Written Answers of 11 December 1995

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  HMSO (Privatisation)
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what consideration the House of Commons Commission has given to the possible safeguards that might be required to protect the future provision of printing services to Parliament in the event of the privatisation of HMSO. [4901]

  Mr. Beith
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: After careful considering of the possible safeguards that might be required to protect the future provision of printing services to Parliament in the event of privatisation of HMSO, the Commission agreed to the following reply which Madam Speaker has sent to the Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons:
  You wrote to me on 19 September to notify me of the Government's plan to privatise Her Majesty's Stationery Office, and to ask me what safeguards might be required to enable the House to continue its agreement with HMSO after privatisation. Before sending this reply, I have, as you know, consulted the Finance and Services Committee and my colleagues on the House of Commons Commission. We have also taken the advice of the House officials most directly concerned.
  Although the services of HMSO are important throughout the public sector, they are of particularly vital significance to the House of Commons. Unlike Government Departments and agencies, the House places continuous daily demands on HMSO's printing services whenever it is in session. The timely production of the Order Paper, Hansard, bills and other documents—to very tight timetables and generally overnight—is essential to the transaction of parliamentary business: without the necessary documents, the House and its committees simply could not function.
  Against this background, you will understand that I and my fellow Commissioners have concerns about the possible consequences, both short and long-term, of privatising a public sector organisation which has, in general, given good and reliable service to the House for most of this century. Our principal concerns, and the safeguards which we think necessary to meet them, may be summarised as follows:

  (i) For some time to come the House will continue to be dependent on the Parliamentary Press in South London, with its trained and experienced staff, to ensure the overnight printing of documents to the timetables and standards which we have come to expect. This is a costly facility, and there must be some anxiety that a private sector owner would be tempted to experiment with cheaper methods for providing the service, not appreciating the unpredictability of the House's requirements and the large variations in parliamentary workload that can be experienced from one year (and even one week) to the next. We would therefore be seeking an absolute guarantee that the overnight production facilities in inner London will be retained for as long as the House continues to consider them necessary.

  (ii) Staff of the House (the Editorial Supervisor of the Vote and his team) currently work alongside HMSO employees in the overnight compilation and preparation of the Vote Bundle. We
  454
  would need a guarantee that adequate space and facilities in the Parliamentary Press will continue to be made available to those staff for as long as the House requires.

  (iii) The House's documents and the procedural rules which underpin them, are complex. HMSO staff and management acquire experience and knowledge of those complexities as they progress from job to job in the organisation; and they are brought up in the tradition that in all circumstances the requirements of Parliament are paramount. We are concerned that a private company might seek to economise by employing less experienced staff or by appointing new managers who would not have the same appreciation of the House's needs. We would therefore be looking for an assurance that there will be substantial continuity in the staffing and management of the relevant sections of HMSO after privatisation, and adequate training for any new staff.

  (iv) For similar reasons we seek an assurance of prior consultation with the House before any significant changes are made in the management or organisation of HMSO's directorate of Parliamentary and Statutory Publishing.

  (v) At present, as an Agency, HMSO is under ministerial oversight and a minister is ultimately answerable to the House in the event of a failure in its services. After privatisation, that line of accountability will be broken. The House authorities will be responsible or contracting with the privatised company for the provision of printing and publishing services, but will not be in a position to account directly for a failure on the company's part to meet the requirements of the contract. We therefore think it essential that there should be an identified individual within the privatised Stationery Office who is responsible for the contract with the House and acknowledges an obligation to account to the authorities and committees of the House on all aspects of the service being provided.

  (vi) The House has negotiated, and with the Commission's approval is on the point of concluding, a new Supply and Service Agreement (SSA) with HMSO. This agreement provides for a detailed specification of service standards, delivery schedules and related technical details. These specifications should, at least, maintain existing standards, and no attempt should be made to water them down after privatisation, without agreement with the House authorities.

  (vii) Similarly, we consider that any prospective purchaser of the Stationery Office should be required to accept the agreed principles which are set out in the SSA, particularly so far as they concern the rights of the House to regulate the production and reproduction of its documents, both in paper and electronic form.

  (viii) The first annual financial settlement under the new SSA will come into effect on 1 January 1996. Among other things, it provides for substantial reductions in the sale price of many House publications, including Hansard. This is an objective to which I, and many Members of the House, have attached great importance for some time; and it has been achieved without any significant increase in the payments to be made to HMSO by the House. Further improvements should follow from increasing use of new technology. Any prospective purchaser of HMSO should therefore be required to guarantee that it will not seek any increase (in real terms) in the charges paid by the House or the level of prices to the public above those negotiated for 1996, and that the House will be credited with a proportionate share of future savings arising from technological advances.

  Roger Freeman's press statement on 27 September indicated that the Government's decision to privatise HMSO was conditional on satisfactory arrangements being made for the future provision of services to Parliament. Before deciding whether or not that criterion has been met, the Commission will need to be assured that the safeguards and guarantees which I have outlined in this letter are capable of being enforced, not just in the immediate aftermath of privatisation but over the longer term. In that connection we are particularly concerned at the possibility that an initial purchaser might subsequently wish to break up the business by partial sales. Fragmentation of the organisation, or sale to an overseas buyer,

  455
  could pose serious, and perhaps unacceptable, problems for the House. We would like to know what mechanisms the Government proposes to guard against that possibility.
  Assuming the Commission and the House can be satisfied on these points, it will be necessary to convert the SSA and the new safeguards, together with the service specifications and the settlement on prices and charges, into formal contracts which will take effect on privatisation. This is a complex and exacting task for the small team of House officials involved, and professional and legal support will probably be required. Every effort will be made to progress this work in accordance with the Government's programme for the sale, which I understand is aimed at completion in July next year; but we cannot at this stage be at all confident that it will be possible to resolve all the issues before that deadline. We therefore request that, if it proves to be necessary, the Government's timetable for the sale of HMSO, should be adapted to the progress of preparatory work, rather than the other way round.
  In this letter, I have set out the views of the Commission, which has statutory responsibility for the House's services. But we also agreed that the House as a whole should be given an early opportunity to express its opinion on the Government's proposals. That debate might best be based on a prior ministerial statement. I am therefore copying this letter to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. A copy goes also to the Lord Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords.

  Mr. Derek Foster
  To ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee what consideration his Committee has given to the implications for the House of privatisation of HMSO. [5254]

  Mr. Channon
  The Finance and Services Committee considered the matter raised by the right hon. Gentleman during its deliberation on a new supply and service agreement with HMSO. The Committee's recommendations have been put before the House of Commons Commission which is giving the matter urgent consideration.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Consultants
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those(a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3962]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  (a) This information has not been held centrally, and figures for the years before 1992–93 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. On the best information currently available, for the years 1992 to 1995 the following numbers of external consultants have won contracts, with the total spend on external consultancy as specified:

  1992–3

  1993–4

  1994–5

  Numbers of consultants

  34

  63

  69

  Total spend

  £1.2 million

  £1.4 million

  £1.5 million

  (b) The answer to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
  456
  (c) Copies of the civil service staff post summary tables from 1990 to 1995 can be found in the House Libraries and numbers of individuals employed by the Department may be found therein.

  The purpose of each individual's employment is to assist the Department to attain its aims and objectives, as set out in the departmental report, which also details the relevant costs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Chechnya
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission in Chechnya. [4961]

  Mr. David Davis
  The OSCE assistance group continues to operate in Chechnya. We receive regular reports on its activities from the OSCE. It continues to play a valuable role in promoting a peaceful settlement to the conflict, and has our full support in this work.

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on the establishment of a peacekeeping force for Nagorno-Karabakh under OSCE auspices. [4960]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Budapest ministerial conference of the OSCE—7 to 8 December—decided that the signing of a political agreement on cessation of the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh would enable the OSCE permanent council to take a decision on the establishment of the OSCE peacekeeping operation. The co-chairman of the Minsk group reported to the conference that the parties to the conflict have declared their commitment to continue respecting the ceasefire, and to establish direct contacts to achieve agreement on the principles governing the resolution of the conflict.

  A high-level planning group has produced an initial report on the technical aspects of a peacekeeping operation and will make further recommendations.

  Burma
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline(a) his Department's position in relation to trade with Burma and (b) that of other EU members; and if he will make a statement. [4774]

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no obstacle to United kingdom firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union arms embargo. I set out to the House in some detail on July 19 the Government's policy towards Burma, including trade,Official Report, columns 1638–45.

  We regularly discuss policy towards Burma with our EU partners, but do not have details of their policy on trade.
  457
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received regarding the use of forced labour in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [4776]

  Mr. Hanley
  We have received representations about human rights abuses in Burma, including the use of forced labour, from a wide variety of sources including Church groups, non-governmental organisations and members of the public.

  Officials have consistently expressed our concern about the use of forced labour in Burma, both in international forums and directly to the ruling military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council. We will continue to do so.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has provided in the last three years to United Kingdom companies interested in trade with Burma, or in operating in Burma; what is the cost of this assistance; and if he will make a statement. [4775]

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade today.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been held in detention on St. Helena as a result of allegations of non-payment of debts; how long they were held before their cases were heard in court; and what sentence they received. [4871]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The power of arrest arises only where an alleged debtor is about to leave St. Helena and has failed to furnish security for his appearance before a court. In the one instance during the last five years when the power was exercised, the alleged debtor was held for three hours and five minutes and was released on security being given. No question of sentence arises in such cases.

TRANSPORT

  InterCity
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the Director General of Passenger Rail Franchising in relation to preservation of InterCity services west of Cardiff in the event of a franchise grant to the BR Western Region management and First Bus consortium. [5416]

  Mr. Watts
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the franchising director. The franchising director has specified those InterCity services west of Cardiff which, in his opinion, needed to be protected in the Great Western passenger service requirement. The franchise operator will be contractually obliged to provide these services. InterCity services west of Cardiff are also provided by Cross Country and will be included in the PSR for that franchise when it is developed in due course.

  Railways
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to revise the objectives, instructions and guidance issued to the franchising director under section 5 of the Railways Act 1993. [5434]

  Sir George Young
  I am today writing to the franchising director amplifying his instructions in relation to risk sharing in franchise agreements, the funding of services in passenger transport executive areas and the provision of concessionary travel for railway employees. I am placing a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Tourism Signposting
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for liberalising tourism signposting. [5656]

  Mr. Watts
  We shall be laying a statutory instrument tomorrow to amend the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 as they apply in England, Wales and Scotland.

  EU Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November,Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5075]

  Mr. Watts
  It is the policy in my Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in light of this policy.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To as the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the difference between the figures for the effects of privatisation on the national railways' external financial limits in 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 in his Department's press notice No. 380 of 28 November and by the equivalent figures in table 2 of "Transport Report 1995"; and if he will provide an equivalent figure for 1998–99. [5194]

  Mr. Watts
  The figures for the effects of privatisation given in both publications referred to are the same, except in 1996–97 where rounding in the press notice to the nearest £10 million accounts for the small difference between the figures. A figure for 1998–99 is not yet available.

  A419
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To as the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the award of the contracts for the A419 Latton bypass and the A417 Cirencester/Stratton bypass. [4838]

  Mr. Watts
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
  459
  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 11 December 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to announce the award of the contracts for the A419 Latton Bypass and the A417 Cirencester/Stratton Bypass.
  As announced in Managing the Roads Programme published on 28 November, we have shortlisted bidders for the first four Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) projects, one of which embraces the Latton and Cirencester/Stratton Bypass schemes. Negotiations are continuing and we now expect to announce the award of the DBFO contract in the new year.

  M1 (Fatal Accidents)
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) non-fatal and (b) fatal accidents took place at each junction section of the M1 from London up to

  Accidents 1992

  Accidents 1993

  Accidents 1994

  Junction section

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Junction 1–2

  6

  5

  0

  11

  4

  2

  0

  6

  6

  1

  0

  7

  Junction 2–3

  11

  6

  0

  17

  5

  3

  0

  18

  6

  3

  0

  11

  Junction 3–4

  9

  4

  0

  13

  8

  6

  1

  13

  11

  5

  1

  15

  Junction 4–5

  21

  16

  1

  36

  14

  5

  0

  19

  11

  5

  0

  16

  Junction 5–6

  9

  2

  0

  11

  9

  4

  0

  13

  18

  6

  2

  22

  Junction 6–6a

  2

  1

  0

  3

  3

  2

  0

  5

  5

  0

  0

  5

  Junction 6a–7

  14

  9

  0

  23

  29

  7

  1

  35

  22

  12

  2

  32

  Junction 7–8

  9

  3

  0

  12

  7

  4

  0

  11

  6

  2

  0

  8

  Junction 8–9

  45

  13

  2

  56

  41

  18

  3

  56

  52

  18

  2

  68

  Junction 9–10

  25

  5

  0

  30

  57

  6

  2

  61

  18

  9

  1

  26

  Junction 10–11

  21

  5

  2

  24

  13

  4

  0

  17

  12

  7

  1

  18

  Junction 11–12

  24

  12

  0

  36

  20

  9

  1

  28

  15

  5

  0

  20

  Junction 12–13

  19

  10

  3

  26

  16

  10

  0

  28

  18

  10

  1

  25

  Junction 13–14

  21

  10

  0

  31

  19

  3

  0

  22

  15

  4

  0

  19

  Junction 14–15

  19

  15

  3

  31

  18

  8

  1

  25

  18

  14

  0

  32

  Junction 15–15a

  12

  4

  0

  16

  11

  0

  1

  10

  10

  4

  0

  14

  Junction 15a–16

  5

  2

  0

  7

  8

  1

  1

  8

  10

  3

  0

  13

  Junction 16–17

  26

  12

  0

  38

  38

  10

  1

  47

  31

  17

  2

  46

  Junction 17–18

  5

  4

  0

  9

  5

  2

  0

  7

  2

  5

  0

  7

  Junction 18–19

  10

  8

  0

  18

  18

  18

  0

  36

  10

  3

  0

  13

  Junction 19–20

  6

  0

  0

  6

  6

  4

  0

  10

  5

  3

  0

  8

  Junction 20–21

  13

  9

  2

  20

  18

  6

  1

  23

  13

  8

  0

  21

  Junction 21–22

  13

  5

  0

  18

  31

  7

  2

  36

  13

  11

  0

  24

  Junction 22–23

  8

  4

  1

  11

  14

  4

  0

  18

  18

  7

  1

  24

  Junction 23–23a

  5

  5

  1

  9

  4

  5

  0

  9

  7

  3

  0

  10

  Junction 23a–24

  7

  5

  1

  11

  2

  2

  0

  4

  4

  3

  0

  7

  460
  how many took place (a) in daylight and (b) in darkness; and if he will make a statement. [3200]

  Mr. Watts
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Irvine Patnick, dated 11 December 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) non-fatal and (b) fatal accidents took place at each junction section of the M1 from London up to Junction 29 for each of the last three years; how many took place (a) in daylight and (b) in darkness; and if he will make a statement.
  The Highways Agency is committed to contributing to the Government's target of reducing road casualties by one third by the year 2000 when compared with the average for the UK between 1981 and 1985. Although motorway traffic doubled between that baseline and 1994, casualty numbers increased by 73%, while the number of fatalities fell by 30%. The overall accident rate on motorways reduced from 0.13 to 0.11 personal injury accidents per million vehicle kilometres.
  The information you require is shown on the attached table.
  461

  Accidents 1992

  Accidents 1993

  Accidents 1994

  Junction section

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Daylight

  Darkness

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  24–25

  7

  3

  0

  10

  11

  4

  1

  14

  13

  4

  0

  17

  Junction 25–26

  13

  6

  2

  17

  16

  5

  0

  21

  22

  11

  0

  33

  Junction 26–27

  11

  4

  0

  15

  17

  9

  0

  26

  14

  4

  0

  18

  Junction 27–28

  12

  4

  0

  16

  12

  9

  1

  20

  11

  4

  0

  15

  Junction 28–29

  28

  6

  2

  32

  44

  9

  1

  52

  40

  12

  0

  52

  Rail Franchising
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) at what point in the franchising process a comparison of the costs of the preferred bidders against those of British Rail is to be considered for each of the first three train operating companies; [4974]

  (2) if he will publish the comparative costs of services under (a) the preferred bidder and (b) British Rail for the first three train operating companies to be franchised; [4931]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the costs using the preferred bidder for each of the first three train operating companies, relative to the costs of continuing the service under British Rail. [4973]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: Until franchise negotiations are complete information about the preferred bids is commercially confidential. The franchising director will award franchises to the bidders that offer the best overall value for money in terms of services for passengers and costs to taxpayers. He makes comparisons of the costs of preferred bidders against those of British Rail throughout the bidding process as these are an essential component of his value-for-money judgement.

  For the funding of the British Rail train operating companies in 1995–96, I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 13 July to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish), Official Report, column 706. I will write to the hon. Member shortly on the level of support appropriate to each train operating company that has been agreed between the franchising director and the British Railways Board, and will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

  The franchising director expects to publish subsidy figures for the first three franchisees in the franchising director's register in due course; although, under section 73 of the Railways Act 1993, information may be withheld at the discretion of the Secretary of State or the franchising director if disclosure would be against the public interest or the commercial interests of franchisees.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Challenge
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to make an announcement of successful regional challenge projects, and if he will make a statement. [5468]
  462
  Mr. Eggar
  I am today announcing the successful regional challenge projects in England which will receive grant totalling £140 million towards projects costing almost £800 million.

  Regional challenge is designed to enhance local partnerships, stimulate innovative local development and maximise the contribution of the private sector. The projects announced today will bring a new dynamism and efficiency to local economies across England. Local firms will play a major role in projects ranging from industrial and transport infrastructure, tourism, research and development and environmental improvement to training and job creation.

  I am particularly encouraged by the wide range of local bodies that have been involved in the development of regional challenge projects. The competition has encouraged the far greater involvement of the private sector. This involvement is clearly reflected in its contributions to projects which account for almost half the total costs of the winning projects, and have added considerably to quality and value for money. The value of the dialogue between the public and private sectors about what is needed in local communities is shown by the type of projects that have been put forward.

  Regional challenge projects are typically larger in scale, more comprehensive in their effect, and better address the specific needs of local communities. This culture of co-operation will benefit not only today's winners. I hope that, as with previous competitions, many of the partnerships brought together by regional challenge will go ahead with part or all of their projects, even though they are not winners, thus spreading the benefits of the challenge even wider.

  A list of winning projects is set out:

  1 Lairdside (Birkenhead)

  2 New Media Factory (Liverpool)

  3 Eurogateway (Bootle)

  4 Cornwall and Devon tourism development

  5 Rural area training and information opportunities (Cornwall and Devon)

  6 Swaffham eco-tech centre

  7 Action to support planning investment for regeneration and enterprise

  8 Networking Business and the community (Hereford and Worcester, Shropshire)

  9 Whitby beacon

  10 Hills of the North (Cumbria)

  11 Lincolnshire access network

  12 Adams Building (Nottingham)

  463

  13 Pumping life back into the Coalfield community (Broughton)

  14 The Great Northern and Lowly Project (Manchester and Salford)

  15 China Gateway North West (Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire)

  16 North West Business Excellence Initiative (Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire)

  17 Integrated Waste Management (Sheffield)

  18 Technology Challenge (Yorkshire and Humberside)

  19 Earth Centre (Dearne Valley)

  20 The year of the electronic Image (Yorkshire and Humberside)

  21 South Humber Bank Industrial and Technological Regeneration (Cleethorpes)

  22 European centre for advanced industries (North Shields)

  23 Teeside Innovation Partnership (Teeside)

  24 Raising Regional competitiveness (Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, Co. Durham and Cleveland)

  25 International centre for life (Newcastle)

  26 Trent Challenge (Rugely and Armitage with Hansacre)

  27 Renaissance Canal (area wide)

  28 Creating a World Class Supplier Base (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley)

  29 Starting with a competitive advantage (Coventry)

  30 Digital City of Stoke on Trent (Stoke on Trent)

  31 West Midlands Interactive Technology Centre (Coalbrookdale, Telford)

  32 East London and Lee Valley Teleregion

  33 Manufacturing—a new future for East London (Tower Hamlets)

  34 Robin Hood Regeneration Corridor.

  Burma
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance his Department has provided in the last three years to United Kingdom companies interested in trading with Burma, or doing business there; what is the cost of this assistance; and if he will make a statement. [4769]

  Mr. Nelson
  Over the last three years, no financial assistance has been given to United Kingdom companies interested in trading with Burma. Our assistance has been limited to providing advice and information concerning the commercial, economic and political developments in the country via officials both in Rangoon and London. The cost of this assistance is not held on a central database and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was fully set out in the speech by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), on 19 July 1995, Official Report, columns 1641–45. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received regarding the use of forced labour in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [4772]

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes, today.
  464
  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was fully set out in the speech by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 19 July 1995, Official Report, columns 1641–45. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance was offered by his Department to(a) the South of England Exports Association British trade mission to Singapore and Brunei, with the option to visit Myanmar, which took place on 4 to 12 November and (b) the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry seminar "An Introduction to Burma", which took place on 5 December; what was the cost of this assistance in each case; and if he will make a statement. [4770]

  Mr. Nelson
  (a) The DTI travel grant for Singapore and Brunei is £666 per eligible company. The South of England Exports Association was not offered any financial assistance to visit Burma and would have undertaken this leg of its planned visit as an unsupported option. In the event, the mission was cancelled due to lack of support.

  (b) Delegates who attended the trade awareness seminar "An Introduction to Burma" at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry—LCCI—on 5 December were charged a fee of £60 for non-LCCI members and £45 for members, including VAT. An exact breakdown of the costs incurred is not available so soon after the event, but we expect to recoup the costs from the amount taken in attendance fees.

  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was fully set out in the speech by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 19 July, Official Report, columns 1641–45. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in relation to(a) trade with Burma, and (b) United Kingdom companies operating in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [4768]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was fully set out in the speech by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 19 July,Official Report, columns 1641–45. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to organise a trade mission to Burma in 1996; what assistance will be offered to United Kingdom companies attending; and if he will make a statement. [4771]

  Mr. Nelson
  We propose to organise a trade mission to Burma next February and will be providing financial assistance to a maximum of 20 eligible United Kingdom companies, in the form of a travel grant of £1,000, towards the cost of the visit.

  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was full set out in the speech by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 19 July,

  465
  Official Report, columns 1641–45. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Nuclear Site Licensing
  Mr. Home Roberston
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to send its consultation documents on changes to nuclear site licences arising from the privatisation of the nuclear industry to hon. Members with nuclear power stations in their constituencies; and if he will extend the consultation period. [4872]

  Mr. Eggar
  It is for the Health and Safety Executive, as the independent regulator of the nuclear industry, to specify those public bodies to whom applicants must provide details of licence applications and to decide on whether or not to extend the statutory consultation period.

  Small Firms
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to regulate firms providing grant information to small firms. [5256]

  Mr. Page
  There are no plans to regulate such businesses.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action his Department is taking to promote the use of renewable sources of energy in the business community. [4711]

  Mr. Page
  The Government are stimulating the development of new and renewable energy sources and industrial and market infrastructure through a market enablement strategy. The strategy was published as "Energy Paper 62" in March 1994. The strategy's principal measure involves stimulating an initial market for electricity-producing technologies close to commercial competitiveness via renewables orders made under the non-fossil fuel obligation—NFFO.

  As I announced in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 2 November 1995, Official Report, columns 441–42, the proposals for a fourth NFFO order for England and Wales for a further 400 to 500 MW of contracts for renewables-generated electricity.

  Other measures are aimed at assessing and developing technology options in collaboration with industry, ensuring that the market is fully informed, removing inappropriate market barriers and encouraging international competitive industries to develop.

  Specific actions under the new and renewable energy programme to date have included support for 11 studies undertaken with regional electricity companies and local authorities which identify the local availability of renewable resources; work with the financial community to promote the availability of suitable investment funds; and support for studies aimed at evaluating the prospects for retail sales of renewable electricity. Another measure funded under the DTI's new and renewable energy programme is the energy design advice scheme—EDAS—which aims to improve the energy and
  466
  environmental performance of the building stock in both commercial and residential sectors, through the provision of specialised low-energy building expertise to building designers and their clients.

  My Department also publishes, through the energy technology support unit, a wide range of literature on renewable energy and operates an inquiries bureau for businesses, local authorities and the general public.

  The Government intend to work, through the NFFO and taking account of those factors which influence business competitiveness, towards a figure of 1500 MW DNC of new electricity generating capacity from renewable energy sources for the United Kingdom as a whole by 2000.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Government-funded research projects are currently engaged on the development of renewable sources of energy. [4712]

  Mr. Page
  My Department is currently supporting 358 research projects under the new and renewable energy programme.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposal the United Kingdom intends to put to the EU Energy Council in Brussels on 14 December on ways to alleviate fuel poverty within the framework of the draft EU White Paper on energy policy. [4946]

  Mr. Page
  The EU White Paper on energy policy will be presented by the Commission for the first time at the Energy Council on 14 December. Therefore the United Kingdom will not be in a position to make any proposals within its framework until its contents have been thoroughly considered.

  British Coal Pumping Stations
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the British Coal pumping stations which closed between 1965 and privatisation in the City of Durham constituency; and which closures after that date have been notified to his Department [5130]

  Mr. Page
  The first part of the hon. Member's question is a matter for the British Coal Corporation and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member. I understand from the Coal Authority that the nine pumping stations in County Durham transferred to the authority on 31 October 1994 are all still being operated. There was and is no requirement for my Department to be notified in such cases.

  London Electricity
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance is being provided from public funds to London Electricity to transfer its customer operations functions out of London. [4786]

  Mr. Page
  I understand that London Electricity is transferring part of its customer operations functions to Doxford park in the Sunderland enterprise zone. As with any other company moving into an enterprise zone, the company will be eligible for capital allowances, and be exempt from the national non-domestic rate for the
  467
  remainder of the life of the enterprise zone. No direct grants are being made to London Electricity from central Government.

  Business Link Services Guide
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what definition of the personal business adviser service has been drawn up by the small firms and business link division; and if he will publish the guidelines that have been issued on the service. [4825]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: A detailed definition of the business link personal business adviser service, including a model job description, is included in the "Business Link Services Guide", section C 25–36, which was published on 31 October 1995.

  A copy of the services guide is available in the Library of the House.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many times mobile telephones used by Ministers in his Department have been cloned during(a) the last six months, (b) the last 12 months and (c) the last 18 months; and which Ministers within his Department have had their mobile telephones cloned. [4268]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]: There have been no recorded incidents of Minister's mobile telephones being cloned within the last 18 months or prior to that period. Ministers in my Department are issued with digital mobile telephones which are inherently more difficult to clone than their analogue counterparts.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery (Under-age Purchasing)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to eliminate the sale of national lottery tickets to under-age children. [4719]

  Mr. Sproat
  Last week I welcomed the announcement made by the Director General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulatory matters, about the new action designed to stamp out under-age lottery sales. I am also holding discussions with the police, the Home Office and other parties about the enforcement of the law governing the sale of tickets to under-16-year-olds.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her circular letter to Members about the national lottery dated 10 November, reference C95/10129, if she will place in the Library(a) on paper and (b) on computer disk in a spreadsheet format compatible with the Library's computer information about
  468
  each of the awards made from the good causes fund to date indicating in each case (i) the nature of the activity supported, (ii) the amount of money granted, (iii) the distributing body making the award and (iv) the parliamentary constituency in which the recipient body's headquarters is based. [4537]

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department already produces a monthly report of the distribution of lottery proceeds. Included in this report are financial details of the awards made each month and the total since the lottery began, for each distributor and by region of the United Kingdom. Copies of this report are placed in the Libraries of the House.

SCOTLAND

  European Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November,Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5071]

  Mr. Kynoch
  It is the policy in the Scottish Office to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in light of this policy.

  Nuclear Site Licensing
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to send its consultation documents on changes to nuclear site licences arising from the privatisation of the nuclear industry to hon. Members with nuclear power stations in their constituencies; and if he will extend the consultation period. [4992]

  Mr. Kynoch
  No.

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the chairman, chief executive and members of each of the new water authorities; and what are their correspondence addresses. [4456]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: The names of each of the chairmen, chief executives and members of the new water authorities and their correspondence addresses are as follows:
  North of Scotland Water Authority—Mr. J. Robertson (Chairman), Mr. A. Findlay (Chief Executive), Mr. D. Addly, Councillor R. Bissett, Councillor J. Easten, Councillor N. Graham, Mr. A. Lewis, Mr. A. MacCallum, Councillor O. Macdonald, Mr. N. McAndrew, Councillor D. Nicholson, Mr. D. Paton. Correspondence should be addressed to: North of Scotland Water Authority, Caledonia House, 63 Academy Street, Inverness, IVI 1LU.

  469
  East of Scotland Water Authority—Dr. I. Preston (Chairman), Mr. R. Rennet (Chief Executive), Mr. D. Barlow, Mr. R. Bell, Councillor I. Berry, Councillor Ian Galloway, Councillor A. Dickson, Councillor T. Kerr, Councillor P. McCafferty, Mr. H. O'Hanlon, Sir Francis McWilliams, Mr. R. Summers. Correspondence should be addressed to: East of Scotland Water Authority, 27 Perth Street, Edinburgh, EH3 5RB.
  West of Scotland Water Authority—Mr. J. Jameson (Chairman), Mr. E. Chambers (Chief Executive, Mr. N. Berry, Councillor M. Bryson, Sir Robert Easton, Mr. J. Goodwin, Mr. D. Gray, Mr. P. Kennedy, Councillor W. Petrie, Councillor R. Reid, Provost L. Rosin, Councillor I. Young. Correspondence should be addressed to: West of Scotland Water Authority, 419 Balmore Road Glasgow, G22 6NU.

  Departmental Inquiry Line
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of the calls made to the Scottish Office inquiry line since its establishment were on matters on which his Department(a) was competent and (b) not competent to deal with. [4452]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: This information is not recorded but the inquiry officers consider that the majority of calls relate to matters for which the Scottish Office is responsible.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement indicating for each calendar month since its establishment the number of calls made to the Scottish Office inquiry line and how many of these calls have been(a) interactive and (b) non-interactive. [4434]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: The numbers of calls received are:

  Year

  Number

  1993

  October

  797

  November

  835

  December

  357

  1994

  January

  211

  February

  239

  March

  199

  April

  220

  May

  308

  June

  315

  July

  305

  August

  341

  September

  334

  October

  372

  November

  396

  December

  354

  1995

  January

  276

  February

  346

  March

  348

  April

  317

  May

  257

  June

  159

  July

  199

  August

  276

  September

  343

  October

  293

  November

  1337

  1 To 24 November.

  Information on types of calls is not recorded.
  470
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much in total it has cost his Department to establish, publicise and operate the Scottish Office inquiry line; and what are the annual costs of this service. [4451]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Scotland on 18 April 1995, Official Report, columns 79–80.

  Fisheries Research Vessel
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the signing of a contract for the construction of a fisheries research vessel; and if he will make a statement. [4555]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]: I still expect to reach a decision on the tenders by 31 December 1995. I shall notify the hon. Member of my decision.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  International Development Association
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in relation to the replenishment of IDA11. [3310]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are working to ensure a satisfactory outcome to the negotiations on the 11th replenishment of the International Development Association and to enhance IDA's effectiveness by strengthening its focus on poverty reduction, sound economic management and sustainable development.

  International Labour Migration
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of United Kingdom bilateral aid on international labour migration. [3317]

  Mr. Hanley
  The effects of United Kingdom bilateral aid cannot be assessed separately from other factors affecting international labour migration. ODA seeks to help people in aid recipient countries to improve their lives, but accepts that any influence on their decisions to migrate will be modest.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place and with whom as to medical and food aid to Sri Lanka during the present conflict. [3314]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are in frequent contact with the Government of Sri Lanka and relief agencies about the provision of emergency assistance, including medical and food aid needs, to those affected by the present conflict in the north.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Materials (Exports)
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the guideline for the export of nuclear materials, equipment and technology by the United Kingdom beyond the measures set out in his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 13 January 1993,Official Report, column 745. [5393]

  The Prime Minister
  The guidelines for the export of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology by the United Kingdom remain the same with one exception. The guidelines of the nuclear suppliers' group, of which the UK is a member, will, in exceptional cases, allow such exports to non-nuclear weapon states without full scope safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Authority, where they are deemed essential to the safe operation of existing facilities and if IAEA safeguards are applied to these facilities.

  The NSG has also adopted guidelines for the transfer of nuclear-related dual-use material, equipment and technology. These exports are considered on a case-by-case basis.

  Departmental Transfers
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning the transfer of(a) personnel and (b) responsibilities from Government Departments to Scotland; and what plans he has to make such a transfer. [5096]

  The Prime Minister
  I am not aware of any recent representations on this topic. My right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State 472
  for Scotland have, however, recently received representations from Grampian regional council and the City of Aberdeen district council about the scope for transferring to Aberdeen additional jobs in the Department of Trade and Industry's oil and gas division. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy will be meeting representatives of the councils shortly to discuss this issue.

  Princess of Wales
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to hold consultations with other Prime Ministers of those countries where Her Majesty the Queen is Head of State about the future role and duties of the Princess of Wales. [4867]

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future role and duties of the Princess of Wales. [4841]

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the statement I made on 9 December 1992,Official Report, column 845.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he has taken following the disclosure of normally confidential information to the media of information concerning the application by Mr. Abiodum Igbindu, for political asylum in the United Kingdom. [4853]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms Quin) on 5 December, Official Report, column 136.

DEFENCE

  Royal Dockyards (Privatisation)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost to date of consultancy payments made to firms in relation to work carried out to develop his Department's plans for the privatisation of(a) Devonport royal dockyard and (b) Rosyth royal dockyard. [5363]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  During the period between 18 October 1993, when my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence announced our policy towards the future management of the royal dockyards,Official Report, 18 October 1993, columns 39–41, and 30 November 1995, expenditure charged to defence votes in respect of consultancy advice given in relation to the proposed privatisation of the dockyards amounted to some £8.4 million, including VAT. Further costs have been incurred, but final details will not be available until invoices have been presented and payments agreed. Costs attributable to one dockyard or the other cannot be separately identified.

  Army Officers (Business Appointments)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by name, rank and service the former serving officers of the armed forces who(a) have applied under the business appointments procedure and (b) have had their application refused. [5323]

  Mr. Soames
  During the last two years, the following applications under the business appointments procedure were made by officers who had retired from the armed forces:

  Number

  Admiral of the Fleet

  3

  Vice Admiral

  2

  Rear Admiral

  9

  Captain

  3

  Commander

  3

  Lieutenant Commander

  8

  Major General

  20

  Brigadier

  2

  Colonel

  4

  Lieutenant Colonel

  4

  Major

  1

  Captain

  1

  Marshal of the RAF

  1

  Air Chief Marshal

  1

  Air Marshal

  4

  Air Vice-Marshal

  2

  Air Commodore

  1

  Group Captain

  3

  Wing Commander

  2

  Squadron Leader

  6

  None of the applications was refused: restrictions were imposed on nine applications. It is not our practice to disclose the names of the officers concerned.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 November,Official Report, column 349, how the business appointments policy for former serving officers of the armed services is enforced; and what sanctions may be imposed. [5322]
  474
  Mr. Soames
  Business appointment applications are approved unconditionally or subject to a waiting period of up to two years from the applicant's last day in Crown service, or to a condition banning the applicant from involvement in a particular project or area of work for up to two years. Where a condition is imposed, both the applicant and prospective employer are informed in writing of the nature of the condition.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sites of special scientific interest on his Ministry's land have been de-listed in each of the last five years. [4726]

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry of Defence owns or occupies over 200 sites of special scientific interest. Available records do not show any such sites as having been de-listed in the last five years.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many instances of aircraft using reheat have been recorded by RAF police conducting covert monitoring of low flying in each year since 1990. [4486]

  Mr. Soames
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft movements have been observed by RAF police conducting covert monitoring of low flying in each year since 1990. [4487]

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of aircraft observed by the RAF police while conducting covert monitoring, including deployments with the Skyguard radar system, of military low flying in each year since 1990 are as follows:

  1990: 461

  1991: 780

  1992: 850

  1993: 788

  1994: 265

  19951: 236.

  1 To 30th November 1995.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints from the public his Department has received arising from low-level flying in each of the last five years. [4730]

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of complaints and inquiries about military low flying received by my Department in each of the last five years are as follows:

  1991: 4,846

  1992: 6,295

  1993: 5,738

  1994: 5,778

  1995: 16,492.

  1 Up to 30 November 1995.

  "The Nemesis File"
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the alleged Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers non-commissioned officer(a) required and (b) sought the

  475
  permission of the Ministry of Defence before publishing "The Nemesis File". [4863]

  Mr. Soames
  Serving and former members of the armed forces are required to seek authorisation from the Ministry of Defence before publishing information gained during their service. "The Nemesis File" was not submitted.

  Widows' Pensions
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many widows have received pensions under the special provisions for pre-1950 widows; and how much has been expended on these pensions in total. [4869]

  Mr. Soames
  Information on the number of former pensioners and total costs of the pensions paid to them is not available.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many widows are currently receiving a pre-1950 widow's pension; and at what rates these are currently being paid. [4870]

  Mr. Soames
  The number of widows currently receiving a pre-1950 widow's pension could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The current rates of special widow's pension, dependent on rank of the service man, are £12.39 to £22.19 a week. The pension is subject to the same index-linking arrangements as other public service pensions.

  Tain Bombing Range
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence following the recent noise evaluation survey of properties in the vicinity of Tain bombing range, Ross-shire, if he will(a) publish the objective criteria upon which he decides subsequent eligibility for compensation and (b) provide a detailed breakdown of the findings involved; and if he will make a statement. [5016]

  Mr. Soames
  Under the terms of the Ministry of Defence noise insulation grant scheme, which was introduced in 1985, owners of properties severely affected by military aircraft noise are eligible for grants to cover the cost of installing noise insulation in bedrooms and up to two living rooms. Eligibility is limited to properties subject to a noise level of 70 decibels averaged over a 16-hour day. The environmental noise survey undertaken at RAF Tain air weapons range in August 1995 showed that, as a result of strictly enforced aircraft circuit patterns and an overall reduction in the number of aircraft movements, no local properties are now subject to noise in excess of the 70 decibel threshold. The noise survey report was made available to the Ross and Cromarty district council on 16 November and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Military Aircraft Accidents
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make available to the relatives of service or civilian personnel killed in military aircraft accidents the full text of the board of inquiry report into the accident. [5173]
  476
  Mr. Soames
  Since December 1992, in recognition of the special position of next of kin, service board of inquiry reports have been made available to the nominated next of kin of deceased service—and associated civilian—personnel, should they so request, subject only to the essential minimum of security requirements.

  Boarding School Allowance
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish a list of schools on the admissible schools list; [4624]

  (2) if he will list the schools receiving funds from the boarding school allowance indicating the numbers of pupils at each school benefiting from the scheme. [4625]

  Mr. Soames
  A list of some 800 schools in respect of which boarding school allowance may be paid is kept by my Department. I am arranging for a copy of the most recent admissible schools list—June 1995—to be placed in the Library of the House. The list details the number of service children attending each school at the end of the summer term 1995 and whose parents claimed boarding school allowance.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pupils have benefitted from the boarding school allowance in each of the past four years. [4626]

  Mr. Soames
  The total average number of children for whom boarding school allowance was claimed in the academic years in question was:

  1991–1992: 16,208

  1992–1993: 15,120

  1993–1994:,12,567

  1994–1995: 11,363.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pupils, and at what cost, are funded at the Quantock school, Taunton by the boarding school allowance. [4628]

  Mr. Soames
  The total number of service children attending Quantock school, Taunton, and whose parents have claimed boarding school allowance for the autumn term 1995, is 38. The total estimated cost to my Department for this provision is £81,969.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the annual cost of the boarding school allowance in each of the last four years. [4627]

  Mr. Soames
  The total cost to my Department of boarding school allowance for the years in question was:

  1991–1992: £115.35 million

  1992–1993: £116.72 million

  1993–1994: £113.61 million

  1994–1995: £107.23 million.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Service Children's Education Authority has made of the suitability of the Quantock school, Taunton to remain on the list of admissible schools. [4629]

  Mr. Soames
  SCEA conducts an on-going assessment of the quality of pastoral care at schools on the Ministry of Defence admissible schools list. As part of that process,
  477
  an informal visit to Quantock school, Taunton was carried out in June 1995. A number of reservations were expressed concerning the quality of pastoral care available and, as a result, the suitability of Quantock school to remain on the MOD admissible schools list is being reviewed.

  Northern Ireland (Troops)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of British forces currently stationed in Northern Ireland; what the figure was in August in each year since 1993; and what plans there are to withdraw British forces from Northern Ireland during the coming year. [4611]

  Mr. Soames
  There are currently some 16,500 members of the armed forces stationed in Northern Ireland. This figure includes Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel as well as nine general service infantry battalions and six home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. In both August 1993 and August 1994 the equivalent figure was approximately 19,000; by August 1995 this had fallen to approximately 17,500.

  Force levels in Northern Ireland are kept continually under review. Since the terrorist ceasefires in 1994 three major units deployed in the infantry role have been relocated from Northern Ireland to bases elsewhere. Future measure of this kind will depend on the security situation.

  Redirected Mail
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy with regard to forwarding the mail for members of the armed services serving abroad who have moved home. [4810]

  Mr. Soames
  The redirection of mail between British Forces Post Office addresses, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, is a unit responsibility and no charges are made to customers for this service.

  Redirection from a UK civil address to a BFPO address is handled under normal post office arrangements for which a charge is made. The charge is, however, set at the inland rate irrespective of the location of the BFPO.

  Redirected mail from a civil UK address to an overseas civil address would be undertaken by the Post Office and its normal charges for this service would apply.

  Equipment Reliability
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost to his Department each year of inadequate reliability and maintainability of defence equipment. [5361]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Ministry of Defence aims to maximise reliability and maintainability to the extent that this is cost-effective. Earlier and more systematic attention is paid to the R and M, and demonstrated achievement of R and M requirements is linked to contract payments. This approach has helped MOD achieve significance improvements compared with earlier generations of equipment, thereby saving costs and 478
  enhancing operational effectiveness. It is not possible to quantify the total yearly savings resulting from this R and M initiative.

  Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the relocation of the Gulf veterans medical assessment programme following the forthcoming closure of RAF Wroughton. [5315]

  Mr. Soames
  The Gulf war medical assessment programme is currently being relocated to the central medical establishment, Kelvin house, 32–34 Cleveland street, London W1P 6AU. The physical move will take place during the next week, and routine appointments will be available in January, after a necessary period of adjustment to re-establish the programme's facilities.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to his Department of the Gulf veterans medical assessment programme to date. [5317]

  Mr. Soames
  The assessments are funded from within my Department's normal secondary care programme and cannot be identified separately.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what medical tests were made on examinees under the Gulf veterans medical assessment programme. [5318]

  Mr. Soames
  All tests offered to individuals coming forward for assessment are tailored to the particular requirements of each patient after considering the medical and occupational history, the reported symptoms and clinical signs found on detailed initial examination. Possible tests include: a full blood assay, urinalysis, X-Ray, or CT/MRI scan, electrocardiograph, endoscopy and vitalograph studies. Further tests or referrals are available when required.

  Aircraft Training (Scotland)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the(a) total Royal Air Force training hours, (b) total NATO training hours and (c) total non-RAF and non-NATO training hours flown over Scotland in the past 12 months. [4981]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Service Costs
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost per service person, including equipment, land, buildings, training and personnel expenditure for the(a) Army, (b) Royal Navy, (c) Royal Marines and (d) Royal Air Force. [4984]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: This information is not available in the form requested.

  Service Housing Stock
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of Stae for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on the housing market of his plans to sell off his Department's service housing stock. [4977]
  479
  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: The large majority of the properties transferred will initially be rented back by MOD to meet service accommodation needs. Our proposal will conduce to a more efficient release of surplus properties by MOD over time. Whether those empty properties are then sold, re-let or redeveloped will be a matter for the future owner of the stock, who will no doubt have regard to market demand at the time.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Cleveland. [3562]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Cleveland:

  Hartlepool: 3

  Langbaurgh: 1.

  All four of these dwellings have been unoccupied for more than six months and are in the process of being sold.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Essex. [3554]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Essex:

  Number

  Braintree

  109

  Chelmsford

  1

  Southend East

  13

  South Colchester and Malden

  228

  Seven of the properties in Southend, East, 34 properties in South Colchester and Malden and the one vacant in Chelmsford are all in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Cheshire. [3555]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Cheshire:

  City of Chester: 31

  Tatton: 4

  Warrington South: 24.

  All the vacant properties in Tatton and seven of those in the city of Chester are in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwelling owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been
  480
  unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Bedfordshire. [3556]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Bedfordshire:

  Mid Bedfordshire: 55

  South-West Bedfordshire: 54.

  Of the vacant properties in South-West Bedfordshire, 35 are in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Greater Manchester. [3558]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwelling are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Great Manchester:

  Ashton-under-Lyne: 4

  Bury South: 7

  Heywood and Middleton: 1

  Manchester Withington: 1

  Manchester Wythenshawe: 9

  Stretford: 3.

  One of the vacant properties in Ashton-under-Lyne and all in Manchester, Wythenshawe and Stretford are in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Derbyshire. [3559]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: My Department owns no dwellings in Derbyshire.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Kent. [3560]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Kent:

  Number

  Ashford

  12

  Canterbury

  14

  Dover

  223

  Folkestone and Hythe

  142

  Gillingham

  106

  Gravesham

  20

  Maidstone

  21

  Medway

  176

  Sevenoaks

  15

  South Thanet

  34

  Tunbridge Wells

  2

  481
  All vacant properties in Gravesham, Medway and Tunbridge Wells and 113 of the vacant properties in Dover are in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Avon. [3561]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Avon:

  Number

  Bath

  1

  Bristol East

  1

  Bristol North-West

  2

  Bristol West

  3

  Northavon

  3

  Wansdyke

  1

  Weston-Super-Mare

  76

  Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are(a) currently unoccupied and (b) have been unoccupied for six months or more in each parliamentary constituency in Hampshire. [3557]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 December 1995:]: The following empty dwellings are owned by my Department in each parliamentary constituency in Hampshire.

  Number

  Aldershot

  255

  Basingstoke

  5

  East Hampshire

  83

  Eastleigh

  1

  Fareham

  29

  Gosport

  281

  Havant

  7

  New Forest

  3

  North-West Hampshire

  128

  Portsmouth North

  66

  Portsmouth South

  45

  Romsey and Waterside

  54

  Winchester

  84

  All the vacant properties in Basingstoke, Eastleigh and New Forest, and 33 of those in North-West Hampshire are in the process of being sold. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Defence Agency Locations
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the principal locations of(a) the
  482
  Army Base Repair Organisation, (b) the Meteorological Office, (c) the Military Survey, (d) the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency, (e) the RAF Training Group Defence Agency, (f) the Pay and Pensions Agency, (g) the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation, (h) the Defence Accounts Agency and (i) the Defence Animal Centre; and how many (i) civilian and (ii) uniformed personnel are employed at each location. [4349]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: This is a matter for the agencies concerned. I have asked the chief executives to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Brigadier J. R. Drew to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the principal locations of a number of Defence Agencies, including the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO), and how many staff, military and civilian, are employed at each location.
  I have enclosed a table which gives the location of all the ABRO workshop sites and offices and the numbers employed at each, as at 1 November 1995. These range from major workshop facilities such as those at Donnington and Bovington to small offices arranging the repair of equipment under contract by industry. I have enclosed an information pack about the agency which includes the Annual Report and Accounts 94/95, the Corporate Plan 1995 and a brief history.
  I hope that you find this useful.

  Army Base Repair Organisation—location of sites and staff

  Location

  Civilian staff

  Military

  Andover

  170

  4

  Aldershot

  170

  —

  Arborfield

  13

  —

  Ashford1

  170

  —

  Belfast

  8

  —

  Bovington

  453

  2

  Bristol

  4

  —

  Cardiff

  4

  —

  Catterick

  159

  —

  Chilwell

  3

  —

  Colchester

  140

  —

  Donnington

  1,019

  —

  Droitwich

  4

  —

  Liverpool

  2

  —

  Manchester

  5

  —

  Oakington

  4

  —

  Old Dalby1

  395

  —

  Plymouth

  3

  —

  Salisbury

  6

  —

  Sennybridge

  17

  —

  Stirling

  162

  —

  Warminster

  347

  —

  York

  5

  —

  Total

  3,263

  6

  1 These workshops are due to close as part of the agency rationalisation of workshop capacity.

  Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about principal locations of certain MOD organisations.

  (a) The principal location of the Meteorological Office is at Bracknell, Berkshire

  (b) 1238 people are employed at Bracknell

  (c) All are civilians.

  483
  Letter from Brigadier A. J. Hoon to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of the Military Survey Defence Agency principal locations and the number of Agency staff at each of these locations as this matter falls within my area of responsibility.
  Please find attached a table which shows a list of our principal locations with a breakdown of the civilian and service staff employed by the Agency at each of these locations on 31 Oct 95.
  I hope you find this information useful.

  Military Survey defence agency principal locations and staff

  Serial

  Location

  Military1

  Civilian1

  Totals1

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  1

  Feltham

  30

  641

  671

  2

  Tolworth

  0

  78

  78

  3

  Guildford

  1

  25

  26

  4

  Hermitage

  264

  69

  333

  5

  Germany1

  76

  39

  115

  6

  Total

  371

  852

  1,223

  Notes:

  1 Staff numbers represent the total number of people employed (full and part time) in the Military Survey Defence Agency at each location on 31 October 1995.

  2 Germany staff were transferred into the Agency on 1 April 1995. Most civilian staff in Germany are Locally Employed Civilians (LECs) and are not part of the Home Civil Service.

  Letter from Air Vice-Marshal R. H. Kyle to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked for details of the principal locations of the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency and how many uniformed and civilian personnel are employed at each location, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility.
  The information you requested is listed as an attachment to this letter. The figures are as at 30 September 1995, which is the most recent date for which centrally held figures are available.
  As a result of the end of the Cold War and a reduction in the perceived threat, and in common with other elements of the Ministry of Defence, the Agency is in the process of rationalising its operations and reducing in size. This is expected to lead to the closure of RAF Carlisle, RAF Quedgeley and RAF North Luffenham over the next 3 years. In addition, the number of personnel in the Agency will reduce to approximately 2,400 uniformed and 5,400 civilian staff by 1999.
  I hope that this information meets your requirements.

  Attachment:

  1. List of RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency principal
  locations and personnel Numbers.

  List of the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency Principal locations and personnel numbers–30 September 1995

  Unit

  Uniformed personnel

  Civilian personnel

  RAF Brampton

  79

  62

  RAF Cardington

  —

  121

  RAF Carlisle

  12

  533

  RAF North Luffenham

  563

  137

  RAF Quedgeley

  777

  205

  RAF Sealand

  421

  1,171

  RAF St. Athan

  2,539

  1,417

  RAF Stafford

  697

  734

  RAF Armament Support Unit

  316

  5

  Total

  4,634

  4,385

  484
  Letter from Air Commodore A. A. Nicholson to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence on the principal locations for a number of military organisations and the numbers of people employed at each location. The details for the Royal Air Force Training Group Defence Agency are:

  Number of People Employed1,2

  Principal Locations

  Military

  Civilian

  Headquarters staff and other training units

  Royal Air Force Innsworth, Gloucester

  162

  398

  Other Training Units

  18

  333

  Major training stations and training units

  Royal Air Force Cosford, Shropshire

  895

  3450

  Royal Air Force Cranwell, Lincolnshire4

  817

  3353

  Royal Air Force Halton, Buckinghamshire

  782

  3291

  Royal Air Force Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire

  342

  3176

  Royal Air Force Locking, Avon

  454

  3236

  Royal Air Force St. Athan, South Glamorgan5

  193

  130

  Royal Air Force Shawbury, Shropshire

  320

  3177

  Royal Air Force Valley, Gwynedd

  830

  238

  Notes:

  1 Projected figures for end-Financial Year 1995–96 (as at 31 March 1996).

  2 Figures do not include trainees.

  3 Figures include casual and part-time employees.

  4 Figures are for Training Group resources only at Royal Air Force Cranwell.

  5 Figures are for Training Group resources only at Royal Air Force St. Athan.

  I am sending a copy of this letter to the Agency's owner, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command.

  Letter from Captain W. S. Graham to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, which sought locations and personnel numbers employed within the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility.

  Address

  Civilian personnel

  Service personnel

  RNAY Fleetlands, Gosport, Hants PO13 0AA

  1,194

  10

  RNAW Almondbank, Perth PH1 3NQ, Scotland

  366

  1

  Total

  1,560

  11

  Letter from P. J. Trevelyan to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:

  DEFENCE ACCOUNTS AGENCY
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the principal locations of my Agency and the numbers of staff employed at each location.
  The Defence Accounts Agency operates from five locations in the UK: two in Bath; and one each at Cheadle Hulme, Liverpool and

  485
  Worcester. The numbers of staff currently employed at each location are as follows:

  Number

  Bath (Pinesgate West)

  119

  Bath (Warminster Road)

  294

  Cheadle Hulme

  277

  Liverpool

  641

  Worcester

  167

  Total

  1,498

  These are all civilians—the Agency does not employ uniformed personnel.
  You may also wish to note that the Agency is currently restructuring following its first three year review as a Defence Agency (Defence Accounts Agency Annual Report and Accounts 1994–95—HC Paper No. 542 refers). Some restructuring has already occurred and is reflected in the information given above. The remainder entails demerger into two separate agencies: the Defence Bills Agency and the Pay and Personnel Agency. This is expected to occur early in the New Year. Both organizations will continue to operate from their existing sites, ie: the Defence Bills Agency at Liverpool; and the Pay and Personnel Agency from Bath, Cheadle Hulme and Worcester, as listed above.

  Letter from Colonel A. H. Roache to Dr. David Clark, dated 11 December 1995:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about locations and staff numbers in Defence Agencies. This falls within my area of responsibility.
  The Defence Animal Centre operates from a single site at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire and retains a training area at RAF Syerston in Lincolnshire. The number of staff employed as at 01 Nov 96 was 135 military and 48.5 civilian.

  Contamination
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of all Ministry of Defence estates in Scotland where(a) radioactive, (b) fuel and (c) other types of contamination is at a level that is above the maximum allowable level for a civilian residential area. [4983]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: There are no Ministry of Defence sites in Scotland where land contamination has been identified as posing a significant risk to health and safety or the environment and therefore requiring decontamination. Remediation work at RAF Lossiemouth following an accidental oil fuel spillage in April is continuing and will be completed shortly.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Competitiveness
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received on his policy on competitiveness. [3289]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  The White Paper "Competitiveness: Forging Ahead" has been widely welcomed by industry. Major representative bodies such as the CBI, the Engineering Employers Federation and the Chemical Industries Association, as well as many major companies, have all expressed their support.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of the deregulation initiative as it affects(a) legislation in the United Kingdom and (b) directives from Europe. [3291]

  Mr. Freeman
  Recent progress on deregulation includes the passing into law of the first two deregulation orders under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. Many other deregulatory changes are being made by secondary legislation and administrative action. I have been pressing the case for deregulation in the European Community. There has been a significant decline in the number of new Commission proposals for legislation in 1996. I am urging the Commission to make a commitment at the forthcoming European Council to improve the quality of future legislation and review existing European legislation.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what analysis he has made of the likely effects of the Government's campaign of deregulation on United Kingdom competitiveness. [3305]

  Mr. Freeman
  As we made clear in our second White Paper on competitiveness, deregulation is central to improving United Kingdom competitiveness. Unnecessary requirements stand in the way of market entry, innovation, investment and jobs. We have a programme for repealing or amending well over 1,000 regulations and are on target to have dealt with over 500 by the end of the year. We are also taking action to ensure that new regulations are introduced only where really justified and are enforced in a business-friendly way.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to involve small firms in his campaign to reduce the burden of regulation. [3307]

  Mr. Freeman
  I have recently met a number of small firms representative bodies about deregulation. The deregulation task force includes a number of members drawn from the small firms sector. Small firms must also now be consulted as part of the compliance cost assessment procedure on new regulatory proposals to make sure they will not be disproportionately affected. The Prime Minister recently launched a series of seminars for small firms which is providing another channel for them to make their views known to us. I am also keen to hear direct from small firms about the problems they are facing and am issuing them an invitation to write to me.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department's policy is on employee protection matters in co-ordinating the Government's deregulation policy. [3299]

  Mr. Freeman
  Deregulation is aimed at achieving better regulation and is not about removing necessary protection, whether for employees, or, for example, consumers or the enviornment. For deregulation orders made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act, the responsible Minister must give details of how any necessary protection under existing legislation will be maintained.
  487
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contacts he has had with industry about the Government's campaign on deregulation. [3309]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government are advised by the deregulation task force about businesses priorities for deregulation and I have regular contact with the chairman, Francis Maude. The task force published its first report in September and of 52 recommendations the Government accepted 46 in whole or in part. In addition, I discuss deregulation with various representative bodies of industry and individual industrialists from time to time.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to discuss the Molitor report on deregulation with the European Commission. [3304]

  Mr. Freeman
  I discussed the Molitor report and the United Kingdom's objectives for European deregulation with the Commission on Monday 11 September and Thursday 23 November. I expect to continue these discussions next year.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many regulations which are now identified as suitable for repeal under the deregulation initiative were brought in by the Ministry of Defence between 1983 and 1986, the Department of the Environment between 1990 and 1992 and the Department for Trade and Industry between 1992 and 5 July 1995. [3781]

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of regulations for the dates in question are as follows:

  Ministry of Defence: 0

  Department of the Enviornment: 0

  Department of Trade and Industry: 3.

  Ministerial Priorities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what are his current priorities. [3292]

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his priorities. [3287]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  To promote the competitiveness agenda, the deregulation initiative and the effective administration on the services for which my Department is responsible.

  Desk-top Diary System
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when his new desk-top diary system will be ready for use; and what the final cost of introducing it will be. [3293]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  The strategic diary is now operating; the infrastructure on which it runs has cost about £150,000 to set up. Additional costs will be incurred as it is developed.

  Government Policy Cabinet Committee
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the objectives are of the Cabinet Committee on the Co-ordination and Presentation of Government Policy. [3294]
  488
  The Deputy Prime Minister
  As the title suggests, the Committee considers matters relating to the co-ordination and presentation of Government policy.

  Civil Service Morale
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of morale in the civil service. [3296]

  Mr. Willetts
  Morale in the civil service is best maintained by allowing staff to perform to the best of their abilities in the career they have chosen. This Government's civil service reforms enable staff to focus their attention on delivering high-quality public services: this is the best way of satisfying both them and the users of their services.

  Government Policies
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy for the co-ordination of the Government's long-term strategies. [3297]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  We are pursuing economic prosperity and security for all, based on an enterprise economy; creating a nation of opportunity reflecting the Government's values of choice, ownership and reward; upholding decent common-sense values in the pursuit of law and order and justice; providing the people of Britain with first class public services; and reflecting pride in our nation and its place in the world.

  "Competing for Quality"
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what are the latest figures for efficiency savings resulting from the "Competing for Quality" programme. [3298]

  Mr. Freeman
  The results for the period April 1992 to March 1995 were published in the "Government Opportunities" special report in June. This report is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Special Advisers
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reviews he has undertaken on the pay and conditions of service of special advisers. [3290]

  Mr. Willetts
  We are implementing the Nolan recommendation that special advisers should be subject to the same scrutiny as other civil servants in respect of business appointments which they propose to take up within two years of leaving service. We are also considering changes in their pay arrangements to take account of changes in the civil service pay structure.

  Science Cabinet Committee
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Cabinet Committee on science last met; and how frequently he expects meetings to take place. [3295]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  Issues relating to science and technology now come under the remit of the ministerial Committee on Competitiveness.

  Publicity Material
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many identical copies of an advertisement for the bus and coach driving manual were sent on the same day to Barton Accessories in Moreleigh road, Harbertonford, Totness, South Devon, in the same post, and for what reason; what is HMSO's policy regarding duplication of publicity information; and if he will make a statement on the cost of duplication by HMSO. [5031]

  Mr. Willetts
  As this question concerns a purely operational matter, I have asked the chief executive of HMSO to write direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Mike Lynn to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 8 December 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your question (No 43N) to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about duplicate mailings from HMSO.
  I am sorry that the Manager of Barton Accessories had to suffer no less than nine envelopes containing identical information, including a letter signed by Steven Norris recommending an HMSO publication.
  As you probably know, it is common commercial practice to buy in mailing lists in order to reach specialised markets. HMSO brought this one, on an electronic disk, from a company specialising in passenger carrying vehicles. It has become clear to us that this particular list contained a number of duplications, and we have complained to the firm about it. They have apologised profusely, and waived all their charges.
  I recognise that this is little consolation to your constituent, but I am grateful to you for bringing the matter to my attention.

  Former Prime Ministers (Funding)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what funding Lady Thatcher continues to receive from Her Majesty's Government for her private office and staff costs; how much she has received to date since she ceased to be a Member of this House; and if he will make a statement. [4488]

  Grade levels 1 to 5 change between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1995

  Departments and their agencies

  Grade 1

  Grade 2

  Grade 3

  Grade 4

  Grade 5

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  —

  -1

  -5

  -4

  -13

  Cabinet Office and Central Statistical Office1

  -3

  -3

  -7

  +4

  -13

  Central Office of Information

  —

  —

  —

  -2

  -3

  HMSO

  —

  —

  -1

  —

  -9

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Treasury1

  -1

  -5

  -1

  +1

  +13

  Customs and Excise

  —

  -1

  -2

  -1

  -13

  Government Actuary

  —

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  Inland Revenue

  —

  -1

  -7

  -16

  -15

  Department of National Savings

  —

  —

  -2

  +2

  -1

  National Investment and Loans Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Registry of Friendly Societies

  —

  +1

  —

  +3

  +5

  Royal Mint

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -2

  Paymaster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Defence

  +1

  -19

  -47

  -20

  -76

  Education and Employment1

  —

  -5

  -6

  +1

  -18

  Environment and National Heritage1

  -1

  -4

  -23

  -10

  -71

  HSE/HSC

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  +2

  Ordnance Survey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  +5

  Office of Water Services2

  —

  —

  +1

  —

  +4

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  -17

  Overseas Development Administration

  —

  -3

  —

  -2

  -1

  Health and Social Security1

  +1

  -2

  -20

  +3

  -26

  490
  Mr. Freeman
  All former Prime Ministers are eligible to receive an allowance to assist them with the continuing heavy burden of office and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is similar in purpose and amount to the parliamentary office costs allowance, but is paid in respect of public, not parliamentary, duties.

  The maximum amount of the allowance available to former Prime Ministers during the current financial year is £42,754, plus £4,275 for contributions to pension schemes of members of staff whose salaries are paid from the allowance.

  I do not think it right to disclose the amounts of this allowance claimed by individual former Prime Ministers, any more than the House discloses details of claims by individual Members under the office costs allowance.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the reduction in the range of departmental responsibilities since 1979; and what staff savings have been made in each Department of State at each level from assistant secretary upwards, including redundancies announced but not yet implemented, together with the reduction in the numbers of Ministers. [4337]

  Mr. Freeman
  Departmental responsibilities are a matter of public record, set out in the relevant edition of the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" and elsewhere.

  Changes between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1995 in the number of staff at each of grade levels 1 to 5 are shown in the table. Organisational and other changes between those dates limit comparability, but some approximate groupings of Departments and agencies have been made. Numbers of planned reductions by grade and method of release are not centrally available.

  There were 82 Ministers, excluding Law Officers and Whips, in January 1979; there are 84 at present.
  491

  Grade levels 1 to 5 change between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1995

  Departments and their agencies

  Grade 1

  Grade 2

  Grade 3

  Grade 4

  Grade 5

  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys

  —

  —

  —

  -1

  -2

  Home Office and HM Prison Service

  —

  -1

  —

  -2

  +37

  Lord Chanceller's Department

  —

  -2

  -9

  +7

  +9

  HM Land Registry

  —

  +1

  +1

  —

  +5

  Public Record Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  +2

  OFLOT2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  +2

  Northern Ireland Office

  —

  —

  —

  +2

  -3

  Scotland

  Scottish Office

  —

  -2

  -8

  +4

  -18

  Scottish Court Service

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  -1

  General Register Office-Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -1

  Registers of Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  +1

  Scottish Record Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trade and Industry and Transport1

  -4

  -12

  -16

  +9

  -4

  ACAS

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  -3

  Office of Electircity Regulation2

  —

  —

  +1

  —

  +6

  Office of Gas Supply2

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  +2

  OPRAF2

  —

  —

  +1

  —

  +6

  Office of the Rail Regulator2

  —

  —

  —

  +1

  +4

  Wales

  Welsh Office

  —

  —

  -1

  +5

  -6

  Other Civil Departments

  Civil Service Pay Research Unit3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -1

  Charity Commission

  —

  —

  -1

  +3

  —

  Crown Estate Office

  —

  —

  -1

  —

  -1

  Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal

  —

  —

  +2

  +5

  +22

  Export Credit Guarantee Department

  —

  —

  -2

  —

  —

  Intervention Board

  —

  —

  +1

  —

  +2

  Legal Secretariat

  —

  +1

  —

  +1

  +4

  Lord Advocate's Department

  —

  —

  +3

  —

  +1

  Office of Fair Trading

  —

  —

  -2

  —

  +1

  Privy Council Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Serious Fraud Ofice2

  —

  +1

  +1

  +1

  +8

  Treasury Solicitor

  —

  —

  —

  +3

  —

  All Departments

  Total numbers 1979

  41

  177

  594

  242

  2,547

  Total numbers 1995

  34

  119

  448

  258

  2,411

  Change

  -7

  -58

  -146

  +16

  -136

  Notes:

  1 Departments involved in major functional changes.

  2 Departments in 1995 with no equivalent in 1979.

  3 Departments in 1979 with no equivalent in 1995.

  HMSO (Privatisation)
  Mr. Derek Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will list the individuals and organisations he has consulted about the implications for the service provided to the House of the proposed privatisation of HMSO; and if he will make a statement; [5252]

  (2) what further consultations he plans about the implications for the service provided to the House of the proposed privatisation of HMSO. [5253]

  Mr. Freeman
  I, my colleagues and officials have consulted management and staff at HMSO, including at the Parliamentary Press, my advisers Coopers and Lybrand and those responsible for the existing arrangements in the House and in the other place on this matter. In addition, I gave evidence on the proposed 492
  privatisation of HMSO to the Finance and Services Committee on 21 November.

  Parliament is HMSO's most important customer and the Government attach great importance to ensuring that all its requirements would be fully met by privatisation. My intention is therefore that all of these consultations would continue throughout any sale process, and I have invited those responsible for the existing arrangements in the House and the other place to be involved in the privatisation, including advising me on the selection of the preferred bidder.

  GP Forms
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many forms relating to general practice he plans to abolish in the next year; and how many of these have been introduced since 1979. [3119]

  Mr. Malone
  I have been asked to reply.
  493
  Implementation of the "Patients not paper" recommendations for fewer, better forms will abolish 20 individual forms, of which three are new since 1979. General practitioners will have to complete about 15 million fewer forms a year as a result.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Data Protection Registrar
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been made by Government Departments to the Data Protection Registrar in the course of the last three years. [3306]

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand from the Data Protection Registrar that information about the number of applications for registration from Government Departments is not readily available. The registrar has, however, identified 802 register entries relating to Government Departments headed by members of the Cabinet or other Ministers. Registration is for a period of three years.

  Asylum and Immigration
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the actual or estimated number of(a) applicants for political asylum in the United Kingdom and (b) persons not applicants but dependent on them, broken down to show those currently residing in (i) Tower Hamlets, (ii) Hackney, (iii) other parts of London, (iv) the west midlands, (v) the west riding, (vi) the north-west, (vii) the north-east and (viii) elsewhere in England and Wales. [4605]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  As at 31 October 1995, 66,655 principal applicants were awaiting an initial decision on their asylum applications. It is estimated that these applicants have approximately 20,000 dependants.

  Information on the places of residence of people currently seeking asylum is not held centrally.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making under his proposals in the Asylum and Immigration Bill to ensure he is regularly briefed on human rights and political conditions in overseas countries, with particular reference to those countries he designates as not giving rise to serious risks of persecutions; and what arrangements he is making to consider representations that certain countries should be(a) included and (b) excluded from such designation. [4610]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Conditions in countries of origin are continuously monitored by the asylum division on the basis of information from a wide range of sources including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non-governmental organisations. We are always prepared to consider representations.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy(a) to publish regularly reports which give profiles of human rights and political conditions prevailing in particular countries, (b) to list those countries on which home country reports are held, (c) to place all home country
  494
  reports and revisions in the Library and (d) to ensure that the reports are available to immigration law practitioners and human rights organisations; and if he will make a statement. [4612]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Asylum applications will continue to be considered on the particular facts of each case. Summary background briefs on Ghana and Nigeria have been sent to the immigration appellate authorities, the Immigration Law Practitioners Association and other interested organisations.

  The Nigeria brief is being updated; when this has been done, both briefs will be placed in the Library and any further such briefs will be made available in the same way.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the official statements and (b) documents other than those contained in the Asylum and Immigration Bill relating to the measures and methods that Her Majesty's Government intend to adopt in respect of current problems of asylum and immigration; and if he will list for each (i) change and (ii) innovation the information his Department has (1) obtained and (2) evaluated relating to its practicality and efficiency. [4745]

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have made available to the House a list of background papers which are relevant to the Asylum and Immigration Bill.

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the Asylum and Immigration Bill; and how many have been in whole or in part opposed to the Bill. [5272]

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have received a substantial amount of correspondence about our asylum and immigration proposals expressing a wide range of views. To date, 43 representations have been received from members of the public in favour of the Asylum and Immigration Bill, and 38 against.

  Exclusion Orders
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders have been withdrawn since August 1994; and under what powers and against whom those exclusion orders were imposed. [4618]

  Mr. Howard
  Forty-one exclusion orders have been revoked or allowed to lapse since 31 August 1994. Thirty-six orders remain in force. All these orders were made under the provisions of part II and schedule 2 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989. It is not our practice to identify those excluded.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the names of the individuals who are currently subject to exclusion orders, (b) their nationality, (c) the parts of the United Kingdom from which they are excluded and (d) under what powers the person was excluded; and if he will make a statement. [4617]

  Mr. Howard
  It is not our practice to identify those excluded, but all those subject to exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 are believed to be citizens of this country or the
  495
  Irish Republic or both. Thirty-two people are currently excluded from Great Britain under the Act, and four from the United Kingdom. None is excluded from Northern Ireland alone. These orders were made under part II and schedule 2 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  Parole Board Hearings
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the parole board will conduct an oral hearing into the applications for release for Irish prisoners who had served 20 years of their sentences by July 1995. [4616]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Discretionary lifer panels of the parole board will hear these cases on 12, 13 and 14 December 1995.

  Fine Defaulters
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons who had defaulted on a fine were jailed in England and Wales during 1994; and what was the average sentence length; [3437]

  (2) how many persons have been jailed in England and Wales following default of a fine to date during 1995. [3438]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about fine defaulters.
  Provisional information shows that 22,469 people were received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of a fine in 1994. The average time imposed was around 18 days.
  Provisional information for January-October 1995 shows that 17,650 people were received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of a fine.
  On 31 October 1995, the last available date for which figures are available, there were 414 fine defaulters in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of(a) members of staff and (b) other officially approved visitors to prisons in England and Wales who have been caught seeking to take illegal drugs into prisons in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [4500]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated II December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of (a) members of staff and (b) other officially approved
  496
  visitors to prisons in England and Wales who have been caught seeking to take illegal drugs into prisons in each of the last three years.
  The information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a person convicted of attempting to smuggle drugs into a prison in England and Wales is allowed to make visits to prison inmates. [4504]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about whether a person convicted in attempting to smuggle drugs into a prison in England and Wales is allowed to make visits to prison inmates.
  Guidance on visits policy is contained in Rules 33, 34 and 37A of the Prison Rules and corresponding Rules 10, 11 and 13 of the Young Offender Institution Rules. Standing Order 5A and Circular Instruction 11/1991 to governors sets out in more detail the arrangements which should apply.
  There is no blanket policy to refuse permission for persons convicted of smuggling drugs into prisons to visit prisoners in prisons in England and Wales. It would be extremely difficult to enforce any such policy and it would be prohibitively costly for the Prison Service to extend the vetting procedures already in force for persons applying to visit category A prisoners to all family and friends wishing to visit prisoners throughout the prison estate. However, governors already have discretion to refuse visits on the grounds of security, good order or discipline, or in the interests of the prevention or discouragement of crime. A governor may use this discretion where a visitor is recognised to he an ex-prisoner convicted of drug offences or other serious crimes, or someone known to be involved with drugs or has already been found trying to smuggle illicit substances into a prison visits area. Alternatively, where security or control considerations require, the governor can stipulate that a closed visits room or visits box is used.
  Under the arrangements for category A prisoners, prospective visitors are invited to complete a form and to submit two passport photographs. The local police force is asked to verify the photograph, to make checks concerning previous convictions and to provide any other information which may be of importance in relation to security. Previous convictions, by themselves, do not automatically preclude approval of an application but discretion can be exercised given all the known facts.
  The Learmont report into prison security makes a number of recommendations to improve the supervision of visits for prisoners. These are under consideration. In addition, mandatory closed visits were introduced in June this year for those few prisoners who are category A exceptional risk. As part of its drugs strategy programme, the Prison Service intends to conduct a pilot study in a sample of prisons making it mandatory to impose a closed visit for any person found using or trafficking in drugs.

  Departmental Employees Statistics
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those(a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3968]

  Mr. Howard
  For information on consultants employed by my Department relating to the financial year 1994–95, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for
  497
  Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 12 July 1995, Official Report, column 597. For information prior to 1994–95, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Darlington on 23 March 1994, Official Report, column 1223, by my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Mr. Wardle), the then Under-Secretary of State, for the Home Department.

  A list of outside organisations employed by the Department since 1990 and the purpose of their employment as well as total payment made to them could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  For information on individual employees, copies of the civil service staff in post summary tables for 1990 through to 1995 can be found in the Library. Each employee is involved in assisting the Department to attain its aims and objectives as set out in the departmental report. Pay bill figures for individuals employed by the Department are as follows.

  Year (Outturn)

  £million

  1990–91

  886

  1991–92

  986

  1992–93

  1,104

  1993–94

  1,115

  1994–951

  1,182

  1Estimated outturn.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female remand prisoners in each year since 1991 were single mothers; how many of these subsequently received a custodial sentence in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4300]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking how many female remand prisoners were single mothers; how many of these subsequently received a custodial sentence in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.
  No information is held centrally on this subject. However, a study of mothers in prison was conducted in November 1994 by the Home Office Research and Planning Unit. 470 remanded women (unconvicted and unsentenced) were interviewed. Of these, 75 (16 per cent) were single mothers.
  No information is available about the number of remanded single mothers who subsequently received a custodial sentence.

  Mr. Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time spent on remand in custody by(a) male and (b) female defendants before trial in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4299]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  498
  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the average time spent on remand in custody by (a) male and (b) female defendants before trial in each year since 1991.
  This information was provided in a written answer to Mr Jim Cunningham MP (Coventry South East) on 5 December (Col 210).

  Mr. Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of the prison population in England and Wales who had not been sentenced to imprisonment but were awaiting(a) trial or sentencing, (b) trial and (c) sentencing on 1 January 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively; and if he will make a statement. [4297]

  Missz Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the total number of the prison population in England and Wales who had not been sentenced to imprisonment but were awaiting (a) trial or sentencing, (b) trial and (c) sentencing on the 1st January 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively.
  The available information relates to the remand population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December in all years since 1990.

  Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments1 England and Wales on 31 December 1990–1994

  On 31 December

  Untried

  Convicted unsentenced

  All remand

  1990

  7,444

  1,598

  9,042

  1991

  8,184

  1,697

  9,881

  1992

  6,718

  1,772

  8,490

  1993

  8,388

  2,375

  10,763

  1994

  8,771

  2,709

  11,480

  1Includes those held in police cells.The population at the end of the year is depressed by the christmas/new year holiday; the magnitude and timing of the temporary effect can vary from year to year.

  Mr. Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of(a) male, (b) female and (c) all remand prisoners on the 1 January of each year since 1991; how many in each case (i) did and (ii) did not receive a custodial sentence; and if he will make a statement. [4309]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter front A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking what was the total number of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all remand prisoners on the 1st January of each year since 1991; how many in each case (i) did and (ii) did not receive a custodial sentence.

  499
  The available information relates to the remand population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December in each year since 1990.
  Information on the outcome at court for these prisoners is not available. Details of the outcome at court for remand receptions are given in table 2.5 of the 1993 edition of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales", Cm 2893, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of(a) male, (b) female and (c) all prisoners in England and Wales on 1 January of each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4308]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what was the total number of (a) male and (b) female and (c) all prisoners in England and Wales on the 1st of January each year since 1991.
  The available information relates to the population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December for each year since 1990.

  Muhammed Naviede
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the(a) closed and (b) open prisons Muhammed Naviede has been held in since his prison sentence was imposed; [4502]

  (2) which body is funding the private medical treatment being given to prison inmate Mohammed Naviede at St. Thomas's hospital, London; what has been the weekly cost of treatment; and when it is expected to conclude; [4501]

  (3) what has been the number of prison officers and the hours they have spent guarding Mohammed Naviede, while at St. Thomas's hospital; what has been the total cost to date; and who is responsible for paying this cost. [4503]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 11 December 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about Mr Mohammed Naviede, who is at Brixton prison.
  Mr. Naviede was convicted and sentenced on 7 July for fraud. Since this date he has been detained at Brixton prison and no decisions have been made to transfer him to open conditions.
  Mr. Naviede was admitted to St. Thomas's Hospital as a NHS patient on 30 August. He elected to have the private treatment available at this hospital. The costs of the private care were not met by the Prison Service and we are, therefore, unable to comment upon who paid for the medical treatment and what the weekly costs were.
  500
  Mr. Naviede was at St. Thomas's Hospital until 18 September. Prison officers guarded him for the entire period. A total of six prison officers were deployed for each 24 hour period in line with standard security practice.
  The Prison Service is responsible for paying for the staffing costs involved in the escort and guarding of prisoners. Approximately £11,500 was spent on staffing resources for this period. The same costs would have been incurred had Mr. Naviede received National Health Service treatment.

  Director General of the Prison Service
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to appoint a permanent Director General of the Prison Service; and what procedures have been instituted to vet applicants for the post of Director General of the Prison Service; [3262]

  (2) what criteria will be used to judge applicants for the post of Director General of the Prison Service; and what priority will be accorded to independence of judgment. [3263]

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 5 December 1995,Official Report, column 204.

  EU Research and Development
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the indicative contributions to the EU budget in respect of research and development for his Department in 1993–94. [1912]

  Mr. Howard
  Table 2.1 of the statistical supplement to "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology 1995" contains indicative figures for the United Kingdom's contributions to the European Community budget in respect of research and development. Departments' policy responsibilities arc subject to change and can vary from year to year. My Department currently has an 0.07 per cent. share of the indicative contribution of the United Kingdom in respect of this part of the Community's budget.

  Ministerial Broadcasts
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions during the parliamentary Session 1994–95 when he gave broadcast interviews on radio or television in respect of his ministerial responsibilities, indicating for each date and the main topic under headings of(a) the BBC Radio 4 "Today" programme, (b) other sound broadcasts and (c) television broadcasts. [4467]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 6 December 1995]: During the parliamentary Session 1994–95 I gave a great many broadcast interviews in response to requests from the media. These interviews covered a wide range of Home Office responsibilities.

  Detailed information is not available in the form requested.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Income
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what income is received annually by the Church Commissioners from non-church building based congregations. [3323]

  Mr. Alison
  The commissioners do not receive income directly from congregations. They do receive income from dioceses towards clergy stipends, which is then paid out directly to clergy with their monthly stipend payments. This income is mainly derived from parishes, but the commissioners have no information on individual parish contributions to such sums.

  Turnbull Commission
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Church Commissioners will be making to Lambeth palace concerning the report of the Turnbull commission on the future of the Church of England. [3325]

  Mr. Alison
  The commissioners welcome the aim of improving the machinery of the Church at national level in support of the ministry and mission to the whole nation and look forward to taking a constructive part in the debate on the Turnbull report and its vision.

  The board of governors has identified three key principles which need to be safeguarded in the planning and implementation of the proposed structures. These are:

  (i) the important Church/state link, which is exemplified in the commissioners' constitution, in recognition that the Church of England is the established Church;

  (ii) the impartiality which the commissioners deliver in the discharge of many of their responsibilities, especially those under the Pastoral Measure 1983; and

  (iii) the need within the timetable for adequate consultation and detailed planning to ensure that any change is right for the Church and delivers a national service as good as, or better than, that provided now.

  Arising from these principles are a number of important matters which will need to be addressed including the protection and handling of the commissioners' charitable responsibilities and the interplay between asset management and distribution, for example, the balance between their pensions liabilities and the support of the active ministry.

  These concerns have been transmitted to the archbishops orally and in writing. In addition, the commissioners are represented on the archbishops' advisory group which is following up the Turnbull report.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the 502
  consequences of the proposals of Her Majesty's Government concerning arrangements for asylum and immigration to cease to pay existing benefit to certain categories of person after 8 January 1996, on the administration and finances of local authorities for support of families with children required by section 17 of the Children Act 1989. [4613]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  Proposals on social security payments to asylum seekers and other persons from abroad were presented to the Social Security Advisory Committee on 11 October. The committee has carried out a public consultation on these proposals and has received representations from many individuals and organisations, including housing associations and local authorities. The committee has evaluated those responses and we are currently studying its report. The effect on local authority responsibilities under the Children Act will be taken into account in the preparation of the Government's reply.

  European Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November,Official Report,column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5069]

  Mr. Burt
  It is the policy of this Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the UK. We take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.

  Survey on Women, Pensions and Divorce
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to publish the DSS-commissioned survey on women, pensions and divorce. [4990]

  Mr. Heald
  We expect to receive the final draft reports by the end of March 1996 and will publish the findings soon afterwards. Preliminary results of the research should be available to the Department by the end of this year.

  Maternity Grant
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many maternity grants from the social fund were paid out in each quarter of 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995, in each region of the United Kingdom. [5144]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  Information is available by area directorate only and will be placed in the Library. Information about Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Child Care Disregard
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was his Department's original estimate for the numbers of lone parents who would he eligible for the child care disregard in 1995–96; and how many lone parents are currently receiving the child care disregard.[5271]
  503
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  As at 31 July 1995, 19,000 lone parents were receiving the child care disregard.1

  Original estimates were that, in the long run, 150,000 families would gain from the new help. Provision was made in the expenditure forecasts based on around 100,000 gainers from the child care disregard in 1995–96 of whom the majority were lone parents. This estimate recognised the uncertainty of behavioural effects and the pace at which they occur. These effects are occurring more slowly than anticipated. We regularly revise our estimates in the light of new data.
  1Source: Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.

TREASURY

  Civil Service Accounting Practices
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to review civil service accounting practices. [3308]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government are implementing resource accounting and budgeting across Government Departments. Details are set out in the White Paper "Better Accounting for the Taxpayer's Money", Cm 2929, published in July 1995.

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the overshoot or undershoot in the public sector borrowing requirement in each year since 1992 with respect to the Red Book estimate for(a) the subsequent year up to 1996–97 and (b) two years up to 1997–98. [5145]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The table gives the requested figures.

  Forecast and outturn figures for the public sector borrowing requirement

  £billion

  Source

  Period

  Forecast

  Outturn

  Error

  FSBR March 1992

  1992–93

  28.1

  36.3

  -8.2

  1993–94

  32

  45.4

  -13.4

  FSBR March 1993

  1993–94

  50.1

  45.4

  4.7

  1994–95

  44

  35.9

  8.1

  FSBR November 1993

  1994–95

  37.9

  35.9

  2.0

  1995–96

  30

  —

  —

  FSBR November 1994

  1995–96

  21.5

  —

  —

  1996–97

  13

  —

  —

  FSBR November 1995

  1996–97

  22.4

  —

  —

  1997–98

  15

  —

  —

  Note:

  The November 1994 FSBR figures are those published in the revised tables, January 1995, following the decision to leave the rate of VAT on domestic fuel and power at 8 per cent. and the further Budget measures announced on 8 December 1994.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of families with 504
  children with taxable incomes below the income tax threshold but above the lower earnings limit for national insurance; and if he will estimate the number of families with children who pay tax only at the lower rate. [79]

  Mr. Jack
  It is estimated that in 1995–96 about 250,000 families with children—defined as single parents and married couples with children—have no income tax liability but pay national insurance contributions. This figure includes people who have earnings for only part of the financial year. About 400,000 families with children are liable to income tax only at the lower rate. The estimates are based on information projected form the 1993 family expenditure survey and are therefore provisional.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the disposable income of households in(a) the lowest decile and (b) the highest decile, in 1994–95, for households with (i) one adult, (ii) one adult, two or more children, (iii) one man, one woman and one child, (iv) one man, one woman and two children, (v) one man, one woman and three children, (vi) two adults, four or more children, (vii) three adults, one or more children and (viii) four adults, one or more children, following table 34 in the Central Statistical Office family spending report for 1992. [5009]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The deciles for 1994–95 corresponding to those in table 34 of the report on the family expenditure survey for 1992 are given in the table. The figures are estimates from the FES, and are subject to sampling variations. The figures have been rounded to the nearest pound.

  Average weekly disposable income (£)

  Lowest decile point

  Highest decile point

  One adult

  62

  302

  One adult, two or more children

  87

  242

  One man, one woman and one child

  141

  604

  One man, one woman and two children

  194

  662

  One man, one woman and three children

  145

  593

  Two adults, four or more children

  1—

  1—

  Three adults, one or more children

  246

  688

  Four adults, one or more children

  1—

  1—

  1Figures are not available as there are too few households in the sample to provide reliable estimates.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the disposable income of households in(a) lowest decile and (b) the highest decile in 1994–95 in actual terms per week, and as a percentage of the median for (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Greater London, following table 34 in the CSO family spending report for 1992. [4958]

  Mrs. Knight
  The deciles for 1994–95 corresponding to those in table 34 of the report on the family expenditure survey for 1992 are given in the table. The figures are estimates from the FES, and are subject to sampling variations. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10p.
  505

  Average weekly disposable income (£)

  As a percentage of the median

  Lowest decile

  Highest decile

  Median

  Lowest decile

  Highest decile

  United Kingdom

  76.40

  565.10

  247.60

  30.9

  228.2

  Greater London

  75.50

  698.90

  265.10

  28.5

  263.6

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to table 9.7, how many adults in retired households participating in the family expenditure survey for 1994–95 were(a) dependent only on state pensions/income support and (b) dependent on state, occupational or personal private pensions from two or more sources; what was the average value of that income by gross income decile group; and what was the average weekly amount. [5011]

  Mrs. Knight
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to remove the obligation on individuals to produce a certificate in order to qualify for VAT on fuel at the rate of 8 per cent. for domestic users; and if he will make a statement. [5250]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many estates in each county in England were allowed conditional exemption from inheritance tax on grounds of public access to land for the most recent year for which figures are available. [3782]

  Mr. Jack
  In 1994–95 there were 18 estates in the United Kingdom where land and buildings were designated and given conditional exemption.

  A breakdown of this total by county would identify counties where there were fewer than five designations. As this would compromise the normal rules on taxpayer confidentiality, I regret that I cannot provide the information requested.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward the date for the introduction of the new inheritance tax threshold to the date of his Budget statement.[4491]

  Mr. Jack
  The proposed increase in the inheritance tax threshold replaces the much smaller increase which would otherwise be due under statutory indexation from 6 April 1996.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the average real rate of interest for each year since 1975. [4330]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Real interest rates can be calculated in a number of ways, depending on the choice of nominal interest rate and the measure of inflation. Table 47 of "Economic Trends" annual supplement, Central Statistical Office, gives a number of possible 506
  measures of the nominal interest rate. Figures for various measures of inflation can be calculated from data in the same CSO publication.

  Import Penetration
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the figure for import penetration for all the manufactured items covered by table 15.10 of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics". [4749]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The 1994 information is being prepared for publication and will be included in the December issue of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics".

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Government monitor imports of manufactures; what is the target for publication of figures for import penetration in the "Monthly Digest of Statistics"; what has been recent performance against target; and if he will make a statement. [4558]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]The Government use a range of figures to monitor the imports of manufactures. For example, aggregate figures on the imports of manufactures are published each month by the Central Statistical Office in the first releases on the balance of UK visible trade. More detailed statistics on trade with non-EC countries are published monthly in Business Monitor MM20, with corresponding statistics on trade with EC countries published quarterly in Business Monitor MQ20, both of which are published by HM Customs and Excise.

  The CSO aims to make all data available in the public domain as soon as possible. The import penetration figures are published in the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" on this basis. The 1994 data will be published in the December issue; this issue will include a number of presentational improvements since the previous publication.

  Home Income Plans
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current tax relief on mortgage interest for home income plans. [4956]

  Mr. Jack
  Tax relief for interest paid by someone over 65 who takes out a loan, secured on his or her home, to buy a life annuity—often called a home income plan—is given at the basic rate of income tax. This is currently 25 per cent.

  VAT (Energy Efficiency and Supply)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the reasons for imposing different rates of VAT on energy efficiency and energy supply. [5013]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Any extension of the existing unique reduced rate of VAT on energy supply would add to the burden on business in the administration and collection of VAT. Moreover, adjustment to the VAT
  507
  structure by way of a reduced rate for certain goods would be an inefficient means of addressing an objective such as energy efficiency.

  Building Societies Acts
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the draft legislation on the reform of the Building Societies Acts; how long the consultative period will be; and if he will make a statement. [4846]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The Government intend to publish a draft Building Societies Bill for three months' consultation early in the new year, with the aim of introducing new legislation during the life of this Parliament. The draft Bill will amend the Building Societies Act 1986.

  Stamp Duty (Houses)
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield in the last available financial year from stamp duty in respect of house sale and purchase. [4962]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The yield from stamp duty on residential property in 1994–95 is estimated at £520 million.

  Homeworking
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the amount of homeworking in Lancashire.

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  This information is not at present readily available. All the information collected in the labour force survey will be released at county level following the publication of the full summer 1995 results in December 1995. However, the LFS includes questions about homeworking only in the spring and autumn quarters, so the information requested will not be available until the autumn 1995 results are published in March 1996.

  External Trade Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to restore the annual supplement to the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics". [4559]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]The "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" is the responsibility of the Central Statistical Office which has no plans to produce annual supplements to this publication.

  Residential Care Costs
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of elderly people who will not now sell their homes to pay for long-term care. [4858]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: Clearly the measures that my right hon. and learned
  508
  Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget will benefit a large number of people. Raising to £16,000 the level of assets below which people can get some help for long-term care, and increasing to £10,000 the level below which they make no contribution at all, will help all those of modest means who need long-term care.

ENVIRONMENT

  OECD Report
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of Stae for the Environment what assessment he has made of the 1993 OECD report on environmental policies and competitiveness. [1154]

  Mr. Clappison
  I have noted the OECD report with interest. It is a balanced report which examines a number of important issues. We remain committed to promoting the use of economic instruments to achieve our environmental goals, where this is appropriate. In the case of the landfill tax we have used the revenues raised by an environmental tax to reduce other distortionary taxes on employment. However, in considering the scope for new environmental taxes it is important to judge each case on its merits.

  Process Guidance Notes
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account was taken of the effects on environmental technology manufacturers, of the postponement of the upgrading deadlines in process guidance notes PG 6/7(91), PG 6/8(91), PG 6/13(91), PG 6/14(91), PG 6/15(91), PG 6/16(92), PG 6/18(92), PG 6/22(92), PG 6/28(92) and PG 6/32(92). [3107]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 29 November 1995]: The deferral of the upgrading deadlines for all the listed process guidance notes will allow time for a thorough review; the Department was conscious of potential effects on environment technology manufactures.

  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment what independent assessment he received of the cost estimates provided to his Department by the industry sectors directly affected by process guidance notes PG 6/7 (91), PG 6/8 (91), PG 6/13 (91), PG 6/14 (91), PG 6/15 (91), PG 6/16 (92), PG 6/18 (92), PG 6/22 (92), PG 6/28 (92) and PG 6/32 (92); and by whom such assessments were made. [3124]

  Mr. Jones
  All the listed process guidance notes, published in 1991–92, were drafted by environmental health officers seconded to the Department who took account of all information provided by industry consultees. The notes are now being reviewed and any cost estimates received will be carefully assessed. In particular, account will be taken of two studies being undertaken by consultants for my Department and for the Department of Trade and Industry into the costs of reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds from solvent-using industrial sectors.

  Housing Associations (Tax Changes)
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment (1) what discussions he has held with(a) local authorities considering a large-scale voluntary transfer of housing and (b) non-charitable housing associations set up as a consequence of a large-scale voluntary transfer proposal about the potential impact on their business plans of his proposal to withdraw tax relief grant in April 1997; [4280]

  (2) what consideration he gave to the impact on housing association rents of his proposal to withdraw tax relief grant from non-charitable housing associations; [4238]

  (3) what assumptions he has made about the number of non-charitable housing associations which may alter their constitution and seek charitable status as a consequence of his proposal to withdraw tax relief grant in April 1997; [4279]

  (4) what consultation he has undertaken with non-charitable housing associations, their tenants, their lenders and other interested parties before deciding to discontinue their entitlement to tax relief grant; [4277]

  (5) what discussions he has held with large-scale voluntary transfer housing associations about the potential impact on their business plans of the proposed withdrawal of tax relief grant in April 1997. [4281]

  Mr. Curry
  In deciding that tax relief grant for non-charitable housing associations should be discontinued from April 1997, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, the Government were aware that withdrawal would in many cases necessitate some adjustment to their business plans and finances. The Government none the less took the view that it was not appropriate for non-charitable associations to continue to have this financial benefit in the context of the Government's proposals to allow other bodies to compete for funds to support the provision of social housing.

  My Department will be talking in detail to the National Federation of Housing Associations and other bodies concerned about the proposals.

  Decisions on whether to seek charitable status are a matter for individual associations. Housing associations' rents depend on many factors, including the efficiency of their development and upkeep of property, and their management costs.

  Sheffield City Council
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total number of planning applications made by Sheffield city council for each of the last three years and the total number of public inquiries for each application; how many he has called in; and if he will make a statement. [4099]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Department does not collect separate information on applications made by local authorities. However, Sheffield city council has provided the following figures on applications made by it:

  1992–93 (from mid-July): 42

  1993–94: 74

  1994–95: 72.

  510
  No Sheffield city council applications have been called in during these three years and no public inquiries have therefore been held.

  Green Belt
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further guidance he has given on PPG2 to local authorities to define the criteria for redesignation of green belt land. [4086]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We have not published any further planning policy guidance on green belts since the revised PPG2 was issued earlier this year. Green belt boundaries can be altered only in exceptional circumstances.

  Planning Applications
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total number of planning applications for each of the last five years; how many in each year have been called in; if he will express those called in as percentage of the total number each year; what criteria are used for calling in by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [4087]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information requested is as follows (England figures):

  Applications received

  Applications called in

  Percentage of applications called in

  1990–91

  530,358

  132

  0.02

  1991–92

  508,948

  140

  0.03

  1992–93

  461,982

  101

  0.02

  1993–94

  479,409

  99

  0.02

  1994–95

  479,188

  167

  0.03

  My right hon. Friend's policy for calling in planning applications is set out in the reply he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham (Mr. Merchant) on 26 January 1995, Official Report, columns 314–15.

  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department has issued to local authorities to ensure full public awareness of planning applications lodged; and if he will make a statement. [4085]

  Mr. Jones
  Advice to local authorities on publicising planning applications is given in the Department's circular 15/92.

  Regional Offices
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to harmonise the terms and conditions of employees' working in the integrated regional offices who are employed by different Departments. [4507]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The four Departments responsible for the government offices in the regions are seeking as far as possible to harmonise personnel management practices in the offices and are discussing proposals with management staff and the trade unions.
  511
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the total number of staff in each regional government office on(a) 1 October 1994 and (b) 1 October 1995; and in each case how many of those staff held temporary promotions. [4319]

  1 October 1994

  1 October 1995

  Government office

  Number of staff on temporary promotion

  Number of staff

  Number of staff

  Number of staff on temporary promotion

  NE

  308

  27

  297

  30

  NW

  355

  8

  323

  8

  YH

  338

  37

  318

  45

  M

  165

  —

  169

  1

  WM

  351

  33

  326

  31

  EM

  264

  25

  233

  18

  ER

  189

  14

  184

  16

  SW

  247

  25

  251

  23

  SE

  231

  12

  220

  14

  L

  340

  10

  323

  17

  Vehicle Pollution
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are currently involved in the research into pollution from fuel emissions with particular reference to the emissions of PM10s; and if he will make a statement. [3302]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Departments of the Environment and of Transport have established a collaborative programme of research with industry into emissions of PM10 from vehicles. The aim of the first part of the programme was to design a test methodology and a measurement programme for PM10 in vehicular exhaust. This was achieved through the participation of experts from over 25 organisations in the project, including the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, individual companies and universities. The second phase will measure the emissions of PM10 from a variety of road transport vehicles. My Department has also established a programme to measure emissions of PM10 from industrial sources. Results from both these research programmes are expected in 1996–97.

  Climate Change Panel
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the inclusion of practitioners' cost-benefit analysis in the intergovernmental panel on climate change on the public perception of the scientific objectivity of the panel. [3747]

  Mr. Clappison
  The contribution of cost-benefit analysis to the assessment of man-made climate change is only one of the many issues being addressed by the intergovernmental panel on climate change. The second assessment report is to be considered at a meeting of the panel in Rome from 11 to 15 December.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make it his policy for United Kingdom representatives at the intergovernmental panel on climate change meeting in Rome from 11 to 15 December, to oppose the inclusion in the IPCC's second assessment report of cost-benefit analysis material based
  512
  Sir Paul Beresford
  The table shows total numbers of staff in each of the government offices on(a) 1 October 1994 and (b) 1 October 1995. It also shows how many of those staff held temporary promotions at those dates.

  on differing values for the lives of people in richer and poorer countries. [3748]

  Mr. Clappison
  Reservations on the cost-benefit analysis of climate change involving the differential evaluation of a statistical life are already reflected in the summary for policy makers of the report of WGIII of the IPCC, which was approved in Montreal in October.

  The meeting of the intergovernmental panel on climate change in Rome, 11 to 15 December, will consider the policy maker's summaries to all three working group reports, and agree an overall executive summary.

  Newham (Funding)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 1343, concerning the funding of the London borough of Newham, he will make a statement on the areas, or total, of overspending referred to in his answer. [4704]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My right hon. Friend was explaining to the hon. Member that under our provisional capping criteria Newham's permitted budget increase for 1996–97 is less than that of Westminster because Newham's budget this year is some 1.3 per cent. above its standard spending assessment whereas Westminster's is some 12 per cent. below.

  Our proposals for 1996–97 mean that Newham's SSA per head will be one of the highest in the country. If it decides that spending on education should be below the amount which we have made available, that is a matter for it.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the planned financial allocation in the financial year 1995–96 in respect of each housing action trust; and in each case, what proportion of total housing action trust spending these allocations represent; [4826]
  513
  (2) what has been the annual financial allocation to each housing action trust in each year since their start; and, in each case, what proportion of total housing action trust spending these allocations represent. [4827]

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Housing action trust

  Grant-in-aid £million

  Percentage of gross expenditure

  Grant-in-aid £million

  Percentage of gross expenditure

  Grant-in-aid £million

  Percentage of gross expenditure

  Grant-in-aid £million

  Percentage of gross expenditure

  Estimated Grant-in-aid –million

  Percentage of estimated gross expenditure

  Castle Vale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.3

  100

  6.4

  55

  12.0

  68

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  0.2

  100

  16.0

  83

  13.7

  71

  18.0

  78

  North Hull

  9.8

  98

  14.5

  93

  26.5

  94

  27.4

  91

  17.0

  84

  Stonebridge

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.9

  100

  3.0

  60

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.6

  100

  6.9

  71

  10.0

  81

  Waltham Forest

  0.3

  95

  11.8

  78

  25.0

  98

  36.7

  94

  30.0

  90

  Total

  10.1

  98

  26.5

  86

  78.4

  93

  92.0

  83

  90.0

  81

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the estimated total cost to public funds of each housing action trust completing its agreed programmes, giving the figures(a) in total and (b) for each trust. [4828]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  For North Hull housing action trust, the total cost to public funds is estimated to be about £115 million. For the other trusts, the estimated costs to public funds of the housing development and/or refurbishment programmes envisaged in the studies preceding the establishment of each HAT were as follows:

  Housing action trust

  Date established

  Estimated development cost £ million

  Castle Vale

  1993

  130

  Liverpool

  1993

  130

  Stonebridge

  1994

  100

  Tower Hamlets

  1993

  65–85

  Waltham Forest

  1992

  160–170

  The trusts and my Department are currently reviewing estimates of trusts' lifetimes, costs and the balance of their funding in the light of updated assessments of their housing and other regeneration activities and the scope for engaging private finance to help meet their objectives. We plan to complete these reviews during 1996–97.

  Building Research Establishment
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which consultancy group has been appointed to advise him on the privatisation of the Building Research Establishment; what are its terms of reference; when it will report; and which organisations are being consulted. [4809]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 30 November 1995,Official Report, column 799, in which I stated that PA Consulting had been appointed to advise on the options for transferring the Building Research Establishment to the private
  514
  Sir Paul Beresford
  The grant in aid allocations to each housing action trust and the percentages these represent of each trust's total expenditure in each year from their start, including estimates for 1995–96, are as follows:

  sector. I also refer her to the answer which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State (Sir P. Beresford) gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich on 21 November 1995, Official Report, column 93, indicating that he had placed in the Library a copy of the specification issued to all the consultants invited to tender.

  The consultants have been asked to report by 31 January 1996. They are at present finalising a list of organisations whom they propose to consult. I shall write to the hon. Member when their list is complete.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities with regard to a hedgerow evaluation system against which the most important hedges could be evaluated and retained under the Environment Act 1995; and if he will make a statement on how he proposes local authorities fund the administration of such hedgerow schemes. [5029]

  Mr. Clappison
  Before introducing a scheme for the protection of important hedgerows under the Environment Act 1995, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is required to consult all interested bodies, including those representing local authorities, on the detailed arrangements. As part of that exercise, we shall consult on the criteria to be used by local authorities in order to identify those important hedgerows which should be retained on the grounds of their historical importance or their values to the wildlife or landscape of an area; and on a system for evaluating hedges against these criteria. Before reaching decisions on the overall level of the local government finance settlement for 1996–97, the Secretary of State has taken into consideration any new financial burdens on local authorities, as well as potential efficiency savings.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the single regeneration budget; when he will he announcing the
  515
  results of the second bidding round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund; and if he will make a statement. [5596]

  Mr. Curry
  The single regeneration budget is making an unprecedented contribution to local regeneration. Resources for the single regeneration budget for 1996–97 and the two subsequent years will total nearly £3.8 billion. Of that total, over £1.3 billion will go to support schemes approved under the challenge fund. The remainder will support on-going initiatives and existing commitments under programmes taken into the single regeneration budget including English Partnerships, urban development corporations, housing action trusts, city challenge and estate action.

  Round 1 of the challenge fund, under which some 200 schemes were approved, started in April 1995. These schemes stand to attract, over their lifetime of up to seven years, some £1.1 billion in challenge fund support, and some £2.5 billion in private sector investment.

  Round 2 of the challenge fund built on the success of round 1 and has attracted a wide range of high quality bids. We have decided to approve 172 bids. Many of those were unsuccessful in round 1 and were greatly improved and successfully resubmitted by local partnerships for round 2. On initial estimates, the successful bids should attract over their lifetime over £1 billion in challenge fund support, and some £2.5 billion in private sector investment. Details of the successful individual bids will be published tomorrow, and will be placed in the Library of the House and circulated to hon. Members.

  Taken together, the schemes approved under rounds 1 and 2 of the challenge fund should create or safeguard 500,000 jobs, support over 80,000 new businesses, complete or improve nearly 170,000 homes and support over 20,000 voluntary and community groups. Over a third of these schemes are specifically directed towards ethnic minority communities.

  Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement, provision totalling £250 million has been made for third and fourth rounds of the challenge fund. The third round will operate on the same lines as round 2. It will be launched next year for schemes starting from April 1997, with planned resources of £50 million in 1997–98 and £150 million in 1998–99. Resources for later years will be determined in the light of subsequent public expenditure settlements.

  Waste Strategy
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the waste strategy for England and Wales. [5657]

  Mr. Gummer
  The waste White Paper, "Making Waste Work: A strategy for sustainable waste management in England and Wales", will be published on 12 December. It builds on the ideas set out in the sustainable development strategy, published in January 1994. The strategy aims to improve the way we manage our waste. Only by taking responsibility for the waste we produce can we ensure that our environment is protected both now and for future generations.
  516
  Copies will be available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue a further draft of statutory guidance to the Environment Agency on its objectives, including the contribution it is to make towards the achievement of sustainable development. [5658]

  Mr. Clappison
  Together with my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is today issuing for consultation a draft of the statutory guidance which we must give to the Environment Agency about its objectives and about the contribution which it can make towards achieving the goal of sustainable development. To put that guidance in context, we are also issuing a more general document which restates the principles of sustainable development and offers a commentary on the duty which the agency has to take account of likely costs and benefits, including those to the environment.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many wind farms currently operate in the United Kingdom; and how many are planned over the next three years. [4715]

  Mr. Page
  I have been asked to reply.

  At 30 September 1995, 37 wind projects, including 28 wind farms, were operating in the United Kingdom through contracts made under the first two renewables non-fossil fuel obligation orders for England and Wales, the first Northern Ireland NFFO order and the first Scottish renewables order—SRO. Up to three more wind farms are likely to become operational under NI-NFFO 1. The second NI-NFFO order has yet to be made. It is too early to estimate how many more wind farms under SRO-1 will become operational.

  Of the 31 wind farm contracts made under NFFO 3 for England and Wales, about 20 are expected bo be commissioned; none is yet operating. In addition, 24 smaller wind projects under 1.6 MW DNC were offered NFFO contracts, none of which has yet been commissioned.

  I announced in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 2 November 1995, Official Report, columns 441–44, the proposals for a fourth NFFO order for England and Wales for a further 400 to 500 MW of renewables-generated electricity. As part of these proposals, the Government are considering separate bands for new generating stations including one for wind power split into two bands catering for large wind farms and for small cluster/single machines. The order is expected to be made in 1997. Also on 2 November 1995 I announced proposals for a second Scottish renewables order for 70 to 80 MW of renewables-generated electricity. As part of these proposals, the Government arc considering four separate bands for generating stations including one for wind power. The order is expected to he made in 1996.

HEALTH

  Occupational Health
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated as to the effectiveness of occupational health programmes in the workplace leading to (i) greater productivity, (ii) less sick leave, (iii) higher rates of retention of staff and (iv) better working relationships; and if he will make a statement. [3753]

  Mr. Horam
  Health promotion is one aspect of occupational health which falls to the Department. The Department of Health set up the workplace task force which evaluated the available research on health promotion programmes in the workplace. As a result, last month the Department published a resource pack for employers and will shortly be setting up a workplace health advisory team which will assist small and medium-sized firms to provide health promotion in the workplace.

  Departmental Employees
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those(a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3959]

  Mr. Horam
  Information about each consultant and outside organisation employed by the Department of Health since 1990 and the total payments to them could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of individuals employed by the Department are contained in the civil service staff post summary tables, copies of which are available in the Library. Staffing costs since 1990 can be found in the relevant copies of the departmental report.

  The purpose of employing consultants, outside organisations and individuals was and is to assist the Department in achieving its aims and objectives as set out in the departmental reports.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all health authorities with effect from 1 April 1996. [4063]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Atkinson) on 23 November,Official Report, column 331, concerning the new health authorities.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the budget for each health authority in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96. [4966]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: 1994–95 final revenue cash limits and 1995–96 initial revenue cash limits for each district health authority will be placed in the Library.

  Breast Cancer
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on breast cancer research in each year since 1989–90 by the Government. [4004]
  518
  Mr. Malone
  The figures are shown in the table:

  Thousands

  1990–91

  3,220

  1991–92

  2,139

  1992–93

  3,791

  1993–94

  3,948

  1994–95

  4,284

  Committee on Safety of Medicines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) at what date and time the Committee on Safety of Medicines met to consider safety issues relating to the third generation oral contraceptive; [4301]

  (2) at what date and time papers relating to potential safety concerns about third generation oral contraceptives were first made available to all members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [4302]

  Mr. Malone
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines met on Friday 13 October at 10 am to consider the issues relating to third generation oral contraceptives. The papers for the meeting were dispatched to all members of the committee at 4 pm on 11 October by express courier service and were received by members at 10.30 am the following morning. Prior to this, some members of the CSM and expert external advisers had met on 10 October to consider the papers. Some advisers were also provided with each element of the data as it became available and a series of meetings were held to discuss the evidence as it evolved between June and October.

  Prior to the availability of the new epidemiological evidence on third generation oral contraceptives, the CSM had reviewed the safety of third generation oral contraceptives and gestodene-based oral contraceptives in particular on three occasions, in 1989, 1991 and 1995.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the costs, including travel costs and emoluments, of supporting the sub-committees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, for each year since 1991. [4306]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested in respect of the sub-committtees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines—biologicals, chemistry, pharmacy and standards, pharmacovigilance and safety and efficacy—is as shown in the table for each financial year since 1990–91. The figures include members' fees, travel, hotel, and other miscellaneous costs.

  1990–91: £116,265.26

  1991–92: £120,427.43

  1992–93: £113,874.82

  1993–94: £121,778.89

  1994–95: £92,741.42.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the names, professional appointments, date of first appointment to the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the total duration of membership of each member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines as at 1 October; [4304]

  (2) how many members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines have a qualification in epidemiology. [4303]
  519
  Mr. Malone
  The membership of the Committee on Safety of Medicines and information requested is shown in the table. Dr. Janet Darbyshire has a formal epidemiological qualification and in addition Professor M. D. Rawlins, chairman, and Professor M. J. S. Langman have extensive experience in pharmacoepidemiology.

  Name

  Professional appointment

  Appointed

  Duration until 1 October 1995

  Professor M. D. Rawlins (Chairman)

  Pharmacology— Newcastle University

  January 1980

  15 year 9 months

  Professor A. M. Breckenridge

  Professor of Clinical Pharmacology— Liverpool University

  January 1981

  12 years 9 months

  Dr. Kate L.Costeloe

  Reader in Neonatal Paediatrics, University of London Medical College

  January 1981

  2 years 9 months

  Dr. Janet H. Darbyshire

  Head of MRC's HIV Clinical Trials Centre

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Hon. Consultant in Thoracic Medicine and Hon. Senior Lecturer in Epidermiology, University College

  London Medical School

  Professor D.S.Davies

  Professor of Biochemical Pharmacology at Royal Postgraduate Medical School Hammersmith Hospital

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor Anne Ferguson

  Professor of Gastroenterology and Head of Department of Medicine —Edinburgh University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor A.T.Florence

  Dean of the School of Pharmacy— London University

  January 1981

  14 years 9 months

  Professor A.M.Geddes

  Head of Department of Infection— Birmingham University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor E.C.Gordon-Smith

  Professor of Haematology—St. George's Hospital Medical School, London

  January 1990

  5 years 9 months

  Professor K.Gull

  Director of the Research and Graduate School, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester University

  January 1993

  2years 9 months

  Professor H.S.Jacobs

  Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology, University College and Middlesex School of Medicine

  January 1984

  11 years 9 months

  Dr.W.A. Jerrett

  General Practitioner—Glamorgan

  January 1987

  8 years 9months

  Dr.B.J. Kirby

  Consultant Physician and Deputy Director of the Postgraduate Medical School—Exeter University

  January 1993

  2years 9 months

  Miss Gillian C.N. Lachelin

  Reader and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist — University College and Middlesex School of Medicine

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor M.J.S. Langman

  Professor of Medicine and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry—Birmingham University

  January 1987

  8 years 9 months

  Dr.A.V.P. Mackay

  Medical Director of the Argyll and Bute

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  NHS Trust and McIntosh Lecturer in Psychological Medicine—Glasgow University

  Professor J.M. Midgley

  Professor of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry-Strathclyde University

  January 1990

  5 years 9 months

  Professor B.K. Park

  Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics— Liverpool University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor J.C. Petrie

  Professor of Clinical Pharmacology— Aberdeen University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor A.Li Wan PO

  Professor of Clinical Pharmaceutics— Nottingham University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Professor Anne E. Tattersfield

  Professor of Respiratory Medicine— Nottingham University

  January 1993

  2 years 9 months

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the remuneration which the chairman and members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines received in respect of their work on the committee the last year for which figures are available. [4307]
  520
  The committee consults as necessary other disciplines not represented on the committee, including experts in epidemiology, and when the need arises co-opts them on to the committee as "members for the day". The sub-committees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines additionally provide a range of expertise which may not be represented on the main committee.

  Mr. Malone
  For the financial year 1994–95, the chairman received £2,358 in attendance and preparation fees and the members received among them £34,294 in attendance and preparation fees in respect of 11 one-day meetings. In addition, the chairman and members were
  521
  reimbursed their travel, hotel and other miscellaneous cost.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statutory provisions govern the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [4305]

  Mr. Malone
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines is a committee established by Ministers under powers in section 4 of the Medicines Act 1968. The committee was established by the Medicines (Committee on Safety of Medicines) Order 1970, S.I. 1970/1257, to give advice—with respect to safety, quality and efficacy—on medicinal products for human use and to promote the collection and investigation of information about adverse reactions, to enable such advice to be given.

  The Medicines Commission and Committees Regulations 1970, S.I. 1970/746, made under powers in schedule 1 to the Medicines Act 1968, provide inter alia for the terms of office of members of committees established under section 4.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the numbers and cost of elderly patients blocking hospital beds. [4403]

  Mr. Bowis
  Patients' discharge from hospital may be delayed for a variety of reasons. We do not hold central statistics for patients who may be occupying a bed unnecessarily.

  Medical Ethics
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the code of practice published by the British Medical Association entitled "Advance Statements About Medical Treatment"; and if he will make a statement. [4535]

  Mr. Horam
  The code of practice was drawn up for health professionals, by a multi-professional group under the auspices of the British Medical Association, in response to a recommendation by the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics. Little representation has been made to the Department of Health about this code.

  Childrens' Hospices
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that local health authorities meet the Government's target of 50:50 funding for children's hospices; and if he will make a statement on the future of children's hospices. [4549]

  Mr. Bowis
  The 50:50 target is no longer relevant, since funds have been built into health authorities' cash allocations to enable them to decide the level of funding required to meet the needs of their resident population for hospice services. Childrens' hospices are now able to benefit from health service funding through the contracts health authorities and general practitioner fundholders can make with service providers in both the national health service and the voluntary sector.
  522
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to encourage local health authorities to provide childrens' hospices with regular financial payments. [4547]

  Mr. Bowis
  We have funded a £5 million programme of pilot projects over five years to determine the type of services of most benefit to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The projects include services provided by childrens' hospices. The evaluation of the programme will help health authorities and general practitioner fundholders contract for the range of services necessary to meet the needs of locally resident children and their families.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average percentage of childrens' hospices' incomes derived from local health authority contributions. [4548]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases were on in-patient waiting lists in England on(a) 30 September and (b) the latest date for which figures are available. [4495]

  Mr. Horam
  Provisional figures show that on 30 September 1995, the latest date for which information has been published, 1,041,025 people in England were waiting for in-patient or day case treatment at national health service hospitals.

  Health Service Commissioner
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which bodies other then aggrieved patients are able to submit complaints to the health service ombudsman for investigation. [4496]

  Mr. Horam
  The health service commissioner can investigate complaints from a person or body other than the aggrieved patient in certain circumstances. Complaints can be accepted from someone acting on behalf of the patient if it is clear the patient supports the complaint or is not capable of doing so. If, for instance, the patient has died or is incapable of making a complaint, complaints can be accepted from a close family member—preferably the next of kin. Complaints can also be accepted from a representative or adviser, who may be a national health service employee, if there are good reasons why a family member cannot make the complaint. The commissioner can also accept complaints from NHS bodies such as health authorities.

  District Health Authority Meetings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to permit community health council representatives attending meetings of district health authorities to speak and to have their observations recorded in the public minutes. [4515]

  Mr. Horam
  All district health authority meetings arc open to members of the public. The chairman of the authority will decide whether members of the public will be permitted to make representations during the course of proceedings.

  Employment of Children
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health from whom he has received representations in support of the proposal in his Department's consultation document "Employment of Children" to relax the law relating to children's employment. [4920]

  Mr. Bowis
  I have not as yet received any representations on the consultation document.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to extend the health care payments proposed for patients in nursing homes to cover disabled people who choose to live in residential homes. [4796]

  Mr. Bowls
  We have no plans for health care payments in either type of home.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disabled persons entered residential homes in each of the last three years. [4795]

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on the degree of disability of individuals on entry to residential homes is not available centrally. Most people entering residential care would be regarded as having a significant degree of disability or dysfunction.

  Medical Confidentiality
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses he received in relation to his discussion paper concerning medical confidentiality; what plans he has to bring forward proposals to protect medical confidentiality in the current Session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [5337]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 4 December,Official Report, columns 42–43.

  We received 175 responses to the consultative document "Confidentiality, Use and Disclosure of Information".

  Ambulance Response Times
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average response time for an ambulance on a 999 call in the City of Durham constituency. [5128]

  Mr. Horam
  Information is not available centrally by constituency.

  Psychiatric Care
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made for(a) the inspections, (b) the drawing up of reports and the drawing up of recommendations to him by persons he appoints (i) directly and (ii) indirectly, in respect of private psychiatric hospitals where fees for patients are paid for by national health service purchasers. [4623]

  Mr. Bowls
  Private psychiatric hospitals are subject to registration and inspection by health authorities under part 524
  II of the Registered Homes Act 1984. The primary concern of the registering authority is to ensure that the level of care provided is sufficient and suitable to meet the needs of individual patients.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what public funds have been paid to Partnerships in Care in respect of psychiatric treatment for patients paid for by purchasing bodies of the national health service in the financial year 1994–95; and if he will list the number of establishments concerned and the approximate number of patients for whom fees were paid; [4622]

  (2) what public funds have been expended in respect of Mr. Stephen Laudat arising from his residential treatment at Kneesworth hospital. [4621]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally and it is not the practice to give details of the cost relating to the care of individuals.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the names and locations of the secure hospitals establishments(a) owned and (b) run by the firm Partnerships in Care, used by national health service purchasers, indicating for each (i) the number of beds, (ii) the number occupied by national health service patients and (iii) the number of qualified psychiatrists on the staff; [4606]

  (2) what is the minimum number of persons with qualifications in psychiatric medicine that he requires, in full-time equivalent, to be on the staff of private psychiatric hospitals providing secure accommodation for national health service patients; and if he will indicate the nature of the qualifications required. [4620]

  Mr. Bowis
  Under the Registered Homes Act 1984, health authorities are required to register and inspect all mental nursing homes including privately owned secure hospitals in their catchment area. The Act requires that the health authority must satisfy itself that the home provides sufficient and suitable professional, technical, ancillary and other staff having regard to the size of the home and the number, age, sex and condition of the patients therein. Information about individual establishments is not available centrally.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts and health authorities have now implemented the care programme approach for people discharged from psychiatric hospitals; and which have not. [5060]

  Mr. Bowis
  We have asked health authorities and trusts to ensure, as a matter of urgency, that the care programme approach is applied to all patients who have been accepted for care by the specialist psychiatric services. The latest reports suggest that this objective will largely be achieved by March 1996.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November, Official Report, column
  525
  454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5068]

  Mr. Horam
  It is the policy of my Department to ensure that we do not add any unnecessary burden when implementing European directives in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in light of this policy.

  Anti-smoking Campaigns
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cost of the current campaigns by the Health Education Authority in England designed to encourage people to stop smoking in the current financial year; if he will make a statement on(a) the overall campaign and (b) the television advertising campaign; and if he will identify separately the costs of (b). [4860]

  Mr. Horam
  In the 1995–96 financial year, the Health Education Authority's budget for anti-smoking activity is £6,492 million.

  The national smoking education campaign is designed to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking by preventing uptake among young people and motivating and assisting those in low-income groups, in particular parents and pregnant women, to give up.

  The television commercials which will run from 26 December will cost £2.768 million.

  Performance-related Pay
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the assessment of performance-related pay for family health services authority officials has taken into account changes in the number of GP fundholders in the FHSA area. [5059]

  Mr. Malone
  It is for individual national health service employers to set the aims and objectives for employees for the purpose of performance-related pay.

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the available evidence on the connection between bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob dementia in humans. [4934]

  Mr. Horam
  The independent Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee provides the Government with an expert assessment of the scientific evidence as it develops. There is no current scientific evidence that BSE can be transmitted to humans or that eating beef causes CJD.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has on changes in the level of incidence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease over the last 10 years. [4935]

  Mr. Horam
  The national Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease surveillance centre in Edinburgh investigates the 526
  incidence and epidemiology of CJD cases in the United Kingdom, paying particular attention to occupation and eating habits, to establish whether there has been any change in the pattern of the disease since the advent of BSE. There continues to be no evidence of an emerging CJD epidemic. The United Kingdom incidence of CJD is comparable to countries in Europe and elsewhere, with no or very little BSE.

  Information on the incidence of CJD in the UK since 1985 is contained in the fourth annual report of the national CJD unit published on 5 October 1995, copies of which are available in the Library. The latest provisional figures for 1995 so far indicate that the incidence will be lower than in 1994.

  Legionnaire's Disease
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield of 4 December,Official Report, column 42, on what date his Department first informed the Federation of Tour Operators about the outbreak of legionnaire's disease in Kusadasi; and if he will place in the Library copies of the letters sent to the Federation of Tour Operators and the Association of British Travel Agents. [5398]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health has an agreement with the Association of British Travel Agents that notifications about outbreaks of disease will be sent to it and it, in turn, will notify the travel industry. The Department first wrote to the Federation of Tour Operators about the outbreak of legionnaire's disease in Kusadasi on 29 September, although informal contact had been made by telephone a day earlier. Copies of the letters to ABTA and the FTO will be placed in the Library.

  Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is (i) the procurement route for the tendering exercise for the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy and what were the dates on which(a) the tender was announced, (b) information was made available, (c) expressions of interest had to be received, (d) organisations to be invited to tender were selected and informed and (e) tenders had to be submitted; and (ii) if all the procedures complied with the regulations set out by the European Union. [5278]

  Mr. Horam
  The tender exercise was announced in The Lancet and the Health Service Journal between 26 and 28 October 1995. The deadline for expressions of interest was 10 November. Every respondent to the advertisements was sent a statement of requirements on 13 November and was invited to attend a briefing meeting on 21 November. A full invitation to tender was issued to those who attended the briefing meeting.

  A sift of responses to preliminary questions in the statement of requirements took place on Friday 24 November and organisations were informed in writing and by telephone on that day. Those remaining in the exercise have been asked to submit completed tenders by Friday 15 December.

  I can confirm that the procedures comply with the regulations set out by the European Union.
  527
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the stillbirth rate, excluding foetal deaths at 24 to 27 weeks of gestation registered since 1 October 1992, (b) the neonatal mortality rate and (c) the post-neonatal mortality rate in England and Wales in each of the last 20 years; and what was the change in each rate in each of the periods (i) 1975 to 1980, (ii) 1980 to 1985 and (iii) 1985 to 1990 and in each single year since 1990. [5274]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is shown in the tables.

  Stillbirth, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality rates1 England and Wales 1975–94

  Stillbirths2

  Neonatal

  Postneonatal

  1975

  10.3

  10.7

  5.0

  1976

  9.7

  9.7

  4.6

  1977

  9.4

  9.3

  4.5

  1978

  8.5

  8.7

  4.5

  1979

  8.0

  8.2

  4.6

  1980

  7.2

  7.7

  4.4

  1981

  6.6

  6.7

  4.4

  1982

  6.3

  6.3

  4.6

  1983

  5.7

  5.9

  4.3

  1984

  5.7

  5.6

  3.9

  1985

  5.5

  5.1

  4.0

  1986

  5.3

  5.3

  4.3

  1987

  5.0

  5.1

  4.1

  1988

  4.9

  4.9

  4.1

  1989

  4.7

  4.8

  3.7

  1990

  4.6

  4.6

  3.3

  1991

  4.6

  4.4

  3.0

  1992

  4.3

  4.3

  2.3

  1993

  4.4

  4.2

  2.1

  1994

  4.4

  4.1

  2.1

  1Stillbirths per 1,000 live and still births.Neonatal and postneonatal mortality per 1,000 live births.

  2Stillbirths of 28 weeks gestation or more.

  Percentage changes in stillbirth, neonatal and post-neonatal rates, England and Wales 1975–1994

  Stillbirths1

  Neonatal

  Post-neonatal

  1975 to 1979

  –22.8

  –23.2

  8.4

  1980 to 1984

  –21.2

  –27.6

  12.0

  1985 to 1989

  –15.2

  –11.6

  13.2

  1990 to 1994

  –4.6

  –9.7

  38.2

  1990 to 1991

  0.9

  –4.3

  9.2

  1991 to 1992

  –8.2

  –1.8

  23.7

  1992 to 1993

  2.7

  –3.1

  6.5

  1993 to 1994

  0.3

  –0.8

  4.6

  1Stillbirths of 28 weeks gestation or more.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were his Department's objectives in establishing the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy; what mechanisms were established to ensure that the objectives were achieved; what evaluations have been done of the inquiry; and if he will place in the Library such reports of evaluations which have been undertaken. [5276]

  Mr. Horam
  The confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy was established to:
  investigate the circumstances of stillbirths, neonatal and post-neonatal deaths;identify avoidable factors and seek their remedy:and to improve understanding and clinical practice.528
  No evaluations have yet been completed. It is too soon to demonstrate any direct effect on infant and perinatal mortality.

  The reports of the inquiry are a tool for improving understanding and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the full costs to his Department and to the inquiry of the tendering process for the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy. [5279]

  Mr. Horam
  The tender process for the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy is still in progress. A record of identifiable costs is therefore not yet available.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff have been employed on work for the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy in each year(a) centrally, (b) in the NHS regions and districts and (c) elsewhere. [5277]

  Mr. Horam
  The central secretariat of the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy had four members of staff in the period 1992 to 1994 and five members of staff from the end of 1994 to present. Regional/district figures are not available for the years 1992 to 1994. In the current year there are approximately 30 people engaged in the inquiry's work at regional level. There is a large number of other people in the NHS who contribute to the inquiry, but no figures are available. There are no data on the number of people employed on the various special projects.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department established the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy; and how much money was(a) allocated to and (b) spent on the inquiry in each year since it was established, showing separately the sums (i) for central organisation and analysis, (ii) allocated to NHS regions and districts, by region and (iii) allocated for other purposes. [5275]

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

  Venous Thromboembolism
  Mr. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the levels of risk of venous thromboembolisms per 100,000 women per year for(a) smoking and (b) non-smoking (1) women not using (i) oral contraceptives, (ii) second generation oral contraceptives, (iii) oral contraceptives containing desogentrol or gestodene and (2) in pregnancy. [5146]

  Mr. Malone
  Smoking is not clearly established to he a factor which affects the risk of venous thromboembolism. This is in contrast to its important effect on the risk of arterial disease associated with the use of oral contraceptives.

  The approximate levels of risk of venous thromboembolism in women according to use of oral contraceptives and pregnancy are shown in the table.
  529

  Risk of venous thromboembolism (per 100,000 women per year)

  No use of OCs

  5

  Use of second-generation OC

  15

  Use of OC containing

  30

  desogentrol or gestodene Pregnancy

  60

  As indicated above, the levels of risk of venous thromboembolism are the same whether or not a woman smokes.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspectors appointed by himself or by a local authority whose duties include those set out in the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations 1995 are currently in post. [2390]

  Mrs. Browning
  For the purpose of the Animals and the Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations 1995 in England, 366 inspectors, of whom 241 are veterinary inspectors, have been appointed by my right

  1994

  51995

  1996

  NRA Region

  Fishing method

  1Number

  Duty

  Value

  1Number

  Duty

  Value2

  Proposed duty

  (England only)

  £

  2£

  £

  2£

  £

  Northumbria

  Coastal (N) drift and T nets

  30

  800.00

  24,026.00

  29

  800.00

  23,200.00

  995.00

  (N and Y)

  Coastal (N) drift nets

  31

  725.00

  21,750.00

  26

  725.00

  18,850.00

  975.00

  Coastal (N) T nets

  1

  470.00

  470.60

  2

  470.00

  940.00

  720.00

  Coastal (S) drift nets

  38

  725.00

  27,561.40

  34

  725.00

  24,650.00

  975.00

  Yorkshire

  Coastal drift nets

  15

  620.00

  9,306.00

  10

  620.00

  6,200.00

  661.00

  (N and Y)

  Coastal T or J nets

  23

  470.00

  10,810.60

  21

  470.00

  9,870.00

  720.00

  Anglian

  Drift nets

  44

  50.00

  2,219.20

  42

  50.00

  2,100.00

  67.00

  Other nets (various)

  28

  25.00

  708.40

  23

  25.00

  575.00

  55.00

  Thames

  Nil

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southern

  Public seine nets

  2

  1.00

  2.00

  2

  1.00

  2.00

  55.00

  Woodmill seine net

  —

  —

  —

  1

  70.00

  70.00

  300.00

  Wessex (SW)

  Seine nets

  7

  147.00

  1,031.80

  7

  147.00

  1,029.00

  294.00

  Dip nets

  2

  47.50

  94.80

  0

  47.50

  0.00

  67.00

  Putcher ranks

  2

  —

  123.60

  2

  —

  123.60

  —

  150 Putchers (units of 50)

  (3)

  41.20

  —

  (3)

  41.20

  —

  67.00

  South West

  Seine nets (single river)3

  14

  120.00

  —

  14

  120.00

  —

  240.00

  Seine nets (single river)

  74

  120.00

  8,917.20

  69

  120.00

  8,280.00

  240.00

  Seine nets (double river)

  1

  190.00

  191.20

  1

  190.00

  190.00

  380.00

  Fixed Engine (Weir) Avon4

  1

  190.00

  —

  0

  190.00

  —

  190.00

  Fixed Engine (Trap) Lyn

  1

  190.00

  191.00

  1

  190.00

  190.00

  380.00

  Drift nets (Camel)

  7

  120.00

  842.60

  7

  120.00

  840.00

  240.00

  Severn Trent

  Lave nets (half season)

  21

  21.00

  441.00

  30

  21.00

  630.00

  42.00

  Lave nets (full season)

  19

  42.00

  798.00

  14

  42.00

  588.00

  84.00

  Seine nets

  5

  100.00

  506.80

  5

  100.00

  500.00

  200.00

  530
  hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The number of inspectors appointed by local authorities under the regulations is not held centrally.

  Animal Transport
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of returns he has received during 1995 from owners and charters of vessels on which animals have been carried from the United Kingdom indicating(a) the number of animals that have died, (b) the number of animals killed, (c) the numbers of animals seriously injured, (d) the total numbers of each class of animal shipped and (e) the cause of such deaths, slaughter or injury. [3842]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry has received no such returns.

  Fishing Licences
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many different licences for instruments other than rod and line are required by law in order to fish in English rivers, what is the total licence duty received form each of these in each of the last two years, and if he will list the proposed increase in each licence for next year. [5032]

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is given in the table. For the sake of completeness the table includes data on instruments used in tidal estuaries and the sea. Details of licence duties applicable to instruments for catching eels have not been included.
  531

  1994

  51995

  1996

  NRA Region

  Fishing method

  1Number

  Duty

  Value

  1Number

  Duty

  Value

  Proposed duty

  (England only)

  £

  2£

  £

  £2

  £

  Fixed engine ranks comprising:

  11

  —

  2,704.00

  10

  —

  1,554.00

  —

  4,150 Putchers (units of 50)

  (100)

  25.00

  —

  (57)

  25.00

  —

  55.00

  570 m of leaders:

  Leaders <90 m

  (3)

  33.00

  —

  (1)

  33.00

  —

  33.00

  additional 20 m lengths

  (11)

  9.00

  —

  (10)

  9.00

  —

  9.00

  Putt (1 fixed engine)

  2

  3.00

  —

  2

  3.00

  —

  3.00

  Stop net (boat)

  0

  60.00

  —

  0

  60.00

  —

  80.00

  Topping net (R Trent)

  1

  2.00

  2.00

  1

  2.00

  2.00

  55.00

  Draft net (R Trent)

  1

  12.00

  12.00

  1

  12.00

  12.00

  55.00

  North West

  Haaf nets (Solway)

  165

  58.00

  9,570.00

  165

  58.00

  9,570.00

  116.00

  Cribs (Eden)

  2

  257.00

  514.00

  3

  257.00

  771.00

  301.00

  Fishing Baulk (Esk)

  0

  287.00

  0.00

  0

  287.00

  0.00

  301.00

  Drift nets (Cumbria coastal)

  4

  288.00

  1,154.60

  4

  288.00

  1,152.00

  538.00

  Drift nets (Ribble)

  6

  177.00

  1,065.40

  6

  177.00

  1,062.00

  354.00

  Haaf nets (Lune)

  26

  100.00

  2,600.00

  26

  100.00

  2,600.00

  200.00

  Drift nets (Lune)

  10

  288.00

  2,884.20

  10

  288.00

  2,880.00

  538.00

  Seine nets (Lune)

  1

  248.00

  249.00

  1

  248.00

  248.00

  496.00

  Crib (Derwent)

  1

  576.00

  576.00

  0

  576.00

  0.00

  576.00

  Lave nets (Kent)

  8

  100.00

  800.00

  8

  100.00

  800.00

  134.00

  Lave nets (Leven)

  6

  100.00

  600.00

  6

  100.00

  600.00

  134.00

  Key:

  1Numbers represent the number of licensees, except for data in parentheses which represent numbers of licensed components on which duty is payable.

  2 Value includes 20p for each netsman endorsed on a licence.

  3Taw and Torridge rehabilitation scheme in operation. Licensees agreed not to fish in 1994 and 1995 and were not charged for their licences.

  4Licence for Avon fixed engine bought by the NRA. Not used.

  5Provisional data.

  Source:

  1994 data—NRA Fisheries Statistics 1994.

  1995 and 1996 data—NRA.

  Milk
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he is having with his European counterparts to increase the permitted amount of milk Britain is allowed to produce to enable British producers to make yoghurt, cheese and clotted cream. [5033]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have advocated the leasing of milk quota across member state frontiers as a means of allowing quota to migrate to those parts of the Community, like the United Kingdom, where milk can be produced most efficiently. Our EC partners and the Commission do not share our enthusiasm for reforming this aspect of the EC quota regulations, but we will continue to press the case whenever the opportunity arises.

  Potato Marketing Scheme
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the recent consultation on the proposal to bring the potato marketing scheme to an end; and if he will make a statement. [5527]

  Mr. Boswell
  There were 24 responses to the consultation from a wide range of interests. Some of the organisations that responded either opposed the Government's decision to revoke the scheme or expressed disappointment with it, while others supported revocation. There was, however, widespread support for an industry body funded by a statutory levy to succeed the Potato 532
  Marketing Board, and it will be for the board to develop appropriate proposals, if that is what growers wish. Several respondents stressed the importance of introducing a lightweight EU regime for potatoes, and we again pressed for early progress on this at the Agriculture Council on 29 and 30 November. A copy of the consultation document, together with the list of responses, has been placed in the Library of the House.

  In accordance with section 25(1) of the Agriculture Act 1993, we shall tomorrow lay an order before both Houses specifying 1 July 1996 as the beginning of the revocation process. This would mean revocation of the scheme on 30 June 1997, as previously planned.

  Paignton Zoo
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the extension to Paignton zoo; [4043]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance with the procedures followed under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in respect of the extension to Paignton zoo; and if he will make a statement. [4044]

  Mrs. Browning
  [Holding answer 7 December 1995]: No approach has been made to the Ministry in connection with the extension at Paignton zoo.

  Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, English Nature is responsible for the issue of licences for the purpose of any development as defined in section 55(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times mobile telephones used by Ministers in his Department have been cloned during(a) the last six months, (b) the last 12 months and (c) the last 18 months; and which Ministers within his Department have had their mobile telephones cloned. [4252]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]: MAFF Ministers has been issued with digitally based mobile telephones which provide greater security features than their analogue counterparts since the beginning of July this year. We have had no cases of mobile telephones being cloned since then.

  There have been four cases of mobile telephones used by MAFF Ministers being cloned within the last 18 months. These all occurred within the last 12 months. Those concerned were the then Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldgrave), the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack), the then Parliamentary Secretary, my noble Friend the Earl Howe, and the current Parliamentary Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mrs. Browning).

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he proposes in respect of the regularity of inspections carried out by his officials of calves and sheep being exported through Dover. [4743]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: My officials are maintaining the practice of carrying out regular checks on calves and sheep at the port of export.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many horses, ponies and donkeys have been licensed for export from the United Kingdom since 1 January 1995 to(a) France (b) Belgium and (c) the Netherlands. [4747]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: Figures on the issue of licences, between 1 January and 30 November 1995, for the export of horses, and ponies and donkeys intended for breeding, riding or recreation are shown in the table. The include transhipments from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but exclude thoroughbred horses which may be exported for racing or breeding with certification issued by a steward or the secretary of the Jockey Club:

  Destination

  Horses

  Ponies

  Donkeys

  France

  480

  74

  1

  Belgium

  317

  111

  20

  Netherlands

  329

  131

  none

  Source:

  MAFF animal welfare records.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications to export horses, ponies and donkeys from the United Kingdom have been rejected by him since 1 January; and how many animals were covered by these rejected applications. [4746]
  534
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: We do not record these figures. Between 1 April and 30 October 1995 the Ministry received more than 2,200 applications. When considering applications the Ministry takes into account the purpose of the journey and the welfare arrangements. During the course of these considerations a number of applications are then withdrawn by the applicant or not proceeded with.

  Horse Sales
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance with the provisions of the Welfare of Horses at Markets (and Other Places of Sale) Order 1990 in respect of horse sales in Henley in Arden market; and if he will make a statement. [4744]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: Horse sales are held at the market on a monthly basis and there has been a regular assessment of compliance by both the state veterinary service and the local authority. In reports submitted so far this year there has been no evidence of unnecessary suffering. The Ministry, however, continues to give advice to both the market and local authority on the standards to be observed.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the circumstances of the birth, feed history and date of death of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy case in June 1993, referred to in his answer of 31 October 1995,Official Report, column 200. [4970]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 8 December 1995]: The animal was born on 17 June 1993, of a dam which was culled in 1994 when 10 years old and showed no symptoms of BSE. The suspect was slaughtered on 11 August 1995, and is known to have been fed on concentrate feed. We are currently tracing the feed ingredients, although the material consumed by this animal will clearly no longer he available for analysis.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Student Loans
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what costing her Department has(a) made and (b) commissioned for the collection of student loan repayments through the national insurance system. [3925]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 4 December 1995,Official Report, column 119.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her Department's estimate of the cost of(a) teaching and (b) research assessment exercises to be conducted by the Higher Education Funding Council (England) in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97, (iii) 1997–98 and (iv) 1998–99. [4321]
  535
  Mr. Forth
  The Higher Education Funding Council for England determines the conduct of these assessments and what proportion of its running costs should be spent on them. I am asking the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will break down the £5 million estimate of administration costs for the nursery scheme; on what experience the estimates were made; and how the notice for tender was publicised. [4490]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The estimated cost of inspection and administration in phase 1 of the nursery voucher scheme is based on: training inspectors for phase 1; inspections of that phase; training of inspectors in preparation for full implementation in phase 2; and the contract to administer the scheme in phase 1, which was awarded after competitive tender.

  Advertisements inviting contractors to express an interest in tendering for the voucher contract were placed in a number of national newspapers, the Times Educational Supplement, The Economist and "Government Opportunities".

  Ofsted
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will give a breakdown of the Ofsted budget for 1995–96; and if she will make a statement. [4514]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

  Car Leasing and Subsistence Rates
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list members of staff in(a) the Department for Education and (b) the Department of Employment in June 1995; what the subsistence rates prevailing in each Department (i) were and (ii) are currently; what were the car leasing arrangements in each former Department; and how many of the staff in each former Department were receiving lease cars or car leasing support. [4819]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  At 30 June 1995 there were 2,020 staff in the Department for Education and 4,721 staff in the Employment Department.

  The United Kingdom subsistence rates for staff in the former Department for Education and Employment Department are as follows and are still current.

  Allowance

  DFE system/rates

  ED system/rates

  Day subsistence

  Absence over 5 hour

  £4.25

  £4.25

  Absence over 10 hours

  £9.30

  £9.30

  Absence over 12 hours

  £13.55

  £13.55

  536

  Allowance

  DFE system/rates

  ED system/rates

  Overnight subsistence (24 hour rates)

  Staying in a hotel

  Use of hotel list offering discount. A fixed rate of London £ elsewhere £60 is paid

  Actual cost of B&B arranged through booking agent plus £20.50(tax free) and an additional £7.50 (taxable)

  Staying with friends/relatives or making arrangements

  £25.00 tax free

  £35.00 tax free

  Neither the former ED nor the DFE had leased cars in June 1995. The Department for Education and Employment has no leased cars currently. In the former Employment Department, and currently in the Department for Education and Employment vehicles have been purchased for official use. Staff who travel at least 5,000 miles each year on official business may be allocated an official car, which they are permitted to use for private purposes, in return for a monthly payment.

  Teachers' Pensions
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the most recent statistics available for(a) the average amount paid out per pension under the teachers' superannuation scheme,(b) the number of pensioners currently receiving pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme on a region-by-region basis, (c) the average age of the recipients of pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme for each year since 1988 and (d) how many people have left the scheme to date to take up private pensions. [4821]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The average amount paid out per pension under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was £6,144 per annum. The number of pensioners currently receiving pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was 367,961. A regional analysis could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The average age of recipients of pensions under the teachers' superannuation scheme at 31 October 1995 was 66 years. Figures for earlier years are not available. Information on the number of teachers who have left the scheme to take up private pensions is not collected.

  English-medium Schools Abroad
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what supervision her Department exercises over schools abroad which use English as a language of teaching and which prepare children for English GCSE and A-level examinations. [4800]

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children were in receipt of free school meals, by region, in each of the last five years. [4922]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Information on the take-up of free school meals in maintained schools in England in the years 1991 to 1995 is shown in the following table:
  537

  Pupils taking free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools by region in England 1991–95

  Position in January each year

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  11995

  North

  80,111

  88,703

  95,102

  99,500

  101,456

  North West

  165,598

  191,052

  207,690

  217,154

  218,516

  East Anglia

  20,844

  27,657

  33,369

  35.868

  36,607

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  102,672

  120,243

  130,571

  136,066

  137,382

  West Midlands

  110,564

  133,311

  148,944

  155,509

  154,062

  East Anglia

  57,511

  68,415

  78,212

  83,624

  85.763

  Greater London

  136,456

  169,787

  196,965

  219.229

  230,650

  Other South East

  95,582

  134,528

  167,783

  184,492

  185.469

  South West

  52,075

  68,272

  82,690

  85,684

  84.932

  England

  821,413

  1,001,968

  1,141,326

  1,217,126

  1,234,684

  1Provisional.

  Mobile Classrooms
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment under which items of their budgeted provision governors of grant-maintained schools may make capital purchases of mobile classrooms. [4607]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A grant-maintained school may make capital purchases of mobile classrooms using its formula or named capital allocations, or its annual maintenance grant.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by how much the proposed budget for the assisted places scheme was underspent in the years 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96. [5034]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 October 1995,Official Report, column 623, for the years up to and including 1994–95; 1995–96 is still in progress.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils benefited in the years 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 from the assisted places schemes. [5035]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 24 October 1995,Official Report, column 623, and to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) on 4 December 1995, Official Report, column 117.

  European Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment on 21 November 1995,Official Report,s column 454, if she will make it her policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5065]

  Mr. Forth
  It is the policy in the Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice she has offered to the Funding Agency for Schools regarding publicity for agency proposals to open new grant-maintained schools; what financial limits are imposed in each case; and if she will make a statement. [5251]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My Department issued general guidance, in circular 23/94, regarding consultations prior to the publication of statutory proposals. The Funding Agency for Schools is under a statutory duty to consult on its proposals to establish new grant-maintained schools. It is for the agency to decide what are appropriate consultations in the light of guidance from the Secretary of State and to determine expenditure accordingly.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the allocation to individual programmes in Northern Ireland of the public expenditure totals announced on 28 November. [5433]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  In his unified Budget statement on 28 November my right hon. and learned friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced total public expenditure planning figures for the Northern Ireland programme. I have now decided on the allocations to individual programmes as shown in the following table. Copies of a more detailed statement have been placed in the Library. These allocations reflect my assessment of how best to distribute the Northern Ireland public expenditure totals in response to local needs and circumstances.

  £ million

  Programme

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Northern Ireland Office:

  Law, Order, Protective and Miscellaneous Services

  858

  860

  850

  Northern Ireland

  Departments

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, Fisheries and

  Forestry Services and

  Support

  149

  150

  140

  539

  £ million

  Programme

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Industry, Trade and

  Employment

  483

  480

  470

  Energy

  58

  60

  60

  Roads and Transport

  176

  170

  180

  Housing

  248

  270

  270

  Environmental and

  Miscellaneous Services

  243

  250

  220

  Law, Order and Protective

  Services (Fire Service)

  43

  40

  40

  Education, Arts and

  Libraries

  1,404

  1,430

  1,430

  Health and Personal Social

  Services

  1,578

  1,620

  1,630

  Social Security

  Administration

  162

  160

  160

  Other Public Services

  59

  60

  60

  NI Block (excluding Social

  Security Benefits)

  5,461

  5,560

  5,510

  Social Security Benefits

  2,383

  2,480

  2,590

  NI Block

  7,844

  8,040

  8,100

  National Agriculture and

  Fisheries Support

  165

  170

  170

  NI Programme

  8,009

  8,210

  8,270

  Notes:

  1Figures are rounded to the nearest £1 million in 1996–97 and to the nearest £10 million in 1997–98 and 1998–99.

  2The figures to 1996–97 will form the basis for preparation by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office of main estimates for the coming year. These will be presented to Parliament in due course.

  3 Northern Ireland will also receive additional resources for the extra spending which will result from the Budget measures to help meet the costs of long-term care.

  Table 1: Community background—percentage of strength

  RUC regular

  Full-time reserve

  part-time reserve

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  1990

  89.32

  7.75

  1990

  90.27

  5.45

  1990

  95.05

  3.92

  1991

  89.33

  7.72

  1991

  89.78

  5.82

  1991

  94.92

  4.09

  1992

  89.38

  7.91

  1992

  89.15

  6.08

  1992

  94.97

  3.91

  1993

  89.14

  7.90

  1993

  88.60

  6.28

  1993

  95.03

  3.74

  1994

  89.22

  7.77

  1994

  88.30

  6.44

  1994

  94.16

  4.50

  November 1995

  89.06

  7.91

  November 1995

  88.36

  6.33

  November 1995

  93.40

  5.20

  Notes:

  1. Information relating to community background is not available prior to 1990.

  2. The latest figures regarding force strength are at 1 November 1995.

  3. CBI refers to perceived community background—Protestant, CB2 refers to perceived community background—Roman Catholic.

  Table 2: Recruitment—percentage male and female

  RUC regular

  Full-time reserve

  Part-time reserve

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Year

  Male

  Female

  1985

  92.3

  7.7

  1985

  100.0

  0

  1985

  100.0

  0

  1986

  91.4

  8.6

  1986

  100.0

  0

  1986

  81.2

  18.8

  1987

  89.8

  10.2

  1987

  100.0

  0

  1987

  59.2

  40.8

  1988

  82.7

  17.3

  1988

  81.5

  18.5

  1988

  65.4

  34.6

  1989

  78.2

  21.8

  1989

  95.2

  4.8

  1989

  44.5

  55.5

  1990

  75.8

  24.2

  1990

  91.2

  8.8

  1990

  58.4

  41.6

  1991

  85.6

  14.4

  1991

  89.8

  10.2

  1991

  45.7

  54.3

  1992

  76.5

  23.5

  1992

  81.8

  18.2

  1992

  45.1

  54.9

  1993

  78.7

  21.3

  1993

  90.1

  9.9

  1993

  47.3

  52.7

  1994

  71.1

  28.9

  1994

  76.9

  23.1

  1994

  76.4

  23.6

  1995

  70.9

  29.1

  1995

  75.0

  25.0

  1995

  46.0

  54.0

  Notes:

  1. Information relating to community background is not available prior to 1990.

  2. The latest figures regarding force strength are at 1 November 1995.

  3. CBI refers to perceived community background—Protestant. CB2 refers to perceived community background—Roman Catholic.
  540
  4The EU peace and reconciliation programme has been provisionally allocated to the individual programmes and is included in the figures above. The allocation set aside for the partnership measure is for the time being included with the enviromental and miscellaneous services figures.

  Road Safety Education
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the recommended staffing level for road safety education officers; and what is the current number of staff in post. [2718]

  Mr. Moss
  There are no recommended staffing levels for the road safety education officer service within Northern Ireland. The current number of staff in post is 13.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of state for Northern Ireland (1) what have been the percentage of the Royal Ulster Constabulary who have been Protestant and Catholic in each of the past 10 years; [3530]

  (2)what have been the percentages of men women who have been recruits to the Royal Ulster Constabulary for each of the past 10 years; [3528]

  (3)what have been the percentage of men women in the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the past 10 years; [3527]

  (4)what have been the percentage of recruits to the Royal Ulster Constabulary who have been Protestant and Catholic for each of the past 10 years. [3529]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is in the tables.
  541

  Table 3: Force strength—percentage male and female

  RUC regular

  Full-time reserve

  Part-time reserve

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Year

  Male

  Female

  1985

  92.1

  7.9

  1985

  100

  0

  1985

  82.4

  17.6

  1986

  92.1

  7.9

  1986

  100

  0

  1986

  82.7

  17.3

  1987

  92.2

  7.8

  1987

  99.9

  0.1

  1987

  80.6

  19.4

  1988

  91.9

  8.1

  1988

  99.0

  1.0

  1988

  78.6

  21.4

  1989

  91.7

  8.3

  1989

  98.7

  1.3

  1989

  75.9

  24. I

  1990

  91.4

  8.6

  1990

  98.5

  1.5

  1990

  74.0

  26.0

  1991

  91.4

  8.6

  1991

  98.0

  2.0

  1991

  71.7

  28.3

  1992

  90.7

  9.3

  1992

  96.4

  3.6

  1992

  70.7

  29.3

  1993

  90.3

  9.7

  1993

  96.2

  3.8

  1993

  69.5

  30.5

  1994

  90.0

  10.0

  1994

  95.5

  4.5

  1994

  66.8

  33.2

  November 1995

  89.6

  10.4

  November 1995

  95.2

  4.8

  November 1995

  65.0

  35.0

  Notes:

  1. Information relating to community background is not available prior to 1990.

  2. The latest figures regarding force strength are at 1 November 1995.

  3. CBI refers to perceived community background—Protestant, CB2 refers to perceived community background—Roman Catholic.

  Table 4: Recruitment—percentage community background

  RUC regular

  Full-time reserve

  Part-time reserve

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  Year

  CB1

  CB2

  1990

  87.36

  7.14

  1990

  87.70

  11.40

  1990

  92.03

  7.96

  1991

  86.67

  7.14

  1991

  81.81

  12.30

  1991

  90.43

  9.57

  1992

  87.41

  9.26

  1992

  87.41

  9.26

  1992

  91.67

  2.78

  1993

  79.71

  6.76

  1993

  79.61

  8.55

  1993

  89.19

  8.11

  1994

  86.80

  6.60

  1994

  77.31

  7.56

  1994

  88.04

  9.09

  1995

  77.71

  15.43

  1995

  86.36

  6.82

  1995

  86.10

  10.70

  Notes:

  1. Information relating to community background is not available prior to 1990.

  2. The latest figures regarding force strength are at 1 November 1995.

  3. CBI refers to perceived community background—Protestant, CB2 refers to perceived community background—Roman Catholic.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what records are kept of the geographical origins of recruits to the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and if he will publish them. [3531]

  Sir John Wheeler
  No records are kept of the geographical origins of recruits.

  Church Attacks
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those Chief Constable's certificates issued since 1 January 1990 relating to attacks on Protestant churches and halls and Catholic churches and halls. [3538]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Compensation Agency has produced a list of 182 Protestant and Roman Catholic church properties for which it has received a Chief Constable's certificate since 1 January 1990. I have arranged for a copy of this list to be placed in the Library.

  Discussions (Irish Republic and USA)
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list each occasion since 1990 when reproductive health, population control or access to abortion and contraception, have been discussed by officials of his Department with representatives of(a) the Irish Government and (b) the Government of the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the nature of each discussion indicating to what extent
  542
  it referred to (a) the receipt of United States aid and (b) the peace process. [3985]

  Mr. Moss
  There have been no such discussions.

  Consultants
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those(a) consultants (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3970]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Information in relation to consultants covering the financial years 1990–91 to 1994–95 has been placed in the Library. This is recorded under four categories—general management consultancy, information technology, privatisation and next steps. Total payment amounts are shown where this would not breach commercial confidentiality but is omitted in the cases of single contracts (marked ⋆). The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Statutory Instruments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all statutory instruments in respect of health services from his Department for the present Parliament. [4050]

  Mr. Moss
  Full details of the statutory rules made to 31 December 1994 are shown in the annual volume of "Statutory Rules", a copy of which is available in the Library.
  543
  The list of the statutory rules in respect of health and personal social services made since 1 January 1995 is as follows:

  Northern Ireland statutory rules 1995 (1 January 1995 to 6 December 1995)

  Statutory rules number

  6

  Causeway Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (11 January)

  16

  Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment, Regulations (NI) 1995 (23 January)

  56

  General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995

  (28 February)

  83

  Dental Charges (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (9 March)

  95

  Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) Regulations (NI) 1995 (15 March)

  114

  Optical Charges and Payments (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (NI) 1995 (22 March)

  115

  General Ophthalmic Services (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (22 March)

  124

  Health and Social Services Trusts (Originating Capital Debt) (Amendment) Order (NI) 1995 (23 March)

  126

  General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (NI) 1995 (27 March)

  135

  Charges for Drugs and Appliances (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (29 March)

  138

  Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (30 March)

  142

  Eastern Ambulance Service Health and Social Services Trust Dissolution Order (NI) 1995 (30 March)

  143

  Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (30 March)

  144

  Health and Social Services Trusts (Originating Capital Debt) Order (NI) 1995 (31 March)

  211

  Welfare Foods (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (23 May)

  286

  Health and Personal Social Services (Assessment of Resources) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (18 July)

  305

  Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1995 (3 August)

  306

  Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Variation) Order (NI) 1995 (3 August)

  351

  Armagh and Dungannon Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (4 September)

  358

  Optional Charges and Payments (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (NI) 1995 (8 September)

  361

  Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (NI) 1995 (12 September)

  397

  Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency (Establishment and Constitution) Order (NI) 1995 (18 October)

  402

  Charges for Drugs and Appliances (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (NI) 1995 (19 October)

  421

  United Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (8 November)

  422

  Altnagelvin Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (8 November)

  423

  Foyle Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 1995 (8 November)

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all NHS trusts(a) as of 30 November 1995 and (b) with effect from 1 April 1996. [4062]

  Mr. Moss
  At 30 November 1995 the following NHS trusts had been established in Northern Ireland.

  Royal Group of Hospitals and Dental Hospital HSS Trust

  Ulster North Down and Ards Hospitals HSS Trust

  Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust

  Green Park HSS Trust

  Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust

  North Down and Ards Community HSS Trust

  South and East Belfast HSS Trust

  North and West Belfast HSS Trust

  Down Lisburn HSS Trust

  Newry and Mourne HSS Trust

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust

  Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust

  Causeway HSS Trust

  Northern Ireland Ambulance Service HSS Trust

  Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust

  United Hospitals HSS Trust

  Altnagelvin Hospitals HSS Trust

  Foyle HSS Trust.

  In addition, the following units were approved for trust status on 8 November 1995 and will he established when a chairman has been identified:

  Sperrin Lakeland

  Homefirst.

  It is anticipated that they will become fully operational on 1 April 1996.

  US Financial Assistance
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total amount of financial assistance made available by the United States of America, either directly or through the International Fund for Ireland, to assist with the regeneration of Northern Ireland, and to what extent that aid is governed by those aspects of section 104(d) of the United States International Development and Food Assistance Act 1978 which requires that all nations receiving United States foreign assistance must take steps to reduce their rate of population growth; and if he will make a statement. [3984]

  Sir John Wheeler
  There has been no direct financial assistance made available by the United States of America to assist with the regeneration of Northern Ireland. The United States of America has contributed a total of $250 million to the International Fund for Ireland over the period 1986 to 1995 inclusive. Under the terms of the agreement establishing the fund approximately three quarters of its resources are to be disbursed in Northern Ireland. The US contributions to the fund are governed by the US Anglo-Irish Support Act 1986 and fall outside the terms of section 104(d) of the US International Development and Food Assistance Act 1978.

  Forensic Science Laboratory
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory was launched as a next steps agency. [5432]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I launched the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory as a next steps agency on 1 September 1995, to be known as the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland. The agency will continue to supply a wide range of forensic services to the RUC and the courts in Northern Ireland. The agency published its framework document and corporate and business plan in September and copies of both have been placed in the Library.

  EC Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November,Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5070]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Within the NI departments, there is no such existing policy at the present time, but legislation influenced by EC directives is progressed on a parity basis with Great Britain. Any initiatives taken by Great Britain Departments to review past legislation implementing European directives which impose additional burdens will be closely monitored by departments.

  Rugby League
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) financial; and (b) other assistance to rugby league is made available by the Northern Ireland Sports Council. [4993]

  Mr. Ancram
  None. Rugby league has no governing body to which financial or other assistance could be made.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many ministerial visits have been undertaken by each Minister in his Department between 6 July and 1 December; and how many and what percentage of these have involved the Minister travelling abroad. [4228]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding reply 6 December 1995]: Ministers have spent the following numbers of days out of the office, each of which may have involved more than one visit:

  Travelling abroad

  Ministerial visits (Days)

  (Days)

  Percentage

  Sir P. Mayhew

  25

  2

  (8.0)

  Mr. M. Ancram

  24

  2

  (8.3)

  Sir J. Wheeler

  23

  3

  (13.0)

  Baroness Denton

  95

  20

  (21.1)

  Mr. M. Moss

  48

  1

  (2.1)

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many times mobile telephones used by Ministers in his Department have been cloned during(a) the last six months, (b) the last 12 months and (c) the last 18 months; and which Ministers within his Department have had their mobile telephones cloned; [4264]

  (2) how many mobile telephones there are available in his Department for the use of Ministers. [4263]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 7 December 1995]: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and my hon. Friend the member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) both had their mobile telephones cloned within the last 12 months.

  The five Northern Ireland Ministers have mobile phones fitted in their official London cars. There are also additional telephones carried by private secretaries which are available for use by Ministers as necessary.

WALES

  Council Tax
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to maintain the current differential between council tax bills in Wales and England. [4293]

  Mr. Hague
  In some years it will be necessary for local authorities to raise a greater proportion of their revenue locally. The actual level of council tax will be set by local authorities but I expect there to be a large differential between council tax levels in Wales and England for the foreseeable future.

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the organisations which have sent him responses to the draft planning policy guidance for Wales. [3423]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The organisations are as follows:

  Clwyd county council

  Dyfed county council

  Gwent county council

  Gwynedd county council

  Mid Glamorgan county council

  Powys county council

  South Glamorgan county council

  West Glamorgan county council

  Assembly of Welsh Counties

  Aberconwy Borough Council

  Alyn and Deeside District Council

  Blaenau Gwent Borough Council

  Cardiff City Council

  Carmarthen District Council

  Ceredigion District Council

  Colwyn Borough Council

  Cynon Valley Borough Council

  Delyn Borough Council

  Dinefwr Borough Council

  Dwyfor District Council

  Glyndwr District Council

  547

  Islwyn Borough Council

  Monmouth Borough Council

  Montgomeryshire District Council

  Neath Borough Council

  Newport Borough Council

  Ogwr Borough Council

  Port Talbot Borough Council

  Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council

  Radnorshire District Council

  Rhondda Borough Council

  South Pembrokeshire District Council

  Swansea City Council

  Taff-Ely Borough Council

  Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council

  Wrexham Maelor Borough Council

  Ynys Mon/Isle of Anglesey Borough Council

  Anglesey County Council

  Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

  Caerphilly County Borough Council

  Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire County Council

  Cardiff County Council

  Cardiganshire County Council

  Flintshire County Council

  Neath and Port Talbot County Borough Council

  Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council

  Wrexham County Borough Council

  Brecon Beacons National Park

  Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

  Snowdonia National Park

  Newport Friends of the Earth

  Friends of the Earth, Cymru

  Tai Cymru/Housing for Wales

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments

  of Wales

  The House Builders Federation, South Wales

  British Retail Consortium

  Cycle Campaign Network

  Cardiff Cycling Campaign

  Cardiff Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry

  Aberdare and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce

  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Welsh Historic Gardens Trust

  The Royal Town Planning Institute

  Association of Welsh RIGS Groups

  Society of Welsh District Planning Officers

  The Sports Council for Wales

  Chief Officers of Recreation and Leisure

  Land Authority for Wales

  Regional Technical Officer for North Wales Waste Management Group

  Mandix

  The Crown Estate

  Mr. Brian Thomas and Pontypridd Market Company

  Barratt South Wales

  NFU in Wales

  National Rivers Authority, Welsh Region

  Severn Trent Water

  548

  Severn Estuary Strategy Group

  The Civic Trust for Wales

  Wales Tourist Board

  Royal Society of Architects in Wales

  The Commission for Local Administration in Wales

  The Ramblers Association

  Wales Wildlife and Countryside Link

  Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, and for:

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  The Welsh Wildlife Trusts

  Wales Association of Community and Town Councils

  Welsh Chamber of Trade and Commerce

  Ramblers' Association

  Youth Hostels Association—Wales

  WWF UK (World Wide Fund for Nature)

  Council for National Parks

  Field Studies Council (Cymru)

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

  British Horse Society

  Plantlife

  Gower Society

  Friends of the Earth Cymru

  Open Spaces Society

  National Federation of Women's Institutes

  Farmers' Union of Wales

  Countryside Council for Wales

  The Country Landowners Association

  Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust

  Metropolitan Borough of Wirral

  Hafod Trust

  Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies

  The Georgian Group

  The Victorian Society

  The Twentieth Century Society

  Rescue: The British Archaeological Trust

  Coventry University, School of The Built Environment Healey and Baker for:

  Alliance and Leicester Society

  Nationwide Building Society

  Abbey National plc

  Bradford and Bingley Building Society

  Beazer Homes plc and Beazer Homes (Wales) Ltd.

  British Aggregate Construction Materials Industries

  Sand and Gravel Association

  Federation of Small Businesses

  G. L. Hearn and Partners (for Tesco Stores Ltd.)

  Disability Wales

  Cheshire County Council

  Dyfed Archaeological Trust

  Gwynedd Archaeological Trust

  The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust

  Play Wales, Chwarae Cymru

  Urban Design Group (Wales)

  Chester City Council

  Tony Thorpe Associates (for Vodafone Ltd.)

  MVM Planning (for British Rail Property Board)

  Aaron and Partners

  Ideal Homes

  549

  Boots The Chemists

  Western Planning

  Railway Development Society Wales

  The Garden History Society

  ICOMOS UK

  Terry Adams Ltd.

  National Association of Waste Disposal Contractors

  Acoustic Consultants Limited

  Institute of Field Archaeologists

  Shawater Ltd.

  Council for British Archaeology

  Council for British Archaeology Wales

  The Football Association of Wales

  Association of Conservation Officers

  Association of Local Government Ecologists

  Association of County Archaeological Officers

  The Gower Society

  Sears plc

  Welsh Wildlife Trusts

  Sainsbury' s

  Safeway Stores plc

  Tesco Stores Ltd.

  Cambrian Council of Welsh Motor Cycle Clubs

  Department of National Heritage

  St. Quintin Chartered Surveyors

  British Gas Properties

  Historic Buildings Council For Wales

  The National Trust

  Liberal Democrats Wales

  Clwyd Ornithological Society

  CVCP (Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom)

  Welsh Water

  Deeside Urban Wildlife Group

  Deeside Naturalists Society

  Dee Estuary Strategy

  Ancient Monuments Board For Wales

  The British Association for Shooting and Conservation

  SCAUM (Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers)

  A number of individuals also responded.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the written responses his Department has received to the draft planning policy guidance for Wales. [4400]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House as soon as possible.

  European Directives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November,Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5072]
  550
  Mr. Hague
  It is the policy of my Department to ensure that we do not add any unnecessary burden when implementing European directives in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in the light of this policy.

  Welsh Regional Consumer Committee
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh customer services committee of the Office of Water and Sewerage, in relation to the impact of water and sewerage service customers of the agreed takeover of South Wales Electricity. [5417]

  Mr. Hague
  None. The Director General of Water Services has, jointly with the Director General of Electricity Supply, issued a consultation paper on the issues raised by the bid by Welsh Water plc for South Wales Electricity plc. The views of the Welsh customer services committee will be taken into account by the DGWS in formulating his advice to the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Welsh training and enterprise councils concerning flexibility between the last day of training and the first day of employment in the approval and funding for outcome and output-related payment methods under training for work schemes for the long-term unemployed. [5421]

  Mr. Hague
  None. However, with effect from 27 March 1995 arrangements have been agreed with training and enterprise councils in Wales for outcome-related payments to be made in respect of training for work trainees who get a job within six months of leaving the programme.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what monitoring systems he has available to him and what proposals he has to improve the monitoring systems with respect to the output and outcome of related funding methods for training for work schemes in respect of the numbers of former training for work trainees still in work three months or longer after completing their training for work training programmes; and if he will make a statement. [5420]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department's agreement with training and enterprise councils requires them to retain evidence of job outcomes achieved by training for work trainees, for whom a job outcome payment may he payable. A payment can be made in respect of a trainee gaining employment within six months of leaving the programme.

  The administrative arrangements for training for work in 1996–97 are currently under review and my officials are in consultation with training and enterprise councils about potential changes to the programme.

  Welsh Water
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to removing the 15 per cent. maximum shareholding in Welsh Water. [5414]
  551
  Mr. Hague
  None. This is a matter for the shareholders.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimates he has made of the effects on financial markets of the 15 per cent. maximum shareholding rule incorporated in perpetuity by his Department into the articles of association of Welsh Water plc at the time of privatisation. [5415]

  Mr. Hague
  None.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Welsh Development Agency concerning the funding of already signed contracts for commencement during the period November 1995 to 31 March 1996, and the consideration of abrogation; and if he will make a statement. [5422]

  Mr. Hague
  None. These are operational matters for the agency.

  Departmental Correspondence
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Western Mail as regards the form of publication of letters from Ministers and civil servants on behalf of Ministers and signed as approved by the relevant Minister; what proposals he has to clarify the distinction between the responsibility of Ministers for instructing and approving letters and civil servants for drafting and dispatching letters; and if he will make a statement. [5419]

  Mr. Hague
  It is standard practice across Whitehall for letters dictated by or approved by a Minister to be signed by a civil servant on behalf of the Minister in his absence. This is always made clear on the letter and is used to avoid delays in transmission. This happened with the letter from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Member for Clwyd North-West (Mr. Richards) printed in the Western Mail on 4 December. The newspaper incorrectly carried the name of the civil servant rather than that of my hon. Friend whose letter it was. When the error was pointed out by an official the Western Mail carried a correction the following day.

  It is also standard practice for officials to provide advice to Ministers on matters of official business, including letters.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the original letter, relating to the health service in Wales, published in the Western Mail on 4 December in the name of the Welsh Office civil servant Richard Morgan. [5255]

  Mr. Hague
  I am today placing a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

  Child Abuse
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is able to announce his decision on whether there should be an inquiry into the various allegations of child abuse in north Wales and if he will make a statement.
  552
  Mr. Richards
  On 5 May the previous Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood), appointed Miss Nicola Davies QC to undertake an examination of relevant papers held by the various agencies concerned and to advise on whether an inquiry was required.

  Upon the evidence contained in the documents examined Miss Davies has recommended that a public inquiry cannot be justified. The documents held by the North Wales police do contain allegations of abuse but the majority of the allegations relate to the period 1980 to 1988. The police investigations were triggered by letters from Clwyd and Gwynedd county councils and all the issues raised in those letters were properly investigated. With limited exceptions, children in care after 1989 were not interviewed by the police. Since 1989 there has been a radical revision of existing procedures.

  An inquiry into events prior to 1989 would be primarily of historical interest. The documents examined by Miss Davies do not demonstrate that the problems of the pre-1989 period have continued. In the absence of such core evidence Miss Davies feels unable to recommend that reasonable grounds exist which would provide the basis for a public inquiry.

  However, she has concluded that there should be a detailed examination of the practices and procedures of the social service departments of both Clwyd and Gwynedd county councils and of private homes in those areas to ensure that they are adequate and working effectively. She has recommended that this work he undertaken by an independent person experienced in social work and child care. This person should:

  (a) examine documents held by the statutory agencies and all the private agencies in Clwyd and Gwynedd who provide residential care for children which are relevant to such provision for the period 1991 to the present. The purpose of the examination would be to scrutinise the procedures and to comment on their adequacy and effectiveness; such an examination should address the following issues:

  (i) management, supervision and monitoring of staff at all levels;

  (ii) personnel procedures, recruitment of staff, induction, probationary periods, promotion, redeployment of staff, training plans for staff of residential homes, overall planning and individual profiles;

  (iii) implementation of care planning and review process, examination of children's records for supporting documentation;

  (iv) implementation of complaints procedures for children and staff; assessment of child protection procedures;

  (v) assessment of all books, diaries and logs kept in the various homes;

  (vi) the understanding of the various procedures and systems on the part of staff, parents, children and carers. Such procedures to include planning and review, children's rights, complaints, advocacy and independent visitors.

  (b) interview any individual whose knowledge and experience is deemed to be of relevance to such an investigation. The interviewing of any such individual would be in private;

  (c) investigate the area of foster care;

  (d) investigate the units in Clwyd county council and Gwynedd county council responsible for registering and inspecting homes.

  553
  I accept Miss Davies' conclusion that no case for a public inquiry has been established. That is the basis upon which I am proceeding unless any new compelling factor should come to light.

  I am also accepting Miss Davies' other recommendations and am appointing, under section 80 of the Children Act 1989, Miss Adrianne Jones to head this examination.
  554
  Miss Jones is to start work immediately. I shall he asking her, in addition, to advise me upon the proposedpractices and procedures of the six new unitary authorities in north Wales who will take over full responsibility for social services matters in April 1996.

  I am grateful to Miss Davies and to all of the various agencies who co-operated fully with her.

  I have arranged for Miss Davies' conclusions and recommendations to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Organophosphate Exposure and Suicide
  Organophosphate Exposure and Suicide
  Carbaryl and Malathion
  Carbaryl and Malathion
  Synthetic Pyrethroids and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
  Synthetic Pyrethroids and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
  Breast Cancer Specialist Units
  Breast Cancer Specialist Units
  Breast Screening: Upper Age Limit
  Breast Screening: Upper Age Limit
  Mobility Costs: Funding
  Mobility Costs: Funding
  East London Line
  East London Line
  Tourism Signposting
  Tourism Signposting
  Acid Rain: Monitoring
  Acid Rain: Monitoring
  Brazilian Mahogany: CITES Listing
  Brazilian Mahogany: CITES Listing
  Endangered Species: Import Prohibition
  Endangered Species: Import Prohibition
  Environment Agency: Statutory Guidance on Sustainable Development
  Environment Agency: Statutory Guidance on Sustainable Development
  Waste Management: White Paper
  Waste Management: White Paper
  Councillors: Bicycle Allowances
  Councillors: Bicycle Allowances
  Proposed New Royal Park
  Proposed New Royal Park
  Hyde Park West Carriage Drive
  Hyde Park West Carriage Drive
  Shotgun and Firearm Certificates
  Shotgun and Firearm Certificates
  Domestic Violence and the Law
  Domestic Violence and the Law
  Sexual Offences against Children Abroad
  Sexual Offences against Children Abroad
  Council of Europe Members: Treatment of Asylum Applications
  Council of Europe Members: Treatment of Asylum Applications
  Master of the Rolls' Review of Legal Year: Recommendations
  Master of the Rolls' Review of Legal Year: Recommendations