offices and Districts whose boundaries do not corresponded exactly with those of counties. However, figures are quoted in the attached appendix for the three main benefit offices in the area; North, East and West Nottinghamshire. It is possible that these figures will include some people living outside Nottinghamshire.
  I am afraid that, whilst collating the present data, it was discovered that the figures supplied in the reply to your previous Parliamentary Question (Hansard Reference: Vol 245 Col 186/187) were incorrect and I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. The corrected figures are also shown in the attached appendix.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Claims to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for prescribed disease D12—chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema—in the Nottinghamshire area as at 12 June 1994 (corrected data)

  Claims being proceeded with

  3,453

  Successful claims

  295

  Disallowed on prescription

  62

  Regulation 22 cases1

  11

  Assessed at 1–132

  1

  Not diagnosed

  2,478

  1 Where an applicant is already receiving Disablement Benefit in respect of PD D1 (pneumoconiosis) and has been assessed at over 50 per cent. disablement with chronic bronchitis and emphysema as a contributory factor.

  2 Benefit is not payable for assessments under 14 per cent.

  Claims to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for Prescribed Disease D12—Chronic Bronchitis and/or Emphysema—in the Nottinghamshire area as at 31 March 1995

  Claims received

  3,893

  Successful claims (assessed at 14–100 per cent.)

  474

  Note:

  Not all claims received within the period will have been decided by 31 March 1995.

  Benefits Agency Business Plan
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total production and distribution cost of the Benefits Agency 1995–96 business plan; how many copies were produced; and to whom they were distributed. [20254]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The production, distribution and associated costs of the Benefits Agency 1995–96 business plan is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the acting chief
  447
  executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Ms Dawn Primarolo, dated 24 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the production and distribution costs of the Benefits Agency (BA) 1995–96 Business Plan.
  The design, printing and distribution costs of the Business Plan totalled £14,775 for the production of 15,000 copies.
  The Business Plan is distributed to Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, Opposition Spokespersons, Members of Parliament, the Social Security Advisory Committee, National Audit Office and Her Majesty's Treasury. It is also distributed externally to Local Authority Housing Benefits Departments and to BA Customer Organisations. There is also an internal distribution to managers in the Department of Social Security and the BA.
  Copies of the Business Plan are available in the House of Commons Library and can be freely obtained from the Agency by members of the public upon request.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on implementing the fallow period when the delay for late payment of attendance allowance is due to administrative error. [16159]

  Mr. Hague
  Under the DSS special payments arrangements, compensation may be considered where payment of benefit has been delayed unduly as a result of clear official error.

  The fallow period is the period which must elapse before consideration can be given to the payment of compensation. The fallow period until 1993 was one year for all benefits, including attendance allowance.

  The fallow period for AA and disability living allowance was reduced to eight months from 1 April 1995.

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment, (b) the amount of each of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c) the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19651]

  Mr. Hague
  Available information is in the table. Further information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Housing benefit recipients for each local authority in Northamptonshire—1998to1994

  Local authority name

  November 1988

  November 1989

  November 1990

  November 1991

  November 1992

  November 1993

  November 1994

  Corby

  3,700

  3,600

  3,900

  4,600

  4,900

  5,100

  5,200

  Daventry

  2,300

  2,200

  2,400

  2,600

  2,800

  3,000

  2,800

  East Northampton

  2,600

  2,600

  2,800

  2,900

  3,300

  3,500

  3,600

  Kettering

  3,600

  3,600

  3,700

  4,200

  4,400

  4,500

  4,700

  Northampton

  9,900

  10,100

  11,000

  11,700

  12,400

  13,400

  13,800

  South Northants

  2,200

  2,400

  2,300

  2,500

  2,600

  2,600

  2,700

  Wellingborough

  3,900

  3,900

  3,900

  4,400

  4,700

  4,800

  4,900

  Source:

  Housing Benefit Management Information System. 100 per cent. quarterly case load stock count inquiries, taken at the end of November in each year given.
  448

  £000

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  DSS Headquarters

  4,870

  329

  341

  Benefits Agency

  1,565

  2,676

  1,828

  Contributions Agency

  281

  324

  279

  Information Technology Services Agency

  797

  779

  885

  Child Support Agency

  243

  834

  437

  Resettlement Agency

  nil

  nil

  nil

  War Pensions Agency

  —

  —

  20

  Total

  17,755

  4,942

  13,802

  1 Total difference due to rounding.

  The information to reply to parts (b) and (c) is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the rate of child benefit at April 1995 if it were uprated from its value on introduction in 1975(a) in line with the retail prices index and (b) in line with average earnings. [19699]

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table. Child benefit was not introduced until 5 April 1977.Value for child benefit at April 1995, uprating its rate on introduction on 5 April 1977 (a) in line with retail prices index and (b) in line with average earnings.

  Rate payable from 5 April 1997£

  Uprated in line with retail prices index1 £

  Uprated in line with average earnings2 £

  First child

  1.00

  3.25

  5.00

  Second and subsequent children

  1.50

  4.70

  7.00

  1Using the General Index of Retail Prices (All Items).

  2Using the Average Earnings Index (Whole Economy) Unadjusted.

  Benefits, Northamptonshire
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of applications for housing benefit and the proportion allowed for each local authority in Northamptonshire for each year since 1987–88. [20264]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not available. However, information from 1988 relating to case loads is set out in the table.
  449
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the most recently available figure for each security benefit, including pensions, paid by or on behalf of this Departments in Northamptonshire. [20276]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the form requested. Social security expenditure for Great Britain is shown in the 1995 departmental report, Cm 2813, published in March 1995.

  War Widows Pensions
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensions are currently being paid to war widows; and how many of these relate to service up to 30 September 1921. [20265]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  As at 31 March 1995 the number of war widows pensions in payment was 48,405; of those, 1,643 have been awarded in respect of death due to service up to 30 September 1921.

  Housing Benefit Central Register
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to the current pilot scheme involving the cross-matching of council tax and housing benefits data, obtained from London local authorities, with data held by his Department, if he will indicate the anticipated saving arising from the exercise; what estimate he has made of the number of records to be matched, anticipated mismatches and withdrawn applications for benefits; and if he will make a statement. [20058]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 1 December 1994, Official Report, column 883. A full evaluation of the housing benefit central register pilot has taken place and is currently under consideration.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in relation to his intention to cross-match council tax and housing benefits personal data with personal data held by his Department, whether he has issued advice to London boroughs concerning the need to protect claimants from false accusations based in inaccurate data; and if he will make a statement. [20059]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 28 November 1994,Official Report, column 521.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what were the figures for each year for which figures are available since 1990. [20177]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures the Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report. [20178]

  Mr. Hague
  The Department is required to publish a report to Parliament accounting for the stewardship of 450
  public funds and spending plans. This is also an opportunity, within the spirit of open government, to make available to the public information about the Department's work and activities. There is a common core of information that all Departments must include to present a consistent picture of public spending across all programmes. Above that, the Department has relative freedom to determine the style and content of the report.

  The Department controls costs by allocating budgets for items of expenditure to managers rather than costing specific processes, such as preparation of reports. In preparing the departmental report the Department strives to produce a clear and comprehensive document which represents good value for money.

  National Insurance Numbers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the Data Protection Registrar an undertaking that the national insurance number will not be used for purposes unconnected with the tax and benefits system; and if he will make a statement. [20057]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Data Protection Registrar has been advised that it is departmental policy to restrict the use of the national insurance number of national insurance, tax and social security benefit related purposes.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he next intends to meet with representatives of the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association to discuss the entry on ME in the disability living allowance handbook; [20556]

  (2) what representations he has received on the accuracy of the entry in the disability living allowance handbook on ME in relation to the stance of the national task force on CFS/PVFS/ME; and if he will make a statement. [20555]

  Mr. Hague
  A small number of representations have been received concerning the revised entry on CFS/ME in the disability handbook. A full reply has been sent to the ME Association, extending an invitation for a meeting with departmental officials to discuss the association's concerns further.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20504]

  Mr. Hague
  The Occupational Pensions Board is the only executive non-departmental public body sponsored by this Department. No such information is published.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which
  451
  are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20664]

  Mr. Hague
  The only non-departmental public body that fits these criteria is the Occupational Pensions Board, which is:(a) not currently subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, although arrangements to bring the OPB within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner, by means of an Order in Council, are well advanced;
  (b) not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission;
  (c) subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office, under the National Audit Act 1983;
  (d) not currently subject to the statutory provisions for open government, which apply only to those bodies within the ambit of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration;

  Benefit/allowance

  Current rate

  Rate if uprated by April 1995 uprating only £

  Estimated rate if uprated by April 1995 and projected 1996 uprating £

  Christmas bonus

  10.00

  10.20

  10.50

  Income support—amounts for meals where these cannot be obtained within the accommodation (daily rates):

  Breakfast

  1.10

  1.10

  1.10

  Midday/evening meal

  1.55

  1.60

  1.65

  Maternity allowance—higher rate (weekly)

  52.50

  53.65

  55.25

  Pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous diseases scheme—death benefit

  300.00

  306.60

  315.80

  Retirement pension—age 80 addition (weekly)

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  Widows payment

  1,000

  1,022

  1,052.66

  Notes:

  1. Amounts are rounded to the nearest 5p.

  2. Uprated amounts for 1995 are based upon the movement in retail prices Index in the year up to September 1994. The all items index has been applied for benefits other than income related benefits; to which the Rossi index—all items except housing—has been applied.

  3. Estimated rates for 1996 are based upon the assumptions for planning public expenditure in the Treasury's annual financial and budget report 1995–96.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20501]

  Mr. Dorrell
  All of my Department's NDPBs are required, under their founding statute, charter, or other instrument of corporation, to publish reports, although not necessarily on an annual basis, and to publish annual accounts. None of my Department's executive NDPBs is required to publish minutes or agendas of meetings, although some may issue public statements about
  452
  (e) not subject to published performance indicators;
  (f) committed to the principles of the citizens charter, which apply to all public services.

  The board and its members are not public servants, although the administrative staff in the executive office are. In line with the principles of the citizens charter, the OPB published its charter standard statement and code of practice in July 1994, setting out the standards of service the public can expect and telling customers what they can do to obtain help and advice from the OPB. In addition, this publication also incorporates the OPB's enforcers code, published as part of the "Working with Business—a Code for Enforcement Agencies' initiative.

  Benefits Uprating
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be(a) the current value and (b) the estimated value for next year of those benefits which have never been uprated since they were (i) introduced and (ii) announced, if they were now uprated. [20261]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table:

  decisions taken at meetings. Such arrangements are voluntary. My Department has asked each of its executive NDPBs to adopt a code of practice for board members. This recommends that boards should consider establishing a register of members' interests which should be open for public inspection and published at least once a year. A number of bodies are currently considering how to implement the code. There are no statutory requirements to compile and publish a register of members' interests.

  Children's Play
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what organisations will be represented on the panel which will assess the bids to carry out work on children's play. [20989]

  Mr. Sproat
  Assessment of any bids to do work on children's play will be made by my Department in consultation with the Sports Council.
  453
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what funding he is making available to the National Voluntary Council for Children's Play in 1995–96. [20827]

  Mr. Sproat
  For the period April to September 1995, the National Children's Bureau is receiving a grant of £13,500 from the Sports Council Trust Company for the National Voluntary Council for Children's Play.

  Interested organisations will shortly be invited by my Department to bid for funds to carry out work in certain specified areas of children's play from October 1995. Future funding of the NVCCP will depend upon the outcome of that process.

  Sports Bodies
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what local authorities representation there is on(a) the new United Kingdom Sports Commission and (b) the new English Sports Council. [20997]

  Mr. Sproat
  Local authorities are not directly represented on either body. Ministerial nominees, to be appointed in each of the regions of the English Sports Council, will bring a further range of experience and expertise to the council's work, including that of local government.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of(a) the new United Kingdom Sports Commission and (b) the new English Sports Council are females. [20995]

  Mr. Sproat
  The United Kingdom Sports Council will have 10 members, one of whom is female. The Sports Council for England will have 15 members, one of whom is female.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of removing responsibility for transmission from the BBC. [20004]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am currently considering the options for the future ownership of the BBC's transmission service.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the number of people in the United Kingdom who can pick up satellite television but who are unable to receive terrestrial television. [20003]

  Mr. Dorrell
  None.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to reassess the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 1990 with regard to the protection of universal television coverage of sporting events in the United Kingdom in respect of News Corporation's bid for the rights to television coverage of rugby football league. [20247]

  Mr. Dorrell
  None. With the Broadcasting Act 1990, the Government decided that it was right to liberalise the market for the benefit of rights holders, who should not without good reason find themselves prohibited from disposing of their rights in the way they choose. This remains the Government's position.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures the Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report. [20186]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Consistent with its obligation to publish an annual report, my Department takes all necessary measures to keep the cost and staff implications of compiling material to a minimum.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what were the figures for each year for which figures are available since 1992. [20185]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Staff time and the estimated cost of officials who were directly involved in producing my Department's annual reports in the years since it was established are as follows:

  Total staff years

  Cost (£"000)

  1993

  0.21

  18.9

  1994

  0.26

  20.9

  1995

  0.27

  19.0

  Other staff throughout the Department also participate in providing material for the report, as part of their normal duties.

  Agency Job Losses
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the National Heritage if he will list the number and location of Historic Royal Palaces Agency and Royal Parks Agency offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [19968]

  Mr. Sproat
  Neither the Historic Royal Palaces Agency nor the Royal Parks Agency has ever had any offices or jobs located in Scotland.

  Monuments
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the amendments made to the schedule of monuments under the ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, as amended, in each of the past 10 years, by name and location and with the reason for revision of the scheduled area of each monument.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 3 April 1995]: In the mid-1980s there were roughly 12,500 entries in the schedule, representing some 18,000 individual sites. By the end of February 1995, there were 15,346 entries, representing some 22,000 individual sites. The number of amendments to the schedule per year since 1989 is shown in the table. Amendments agreed by the Secretary of State comprise the addition of new monuments, revisions of existing schedule entries, and the deletion of monuments

  455
  from the schedule. Figures for 1985 to 1989, and the name, location and reason for each amendment since

  Recommendations by English Heritage

  Number of scheduling decisions by the Secretary of State

  Number of decisions involving revisions of areas

  Increase in number of monuments in the schedule

  1989–90

  304

  310

  52

  132

  1990–91

  403

  328

  136

  189

  1991–92

  1,138

  900

  295

  534

  1992–93

  1,020

  1,280

  446

  655

  1993–94

  1,240

  1,203

  507

  598

  1994–95

  (to end of February 1995)

  1,672

  1,626

  688

  884

  Mahogany
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many metres of mahogany or products containing it his Department has bought in the last five years; and if he will list the purposes and the costs. [19850]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 19 April 1995]: My Department was established in April 1992. Neither my Department nor its agencies has purchased any mahogany or products containing it.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what further action has been taken against firms for non-compliance with orders of enforcement from the Fair Employment Tribunal since the introduction of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989; [19852]

  (2) how many breaches of its orders of enforcement have been certified by the Fair Employment Tribunal to the High Court; and of these how many were subject to fines or committal penalties for contempt of that court; [19855]

  (3) what cash penalties were imposed by the Fair Employment Tribunal for breaches of its orders of enforcement; and what firms were subject to such fines since the inception of the Fair Employment Tribunal. [19851]

  Mr. Ancram
  No orders of enforcement have been issued by the Fair Employment Tribunal since the introduction of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what firms or employers have been debarred from tendering for contracts as a result of non-compliance with orders of enforcement from the Fair Employment Tribunal since the introduction of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. [19853]

  Mr. Ancram
  Since the introduction of the Fair Employment Act 1989 no firms have been debarred from tendering for contracts as a result of non-compliance with an order of enforcement from the Fair Employment Tribunal.
  456
  1989, cannot be provided in view of the disproportionate cost involved.

  Glaucoma
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated number of people aged over 17 years with glaucoma in Northern Ireland. [19732]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is not available.

  Income Support
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received from the Northern Ireland Citizens Advice Bureaux concerning the number of people dependent on income support; and what action the Government will take to reduce poverty levels in Northern Ireland. [19854]

  Mr. Moss
  I am not aware of any recent representations from the Northern Ireland Citizens Advice Bureaux concerning the number of people dependent on income support.

  The Government continue to give priority to targeting resources on areas and people in greatest need. Social security in Northern Ireland maintains parity with the rest of the United Kingdom and income-related benefits such as income support provide assistance to the least well-off.

  Pollution Repairs
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the total repair budget of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is used in repairs to roads, buildings, etcetera which have sustained damage as the result of environmental pollution. [19870]

  Mr. Moss
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has not identified any damage to roads, buildings, etcetera, specifically caused by environmental pollution which has required repair expenditure. It is estimated, however, that approximately 4 per cent. of the roads services total bridge maintenance budget of £5 million for 1993–94 was spent on repairing damage caused by chloride attack.

  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the causes of chloride attack on bridges and other structures in Northern Ireland; and what proportion of the £3.2 million spent on repairs to bridges and other structures during 1993–94 was needed to repair damage from chloride attack. [19869]

  Mr. Moss
  The main cause of chloride attack on bridges is rock salt which is used for winter gritting.
  457
  While no exact figures are available to show the costs incurred in repairing damage caused specifically by chloride attack, it is estimated that this accounts for approximately 4 per cent. of the total bridge maintenance budget which, in the 1993–94 financial year, stood at £5 million.

  No expenditure has been incurred on repairs to other structures.

  Sport
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Sports Council of Northern Ireland has to increase sporting contacts with(a) Scotland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement about the present policy of the Sports Council towards promotion of co-operation within the United Kingdom. [19756]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Sports Council for Northern Ireland has no proposals to increase sporting contacts with Scotland or the Republic of Ireland, as arrangements already in place are felt to be appropriate and adequate.

  The policy of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland is to promote co-operation within the United Kingdom, both in general and in relation to specific issues. Accordingly, the chairman and chief executive attend the meetings of the Great Britain Sports Council, and bilateral contacts with individual home country sports councils are pursued as appropriate on specific issues.

  Local Enterprise Development Unit
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the small businesses created with the assistance of the Local Enterprise Development Unit in Northern Ireland since 1989 are currently still trading. [19863]

  Mr. Ancram
  In the period between December 1989 and December 1993, LEDU assisted the creation of 3,302 new firms. At December 1993, 2,909 of these companies were still in existence. Information on LEDU's performance during 1994–95 is not yet available and will be published at the end of May.

  Surplus Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, by county, the amount of surplus milk thrown away in each month since January 1992. [19822]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is not available.

SCOTLAND

  Meat Inspections
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many inspectors his Department employs to visit meat wholesalers; how many visits each inspector makes; and how many visits each supplier expects in a year; [19491]

  (2) what investigations his Department's inspectors carry out on the accuracy of date labelling by wholesale meat suppliers to supermarkets; [19492]
  458
  (3) if he will list the number and types of incidents in meat wholesalers detected by his Department's inspectors for the last year for which figures are available; [19493]

  (4) if meat wholesalers are notified in advance of visits by his Department's meat inspectors. [19522]

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,Official Report, columns 378–79.

  Swine Vesicular Disease
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of swine vesicular disease were reported in each year since 1985. [19729]

  Sir Hector Monro
  No cases of swine vesicular disease have been recorded in Scotland since 1985.

  Road Side Advertising
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to alter the planning law on road side advertising; and if he will make a statement. [19749]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to alter the planning law on road side advertising. However, the Scottish Office Environment Department is currently reviewing the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, with a view to amending and updating this legislation. A public consultation document on this subject will issue later this year.

  Separately, the roads directorate of the Scottish Office Industry Department has, in conjunction with the Scottish tourist board, been reviewing the provision of tourist signposting in Scotland, and has now issued a consultation document, proposing changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994. The results of this consultation will be known during the summer.

  Child Prostitution
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of child prostitution have been reported during the last year; and what are the figures for each of the previous four years. [20705]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Surplus Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by region, the amount of surplus milk thrown away in each month since January 1992. [19821]

  Sir Hector Monro
  This information is not available.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines, information or instructions were issued by his Department to assessors in respect of the most recent rating revaluation of business properties in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [20596]

  Mr. Lang
  New primary and secondary legislation was drawn to assessors' attention by means of departmental circulars. In carrying out their statutory responsibilities, assessors are not subject to policy direction by my Department.

  Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure was incurred by his Department in funding the highlands and islands veterinary services scheme in 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95; and what is the estimated expenditure on the scheme for the current year. [20591]

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Year

  Expenditure £000

  1991–92

  245

  1992–93

  253

  1993–94

  259

  1994–95

  266

  The expenditure in the current financial year will depend on the outcome of negotiations which are in progress with the British Veterinary Association.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when officials of his Department last met representatives of the British Veterinary Association to discuss future arrangements for the highlands and islands veterinary services scheme. 120592]

  Mr. Lang
  Officials last met BVA representatives on 19 April. Discussions were very positive and I hope that we will be able to introduce revised arrangements in the near future.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, in respect of each islands and district council area in Scotland, the total net rateable value of non-domestic property(a) prior to and (b) since 1 April. [20593]

  Mr. Lang
  Information on the rateable value of non-domestic property, in respect of each islands and district council area in Scotland, at 1 April 1994, which is the latest date for which the information is available, is given in table 1. Information is not, at present, available centrally on the rateable value of non-domestic property at 1 April 1995. Table 2 gives estimates of the average percentage increase in rateable value in each region and islands area following the 1995 revaluation of non-domestic rates. The estimates are based on a sample survey of estimated outcomes of revaluation which was conducted last year.

  Table 1: Non-domestic rateable values, April 1994

  £ millions

  Berwickshire

  6.25

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  15.35

  Roxburgh

  11.85

  Tweeddale

  5.02

  Clackmannan

  21.98

  Falkirk

  89.24

  Stirling

  46.62

  Annandale and Eskdale

  16.18

  Nithsdale

  27.73

  Stewartry

  8.87

  Wigtown

  9.75

  Dunfermline

  92.86

  Kirkcaldy

  83.06

  North East Fife

  28.28

  460

  Table 1: Non-domestic rateable values, April 1994

  £ millions

  Aberdeen

  186.65

  Banff and Buchan

  51.76

  Gordon

  23.30

  Kincardine and Deeside

  20.19

  Moray

  40.63

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  7.40

  Caithness

  10.80

  Inverness

  47.91

  Lochaber

  12.30

  Nairn

  3.08

  Ross and Cromarty

  22.13

  Skye and Lochalsh

  4.26

  Sutherland

  4.50

  East Lothian

  52.20

  Edinburgh

  341.86

  Midlothian

  24.89

  West Lothian

  66.26

  Argyll and Bute

  31.67

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  10.22

  Clydebank

  21.94

  Clydesdale

  20.24

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  25.28

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  12.52

  Cunninghame

  70.55

  Dumbarton

  36.24

  East Kilbride

  41.84

  Eastwood

  13.55

  Glasgow

  469.80

  Hamilton

  38.74

  Inverclyde

  34.72

  Kilmarnock and Loudon

  29.75

  Kyle and Carrick

  52.95

  Monklands

  36.93

  Motherwell

  56.99

  Refrew

  94.64

  Strathkelvin

  23.42

  Angus

  36.09

  Dundee

  93.60

  Perth and Kinross

  66.36

  Orkney

  2.31

  Shetland

  42.47

  Western Isles

  10.05

  Total Scotland

  2,756.02

  Source:

  Non-domestic rateable values return: April 1994.

  Table 2: Average percentage increase in rateable value following revaluation

  Borders

  23.2

  Central

  17.5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  16.2

  Fife

  16.0

  Grampian

  30.5

  Highland

  17.4

  Lothian

  29.6

  Strathclyde

  27.5

  Tayside

  19.2

  Orkney

  7.2

  Shetland

  1.7

  Western Isles

  17.9

  Source:

  Sample survey of revaluation factors from the 1995 revaluation.

  Note:

  Estimates for Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles are based on small samples and should be treated with caution.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, in respect of each islands and district council area in Scotland, the total revenue raised
  461
  by non-domestic rates in each year since 1990–91 in (a) actual prices and (b) 1995 prices. [20594]

  Mr. Lang
  The information is given in the tables.

  Net income from non-domestic rates £millon current prices

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Berwickshire

  1.96

  2.16

  2.18

  2.13

  2.27

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  5.13

  5.53

  5.51

  5.35

  5.50

  Roxburgh

  4.09

  4.37

  4.29

  4.20

  4.33

  Tweeddale

  1.71

  1.84

  1.87

  1.77

  1.82

  Clackmannan

  9.13

  9.97

  9.74

  8.84

  9.37

  Falkirk

  35.72

  39.63

  38.14

  37.18

  38.18

  Stirling

  20.24

  22.89

  21.59

  19.99

  19.80

  Annandale and Eskdale

  5.37

  5.89

  6.14

  6.18

  6.44

  Nithsdale

  10.29

  10.87

  10.79

  10.30

  10.95

  Stewartry

  2.84

  3.08

  3.07

  2.99

  3.47

  Wigtown

  3.58

  3.77

  3.76

  3.59

  3.78

  Dunfermline

  41.45

  44.01

  43.09

  41.62

  40.49

  Kirkcaldy

  37.28

  38.80

  37.44

  35.31

  33.94

  North East Fife

  11.79

  12.27

  11.80

  10.89

  10.29

  Aberdeen

  68.57

  70.51

  70.87

  68.66

  69.92

  Banff and Buchan

  17.52

  18.64

  18.84

  19.50

  19.99

  Gordon

  7.29

  7.78

  8.20

  8.48

  8.77

  Kincardine and Deeside

  6.20

  6.60

  6.77

  7.08

  7.50

  Moray

  14.90

  14.92

  14.93

  14.80

  15.46

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  2.34

  2.53

  2.59

  2.68

  2.72

  Caithness

  4.13

  4.44

  4.36

  3.96

  3.98

  Inverness

  18.74

  19.77

  19.37

  18.28

  18.88

  Lochaber

  4.80

  5.27

  5.29

  5.25

  5.28

  Nairn

  1.11

  1.20

  1.18

  1.05

  1.06

  Ross and Cromarty

  9.22

  9.82

  9.24

  8.54

  8.65

  Skye and Lochalsh

  1.52

  1.69

  1.71

  1.62

  1.60

  Sutherland

  1.49

  1.64

  1.65

  1.64

  1.67

  East Lothian

  21.63

  22.92

  22.70

  21.61

  23.44

  Edinburgh

  154.73

  165.33

  156.67

  143.33

  137.29

  Midlothian

  10.67

  11.16

  11.45

  10.56

  9.98

  West Lothian

  26.98

  29.21

  28.68

  27.42

  27.89

  Argyll and Bute

  14.66

  15.15

  14.31

  12.54

  12.22

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  4.35

  4.55

  4.44

  4.18

  4.08

  Clydebank

  11.00

  10.83

  10.43

  9.39

  9.77

  Clydesdale

  8.62

  9.79

  10.00

  8.84

  9.06

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  11.56

  12.34

  11.76

  11.02

  11.26

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  4.43

  4.89

  4.91

  4.31

  4.90

  Cunninghame

  33.87

  35.02

  33.62

  31.88

  30.71

  Dumbarton

  17.42

  18.14

  17.87

  16.76

  16.27

  East Kilbride

  18.57

  19.72

  19.30

  18.96

  18.64

  Eastwood

  5.50

  5.86

  5.79

  5.56

  5.62

  Glasgow

  231.30

  243.70

  229.35

  209.59

  203.19

  Hamilton

  18.13

  19.08

  18.52

  17.36

  17.16

  Inverclyde

  14.86

  15.91

  15.55

  13.71

  14.17

  Kilmarnock and Loudon

  13.77

  14.29

  13.77

  12.67

  12.98

  Kyle and Carrick

  24.26

  25.71

  25.05

  23.15

  23.00

  Monklands

  16.94

  17.87

  17.12

  16.55

  16.25

  Motherwell

  28.67

  28.78

  26.85

  25.50

  25.37

  462

  Net income from non-domestic rates £million current prices

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Refrew

  42.12

  44.50

  44.18

  41.76

  41.86

  Strathkelvin

  10.32

  11.00

  10.87

  10.76

  10.51

  Angus

  14.47

  14.98

  15.00

  13.45

  13.20

  Dundee

  40.17

  42.11

  39.67

  34.25

  33.45

  Perth and Kinross

  25.65

  28.10

  27.88

  25.61

  24.23

  Orkney

  6.39

  6.38

  5.42

  5.66

  5.85

  Shetland

  20.05

  19.69

  15.93

  16.51

  16.85

  Western Isles

  4.10

  4.56

  4.52

  3.93

  3.80

  Total Scotland

  1,203.60

  1,271.48

  1,225.99

  1,148.71

  1,139.07

  Notes:

  Source, non-domestic rate income returns—September 1994.

  Figures for districts within Lothian include estimates.

  Net income from non-domestic rates £million 1995–96 prices

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Berwickshire

  2.36

  2.44

  2.37

  2.24

  2.34

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  6.16

  6.25

  5.98

  5.63

  5.68

  Roxburgh

  4.91

  4.93

  4.66

  4.43

  4.47

  Tweeddale

  2.06

  2.08

  2.03

  1.86

  1.88

  Clackmannan

  10.95

  11.25

  10.58

  9.31

  9.67

  Falkirk

  42.84

  44.73

  41.40

  39.16

  39.42

  Stirling

  24.28

  25.84

  23.43

  21.05

  20.44

  Annandale and Eskdale

  6.44

  6.65

  6.66

  6.51

  6.65

  Nithsdale

  12.35

  12.27

  11.71

  10.85

  11.31

  Stewartry

  3.41

  3.48

  3.33

  3.15

  3.59

  Wigtown

  4.30

  4.26

  4.09

  3.78

  3.90

  Dunfermline

  49.73

  49.66

  46.77

  43.83

  41.80

  Kirkcaldy

  44.72

  43.79

  40.63

  37.18

  35.05

  North East Fife

  14.14

  13.85

  12.80

  11.47

  10.62

  Aberdeen

  82.25

  79.58

  76.92

  72.31

  72.20

  Banff and Buchan

  21.02

  21.04

  20.45

  20.54

  20.64

  Gordon

  8.74

  8.78

  8.90

  8.93

  9.06

  Kincardine and Deeside

  7.43

  7.45

  7.35

  7.46

  7.74

  Moray

  17.87

  16.83

  16.20

  15.58

  15.97

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  2.81

  2.86

  2.81

  2.82

  2.81

  Caithness

  4.95

  5.01

  4.73

  4.17

  4.11

  Inverness

  22.47

  22.31

  21.02

  19.25

  19.50

  Lochaber

  5.76

  5.94

  5.75

  5.53

  5.46

  Nairn

  1.33

  1.36

  1.28

  1.11

  1.09

  Ross and Cromarty

  11.06

  11.08

  10.02

  8.99

  8.93

  Skye and Lochalsh

  1.82

  1.91

  1.85

  1.71

  1.66

  Sutherland

  1.79

  1.85

  1.79

  1.73

  1.72

  East Lothian

  25.94

  25.87

  24.64

  22.76

  24.20

  Edinburgh

  185.60

  186.59

  170.04

  150.95

  141.75

  Midlothian

  12.80

  12.59

  12.43

  11.13

  10.31

  West Lothian

  32.37

  32.97

  31.13

  28.88

  28.80

  Argyll and Bute

  17.58

  17.10

  15.54

  13.20

  12.61

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  5.22

  5.13

  4.82

  4.40

  4.21

  Clydebank

  13.19

  12.22

  11.32

  9.89

  10.09

  Clydesdale

  10.34

  11.05

  10.85

  9.31

  9.36

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  13.86

  13.93

  12.76

  11.61

  11.63

  463

  Net income from non-domestic rates £million 1995–96 prices

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  5.32

  5.52

  5.33

  4.54

  5.05

  Cunninghame

  40.63

  39.52

  36.49

  33.58

  31.70

  Dumbarton

  20.90

  20.47

  19.40

  17.65

  16.80

  East Kilbride

  22.27

  22.25

  20.94

  19.97

  19.24

  Eastwood

  6.60

  6.61

  6.28

  5.85

  5.81

  Glasgow

  277.45

  275.04

  248.93

  220.73

  209.80

  Hamilton

  21.75

  21.54

  20.10

  18.29

  17.71

  Inverclyde

  17.83

  17.96

  16.88

  14.44

  14.63

  Kilmarnock and Loudon

  16.51

  16.12

  14.95

  13.34

  13.40

  Kyle and Carrick

  29.10

  29.02

  27.19

  24.38

  23.75

  Monklands

  20.32

  20.17

  18.58

  17.43

  16.78

  Motherwell

  34.39

  32.48

  29.14

  26.85

  26.19

  Renfrew

  50.52

  50.22

  47.95

  43.98

  43.22

  Strathkelvin

  12.38

  12.41

  11.79

  11.33

  10.85

  Angus

  17.36

  16.91

  16.28

  14.17

  13.63

  Dundee

  48.18

  47.52

  43.05

  36.07

  34.53

  Perth and Kinross

  30.77

  31.71

  30.26

  26.97

  25.01

  Orkney

  7.67

  7.21

  5.88

  5.96

  6.04

  Shetland

  24.04

  22.22

  17.29

  17.38

  17.39

  Western Isles

  4.91

  5.15

  4.90

  4.14

  3.92

  Total Scotland

  1,443.74

  1,434.99

  1,330.65

  1,209.76

  1,176.09

  Note:

  source,non-domestic rate income returns—September 1994.

  Figures for districts within Lothian include estimates.

  Deflated using GDP deflator at market prices.

  Atmospheric Emissions
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many installations in Scotland require consent from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for atmospheric emissions; and if he will list them. [20844]

  Sir Hector Monro
  In Scotland HM industrial pollution inspectorate is the designated enforcing authority for part A processes under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Integrated pollution control for such processes is being introduced in stages. As of 24 April 1995, 159 authorisations had been issued to 121 operators of prescribed processes. Further applications for authorisations will be required in accordance with the timetable in schedule 3 to the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes) Regulations 1991, as amended.

  Details of both applications and authorisations, including requirements relating to emissions to the atmosphere, may be examined on public registers maintained by the inspectorate and by river purification authorities and district councils in respect of processes operated in their respective areas.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the amount in cash terms, and as a percentage of the total, of public funds under the control of local enterprise companies. [19939]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 21 April 1995]: The allocation of local enterprise company budgets is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands
  464
  and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that nuclear industry wastes will not be disposed of within the boundaries of Central region. [19885]

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: No. It would not be appropriate for policy on this matter to be constrained by local authority boundaries. The Government's policy will be set out later this year when they publish the conclusions to their review of radioactive waste management policy, on which a consultation document was issued in August 1994.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the jobs that have been lost to agencies in his Department in the past two years that have(a) been taken over by contractors and (b) disappeared. [18333]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 4 April 1995]: I have asked the chief executives of the agencies for which my Department is responsible to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Alan W. Ramage to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  I have been asked to reply, in relation to Registers of Scotland Executive Agency, to your question to the Secretary of State for Scotland about jobs lost to Agencies in the past two years.
  There have been no jobs lost over the past two years due to the employment of contractors. Overall staff numbers in the Registers of Scotland have declined from 1257.5 on 1 April 1993 to 1065.5 on 1 April 1995. Reductions in staff numbers have resulted from a range of efficiency saving measures and the need to align the size of the organisation to match the market demand for our services.

  Letter from K. MacRae to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  I refer to the Parliamentary Question which you tabled recently to the Secretary of State for Scotland seeking information on the loss of jobs in Agencies during the past two years.
  I have been asked to reply in respect of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland which was launched in April 1994. In 1994–95, no jobs have been lost to the Agency due to the employment of contractors or otherwise.
  I trust this represents the information which you were seeking.

  Letter from Graeme N. Munro to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply on behalf of Historic Scotland to your recent question about jobs which have been taken over by contractors or have disappeared in the last 2 years.
  Since April 1993 23.5 posts (full-time equivalents) have been given up in Historic Scotland. Of this total 4 posts have been contracted out, with the staff either being redeployed elsewhere within the Agency or retiring. Of the remaining 19.5 posts, 15 were saved as a consequence of the market testing process where the decision was to retain the service in-house. The remaining 4.5 posts were saved by withdrawing staffing from 5 of the least frequently visited monuments in care.
  I hope this information meets your needs.

  Letter from Andrew Macleod to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  I have been asked to reply in respect of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Scotland concerning the loss of jobs in executive agencies of The Scottish Office in the past 2 years.

  465
  During the financial year 1993–94 and 1994–95 no jobs in the Agency have been taken over by contractors. The average number of staff employed by the Agency during 1993–94 was 266, compared with 265 in the previous year. The final figure for 1994–95 will be published in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts. We estimate that average employment for the year was around 260.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply, in respect of the Scottish Prison Service, to your question about the loss of jobs in agencies over the last two years as a result of contracting out of work.
  In the Scottish Prison Service market testing has been confined to the part of the Service that maintains buildings and services. A total of 10 establishments have been market tested and in-house teams have been successful in 9 competitions. The number of Scottish Prison Service staff involved in this area has been reduced by seventy-four over the period from 348 at 1 April 1993 to 274 at 1 April 1994. The reduction in numbers of staff largely reflects a reorganisation and restructuring of the in-house teams within the SPS. No staff were made redundant as a consequence of contractors being successful in winning the contract at one establishment.

  Letter from Norman MacLeod to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995.
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about jobs lost to Scottish Office Agencies in the past two years, so far as the Scottish Office Pensions Agency is concerned.
  No jobs have been lost to the Agency as a result of work being taken over by contractors but measures to improve efficiency, mainly through better use of information technology, have removed the need for 5 posts. In the same period, however, a number of new posts have been created to deal with new work.

  Letter from Patrick Cadell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  In reply to your question on the number of jobs lost to agencies, I have to say that no jobs have been lost, and no jobs have disappeared as a consequence of our becoming a Next Steps Agency.

  Letter from Dr. R. K. M. Hay to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply on behalf of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) to your recent question about jobs which have been taken over by contractors or have disappeared in the last 2 years.
  In the last 2 years, 4 Security Guard posts in SASA have been taken over by contractors. To date, no posts have disappeared.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many claims were made in Scotland (1) for set-aside and (2) in total under the arable area payments scheme in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) in 1994–95 of(a) between £0 and £5,000, (b) between £5,001 and £10,000, (c) between £10,001 and £15,000, (d) between £15,001 and £20,000, (e) between £20,001 and £25,000, (f) between £25,001 and £50,000, (g) between £50,001 and £75,000, (h) between £75,001 and £100,000, (i) between £100,001 and £150,000,(j) between £150,001 and £200,000, (k) between £200,001 and £1 million and (1) over £1 million; and what is his latest estimate of the number of claims that will be made in 1995–96 in each value band. [18632]

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 5 April 1995]: The numbers of claims made by farmers in Scotland under the arable area payments scheme in the scheme years 1993 and 1994 were as follows:
  466

  (1) Set-aside

  £

  1993

  1994

  0–5,000

  3,361

  3,437

  5,001–10,000

  750

  1,021

  10,001–15,000

  148

  256

  15,001–20,000

  43

  95

  20,001–25,000

  19

  39

  25,001–50,000

  8

  30

  50,001–75,000

  1

  1

  75,001–100,000

  nil

  1

  100,001–150,000

  nil

  nil

  150,001–200,000

  nil

  nil

  200,001–£1 million

  nil

  nil

  Over £1 million

  nil

  nil

  4,330

  4,880

  (2) In total

  £

  1993

  1994

  0–5,000

  5,526

  5,109

  5,001–10,000

  1,232

  1,088

  10,001–15,000

  794

  804

  15,001–20,000

  504

  650

  20,001–25,000

  366

  402

  25,001–50,000

  779

  986

  50,001–75,000

  206

  258

  75,001–100,000

  59

  95

  100,001–150,000

  39

  51

  150,001–200,000

  4

  13

  200,001–£1 million

  5

  4

  Over £1 million

  nil

  nil

  Total

  9,514

  9,460

  Figures are not yet available for the 1995 scheme year.

ENVIRONMENT

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what measures the Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report; [20195]

  (2) how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what were the figures for each year for which figures are available since 1990. [20194]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Contributions to the annual report are prepared by all sections of the Department. Staff time spent on this activity is not separately recorded, and it is not therefore possible to give a valid estimate of the costs involved.

  Public Sector Housing (Northamptonshire)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each district authority in Northamptonshire the total discounted value of public sector flats and houses sold in each year since 1991–92. [20279]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The latest information on total discounted values of dwellings sold by local authorities in Northamptonshire between April 1991 and December
  467
  1994 is given in the table. Actual cash receipts in any year will depend on the extent to which sales were financed by loans from the authorities.

  Discounted value of all sales

  £ million

  Local Authority

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  11994–95

  Corby

  2,421

  2,097

  3,678

  1,852

  Daventry

  1,242

  3,061

  1,316

  776

  East Northamptonshire

  1,042

  1,261

  2,368

  1,662

  Kettering

  1,020

  1,029

  1,287

  n/a

  Northampton

  4,197

  2,503

  4,524

  n/a

  South Northamptonshire

  1,109

  1,543

  1,982

  1,618

  Wellingborough

  1,480

  1,165

  991

  1,011

  19 months.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of local authority tenants not in receipt of housing benefit for each local authority in Northamptonshire. [20267]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Based on returns from local authorities for 1994–95, the Department's latest estimates for the numbers of local authority tenants not in receipt of housing benefit in each local authority in Northamptonshire are as follows:

  Local authority

  Council tenants not on housing benefit

  Corby

  3,500

  Daventry

  1,600

  East Northampton

  1,800

  Kettering

  1,700

  Northampton

  5,600

  South Northampton

  1,500

  Wellingborough

  2,500

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the total number of households accepted by each local authority in Northamptonshire for each year since 1992–93 for securing permanent accommodation under the homeless provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and subsequent legislation. [20278]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Local authorities report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act in their quarterly P1(E) returns.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration gave for the information covering the years 1992 to 1994 to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 4 April 1995, Official Report, column 1049.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total usable receipts held by each local authority in Northamptonshire on 30 March for each year since 1983. [20270]

  Numbers employed in local authorities in Northamptonshire at June of each year

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Authority

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Northamptonshire

  11,784

  9,751

  11,832

  9,735

  11,857

  10,254

  11,890

  10,934

  11,594

  11,223

  11,819

  11,477

  Corby

  527

  122

  550

  112

  582

  108

  572

  141

  583

  170

  580

  135

  468
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The total usable capital receipts held at 31 March in each year from 1990 onwards are given in the table. Information is not available on a comparable basis for years prior to the introduction of the current capital control system in 1990.

  Usable capital receipts held at 31 March

  £ million

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Northamptonshire

  13.412

  12.131

  11.829

  0.220

  0.220

  Corby

  2.003

  0.001

  0.120

  0.749

  3.447

  Daventry

  7.311

  6.730

  4.510

  2.884

  0.622

  East Northampton

  5.233

  3.144

  2.402

  2.628

  0.000

  Kettering

  6.000

  2.542

  1.741

  1.481

  2.964

  Northampton

  21.235

  13.849

  10.549

  3.634

  4.523

  South Northampton

  7.021

  2.729

  0.738

  0.000

  2.152

  Wellingborough

  18.461

  14.075

  11.267

  11.840

  11.082

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings were owned by each district council in Northamptonshire at the time the right to buy was introduced; how many are owned at the latest date; what percentage that is of the original figure. [20268]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Local authorities in England report the number of dwellings they own on their annual housing investment programme returns. The numbers of dwellings reported by each local authority in Northamptonshire at 1 April 1980 have been compared with those at 1 April 1994, the latest information available.

  Local authority

  (1) Stock of dwellings at 1 April 1994

  (2) Stock of dwellings at 1 April 1980

  (1) as a percentage of (2)

  Corby

  7,631

  13,628

  56.0

  Daventry

  4,095

  6,082

  67.3

  East Northamptonshire

  4,557

  6,047

  75.4

  Kettering

  4,881

  6,626

  75.7

  Northampton

  15,825

  12,925

  122.4

  South Northamptonshire

  3,667

  5,745

  63.8

  Wellingborough

  5,845

  7,750

  75.4

  Right to buy was introduced in October 1980. Changes in local authorities' dwelling stocks include other losses and gains apart from sales through the right to buy. In the case of Northampton district council, the 1994 stock reflects the acquisition of some 6,400 dwellings from the Commission for the New Towns in April 1985.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were employed by each local authority in Northamptonshire(a) full time and (b) part time in each year since 1983. [20272]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The available information is given in the table.
  469

  Numbers employed in local authorities in Northamptonshire at June of each year

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Authority

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Daventry

  268

  48

  268

  43

  275

  53

  287

  54

  298

  59

  311

  79

  East Northamptonshire

  263

  70

  266

  73

  264

  73

  265

  72

  261

  69

  260

  80

  Kettering

  509

  92

  494

  105

  486

  103

  485

  108

  478

  109

  478

  96

  Northampton

  1,606

  172

  1,608

  159

  1,599

  183

  1,606

  178

  1,482

  216

  1,431

  235

  South Northamptonshire

  261

  35

  263

  34

  257

  34

  252

  37

  255

  43

  255

  26

  Wellingborough

  386

  67

  389

  73

  384

  77

  376

  79

  378

  83

  384

  90

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  19941

  Authority

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Northamptonshire

  11,536

  11,295

  11,005

  12,365

  10,943

  10,966

  10,752

  10,409

  9,507

  9,870

  n/a

  n/a

  Corby

  613

  134

  667

  153

  621

  135

  613

  133

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Daventry

  n/a

  n/a

  314

  106

  312

  118

  315

  86

  312

  89

  344

  96

  East Northamptonshire

  267

  78

  213

  57

  200

  57

  203

  57

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Kettering

  468

  104

  464

  105

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Northampton

  n/a

  n/a

  1,554

  192

  1,602

  281

  1,518

  151

  1,429

  255

  1,396

  180

  South Northamptonshire

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  342

  43

  336

  74

  334

  63

  Wellingborough

  388

  93

  388

  105

  392

  100

  383

  119

  346

  116

  339

  112

  Notes:

  1Provisional data.

  n/a: Data not available.

  1. Education, highways, fire services, law and order and social services are administered by Northamptonshire county council. The other authorities shown are district councils which, among other services, administer housing, planning and refuse collection.

  2. Polytechnics and higher education institutions were transferred from the local authority sector in April 1989.

  3. Further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council in April 1993.

  Source:

  Joint Staffing Watch for England.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number and location of Building Research Establishment, Ordnance Survey, Planning Inspectorate, Security Facilities Executive and Buying Agency offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [20304]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  One Ordnance Survey post in Edinburgh has been lost as the result of work transferring from Scotland to England during the past five years.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 April,Official Report, columns 1052–53, which other Departments have submitted their views to the consultants regarding a single test for contractors and consultants for public sector projects. [20208]

  Mr. Robert. B. Jones
  During the course of its commission, Capita Management Consultancy Ltd. has consulted representatives from the following Government Departments and agencies: Her Majesty's Treasury, the Ministry of Defence, the Prison Service, the Scottish Office, the Houses of Parliament, the Parliamentary Works Directorate, the Benefits Agency, NHS Estates, the Department of Transport, the Department of the Environment and Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments.

  Housing Renewal Programmes
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the result of his consultation on private housing renewal programmes. [20349]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  In due course.

  Renewal Areas
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations led his Department to commission a review of the operation of renewal areas; who is carrying out the review; and when it is expected to report. [20348]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We wish to establish what local authorities have done to progress declared renewal areas, what they have achieved and whether any further guidance from the Department would be helpful. The research project is being undertaken by Austin Mayhead and Company Ltd., which is due to report in July.

  LIFE Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the scope of the EC LIFE programme on the environment over the period 1996 to 1999, indicating how it has changed from the first phase and those areas where the United Kingdom or British-based companies can benefit from the LIFE programme. [20383]

  Mr. Atkins
  The Commission of the European Communities adopted a proposal for the second phase of the LIFE programme on 12 April 1995. his proposal will
  471
  now go through the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament under the co-operation procedure. Until this process has been completed, the scope of the programme cannot be known for certain, but it seems likely that United Kingdom companies will continue to be able to benefit in areas such as new cleaner technologies.

  Corncrake
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the disappearance of the corncrake from mainland Britain and what proposals he has to encourage its reintroduction to the countryside. [20244]

  Mr. Atkins
  The population of the corncrake started to decline in the 19th century and current figures suggest that there are between 500 and 600 pairs in Britain. The present population is primarily concentrated in Scotland where they nest in pasture and rough grassland.

  Since 1991, the Government have been involved in schemes in Scotland to provide financial incentives to landowners and farmers to introduce farming methods which are more conducive to breeding corncrakes. The corncrake is a candidate species under consideration by the biodiversity steering group for an individual action plan to improve its conservation status. The steering group will report later this year.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent his proposal to establish a unitary authority for Wokingham is consistent with his proposals to create unitary authorities in other shire county areas. [20794]

  Mr. Curry
  In taking our decisions for each county we sought to achieve a structure which would best combine effective and convenient local government in the area with a reflection of local identities and interests. With regard to our decisions on Berkshire, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 21 March 1995 to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson),Official Report, columns 123–28.

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representatives he has received(a) in support of and (b) against his proposals to establish six unitary local authorities in Berkshire. [20796]

  Mr. Curry
  Prior to our announcement on the future local government structure in Berkshire we received some 5,400 letters, two petitions totalling some 14,300 signatures and 135 pro-forma leaflets. Many of the opinions expressed did not directly relate to our proposal for a six unitary structure. Since the announcement on 21 March, we have received 13 letters, three of which are in favour of the proposal and 10 against.

  Electoral Registration Officers
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the budget available to and (b) the actual expenditure by electoral registration officers in each individual council area, for the most recent year for which figures are available. [20489]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I have placed the available information in the Library of the House.

  Capital Expenditure (Housing)
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the sum total in constant prices of allocated housing capital expenditure, including housing investment programme allocation, approved development programme allocation, additional credit approvals, specified capital grants and expenditure on housing within the single regeneration budget, and any equivalent schemes and allocations which have previously existed, for(a) 1978–79, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 in (i) each region and (ii) each housing authority area in England. [19887]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Information on housing investment programme allocations for 1978–79 for each local authority in England is available in the Library.

  For housing investment programme and approved development programme allocations in England in 199495 and 1995–96 I refer the hon. Member to my answer to her question on Thursday 16 February 1995, Official Report, column 799.

  For the housing partnership fund, the cash incentive scheme and the flats over shops scheme allocations for 1994–95, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to her question on Thursday 16 February 1995, Official Report, column 799.

  Allocations for the housing partnership fund and the cash incentive scheme for 1995–96 have now been made and I have placed in the Library copies of the Department's press notices which announced allocations by English local authority area for these schemes in 1995–96.

  The GDP market price deflator given in the table can be used to exclude the effect of general inflation.

  GDP deflator 1978–79 = 100

  1978–79

  100.0

  1994–95

  292.3

  1995–96

  301.8

  The single regeneration budget challenge fund promotes an integrated approach to local regeneration and it is not possible to identify separately the resources directed at housing. However, we estimate that about 70 of the schemes approved in the first round have a significant housing content and these schemes are expected to receive about £80 million of SRB resources in 1995–96. In addition, the SRB also provides resources for continuing commitments under the estate action programmes and for housing action trusts.

  Local authorities also fund capital expenditure on housing from usable capital receipts and revenue contributions to capital. A number of the programmes lever in additional resources from the private sector.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount of environmentally sensitive area grant budget for 1994–95 is still uncommitted(a) in cash and (b) as a percentage of the budget; and if he will make a statement on underspending in environmentally sensitive areas budget for 1993–94 and 1994–95. [19965]
  473
  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  Expenditure in 1994–95 on payments to farmers in English ESAs was, provisionally, £20.1 million, which represents 65 per cent. of the total provision of £31 million.

  Six new ESAs were launched in 1993 and a further six in 1994, in respect of which first payments will be made in 1995–96. This brings the total in England to 22. Participation is voluntary and interest in the new schemes is growing as farmers become more familiar with the requirements.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20496]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library. In addition to the bodies listed in that publication the Department now sponsors two further executive non-departmental public bodies. These are:Stonebridge housing action trust, Brent
  The National Forest Company

  Each of these organisations produces and publishes an annual report and accounts. Production of the annual report is a statutory requirement except for the Letchworth Garden City corporation and the UK Eco-Labelling Board. Production of the annual accounts is a statutory requirement in all cases.

  Housing action trusts voluntarily make the agendas and minutes for their meetings, except for confidential items, available to the public. Letchworth Garden City corporation voluntarily provides summary minutes available to the public. The minutes and agenda of meetings of the National Rivers Authority statutory committees—the flood defence, rivers advisory and fisheries advisory committees—are open to inspection by members of the public who attend meetings of these committees.

  From 1995, registers of members' interests will voluntarily be made available for public inspection by all of the listed organisations with the exception of Letchworth Garden City corporation, the London residuary body, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the British Board of Agrement.

  Dr Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators, and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20656]

  Sir. Paul Beresford
  Details of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994". A copy is available in the House 474
  of Commons Library. In addition to the bodies listed in that publication the Department now sponsors two further executive non-departmental public bodies. These are:
  Stonebridge housing action trust, Brent
  The National Forest Company

  All these 33 organisations are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner with the exception of the Audit Commission, the British Board of Agrement, Letchworth Garden City corporation, the National Forest Company, the six housing action trusts and the London Pensions Fund Authority. The six housing action trusts and the London Pensions Fund Authority are subject to investigation by the Commission for Local Administration.

  The London Pensions Fund Authority and the London residuary body are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.

  All the organisations can be subjected to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.

  All the Departments' executive non-departmental public bodies are expected to adopt the Department's code of practice on open government or adopt a similar code of their own. This is not a statutory code. They are all expected to have key performance measures and targets, information on which is reported in their annual reports; and to abide by the citizens charter.

EMPLOYMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many parliamentary questions to his Department in each year since 1979–80 requesting a priority written answer or answer on a named day, were answered within three days; how many received a holding reply; and how many of those which received a holding reply then received a substantive answer within a further five, 10, 15, 20 days or longer. [18542]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is available only from 12 November 1990 and is detailed in the following table:

  Total number of priority and named day questions answered

  Total number of questions answered within 3 days

  Questions answered (where a holding reply has been sent) within (working days):

  5

  10

  15

  20

  20+

  13,439

  3,037

  361

  17

  9

  9

  6

  1 Information provided up to and including 31 March 1995.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many times in each year since 1979–80 his Department has written to a right hon. or hon. Member correcting an answer to a parliamentary question. [18544]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is available only from 1 January 1992. The Department has written to right hon. or hon Members on 12 occasions to correct answers to parliamentary questions. The information is detailed in the following table:
  475

  Year

  Number of replies issued correcting an answer to a parliamentary question

  1992

  1

  1993

  6

  1994

  3

  19951

  2

  1 Information provided up to and including 6 April 1995.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 247, what will be the maximum number of hours unemployed people receiving the jobseeker's allowance will be able to undertake on training and education courses provided by those independent European social fund courses not directly funded by the Further Education Council; and if he will make a statement. [19724]

  Miss Widdecombe
  People claiming jobseeker's allowance will be able to undertake part-time courses, provided they remain available for and actively seek employment. That carries forward existing arrangements. The rules will, however, be updated to reflect changes in education definitions. Until recently, further education courses were classed by colleges as full or part time, with a threshold of 21 hours per week of supervised study, which could include some private study. Each case was looked at on its merits. This system has now changed, however, and courses funded by the Further Education Funding Council are organised on the basis of guided learning hours. The JSA rules will take account of this change and claimants will be able to undertake FEFC-funded courses of up to 16 guided learning hours per week. Jobseekers will be able to undertake private study in addition to this, as long as they remain available for work and are actively seeking employment. This is designed to allow the same number of claimants to undertake courses as do so under the current arrangements. There will be no such change for courses that are not funded by the FEFC, including any funded by the European social fund. For these, the upper limit will generally continue to he 21 hours per week, with, as now, each case being decided on its merits.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he will give to the Health and Safety Executive in light of its recommendation that the production of refractory ceramic fibre should cease. [20015]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Health and Safety Executive has not recommended that the production of refractory ceramic fibres should cease. The European Commission is preparing a proposal for the classification of refractory ceramic fibres which would require an appropriate hazard warning label to be used when those materials are supplied.

  Safety Reports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what considerations have led to full safety reports prepared pursuant to the requirements of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 476
  1984, S.I.,1984, No. 1902, as amended, for the Health and Safety Executive not being made publicly available on request. [20381]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Safety reports are relevant information for the purposes of section 28 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974, whose disclosure is permitted only in specified circumstances.

  Relevant information may be disclosed with the consent of the person who supplied it or for use in court proceedings or where its disclosure would be for the purposes of the Health and Safety Executive's functions. None of these would allow the general public availability of these reports.

  Any environmental information in a safety report will be made available on request under the Environmental Information Regulations 1992, subject to the excepted categories of information in those regulations.

  Seveso Directive
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information Her Majesty's Government have received from the European Commission in regard to the recent submission by Friends of the Earth United Kingdom to the Commission requesting that the United Kingdom be prosecuted for non'compliance with the Seveso directive, 80/501/EEC. [20400]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None.

  Pay Increases (Engineering Industry)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average percentage increase in real pay of workers in the engineering industry since 1979. [20560]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The average percentage increase in real pay for mechanical engineering, since 1979, is 44 per cent.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20655]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following executive non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by the Department:Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
  Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members
  Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Trade Union Action
  Construction Industry Training Board
  Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
  Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)
  Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC/E)
  National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) Remploy Ltd.
  Investors in People UK (IiP)

  All the organisations listed, except for Remploy, are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary

  477
  Commissioner. EOC and NCVQ are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission.

  All the organisations- listed are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office. All except for Remploy and IiP UK are subject to statutory provisions for open government in one form or another. HSC/E, EOC, Remploy and IiP UK are subject to performance indicators. All the organisations listed have published citizens charter service standards with the exception of the EOC, which intends to do so, NCVQ and Remploy.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20495]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following executive non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by the Department:Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
  Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members
  Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Trade Union Action
  Construction Industry Training Board
  Engineering Construction Industrial Training Board
  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Health and Safety Commission and Executive
  National Council for Vocational Qualifications Remploy Ltd.
  Investors in People (IiP) UK

  All the organisations listed, except for Remploy and IiP UK, are required by statute to publish annual reports and accounts and Remploy and IiP UK also do so. None of the organisations listed publishes the agendas and minutes of meetings. Remploy voluntarily produces a register of directors' interests which can be inspected at its registered office.

  Fines
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average level of magistrates court fines for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 in(a) the agricultural and (b) the non-agricultural sectors in each of the last 10 years. [19812]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: The average level of fines in the lower courts for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and relevant statutory provisions in each of the past six years is shown in the table:

  1Average fine per conviction

  year

  Agricultural sectors £

  Non-agricultural sectors £

  1988–89

  259

  518

  1989–90

  250

  614

  1990–91

  297

  651

  1991–92

  287

  629

  1992–93

  340

  1,038

  1993–942

  627

  2,063

  1figures are for Great Britain: magistrates courts in England and Wales;sheriff courts in Scotland.

  2provisional.

  Figures are not available for precious years.
  478
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average level of magistrates court fines for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 in(a) rural and (b) urban areas in each of the last 10 years. [19813]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: Figures are not available separately for rural and urban areas or for the years before 1988–89. The average level of fines in the lower courts for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and relevant statutory provisions in each of the last six years is shown in the table:

  Year

  Average level of fine 1£

  1988–89

  485

  1989–90

  567

  1990–91

  599

  1991–92

  587

  1992–93

  944

  1993–942

  1,842

  1Figures are for Great Britain: magistrates courts in England and Wales; sheriff courts in Scotland.

  2Provisional.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average level of magistrates court fines for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 relating to pesticides in(a) rural and (b) urban areas in each of the last 10 years. [19814]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: The information is not available in the form requested. The average level of fines in the lower courts for breaches of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986, made under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 in each of the last six years is shown in the table:

  Year

  1Average fine per conviction £

  1988–89

  330

  1989–90

  338

  1990–91

  305

  1991–92

  142

  1992–93

  213

  1993–942

  286

  1Figures are for Great Britain: magistrates courts in England and Wales; sheriff courts in Scotland.

  2Provisional.

EDUCATION

  Adult Education
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received regarding local authorities' provision of adult education in 1995–1996. [19180]

  Mr.Boswell:
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representation.

  Parental Choice
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to promote parental choice; and if she will make a statement. [19181]
  479
  Mr. Forth
  Parental choice is promoted by the publication of information in comparative performance tables and school prospectuses, by giving parents the right to express a preference for their choice of school and to vote for their school to become grant-maintained, by the establishment of city technology colleges, by enabling schools to become specialist technology and language colleges, by greater diversity in admission arrangements, and by the assisted places scheme.

  Administration Expenditure (Local Authorities)
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the adequacy of her powers to control expenditure on administration by local education authorities. [19183]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is for individual local education authorities to determine their own spending priorities within the resources available to them. It is to the local electorate that they must justify their decisions. I expect, however, that they will choose to give priority to frontline services, including schools.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the funding of sixth form colleges and other colleges of further education. [19184]

  Mr. Boswell
  The funding available for FE colleges in 1995–96 will increase by 4 per cent. compared with 1994–95.

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the level of permanent exclusions from schools. [19185]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has recently commissioned a survey to look at how local education authorities are discharging their new duty to provide education for pupils out of school by reason of exclusion or otherwise. This survey will also collect figures for permanent exclusions for the academic year 1993–94 and the period September to December 1994. The results should be available within the next month.

  School Performance
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessments he has made of the comparative performance of grant-maintained schools and local education authority schools. [19186]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  On average, grant-maintained primary schools achieve better results at key stage 1 than LEA primary schools, and grant-maintained comprehensive schools achieve better GCSE results and higher attendance rates than their LEA counterparts. These comparisons remain true even when socio-economic differences in the schools' intakes are discounted.

  Older Students Allowance
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students are currently entitled to the older students allowance. [19187]
  480
  Mr. Boswell
  About 32,000 students were eligible for the allowance as a part of a mandatory award in 1992–93, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received regarding the withdrawal of the older students allowance. [19192]

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations, including those from university administrators and student unions.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many mature students were allocated the full amount of the mature students grant. [20791]

  Mr. Boswell
  Provisional figures for the academic year 1993–94 show that local education authorities in England and Wales made 40,000 older students' allowances as part of mandatory awards to students domiciled in their areas. The older students' allowance forms part of the mandatory award for eligible students, but because the award is means-tested it is not possible to identify how many students received the full value of the allowance within the payable award.

  Technical and Mathematical Education
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received from Japan about technical and mathematical education in the United Kingdom; what response she is making; and if she will make a statement. [19188]

  Mr. Forth
  We have received no formal representations from Japan about technical and mathematical education.

  Student Financial Support
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations she has received about financial support for students; and if she will make a statement. [19189]

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about financial support for students.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the level of grant available to students in(a) further and (b) higher education in each European Union member state for each year since 1990; and what percentage increase or decrease this represents compared to the previous year; [21007]

  (2) what information she has on the projected level of grant available to students in (a) further and (b) higher education for each of the five years for each of the European Union member states; and what percentage increase or decrease this represents relative to projection for the previous year. [20869]

  Mr. Boswell
  Systems of financial support for students undertaking further and higher education courses vary widely across the EU, and the information requested is not available in a comparable form. The guide "The Main Systems of Financial Assistance for Students in Higher Education in the European Community', published by EURYDICE, provides a useful summary of the system in each member state. Copies were placed in the Library last year.
  481
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what sources of funding are available to students who undertake degree courses as mature students. [20792]

  Mr. Boswell
  Mandatory awards and student loans are available as of right to personally eligible mature students on most full-time higher education courses. There are also various postgraduate bursary schemes. Local education authorities can make discretionary awards to mature students who are not personally eligible for mandatory awards. Access funds are available for full-time mature students and certain students have retained eligibility for some benefits.

  Education, Derbyshire
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received this year concerning education in Derbyshire; and if she will make a statement. [19190]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Ministers have received a number of letters, covering various topics, both from the hon. Members representing Derbyshire and their constituents. In recent weeks, I have met separate delegations about capital funding for the authority's schools, one led by my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) and the other led by the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  School Standards
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures she is taking to boost overall standards in schools. [19193]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  One of the most important forces for improving standards and raising expectations is the national curriculum and its assessment. The independent schools inspectorate has confirmed that both are already helping to raise standards. The revisions to the national curriculum approved by my right hon. Friend, which come into effect from this autumn, will continue our drive for further improvement.

  Other Government policies are also aimed at higher standards, including the regular inspection of publicly funded schools, the promotion of choice for parents and of greater diversity among schools, the publication in performance tables of more information about schools' attainments, and a wider-ranging programme to raise teacher training standards.

  Grant-maintained Schools, East Sussex
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools there are in East Sussex. [19194]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None. More than 98 per cent. of parents in East Sussex have not yet had the opportunity to vote in a ballot on GM status for their children's schools.

  School Funding
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to safeguard the funding of schools in the new unitary authorities. [19195]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Each new authority will receive its fair share of the national standard spending assessment totals. It will be for the new authorities themselves to 482
  decide priorities between different services within the total resources available. The Department will be ensuring that these authorities are adequately briefed on their education responsibilities, including local management of schools.

  School Places
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to amend the regulations governing the priority to be given to proximity and local authority area in the allocation of school places. [19196]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Circular 6/93 advises that admission arrangements should be fair and objective, and must of course respect any judgments of the courts. The criteria that may be used in the event of oversubscription are not the subject of regulation.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average class size in(a) private schools and (b) schools run by local education authorities for (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools in England. [19197]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In January 1994 the average sizes of single-teacher classes in primary and secondary schools in England maintained by local education authorities were 26.9 and 21.5 respectively. These figures do not include grant-maintained schools.

  Information on class sizes in independent schools is not collected centrally.

  Schools' Financial Forecasts
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ascertain the validity of individual schools' predicted deficits or surpluses for the coming year: and if she will make a statement. [19505]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department collects no information on individual schools' forecasts, as distinct from actual surpluses and deficits.

  Higher Education Review
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many submissions she has received to her Department for review of higher education; if she will list the organisations and individuals who have submitted evidence; and if she will publish this evidence. [19991]

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received almost 100 submissions to her review of higher education, including copies of comments submitted to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales. A list of the organisations and individuals who have commented is being placed in the Library. Subject to their agreement, we intend shortly to make their submissions publicly available.

  Publications
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the publications she has sent to(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) grant-maintained schools in 1994–95. [20405]
  483
  Mr. Robin Squire
  During the financial year 1994–95, the DFE sent the following publications to schools.

  Title

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grant-maintained

  Competitiveness:

  Helping Business to win

  *

  *

  *

  Education Means Business:

  Private Finance in Education

  *

  *

  *

  Governors' Guides to the Law:

  GM Schools

  —

  —

  *

  Voluntary Aided schools

  *

  *

  —

  County Controlled and special Agreement schools

  *

  *

  —

  GM Bulletin (2 editions)

  —

  —

  *

  GM Schools:

  1994/95 Funding worksheet

  *

  *

  *

  GM Schools:

  Appeal Committee information pack

  —

  —

  *

  How To Become a GM school

  *

  *

  *

  National School Tests in 1995

  A Guide for Parents

  *

  *

  *

  Revised National Curriculum Subject Orders

  *

  *

  *

  484

  Title

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grant-maintained

  School and College Performance Tables 1994

  —

  *

  *

  School Teachers' Review Body-Fourth Report

  *

  *

  *

  Schools Update (Termly Newsletter for teachers and governors)

  *

  *

  *

  Secondary School Performance Tables 1994

  *

  *

  *

  Special Educational Needs:

  A Guide for Parents

  *

  *

  *

  Special Educational Needs:

  A Guide to the Tribunal

  *

  *

  *

  Special Educational Needs:

  Code of Practice

  *

  *

  *

  Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (1994)

  *

  *

  *

  Testing 7 year olds Result (1994)

  *

  —

  *

  Testing 14 year olds Results (1994)

  —

  *

  *

  Updated Parent's Charter (1994)

  *

  *

  *

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department publish (a) annual

  Name of Body

  Annual Reports

  Annual Accounts

  Minutes of Meetings

  Agendas of Meetings

  Registers of Members' interests

  Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT)

  yes

  yes

  no

  no

  no

  Education Assets Board (EAB)

  no

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  Funding Agency for Schools (FAS)

  yes

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  Further Education Funding Council (FEFC)

  yes

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

  yes

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  National Council for Educational Technology (NCET)

  yes

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  National Youth Agency (NYA)

  yes

  yes

  no

  no

  no

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA)

  yes

  yes

  no

  no

  no

  Teacher Training Agency(TTA)

  1yes

  1yes

  no

  no

  no

  1 Statutory requirements.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20654]

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is being collected. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Foreign Language Teaching
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provision is currently available in each European Union member state for the teaching of foreign languages to children under 12 years of age. [21003]

  Mr. Forth
  My Department does not collect information about the teaching of foreign languages in other European Union countries. I understand that relevant information can be found in the EURYDICE publication "The teaching of modern foreign languages in primary and secondary education in the European Community', which is available from the Eurydice Unit London, National Foundation for Educational Research, The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2DQ.

  In England and Wales, the national curriculum requires that all children must learn a modern foreign language from the first year of secondary education, that is, when the majority of pupils are 11 years old. Primary schools in England and Wales are not required to teach modern foreign languages and my Department does not collect information on the matter.

  The hon. Gentleman may be interested to know, however, that the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research recently carried out a survey, "Modern Foreign Languages in Primary Schools', which covered England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Fifty-three out of 125 local education authorities responded. The results showed that some 1,919 primary schools, or 22 per cent. of those in the sample, provided some foreign language tuition.
  486
  reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meeting and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20491]

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

  Questions about educational provision in Scotland and Northern Ireland should be addressed to the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  North Yorkshire Council Education Department
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the numbers of full-time and part-time staff employed in the education department of the North Yorkshire county council for each of the last 10 years. [20831]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is not available. Information on staff employed by local authorities is collected in a survey conducted by the Local Government Management Board, but the survey does not distinguish between staff employed in schools and those employed elsewhere.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of student loan borrowers whose payments have been deferred on grounds of level of income earn(a) one half of national average earnings or less and (b) two thirds of national average earnings or less; and what percentage of those borrowers are unemployed. [20828]

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected centrally or held by the Student Loans Company.

  Pupil-teacher Ratios
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the pupil-teacher ratio in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Hampshire in 1979; and what are the current figures. [20789]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained primary and secondary schools in Hampshire local education authority area in 1979 and 1994

  Position in January each year

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1979

  24.6

  17.4

  1994

  22.4

  16.4

  487
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will state(a) the pupil-teacher ratio and (b) the average class size in (i) 1965, (ii) 1975, (iii) 1985 and (iv) 1995. [20393]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Available information on pupil-teacher ratios and classes sizes is shown in the table. Provisional information for 1995 will be available in July.

  Pupil: teacher ratios and average class sizes in maintained primary and secondary schools in England

  Position in January each year

  Pupil: teacher ratios

  1Average size of single teacher classes

  Primary

  Secondary2

  Primary

  Secondary2

  1965

  28.6

  18.7

  3—

  3—

  1975

  24.2

  17.2

  3—

  21.7

  1985

  22.2

  16.2

  24.9

  20.6

  19944

  22.7

  16.4

  26.4

  21.4

  1Classes as taught during a single selected period on the census day.

  2Figures shown for 1985 exclude sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools in April 1993. Data which excludes sixth form colleges for years 1965 and 1975 are not readily available.

  3Comparable information not available.

  4The latest year for which information is available.

  Youth Credits
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance has been issued to colleges regarding the national implementation of youth credits. [20777]

  Mr. Boswell
  Earlier this month, the Further Education Funding Council circulated a letter to colleges clarifying the position of young people already on courses at colleges. The Department for Education, the Employment Department, the TEC National Council and the Further Education Funding Council are currently finalising a joint note containing more extensive guidance which will he circulated to colleges shortly.

  University Careers Service
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the cost to her Department of the University Careers Service. [20559]

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected centrally. Individual universities decide what careers advice services to provide for their students from within their overall resources.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the relative merits and successes of general national vocational qualifications and national vocational qualifications. [20575]

  Mr. Boswell
  General national vocational qualifications provide a broad vocational education, as a preparation for employment, further training or higher education. They are proving a great success, with over 160,000 new registrations this year. Evidence from Ofsted and the Further Education Funding Council inspectorate shows that GNVQs are motivating students of all abilities to achieve and succeed. The Government are making available an additional £29 million over the next three years to develop and improve the qualifications further,488
  and to ensure that they are rigorous enough to claim parity of esteem with more familiar qualifications.

  Substantial progress has also been made with NVQs, which are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment: 86 per cent. of the employed population is now covered by NVQs and almost 765,000 have been awarded. The Government are determined that all NVQs should be of consistently high quality; to that end, a survey of the top 100 NVQs is being carried out this year, with all NVQs being reviewed by March 1998.

DEFENCE

  BMARC
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the export of arms to(a) Iran and (b) Iraq by BMARC between 1988 and 1991. [19081]

  Mr. Freeman
  No licences were granted for the export of defence equipment from BMARC to Iran between 1988 and 1991. The question of the export of defence equipment to Iraq between 1984 and 1990 is being considered by Sir Richard Scott's inquiry and it would be inappropriate for me to comment until Sir Richard has reported. A trade and economic embargo against Iraq prohibited the export of such equipment from 8 August 1990.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department was first informed of allegations that Singapore was a conduit for arms exported by the company BMARC to Iran. [19078]

  Mr. Freeman
  As far as can be ascertained, the Ministry of Defence first became aware of these allegations during evidence given to the Trade and Industry Select Committee, HC 86–x 1991–9.

  Porton Down Experiments
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions his Department has paid financial compensation to individuals as a consequence of experiments carried out at Porton Down, which experiments resulted in the payment of compensation; and how much compensation was paid. [20848]

  Mr. Freeman
  None. In no case over the past 40 years has injury or illness been shown to have resulted from participation in studies at Porton Down.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the total number of people who have been used in(a) radiological, (b) chemical and (c) biological experiments by his Department in each of the last 30 years. [20850]

  Mr. Freeman
  A small number of volunteers have taken part in ethically supervised studies, involving the low intake of short-lived radio-isotopes, over many years. The total number involved is not held centrally. The number of volunteers participating in experiments at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment in each of the last 30 years was set out in the answer given to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 20 March,Official Report, column 77.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments his Department have undertaken to determine the extent and effect of a nuclear attack on a British city. [20972]

  Mr. Freeman
  Studies have been conducted over many years to assess the effects of nuclear weapons.

  Official Service Residences
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of overnight guests staying at each of his Department's official service residences during the last five years. [20849]

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of overnight guests staying at official service residences are shown in the table, but information is available only for the periods shown in the table. A number of OSRs, particularly those in London, are not large enough to accommodate guests. In addition, the number of overnight stays may be understated in some cases because records have not always been retained, particularly where a change of occupancy has occurred.

  Residence

  Period

  Number of Guests

  1

  September 1992-July 1994

  0

  2

  September 1992-July 1994

  6

  3

  July 1994-February 1995

  32

  4

  June 1993-August 1994

  6

  5

  January 1993-September 1994

  36

  6

  January 1993-June 1994

  11

  7

  December 1993-July 1994

  30

  8

  July 1992-September 1994

  28

  9

  March 1994-July 1994

  3

  10

  August 1992-July 1994

  16

  11

  November 1992-July 1994

  16

  12

  September 1992-July 1994

  0

  13

  September 1992-July 1994

  Note 1

  14

  October 1993-July 1994

  Note 1

  15

  October 1992-September 1994

  84

  16

  September 1992-August 1994

  106

  17

  September 1992-July 1994

  20

  18

  September 1992-August 1994

  210

  19

  September 1992-July 1994

  9

  20

  September 1993-July 1994

  41

  21

  November 1992-August 1994

  123

  22

  April 1993-July 1994

  7

  23

  August 1992-July 1994

  28

  24

  September 1992-July 1994

  8

  25

  September 1992-July 1994

  Note 1

  26

  Note 2

  0

  27

  September 1992-October 1994

  0

  28

  August 1992-July 1994

  17

  29

  May 1994-September 1994

  2

  30

  September 1992-July 1994

  Note 1

  31

  September 1992-July 1994

  54

  32

  September 1993-April 1994

  Note 1

  33

  September 1992-July 1994

  Note 1

  34

  September 1992-July 1994

  9

  35

  August 1992-July 1994

  70

  36

  May 1993-July 1994

  64

  37

  September 1992-July 1994

  56

  38

  April 1994-February 1995

  12

  39

  April 1993-June 1994

  30

  40

  June 1993-October 1994

  Note 1

  41

  January 1994-September 1994

  7

  42

  January 1994-February 1995

  14

  43

  October 1993-August 1994

  Note 1

  44

  March 1993-July 1994

  Note 1

  45

  February 1993-July 1994

  25

  46

  August 1993-August 1994

  73

  47

  October 1992-March 1994

  Note 1

  490

  Residence

  Period

  Number of Guests

  48

  November 1991-May 1994

  30

  49

  October 1992-June 1994

  81

  50

  August 1992-July 1994

  19

  51

  April 1993-April 1994

  57

  52

  February 1993-July 1994

  Note 1

  53

  February 1993-July 1994

  Note 1

  54

  April 1993-August 1994

  51

  55

  September 1992-September 1994

  34

  56

  April 1993-June 1994

  0

  57

  August 1992-July 1994

  109

  58

  Note 2

  0

  59

  August 1992-July 1994

  72

  60

  April 1994-August 1994

  2

  61

  December 1993-July 1994

  5

  62

  July 1993-July 1994

  78

  63

  September 1992-July 1994

  40

  64

  August 1992-July 1994

  40

  65

  August 1992-July 1994

  52

  66

  September 1992-July 1994

  26

  67

  August 1992-July 1994

  38

  68

  August 1992-July 1994

  16

  69

  April 1994-August 1994

  13

  70

  February 1994-August 1994

  14

  71

  August 1992-August 1994

  91

  72

  August 1992-July 1994

  41

  73

  September 1992-July 1994

  63

  74

  August 1992-July 1994

  116

  75

  August 1992-July 1994

  91

  Residence numbers relate to those provided in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 20 March, Official Report, column 80.

  Notes:

  1 Records not readily available.

  2 New OSR—overnight stays yet recorded.

  Arms Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what growth targets for the European arms industry he has discussed with his European colleagues. [19444]

  Mr. Freeman
  Although the Departments takes an interest in the overall size and shape of the defence industry, the setting of growth targets is a matter for industry itself.

  Household Cavalry
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equestrian winter training activities are conducted by the Household Cavalry. [19541]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment's equestrian winter training activities which are required to maintained the standards of equitation necessary for their ceremonial duties, consist of cross-country riding, hacking, indoor and outdoor schooling, jumping hunting and drag hunting.

  Overseas Posts
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 March,Official Report, columns 75–76, (1) if he will list the other allowances currently at the disposal of service attaches and defence advisers in each overseas post, giving the value in each case; and if he will make a statement; [19274]
  491
  (2) if he will list the number and location of British defence liaison staff employed overseas; if he will set out the current official entertainment allowance to which each post holder is entitled; if he will give the total cost of each posting for the last financial year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement; [19162]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the role and function of British defence liaison staff employed overseas. [19163]

  Plowden allowances—£(per capita rates for defence attachés/advisers)

  Post

  1Rep Sup

  2RAA

  3AIRS/DGH

  4Babysitting

  5Local Nanny

  6UK Nanny

  Abu Dhabi

  1,902

  3,203

  1,821

  1,687

  —

  —

  Accra

  1,633

  2,256

  2,520

  469

  —

  —

  Algiers

  1,784

  3,203

  598

  1,911

  3,030

  —

  Amman

  2,751

  3,203

  2,895

  2,282

  —

  —

  Ankara

  2,419

  3,203

  475

  779

  —

  —

  Athens

  3,115

  3,203

  4,986

  1,507

  —

  —

  Bangkok

  2,442

  3,203

  3,063

  721

  —

  —

  Beirut

  2,355

  2,256

  2,329

  615

  —

  —

  Belgrade

  1,212

  3,203

  2,533

  1,533

  —

  —

  Berne

  3,502

  2,256

  5,410

  6,155

  —

  —

  Bogota

  4,448

  2,256

  1,162

  2,056

  —

  —

  Bonn

  2,471

  3,203

  9,365

  2,579

  —

  —

  Brasilia

  2,493

  3,203

  2,299

  1,950

  5,093

  —

  Bratislava

  1,536

  2,256

  930

  666

  —

  —

  Bridgetown

  2,037

  3,203

  2,571

  3,634

  —

  —

  Brussels

  2,204

  3,203

  3,204

  3,255

  —

  —

  Bucharest

  1,903

  2,256

  426

  1,327

  —

  —

  Budapest

  1,886

  3,203

  3,649

  1,396

  6,423

  —

  Buenos Aires

  3,922

  3,203

  1,747

  5,059

  11,699

  —

  Cairo

  2,249

  3,203

  6,156

  1,559

  —

  —

  Canberra

  2,373

  4,656

  9,522

  3,120

  —

  —

  Caracas

  2,066

  3,203

  1,024

  501

  3,007

  —

  Copenhagen

  4,295

  2,256

  4,920

  2,550

  —

  —

  Damascus

  1,970

  3,203

  1,859

  1,706

  —

  —

  Dhaka

  1,880

  3,203

  1,692

  —

  —

  —

  Dublin

  2,564

  3,203

  3,520

  2,251

  —

  —

  Guatemala City

  1,888

  3,203

  728

  275

  —

  —

  The Hague

  3,125

  3,203

  3,049

  1,631

  —

  —

  Harare

  1,752

  3,203

  1,400

  487

  —

  —

  Helsinki

  3,130

  2,256

  956

  2,133

  —

  —

  Islamabad

  1,927

  3,203

  2,494

  —

  1,308

  6,470

  Jakarta

  1,656

  3,203

  655

  326

  —

  —

  Kampala

  1,923

  2,256

  1,493

  525

  —

  —

  Kathmandu

  1,359

  3,203

  1,159

  351

  —

  —

  Kiev

  3,806

  3,203

  1,710

  105

  —

  —

  Kingston

  1,804

  3,203

  1,145

  583

  —

  —

  Kuala Lumpur

  2,000

  3,203

  3,291

  1,610

  —

  —

  Kuwait City

  2,083

  3,203

  1,912

  1,263

  —

  —

  Lagos

  2,913

  3,203

  1,260

  671

  2,266

  —

  Lisbon

  2,629

  2,256

  6,045

  1,853

  5,676

  —

  Madrid

  1,415

  3,203

  4,052

  2,141

  —

  4,697

  Mexico City

  2,076

  3,203

  4,820

  2,365

  —

  —

  Moscow

  1,745

  3,203

  4,893

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Muscat

  2,408

  3,203

  2,721

  1,329

  —

  —

  Nairobi

  2,248

  3,203

  832

  517

  —

  —

  New Delhi

  2,016

  3,203

  2,339

  489

  1,622

  —

  Nicosia

  2,257

  3,203

  7,923

  2,930

  5,571

  —

  Oslo

  2,836

  2,256

  1,345

  3,146

  —

  —

  Ottawa

  2,929

  3,203

  7,693

  2,696

  —

  —

  Paris

  3,576

  3,203

  11,813

  3,129

  9,895

  —

  Peking

  4,137

  3,203

  1,710

  904

  —

  9,778

  Prague

  1,908

  3,203

  4,650

  1,318

  —

  —

  Pretoria

  2,211

  3,203

  3,890

  981

  —

  —

  Rabat

  1,847

  2,256

  —

  594

  2,311

  —

  Riga

  1,399

  3,203

  211

  1,367

  —

  5,715

  Riyadh

  2,469

  3,203

  9,108

  2,439

  5,128

  —

  Rome

  3,647

  3,203

  5,613

  3,581

  —

  5,433

  Santiago

  2,661

  3,203

  3,296

  1,282

  2,280

  —

  Seoul

  2,967

  3,203

  8,643

  2,175

  —

  —

  492
  Mr. Freeman
  British defence liaison staff is a term which is used in some cases to describe the office of the British defence attach' or adviser and their numbers are not identified separately from lists of attaches and advisers. In addition to those cost of living and related allowances which are received by all service men and civil servants deployed abroad, service and defence attaches and advisers are eligible for the following allowances, which are calculated, monitored and revised by the Foreign Office.
  493

  Plowden allowances—£ (per capitarates for defence attachés/advisers)

  Post

  1Rep Sup

  2RAA

  3AIRS/DGH

  4Babysitting

  5Local Nanny

  6UK Nanny

  Singapore

  3,435

  3,203

  4,638

  1,955

  —

  —

  Sofia

  1,905

  2,256

  924

  380

  —

  —

  Stockholm

  3,577

  3,203

  2,730

  2,750

  —

  —

  Tel Aviv

  2,455

  3,203

  5,621

  3,519

  —

  —

  Tokyo

  4,035

  3,203

  15,705

  5,671

  —

  —

  Vienna

  1,892

  2,256

  5,069

  2,254

  —

  —

  Warsaw

  3,152

  3,203

  1,983

  1,212

  —

  —

  Washington (7)

  10,936

  2,223

  16,601

  —

  —

  —

  Wellington

  2,526

  3,203

  3,246

  1,262

  —

  —

  Zagreb

  1,526

  2,256

  463

  1,016

  —

  —

  Plowden allowances—£ (per capita rates for defence attachésladvisers)

  Post

  1Rep Sup

  2RAA

  3AIRS/DGH

  4Babysitting

  5Local Nanny

  6UK Nanny

  Abu Dhabi AA

  1,902

  2,256

  1,821

  —

  —

  —

  Amman AA

  2,751

  2,256

  2,895

  2,282

  —

  —

  Ankara AA

  2,419

  2,256

  475

  779

  —

  —

  Athens NA/AA

  3,115

  3,203

  4,986

  1,507

  —

  —

  Bonn NA

  2,903

  3,203

  9,365

  2,579

  —

  —

  Bonn AA

  2,903

  3,203

  9,365

  2,579

  —

  —

  Bonn ADA

  1,246

  1,689

  7,004

  2,579

  —

  —

  Brasilia NA

  2,493

  3,203

  2,299

  1,950

  5,093

  —

  Buenos Aires AA

  2,586

  3,203

  Nil

  4,216

  11,699

  —

  Cairo NA/AA

  2,249

  2,256

  6,156

  1,559

  —

  —

  Canberra MA

  2,756

  3,203

  8,141

  3,120

  —

  —

  Canberra AA

  2,756

  3,203

  8,141

  3,120

  —

  —

  The Hague MA/AA

  3,125

  2,256

  3,049

  1,631

  —

  —

  Islamabad NA/AA

  2,000

  3,203

  2,494

  —

  1,308

  6,470

  Kuala Lumpur ADA

  1,232

  1,689

  1,764

  1,610

  —

  —

  Madrid MA/AA

  1,415

  3,203

  4,052

  2,141

  —

  4,497

  Moscow NA

  1,744

  3,203

  4,893

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Moscow MA

  1,744

  3,203

  4,893

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Moscow ANA

  2,167

  1,689

  1,435

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Moscow AMA

  2,167

  1,689

  1,435

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Moscow AAA

  2,167

  1,689

  1,435

  2,493

  —

  10,483

  Muscat NA/AA

  2,377

  2,256

  2,721

  1,329

  —

  —

  New Delhi NA

  1,507

  3,203

  1,573

  489

  1,622

  —

  New Delhi AA

  1,507

  3,203

  1,573

  489

  1,622

  —

  Oslo MA/AA

  2,114

  2,256

  808

  2,622

  —

  —

  Paris NA

  3,274

  3,203

  8,012

  3,129

  9,895

  —

  Paris MA

  3,274

  3,203

  8,012

  3,129

  9,895

  —

  Paris AAA

  3,835

  1,689

  2,690

  1,564

  9,895

  —

  Peking NA

  4,137

  3,203

  1,710

  904

  —

  9,778

  Pretoria NA

  1,623

  2,256

  1,373

  981

  —

  —

  Riyadh NA/AA

  1,686

  2,256

  1,947

  1,524

  5,128

  —

  Rome NA

  3,647

  3,203

  5,613

  3,581

  —

  5,433

  Rome AA

  3,647

  3,203

  5,613

  3,581

  —

  5,433

  Seoul NA/AA

  2,967

  3,203

  8,643

  2,175

  —

  —

  Singapore AA

  2,148

  1,689

  1,016

  1,955

  —

  —

  Stockholm NA/MA

  2,946

  2,256

  2,067

  2,750

  —

  —

  Tel Aviv NA/AA

  1,830

  2,256

  4,001

  2,815

  —

  —

  Tokyo MA/AA

  4,035

  3,203

  15,705

  5,671

  —

  —

  Washington NA

  —

  3,186

  11,283

  —

  —

  —

  Washington MA

  —

  3,186

  11,283

  —

  —

  —

  Washington AA

  —

  3,186

  11,283

  —

  —

  —

  Washington ANA

  —

  2,223

  3,166

  —

  —

  —

  Washington AMA

  —

  2,223

  3,166

  2,522

  —

  —

  Washington AAA

  —

  2,223

  3,166

  2,522

  —

  —

  Warsaw NA/MA

  2,152

  2,256

  1,983

  1,212

  —

  —

  Explanatory Notes:

  1REP SUP—Representational supplement. To meet the cost of maintaining an official residence for representational purposes.

  2RAA—Representational attachment allowance. Based on half diplomatic service allowance which is paid to FCO personnel only. Paid to compensate service personnel for additional expenditure incurred while performing a representational job which is outside the normal duties of a service career.

  3AIRS/DGH—Accountable indirect representational supplement/domestic and gardening help. Specifically to assist the attaché/adviser with his representational functions and commitments only.

  4,5,6AIRS/CC—Accountable indirect representational supplement/child care. Costs are divided into the three categories specified—only one allowance may be claimed, depending on circumstances, for children aged under 13.

  7These figures include the head of the British defence staff—the defence attaché—the head of British defence intelligence liaison staff, and nine civilians accredited as attaches.
  494 495

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment, (b) the amount of each of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c)the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19665]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  (a)

  1992–93

  16.740

  1993–94

  21.479

  1994–95

  15.000

  1 The figures for 1994–95 is an estimate since figures for this period are not yet complete.

  (b) This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  (c) Although information is not available is not in the form requested, the average cost of a move of home at public expense is:

  Year

  £

  1992–93

  25,000

  1993–94

  38,000

  1994–95

  30,000

  Advisers
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many advisers his Department employs broken down to show(a) political advisers and (b) economic advisers; at what grade and salary they are employed; and what are their minimum working hours in each case. [19428]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department employs one political adviser. Salaries and conditions of work for political advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings, and are confidential. Economic advice is obtained from career civil servants. My Department employs the following numbers by grade, all of whom are full time.

  Grade 5: 1

  Grade 7: 1

  Senior economic assistant: 1

  Sock Tendering
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the organisation that won tender No. 4964A for the supply of men's wool/nylon black socks to his Department. [19441]

  Mr. Freeman
  Tender No. 4964A cannot be identified. However, a contract for men's wool/nylon black socks was recently let following a competitive tender. The winning tenderer was HG Sock Group Ltd. and the contract was placed on 16 February 1995.

  Departmental Dwellings
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number and location of(a) dwellings and (b) vacant dwellings owned by his Department in (i) each district of Hampshire and (ii) Hampshire.
  496
  Mr. Freeman
  As at 31 March, my Department owned the following dwellings and vacant dwellings in Hampshire:

  Total Number owned

  Number vacant

  Basingstoke

  21

  1

  Portsmouth and Gosport

  3,546

  462

  Petersfield

  137

  13

  Middle Wallop

  536

  42

  Winchester

  441

  119

  Marchwood

  296

  51

  Bordon

  707

  114

  Aldershot

  2,293

  271

  Odiham

  734

  82

  Farnborough

  77

  6

  Oakhanger

  92

  0

  New Forest

  1

  1

  Statistics on Ministry of Defence dwellings are not maintained by local authority districts and such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The locations listed are those of the service units, but the married quarters attached to those units may not necessarily be at the same location.

  A large number of the vacant dwellings were undergoing or awaiting major maintenance, held for future deployments or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.

  Consultants
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 March,Official Report, column 349, how much in total was spent by his Department on central consultancy contracts in 1993–94; and if he will list the 10 most valuable central consultancy contracts issued that year, indicating the nature of the work undertaken, the body awarded the contract and the fee paid, in each case. [19997]

  Mr. Freeman
  The number and value of consultancy contracts are not recorded centrally; thus the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Trident
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Trident D5 II missiles have been procured; and how many more he intends to procure; [19107]

  (2) how many MK6 guidance systems for Trident missiles are to be procured for the United Kingdom. [19109]

  Mr. Freeman
  The UK has procured 44 Trident D5 missiles to date. Final decisions have yet to be taken on how many more missiles are to be procured. The intention is to procure sufficient guidance sytems to support the eventual number of UK missiles.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretaryof State for Defence if the United States authorities have made any increase in the price of D5 missiles due to reductions in the overall rate of manufacture of these missiles; and if he will make a statement. [19108]

  Mr. Freeman
  Price negotiated for the next order of Tirdent D5 missiles will not be finalised until late this
  497
  year, following the annual US authorisation and appropriations process.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many spare MK6 guidance systems are to be deployed in each United Kingdom Trident submarine. [19110]

  Mr. Freeman
  Each UK Trident submarine will generally carry one spare MK6 guidance system per four missiles.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20492]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested in respect of MOD's executive non-departmental public bodies is as follows:(a) and (b) there is a statutory right for the public to inspect the annual accounts for all the service museums, held by the Charities Commission; and for the annual report and accounts in respect of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation, held at Companies House and the Oil and Pipelines Agency. The OPA's annual report and accounts are also laid before each House of Parliament.
  (c) and (d) the public do not have a statutory right to attend board meetings or to inspect the minutes of meetings of any of MOD's executive NDPBs.
  (e) appointees for the OPA and SSVC are required to declare any personal interests and records are maintained. In the case of the SSVC any director's disclosures are also registered at Companies House.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20653]

  Mr. Freeman
  Although none of my Department's executive non-departmental public bodies are subject to(a) or (b), they are all subject to the remaining provisions.

  University Air Squadrons
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many undergraduates are currently flying members of each university air squadron in 1994–95. [20846]

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of undergraduates who were flying members of each university air squadron on 1 March is as follows:

  Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrews

  42

  Birmingham

  47

  Bristol

  51

  Cambridge

  45

  East Lowlands

  47

  East Midlands

  53

  Glasgow and Strathclyde

  36

  Liverpool

  43

  London

  88

  Manchester and Salford

  47

  498

  Northumbrian

  48

  Oxford

  54

  Queen's

  46

  Southampton

  57

  Wales

  43

  Yorkshire

  54

  Squadron commanders are encouraged to recruit slightly in excess of the student pilot establishment at the start of each academic year to allow for those who subsequently drop out from training.

  RAF Valley
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received with respect to the decision not to submit an in-house bid in the market-testing exercise for the support services at RAF Valley during the current financial year. [20863]

  Mr. Freeman
  The proposal for contractorisation of support services at RAF Valley without an in-house bid is currently the subject of national consultation. Consultation started on 20 April 1995 and ends on 5 June 1995. No representations have yet been received.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what proportion of market-testing exercises under his Department's rubric in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95 have not been accompanied by in-house bids; what is the anticipated proportion of market-testing exercises without in-house bids during 1995–96. [20865]

  Mr. Freeman
  Market testing is an integral part of the wider "Competing for Quality" process, and involves testing the efficiency of an in-house service by exposing it to competition with commercial bidders.

  In the 12–month period from 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1994, 42 defence support activities were subjected to the "Competing for Quality' process, of which five were market-tested and two were won by the in-house bid.

  From 1 October 1994 to date, of the 23 activities examined only one has been subject to a market test. This was won by a commercial bidder.

  It is not known what the anticipated proportion of market-testing exercises will be in 1995–96. This will depend on the outcome of feasibility studies which determine how best activities can be exposed to competition from the private sector.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines he has issued to the Royal Air Force with respect to the circumstances in which the Air Force(a) will and (b) will not submit in-house bids in market-testing exercises for support services at RAF stations. [20864]

  Mr. Freeman
  No guidelines have been issued to the Royal Air Force with respect to the submission of in-house bids in market-testing exercises for support services at RAF stations. The circumstances of each activity or function will differ and each is looked at individually under the "Competing for Quality" procedures. Market testing is encouraged wherever it is the appropriate way forward.
  499
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State of Defence what target has been set for out-of-house successes in bids under market-testing procedures undertaken during the present financial year. [20866]

  Mr. Freeman
  No targets are set for out-of-house successes in bids under market-testing procedures in any financial year. The outcome of a market test is based solely on the merits and value for money and quality of service demonstrated by competing bidders.

  Aircraft Leases
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft have been leased overseas in each of the last 10 years; and if he will specify the type of aircraft leased. [18296]

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 4 April 1995]: The only lease of MOD aircraft in the last 10 years to 31 March 1995 for which records can be found was of VC10 K3 tanker aircraft to the Italian air force on one occasion in 1987 and twice in 1988.

TRANSPORT

  Foreign-registered Ships
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British-owned ships, excluding ferries, are registered under foreign flags; and under which flags they are registered. [19295]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  United Kingdom owned vessels1 registered under foreign flags2 at 31 December 1994

  Number of vessels of 100 gross tons and over

  Trading vessels

  Other vessels3

  All vessels

  Other registries

  Australia

  3

  1

  4

  Bahamas

  91

  11

  102

  Barbados

  3

  7

  10

  Belize

  0

  1

  1

  Canada

  0

  1

  1

  Croatia

  1

  0

  1

  Denmark

  0

  1

  1

  France

  1

  0–

  1

  French Antarctic Territory

  1

  0

  1

  Honduras

  3

  1

  4

  India

  1

  0

  1

  Irish Republic

  9

  1

  10

  Liberia

  12

  1

  13

  Nigeria

  1

  2

  3

  Norway (NIS)

  18

  0

  18

  Netherlands

  0

  1

  1

  Panama

  13

  23

  36

  Poland

  2

  0

  2

  St. Vincent and Grenadines

  11

  19

  30

  Vanuatu

  1

  4

  5

  Unknown

  3

  7

  10

  Total non-UK registries

  174

  81

  255

  1 Excluding ro-ro cargo and ro-ro passenger vessels.

  2 This is excluding ships registered in the UK, Crown dependencies, and dependent territories.

  3 Such as fishing vessels, tugs and offshore support vessels, together with passenger or cargo vessels deemed to be non-trading because of their current use.

  500
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ferries operating from British ports are registered under foreign flags; and under which flags they are registered. [19297]

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of foreign flagged ferries operating from ports in the United Kingdom.
  As of 6 April 1995, there were 42 foreign registered ferries sailing from ports in the UK under the following flags:-

  Bahamas

  Belgium

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  Eire

  Faeroes

  France

  Greece

  Netherlands

  Norway

  Sweden

  Shipping Safety
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to delegate to classification societies(a) hull and machinery surveys on ferries and (b) any other inspections currently carried out by the Marine Safety Agency. [19296]

  Mr. Norris
  Regulations to allow the delegation of hull and machinery surveys on passenger ships are expected to be laid before Parliament shortly. These will not include delegation of hull and machinery surveys for roll-on roll-off ferries which will continue to be conducted by surveyors from the Marine Safety Agency. Pending the completion of work on ferry safety currently being undertaken in the International Maritime Organisation following the loss of the Estonia, it has been decided not to delegate these surveys to the originally planned timescale. There are no plans to delegate inspections currently carried out by the Marine Safety Agency.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ships, excluding ferries, have been prevented from sailing by the Marine Safety Agency because they have not met safety standards over the last two years; which flags they were sailing under; and in which respects they failed to meet the standards. [19298]

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of foreign flagged ships, excluding ferries, which have been prevented from sailing by the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) over the last two years.
  Between January and December 1993 the Surveyor General's Organisation (as the MSA then was) detained 174 foreign flagged ships. Over the same period in 1994, the MSA detained 224 vessels. The ships were registered with the following states.

  Flag state

  Antilles Netherlands

  Antigua and Barbuda

  501

  Azerbaijan

  Bahamas

  Belize

  Bulgaria

  Union of Myanmar

  People's Republic of China

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  France

  Germany

  Greece

  Guinea-Bissau

  Honduras

  Iceland

  India

  Ireland

  Italy

  Latvia

  Lebanon

  Liberia

  Lithuania

  Luxemburg

  Malta

  Mexico

  Morocco

  Netherlands

  Nigeria

  Norway

  Pakistan

  Panama

  Peru

  Philippines

  Poland

  Portugal

  Romania

  Russia

  Spain

  St. Vincent and Grenadines

  Sweden

  Syria

  Taiwan

  Tunisia

  Turkey

  Ukraine

  Vanuatu

  Venezuela

  In general, vessels were detained for failure to meet the standards for life saving, fire detection and fire fighting equipment, contravention of the load line provisions, deficiencies in radio installation, navigational equipment and the ship's structure. Detention was also imposed for failure to meet manning requirements and poor operational procedures. A summary of the defects which led to the detention of a ship can be found in the list of ships under detention in UK ports which has been published by the MSA each month since June 1994.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ferries have been prevented from sailing by the Marine Safety Agency because they have not met safety standards over the last two years; which flags they were flying under; and in which respects they failed to meet the standards. [19299]

  Mr. Morris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  502
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of ferries prevented from sailing by the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) over the last two years.
  One ferry has been detained by the MSA in the last two years. In October 1994, during the inspection campaign conducted by the MSA after the loss of the ESTONIA, the Danish registered WINSTON CHURCHILL was detained when her stern door was found to be leaking after a hose test, due to failure of the rubber seal.

  Marine Safety Agency
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the budget of the Marine Safety Agency for the last two years; and what are the estimated budgets for this year and the next two years. [19300]

  Mr. Morris
  The gross budgets for the Marine Safety Agency for the financial years 1993–94 to 1997–98 are as follows:

  £ million

  1993–94

  128.5

  1994–95

  31.7

  1995–96

  30.8

  1996–97

  30.0

  1997–98

  30.0

  1 The Marine Safety Agency was not launched until 1 April 1994. The figure given for 1993–94 relates to the part of the Department of Transport which preceded the agency.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what controls the Marine Safety Agency has over ships sailing in British waters which do not dock in British ports. [19301]

  Mr. Norris
  International law limits the right of coastal states to interfere with foreign-flagged ships exercising the right of innocent passage through territorial waters or transit passage through straits used in international navigation. Only if the ship has been involved in an accident or poses a threat of pollution or threatens the peace or security of the coastal state can the coastal state intervene.

  The position of foreign-flagged ships anchored or operating in territorial waters, and not on innocent or transit passage, is different, and Lord Donaldson's report, "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas', recommended that we should extend our powers in respect of such ships to the maximum extent allowed under international law. The Department will shortly issue a consultation paper on how this can be achieved. The consultation paper will take account of changes stemming from the recent adoption of an EC directive on port state control which provides for the inspection and, if appropriate, detention of foreign-flagged vessels anchored near a port or offshore installation.

  Ferries (Evacuation Procedures)
  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State how many ferries operating out of British ports do not have facilities for 100 per cent, dry shod evacuation. [19302]

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  503
  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the number of ferries operating with facilities for 100% dry-shod evacuation.
  At present there are 49 vessels of British registry operating out of United Kingdom ports and of these 45 have 100% dry-shod evacuation capability.
  With regard to the 45 foreign vessels the information requested is not available but the vessels must comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Under that convention those constructed since 1 July 1986 will have the facility for over 100% dry-shod evacuation. As older ships are replaced the number with less than 100% dry shod evacuation will reduce.

  Herald of Free Enterprise Report
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the long-term recommendations of the Herald of Free Enterprise report have not yet been implemented; and when he expects these to be implemented. [19303]

  Mr. Norris
  All of the recommendations of the court of inquiry into the loss of the Herald of Free Enterprise have been taken forward. Of the long-term recommendations, after consultation and consideration, two were considered unnecessary and two others were addressed in alternative ways.

  The Government believe that there are no recommendations left to be implemented. All have been considered and action taken where appropriate.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the recommendations of the report into the Herald of Free Enterprise which to date have not been implemented and the target dates for implementation. [19388]

  Mr. Norris
  All the recommendations of the court of inquiry into the loss of the Herald of Free Enterprise have been taken forward. After consultation and consideration, one recommendation was not supported at the time and some others were not developed further in the light of subsequent technical appraisal, or were taken forward in ways different to those recommended by the inquiry for reasons of technical practicality or because of international developments.

  The Government believe that there are no recommendations left to be implemented. All have been considered and action taken where appropriate.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20506]

  Mr. Norris
  The information is as follows:(a) The London Regional Passengers Committee and Traffic Director for London, each under a statutory requirement.
  (b) The Traffic Director for London publishes annual accounts under a statutory requirement. My right hon. Friend is required by statute to lay before Parliament the accounts of the general lighthouse fund which consolidate the accounts of the general lighthouse authorities; the Corporation of Trinity House, the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses and the Commissioners of Irish Lights. On a voluntary basis,
  504
  the LRPC's accounts will, for the first time, be published in the annual report for 1994–95.
  (c) Minutes of LRPC meetings are voluntarily circulated to interested organisations and made available to members of the public who attend meetings and to anyone else on request. As a statutory requirement, the LRPC sends minutes of meetings to my right hon. Friend, the Rail Regulator and the Central Rail Users Consultative Committee.
  (d) The LRPC voluntarily circulates agendas of meetings to the press, local authorities and transport user groups and makes them available to members of the public on request.
  (e) None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20666]

  Mr. Norris
  The information is as follows:(a) Traffic Director for London
  Northern Lighthouse Board
  Trinity House
  London Regional Passengers Committee.
  (b) and (c) Information on audit arrangements for all four bodies in (a), except the London Regional Passengers Committee, is set out in "Public Bodies 1994". From 1994–95 the LRPC is to be subject to NAO scrutiny.
  (d) As for (a), where this is regarded as meaning compliance with the code of practice on open government.
  (e) Performance indicators have been set for the Traffic Director for London. The London Regional Passengers Committee sets its own performance targets. A system of indicators for the general lighthouse authorities is under discussion.
  (f) All bodies are encouraged to follow the principles of the citizens charter.

  Road Accidents (Over-60s)
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the quarterly figures for deaths in road accidents for people aged 60 years and over in Birmingham for 1990 to 1994; and what were(a) the national figures for 1990 to 1994 and (b) the figures for his Department's baseline years of 1991 to 1985. [20800]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is shown in the following table. Data for 1994 are not yet available.

  Road accidents fatalities to people aged 60 and over: Birmingham metropolitan district council and Great Britain 1990–1993

  Fatalities

  Calendar year

  Quarter

  Birmingham MDC

  Great Britain

  1990

  Quarter 1

  3

  387

  Quarter 2

  12

  310

  Quarters 3

  4

  291

  Quarter 4

  12

  441

  1991

  Quarter 1

  6

  286

  Quarter 2

  5

  244

  Quarter 3

  4

  308

  Quarter 4

  9

  416

  1992

  Quarter 1

  7

  280

  Quarter 2

  5

  236

  Quarter 3

  3

  294

  Quarter 4

  6

  346

  1993

  Quarter 1

  3

  278

  505

  Road accidents fatalities to people aged 60 and over: Birmingham metropolitan district council and Great Britain 1990–1993

  Fatalities

  Calendar year

  Quarter

  Birmingham MDC

  Great Britain

  Quarter 2

  2

  221

  Quarter 3

  5

  224

  Quarter 4

  8

  388

  Baseline average (1981–85)

  Quarter 1

  350

  Quarter 2

  304

  Quarter 3

  341

  Quarter 4

  475

  1981–85 annual average

  1,470

  Transport Security Report
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the 1993–94 annual report of the Director and Co-ordinator of Transport Security. [21195]

  Mr. Norris
  I am today placing copies of this report in the Library of the House.

  Agency Job Losses
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number and location of Coastguard, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driving Standards Agency, Highways Agency, Marine Safety Agency, Transport Research Laboratory, Vehicle Certification Agency and Vehicle Inspectorate offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as a result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the UK over the same period. [20298]

  Mr. Norris
  No Coastguard, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driving Standards Agency, Highways Agency, Marine Safety Agency, Transport Research Laboratory, Vehicle Certification Agency and Vehicle Inspectorate offices have been closed or jobs lost or transferred from Scotland as a result of agency work transferring to the rest of the UK over the past five years; and no offices have been opened or jobs gained in Scotland as a result of agency work transferring to Scotland over the same period. Changes in the organisation of the Driving Standards Agency's work led to a reduction of 7.5 posts in the Department's traffic area office in Edinburgh and an increase of five posts in the agency's Newcastle office.

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the secretary of State for Transport, how many jobs he estimates will be lost as a consequence of the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory. [20562]

  Mr. Norris
  No jobs will be lost as a consequence of the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory. Staffing levels at the laboratory will continue to reflect management's view of the skills and resources required to meet the future demand for its services.
  506
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his intention to make the information memorandum on the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory publicly available; and what are the reasons for his decision on this matter. [20585]

  Mr. Norris
  It is not my right hon. Friend's intention to make the information memorandum on the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory publicly available, because it will contain commercially confidential information, the disclosure of which would be prejudicial to the sale process and the laboratory's competitive position.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his statement on the privatisation of the Transport Research Laboratory, what is the nature and duration of the guarantees of future work. [20584]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government intend to offer the Transport Research Laboratory contracts for future research work, subject to the delivery of high-quality, independent and impartial research at competitive prices. Details of the proposed guarantees will be included in the information memorandum which is expected to be available to interested parties by the end of June.

  Metropolitan Railway Grant
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that the former metropolitan railway grant, now to form part of standard spending assessments, will be transparent. [29484]

  Mr. Watts
  My right hon. Friend proposes to replace the current temporary arrangements with an enhancement of the standard spending assessment "bolt on" grant, with effect from 1996–97. That proposal has been set out in a consultation paper, which was circulated to the passenger transport executives in March.

  The final formula for the distribution of the "bolt on" between individual PTEs will be made available to the passenger transport authorities and the constituent metropolitan district councils. The "bolt on" allocated for each PTE will be published in the local government finance report. The allocation of the "bolt on" for each PTE to constituent metropolitan district councils will continue to be on the basis of total resident population. The Department will also be prepared to write to any individual constituent metropolitan district council to confirm its allocation of the "bolt on', and to state that it has resulted in a corresponding increase in its SSA, and therefore a corresponding increase in revenue support grant for that authority.

  Bull Bars
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's estimate of the additional deaths and serious injuries a year caused to pedestrians by crash bars fitted to vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [20469]

  Mr. Norris
  Experimental research has suggested that the increased fitting of bull bars could lead to 35 additional deaths and 350 additional serious injuries in the United Kingdom each year by 1996. We do not, however, yet have any accident-based evidence. Pedestrian injury accidents involving bull bars are currently being identified by the police for investigation by the Transport Research Laboratory. We will have a fuller picture when the reports
  507
  of these accidents have been analysed towards the end of this year.

  London City Airport
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include London city airport within the scope of the study that he announced recently on rail links between London's airports. [20485]

  Mr. Norris
  Yes.

  Stansted Airport
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has received from the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the earliest possible year under all conventional scenarios which they are now forecasting for Stansted airport to reach a passenger throughput of 8 million passengers per annum. [20820]

  Mr. Norris
  The last detailed advice produced by the CAA was CAP 570 which was published in 1990. This indicated that Stansted airport was likely to reach a throughput of 8 million passengers per annum some time between 1995 and 2000. The report of—RUCATSE—the runway capacity to serve the south-east working group, which was published in 1993 and in which the CAA played a major role, forecast that Stansted would reach a throughput of 8 million passengers per annum soon after the year 2000.

  Comparative Safety Assessments
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he had made, prior to the accident in the Channel Islands on 17 April, of the comparative safety of(a) roll-on roll-off vessels, (b) catamarans and (c) the channel tunnel. [20023]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 21 April 1995]: The safety of each mode of transport is assessed separately. While safety regimes take various forms, their common aim is to provide the highest practicable level of safety.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  New Forest Buckhounds
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the relationship between the staff of the New Forest Buckhounds and of the Forestry Commission; and what guidelines apply in respect of Forestry Commission staff accepting awards from hunt organisations. [19290]

  Mr. Jack
  All Forestry Commission staff are subject to the civil service rules of conduct.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review urgently the current policy where Forestry Commission staff, acting as harbourers for the New Forest Buckhounds, choose the deer to be hunted. [19289]

  Mr. Jack
  No. The commission's keeper chooses a deer which would otherwise have been culled as part of the commission's deer management programme.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will suspend the licence given to the New Forest Buckhounds to hunt deer pending an 508
  investigation into its activities and the involvement of Forestry Commission staff. [19291]

  Mr. Jack
  No.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take regarding the incident in the New Forest on 10 March where a deer was killed by the New Forest Buckhounds and regarding a further incident on the same day where eye witnesses saw a deer attacked and bitten by hounds before its death.[19288]

  Mr. Jack
  The Forestry Commission investigated this incident, concluded that the New Forest Buckhounds had failed to maintain the high standards required by its licence to hunt, and penalised it accordingly.

  Surplus Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, by county, the amount of surplus milk thrown away in each month since January 1992. [19823]

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not available.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the number and location of Agricultural Development Advisory Service, Central Science Laboratory, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Intervention Board, Pesticides Safety Directorate and Veterinary Medicines Directorate offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [20300]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  ADAS, the Intervention Board, Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate have not operated from Scotland during the last five years. In this period, there have been no changes in office or job numbers at the Central Veterinary Laboratory and Central Science Laboratory sites in Scotland as a result of agency work transferring between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Environmentally Sensitive Area Payments
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in England received environmentally sensitive area payments greater than(a) £100,000, (b) £50,000, (c) £10,000, (d) £5,000 or (e) £1,000 in the last year for which figures are available. [19999]

  Mr. Jack
  In 1994–95 English environmentally sensitive area payments to farmers in each band were as follows:

  Number

  Greater than £100,000

  0

  Greater than £50,000

  15

  Greater than £10,000

  382

  Greater than £5,000

  1,035

  Greater than £1,000

  3,382

  509
  The figures in each band are accumulative of those in the higher payment bands.

  In addition, 824 scheme participants received payments of less than £1,000.

  Lame Dairy Cows
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the level of lameness in the dairy herd, showing the number and proportion of dairy cows that were lame in(a) 1970, (b) 1975, (c) 1980 and (d) each year since 1990. [20035]

  Mrs. Browning
  The information, in the form requested, is not available.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agenda of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20494]

  Mr. Jack
  The annual reports and accounts of the following executive non-departmental public bodies, for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, are published:

  Apple and Pear Research Council

  Food from Britain

  Home-Grown Cereals Authority

  Horticultural Development Council

  Horticultural Research International

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew)

  Sea Fish Industry Authority

  Wine Standards Board of the Vinters' Company

  Legislation requires, in each case, that the annual report and accounts are published.

  Minutes and agendas of executive non-departmental bodies meetings are not published. There is no statutory requirement to do so.

  None of the executive non-departmental public bodies publishes a register of members' interests. There is no statutory requirement for such a register. However, details of those filling many posts are published, or are available at the time of appointment.

  Veal Exports
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received on the legal entitlement of the Government to ban the veal export trade; when that advice was received and by whom it was supplied; and if he will publish that advice under the open government provisions.

  Mrs. Browning
  My right hon. Friend the Minister has written to all members with a summary of the conclusions that emerge from the legal advice available to him. We believe that this is the most helpful way in which to explain the legal position. It is not usual for the details of legal advice to the Government to be made public.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many metres of mahogany or products containing it his Department has 510
  brought in the last five years; and if he will list the purposes and the costs. [19840]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 19 April 1995]: From records held centrally, it is not possible to calculate how many metres of mahogany or products containing it the Department has brought in the last five years, its purposes and costs. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

WALES

  Breast Test Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement to the Welsh Grand Committee on 4 April Official Report, Welsh Grand Committee, column 3, in relation to the placing of Breast Test Wales and the artificial limb and appliance service, Wales into health trusts, if he will place a copy of the consultation process documentation in the Library. [19221]

  Mr. Redwood
  I have arranged for copies of the responses to consultation on DGM(95)4 and copies of DGM(95)51 which announced my decision to be placed in the Library of the House. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 February,Official Report, column 765, placing a copy of the response from the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association in the Library of the House.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit shire hall, Clwyd, to discuss(a) the county's budget and (b) the council's local education, authority budget; and if he will make a statement. [20340]

  Mr. Redwood
  None. The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), met representatives of Clwyd county council on 21 February. The county council is responsible for setting its budget.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit the offices of Alyn and Deeside district council to discuss the authority's budget. [20341]

  Mr. Redwood
  None. The district council is responsible for setting its budget.

  Community Health Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the information for Wales corresponding to that contained in table 20 on page 52 of the Department of Health's departmental report, column 2812—March 1995. [19919]

  Mr. Richards
  The available information is given in the following table. Information on clinical psychology, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy activity is not collected centrally.
  511

  Community health services activity statistics

  (Thousands)

  Number of first contacts1 2

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Health visiting

  n/a

  n/a

  420

  423

  394

  375

  Community nursing services (total)

  n/a

  n/a

  196

  188

  178

  190

  District nursing

  n/a

  n/a

  154

  147

  131

  142

  Community psychiatric nursing

  n/a

  n/a

  25

  24

  26

  24

  Community mental handicap nursing

  n/a

  n/a

  3

  3

  3

  4

  Other community nursing

  n/a

  n/a

  14

  15

  18

  19

  Chiropody services

  142

  153

  172

  164

  170

  165

  Community dental services

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  61

  77

  77

  1 Number of persons seen at least once in the year. This definition is different to that used in the Department of Health table which gave the number of episodes of care started in the year.

  2 Figures may be subject to revision following a data quality audit exercise currently under way.

  n/a Not available.

  Railway Expenditure
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list projects on railways for which spending has been made by(a) the Development Board for Rural Wales and (b) the Welsh Development Agency for each of the last three available years, indicating the amount of spending and the totals for each agency; and if he will make a statement. [18908]

  Development Board for Rural Wales

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  £

  £

  £

  Refurbishment of Machynlleth station

  25,000

  —

  —

  Talybont station

  25,000

  —

  —

  Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury infrastructure improvements

  75,000

  —

  —

  Bus parking spaces at Machynlleth station

  —

  10,000

  —

  Preparation of a strategy for railways in mid-Wales after privatisation

  —

  —

  14,345

  Cambrian Lines (Marketing Campaign)

  —

  —

  5,000

  Feasibility study on line speed improvements between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton

  —

  —

  1,000

  Total

  125,000

  10,000

  20,345

  155,345

  Welsh Developmet Agency

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Treforest station—Phase II

  35,000

  —

  —

  Tirphil station

  10,000

  —

  —

  Merthyr Tydfil (relocation of signal box)

  157,000

  —

  —

  Llanelli station (environmental improvements)

  3,000

  204,000

  79,000

  Templeton station (feasibility study)

  —

  6,400

  —

  Pensarn station

  —

  15,930

  2,650

  "Gateway Cardiff" (landscaping Queen Street)

  —

  14,325

  39,625

  512

  Welsh Development Agency

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  "Gateway Wales" (landscaping—Cardiff Central)

  —

  5,525

  9,670

  Rhyl Station (refurbishment)1

  —

  94,000

  875,000

  Caerphilly bus and rail station (feasibility study and design)1

  —

  400,000

  3,000

  Pontypool Station

  —

  23,910

  11,940

  Marketing campaigns (Cambrian and Conwy Valley lines)

  —

  10,000

  —

  Conwy Valley railway (environmental improvements)1

  —

  —

  34,465

  Holyhead station improvement1

  —

  —

  31,000

  Whitland station (survey and design)

  —

  —

  10,750

  Merthyr Tydfil (station relocation)

  —

  —

  600,000

  Railfreight studies (South Wales)

  —

  —

  64,915

  Total

  205,000

  774,090

  1,762,015

  2,741,105

  1 On-going projects.

  Most of these projects have been carried out jointly with other bodies.

  Surplus Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by county, the amounts of surplus milk thrown away in each month since January 1992. [19820]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not available.

  Local Authority Councillors
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the total numbers of councillors originally proposed by his Office for the whole of Wales following local government reorganisation; to what number this was subsequently increased and for what reasons; and what number he now proposes for the whole of Wales and for what reasons. [20372]
  513
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Welsh Office officials had informal consultations with the local authority associations in summer 1993 on the basis of proposals for between 1,085 and 1,137 members to be elected at the first elections to the new authorities.

  My right hon. Friend decided to increase this number to 1,273, on the basis of a methodology devised by the Council of Welsh Districts which sought to preserve as much as possible of the existing district ward structure and levels of representation to provide an element of continuity for electors during the first years of the new authorities.

  My right hon. Friend has proposed no total figure for Wales in subsequent elections; it will be for the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales to make proposals for optimum council sizes with regard to the directions which my right hon. Friend will issue to it in due course.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20490]

  Mr. Redwood
  The answers to each point are as follows:(a) All—under statute, charter or other controlling documents. The report of work by the agricultural wages committees is included in the annual report of the agricultural wages board;
  (b) All except the Royal Commission on the ancient and historical monuments of Wales and the agricultural wages committees—under statute or charter;
  (c) None;
  (d) None;
  (e) At present the majority do not publish a register of members' interests. All are, however, in the process of adopting a code of practice based on the code of best practice for board members of public bodies published by Her Majesty's Treasury in June 1994, and will then publish or make available such a register.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20668]

  Mr. Redwood
  The answers to each point are as follows:(a) The agricultural wages committees, the Arts Council of Wales, the Cardiff Bay development coporation; the Countryside Council of Wales; the Development Board for Rural Wales; except for housing functions; Housing for Wales; the local government residuary body; the Sports Council for Wales; the Wales tourist board; and the Welsh Language Board. Jurisdiction extends to other NDPBs when their administrative actions are undertaken on behalf of the Welsh Office or another Government Department;
  (b) The residuary body for Wales;
  (c) The Comptroller and Auditor General is the external auditor of all Welsh executive NDPBs except the Wales Youth
  514
  Agency, the residuary body for Wales, Housing for Wales and the Cardiff Bay development corporation, to whose books and papers he nevertheless has access a) under the National Audit Act 1983 for the purpose of carrying out examinations on value for money, and b) by agreement, and subject to prior consultation in each case with the Welsh Office, for the purpose of examining questions of regularity and propriety;
  (d) All are encouraged to adopt procedures under the code of access to government information;
  (e) All are required to identify, publish and report on progress against key performance measures in their annual report;
  (f) All are subject to the provisions of the citizens charter.

  Atmospheric Emissions
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many installations in Wales require consents from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for atmospheric emissions; and if he will list them. [20840]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I will write to the hon. Member with this information as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Marine Discharges
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many installations in Wales require consents for marine discharges; and if he will list them. [20842]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All discharges into the marine environment require consents. Public registers of consents are maintained under part VIII of the Water Resources Act 1991; part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; and section 39 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and are available for inspection.

  Health Purchasing Authorities
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note to NHS health purchasing authorities requiring them to have regard to the financial viability of the trusts from which they purchase services. [20868]

  Mr. Redwood
  No such guidance has been issued, as it is standard practice for health authorities to take account of the financial viability of their main providers when making decisions on the purchase of services.

  Large Combustion Plant Directive
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many installations in Wales are covered by the large combustion plant directive; and if he will list them. [20839]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are 13 installations subject to the large combustion plant directive in Wales. These are as follows:

  British Steel plc—Llanwern works

  British Steel plc—Shotton works, Clwyd

  British Steel plc—Port Talbot works

  Elf Oil Ltd.—Milford Haven refinery

  Gulf Oil Refining Ltd.—Milford Haven, Dyfed

  Monsanto plc—Newport, Gwent

  Monsanto plc—Ruabon works, Clwyd

  National Power plc—Usk power station

  515

  National Power plc—Aberthaw power station

  National Power plc—Pembroke Power Station

  Shotton Paper Co. Ltd.—Shotton, Clwyd

  St. Regis Paper Co. Ltd.—Sudbrook, Gwent

  Texaco Ltd.—Pembroke plant

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20500]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.

  The Legal Aid Board publishes annual reports which are laid before Parliament. Annual accounts are included in that report, as is information about the background of board members. The board does not publish the agendas or minutes of meetings of the board or its committees. There are statutory requirements for the board to publish information as to the discharge of its functions in relation to legal aid and for the Lord Chancellor to lay before each House of Parliament a copy of every statement of accounts and report of the auditors sent to him in accordance with requirements under the Legal Aid Act 1988.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open govnerment, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [10660]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.

  The Legal Aid Board is not subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, but (a) and (c) to (f) all apply to the board.

  Morpeth County Court
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans there are to close the 516
  district offices of the Morpeth county court at Alnwick and Berwick. [19086]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. A. J. Beith, dated 24 April 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your question about any plans to close the court offices at Alnwick and Berwick.
  As you may know, the Circuit Administrator and his Courts Administrators have responsibility for assessing the changing needs of users of the Court Service. One way of doing this is to conduct a survey of the customers who call at court offices. On the North Eastern Circuit, a survey of callers at Berwick, Alnwick and Blyth County Courts began in March and will continue for a period of two months. The survey is intended to identify the reason for attending the court office and the place from which the customer has travelled. The results of the survey will be analysed by the Courts Administrator's Office.
  I should explain that surveys of this type do not necessarily lead to a case being put to the Lord Chancellor for the closure of a court. Indeed, a similar survey conducted in these courts six years ago resulted in no further action being taken. However, where the results of such a survey indicate that consideration should be given to closing a court, the approval of the Lord Chancellor must be obtained for full public consultation to take place before a final decision is made by him. Careful account is, of course, taken of any representations made during the public consultation process. Closure is only considered where the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that neighbouring courts can offer an appropriate standard of service which meets the needs of court users.

  Pensions Appeal Tribunals
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what resources he currently allocates to pensions appeal tribunal units. [19076]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The expenditure on the pensions appeal tribunals in the financial year 1995–96 is expected to be approximately £1.6 million. This figure includes the fees of judicial members and the salaries of the administrative staff, as well as other administrative costs.

  At present, there are 19 staff in post, and the following part-time judicial members:

  Legal Chairmen: 11

  Medical Members: 29

  Service Members: 25

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average waiting time for war pension appeals to be heard; what action he will take to reduce the delay period, and if he will make a statement. [19077]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  At present, once the parties have indicated readiness to proceed, the pensions appeal tribunals are able to arrange a hearing, on average, within eight to nine months.

  Additional staff have been recruited for the pensions appeal tribunals to give administrative support. Also, extra judicial members have been appointed and additional tribunal sittings have been arranged to help reduce waiting times.

  Overtime
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list for each
  517
  agency and central Department for which he is responsible (a) the total hours of overtime worked for which payment has been made, (b) the total amount paid in overtime and (c)the total time in days and its monetary equivalent lost through sickness in each of the last three years. [19681]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for four agencies: the Court Service, HM Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. As the question concerns a specific operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of HM Land Registry and the Public Record Office to reply direct. However, as the Public Trust Office and the Court Service are only recently established agencies, it has been agreed that the Department should take the lead in this answer. It has not been possible to separate information in relation to each area.

  The total hours of overtime worked for the 1992–93 financial year was 336,995 hours; for 1993–94 it was 222,821 hours; and for 1994–95 it was 219,947 hours.

  The total amount paid in overtime was £1,916,111, £1,376,050 and £1,352,297 respectively.

  The total time in days lost through sickness in 1992 was 132,855.5 days; and in 1993 was 153,966.4 days. No figures are available for 1994–95. It would be impossible to rely upon the accuracy of calculating the monetary equivalent of the total number of days lost to sickness as there are too many variables.

  Letter from Duncan Simpson to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  In the absence of the Chief Executive on leave I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your following three questions, notified on 5 April 1995.

  Number 237
  (a) The total hours of overtime worked for which payment has been made in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: 21,427 hours

  1993–94: 23,412 hours

  1994–95: 20,678 hours

  (b) The total amounts paid in overtime in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: £120,796.97

  1993–94: £138,637.12

  1994–95: £116,378.17

  (c) The total number of days lost through sick absence in each of the last three years is:

  1992: 6021

  1993: 5278

  1994: This figure is not yet available

  It is impossible to rely on the accuracy of calculating the monetary equivalent of the total days lost to sickness as there are too many variables.

  Number 239

  The Public Record Office has paid the following total amounts in subsistence allowances for travel in each of the last three years:

  (a) Within the United Kingdom

  (b) Outside the United Kingdom

  1992–93

  £63,519

  £8,961

  1993–94

  £72,848

  £7,712

  1994–95

  £75,192

  £3,484

  Number 240

  The Public Record Office has not paid any removal costs and associated expenses in the last three years.
  518
  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning, over the last three years, the total hours worked and the amount paid in overtime by HM Land Registry and the total time and its monetary equivalent lost through sickness. I can provide the following information:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  (a) Total hours of overtime worked

  46,803

  16,299

  18,112

  (b) Total amount paid in overtime

  £683,000

  £220,000

  £340,000

  (c) Total time in days lost through sickness

  117,727

  114,427

  1—

  1The data on staff sickness is derived from the statistics compiled centrally by the HM Treasury and the Occupational Health Service Agency. The data for 1994 is not yet available. No figure has been supplied for the monetary equivalent of days lost as the number of variables involved in this calculation are too many to enable any reliance to be placed on its accuracy.

  There is no relationship between overtime worked and sickness absence in the Land Registry. It may nevertheless be helpful to relate the data provided above to the staffing levels for the Land Registry, indicated below:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Average staff in post

  9,648

  9,141

  8,717

  Equivalent in days

  2,450,592

  2,312,673

  2,196,684

  I do hope that this answers the points raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the total amount paid by his central Department and each agency for which he is responsible in subsistence allowances for travel(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [19559]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for four agencies: the Court Service, Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. As the question concerns a specific operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of the Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office to reply direct. However, as the Court Service's inception as an agency did not take effect until 3 April this year, this answer deals with expenditure in the Court Service and the central Department.

  As departmental financial management systems do not distinguish between expenditure on travel and expenditure on subsistence or travel within and outside the United Kingdom, only overall expenditure figures can be given. Total expenditure on travel and subsistence in the 1992–93 financial year was £7,669,575; in 1993–94, £7,142,412. Final figures for 1994–95 are not yet available, but spend to end of February 1995 was £6,283,198.

  Letter from Duncan Simpson to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  In the absence of the Chief Executive on leave I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your following three questions, notified on 5 April 1995.
  519
  Number 237
  (a) The total hours of overtime worked for which payment has been made in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: 21,427 hours

  1993–94: 23,412 hours

  1994–95: 20,678 hours

  (b) The total amounts paid in overtime in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: £120,796.97

  1993–94: £138,637.12

  1994–95: £116,378.17

  (c) The total number of days lost through sick absence in each of the last three years is:

  1992: 6021

  1993: 5278

  1994: This figure is not yet available

  It is impossible to rely on the accuracy of calculating the monetary equivalent of the total days lost to sickness as there are too many variables.

  Number 239

  The Public Record Office has paid the following total amounts in subsistence allowances for travel in each of the last three years:

  (a) Within the United Kingdom

  (b) Outside the United Kingdom

  1992–93

  £63,519

  £8,961

  1993–94

  £72,848

  £7,712

  1994–95

  £75,192

  £3.484

  Number 240

  The Public Record Office has not paid any removal costs and associated expenses in the last three years.

  Letter from Julia Lomas to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary question, listed on 5 April 1995, regarding subsistence allowances for travel in the last three years (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom.

  The figures you require are as follows:

  (a) United Kingdom

  (b) Outside the United Kingdom

  £

  £

  1992–93

  16,744.01

  493.99

  1993–94

  18,753.40

  629.60

  1994–95

  20.601.53

  nil

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning the total amount paid by HM Land Registry in subsistence allowances for travel within and outside the United Kingdom for the last three years. I can provide the following information:

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  a) Travel within the UK

  521,159

  405,385

  445,926

  b) Travel outside the UK

  6,726

  3,780

  5,383

  520
  These statistics include the cost of travel as well as subsistence. The two can only be separated at disproportionate cost.

  I do hope that this answers the point raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment (b) the amount of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c) the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19656]

  Mr. John Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for four agencies: the Court Service, HM Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. As the question concerns a specific operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of HM Land Registry and the Public Record Office to reply direct. However, as records of relocation expenses are kept centrally for staff of the central Department, the Public Trust Office and the Court Service, it has been agreed that the Department should take the lead in this answer. It has not been possible to separate this information in relation to each area.

  Total expenditure on cases where staff moved their homes for 1993–94 was £641,520; the average cost of payments in each case was £5,832. The three highest costs incurred in individual cases settled in this year, including payments made in previous years, were £89,130, £88,994 and £84,324. No information is available in relation to expenditure in 1992–93. In 1994–95, total expenditure was £384,656; the average cost of payments in each case was £3,495. the three highest costs involved in individual cases settled in this year, including payments in previous years, were £38,034, £30,540 and £30,103.

  There are also allowances payable with salary to staff who have been required to relocate to assist with increased travel and housing costs. No figures are available for these costs.

  Letter from Duncan Simpson to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  In the absence of the Chief Executive on leave I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your following three questions, notified on 5 April 1995.

  Number 237
  (a) The total hours of overtime worked for which payment has been made in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: 21,427 hours

  1993–94: 23,412 hours

  1994–95: 20,678 hours

  (b) The total amounts paid in overtime in each of the last three years is:

  1992–93: £120,796.97

  1993–94: £138,637.12

  1994–95: £116,378.17

  (c) The total number of days lost through sick absence in each of the last three years is:

  1992: 6021

  1993: 5278

  1994: This figure is not yet available

  521
  It is impossible to rely on the accuracy of calculating the monetary equivalent of the total days lost to sickness as there are too many variables.

  Number 239

  The Public Record Office has paid the following total amounts in subsistence allowances for travel in each of the last three years:

  (a) Within the United Kingdom

  (b) Outside the United Kingdom

  1992–93

  £63,519

  £8,961

  1993–94

  £72,848

  £7,712

  1994–95

  £75,192

  £3,484

  Number 240

  The Public Record Office has not paid any removal costs and associated expenses in the last three years.

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. David Shaw, dated 25 April 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials in HM Land Registry during the last three years. I can provide the following information:

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  a) Total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officieals

  1,464,919

  908,573

  510,278

  b) Highest claims in each year

  148,265

  122,971

  114,455

  c) Average claim

  27,411

  42,367

  40,144

  The period from 1992 to 1994 includes a number of exceptional cases arising from the difficulties encountered by staff transferring on compulsory terms to a new location just at the time of the sharp reduction in house prices and property activity following the peak price and activity of 1988–89. This created protracted problems in selling in a declining market.

  I do hope that this answers the points raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

  Criminal Appeals
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals in each of the past five years for which statistics are available against conviction for criminal offences in England and Wales have(a) been upheld, (b) been dismissed and (c) led to direction for a retrial; and, in the case of those appeals upheld, what information he has concerning the reasons for which the appeals were upheld. [19521]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 24 April 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your question about the number of appeals against convictions for the past five years.
  522
  The following table provides statistics on the number of appeals against conviction in the Crown Court since 1990 which have been granted, dismissed or which led to a re-trial:

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Granted

  256

  269

  299

  402

  351

  Dismissed

  337

  308

  370

  524

  577

  Re-trials

  3

  15

  12

  20

  51

  The reasons for which the appeals were granted are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidelines his Department has issued to magistrates courts committee regarding mergers of magistrates courts. [19734]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Guidance on the objectives which underlie amalgamation of magistrates courts committees is contained in the Lord Chancellor's speech of 10 February to the Magistrates Association, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of both Houses. My officials are discussing the mechanics of amalgamation individually with those committees currently contemplating amalgamation.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to promote the delivery of local justice and the traditional role of magistrates courts. [19735]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 strengthens and enhances the magistrates courts through its commitment to efficient and effective administration. For the first time, the powers and responsibilities of the various components of the administration of the magistrates courts are clearly enshrined in statute and the Department is working in partnership with the courts in the development of training specific to the needs of the magistracy and court staff. The role of the independent inspectorate in improving performance and disseminating good practice, and in assisting in raising service standards in line with the citizens charter cannot be underplayed. The courts will continue to be locally based and reflect the local community.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received about proposals to merge magistrates courts. [19736]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is currently considering a formal request, under section 69 of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, to amalgamate two magistrates courts committees on a voluntary basis. Informal discussions have also taken place with representatives of several magistrates courts committees. Those discussions have explored both the question of amalgamation and alternatives to it which achieve the
  523
  same objectives. These discussions are continuing, and in order to pay proper respect to local sensitivities I do not propose to publicise those discussions until formal decisions have been made.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effects of magistrates courts committee mergers on the independence of the magistracy. [19737]
  524
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The amalgamation of magistrates courts committees will have no effect on the independence of the magistracy. The day-to-day administration of the magistrates courts in an amalgamated area will remain in the hands of a committee made up mostly, if not entirely, of magistrates. Section 30A of the Justice of the Peace Act 1979 provides added protection of the independence of justices' clerks and the staff of committees in relation to legal functions.

  Child Support Agency
  Child Support Agency
  Transport Security: Annual Report
  Transport Security: Annual Report