Written Answers of 13 February 1995

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Expenditure on all forms of advertising prior to 1987–88 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure on advertising for each year thereafter is shown in the table. In 1993–94, the way in which expenditure is recorded changed, so the figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95—to December—include all forms of publicity. The Lord Chancellor is responsible for three agencies: Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. As the hon. Member's question concerns specific operational matters, on which the chief executives are best placed to provide answers, I have accordingly asked the chief executives to reply direct.

  Year

  £

  1987–88

  6,990

  1988–89

  5,117

  1989–90

  6,745

  1990–91

  5,893

  1991–92

  24,324

  1992–93

  16,450

  1993–94

  78,541

  1994–951

  80,096

  1 To December

  Note:

  1993–94 prices—adjusted by the GDP deflator published 29 November, 1994.

  Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995:
  I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your question about advertising.

  1. The Public Record has spent the following sums (at 1994 prices) on staff recruitment advertising:

  1986–87: nil

  1987–88: nil

  1988–89: nil

  1989–90: nil

  1990–91: £28

  1991–92: £20,666

  1992–93: £10,326

  1993–94: £77,392

  2. In addition to the above figures, since 1991–92 the Office has spent approximately £1,500 per annum advertising its own products for sale.

  3. Information for earlier years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, I am confident that any expenditure on advertising in the earlier years would have been occasional and very small.

  476
  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning total expenditure by HM Land Registry on all forms of advertising for each year since 1979. I can provide the following information:

  Year

  Total advertising costs at 1994 Prices £

  1979–80

  59,340

  1980–81

  12,254

  1981–82

  14,329

  1982–83

  9,296

  1983–84

  5,795

  1984–85

  6,792

  1985–86

  11,609

  1986–87

  19,112

  1987–88

  47,020

  1988–89

  94,278

  1989–90

  45,719

  1990–91

  24,327

  1991–92

  6,932

  1992–93

  15,770

  1993–94

  16,558

  The Registry major expenditure on advertising has been for staff recruitment, particularly to meet the property boom of the late 1980's; for advertising in connection with the registration of high value transactions (until 1980); and to give effect to a continuing statutory requirement concerning the replacement of Land and Charge Certificates.

  I do hope that this answers the points raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's response to your parliamentary question listed on 9 February 1995, regarding expenditure on all forms of advertising since 1979.
  The Public Trust Office does not have a policy of advertising its services and there has been no expenditure on advertising since 1987/88.
  The office is only obliged to keep expenditure accounts for six years and if any spending took place on advertising prior to 1987/88 this could only be ascertained if available at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Office for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Cardiff Bay Opera House
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the impact on funding from the millennium fund of the
  477
  proposed Cardiff Bay opera house of (a) breaches in the rules of the competition organised by the Cardiff Bay opera house trust and (b) breaches of the planning permission of the local planning authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 20 January 1995]: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall reply to the hon. Member in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place a copy in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

  Privatisation
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what executive agencies formerly in the civil service will soon be privatised.

  Sir George Young
  The Government have announced plans to transfer the following executive agencies to the private sector: the Transport Research Laboratory; the National Engineering Laboratory; the Laboratory of the Government Chemist; ADAS, in part; the Natural Resources Institute; and the Accreditation Services, part of the National Physical Laboratory.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is public expenditure per head in Wales in the current financial year; and what is the equivalent in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers) on 2 February,Official Report, column 1199.

  Expenditure Review
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the redundancy terms offered to staff in his Department following the Treasury's fundamental review of expenditure.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury's fundamental expenditure review is still continuing. At all but the most senior grades the precise staff levels required have not yet been finalised. If there is a surplus of staff at any level, it will be managed by means other than redundancy, where possible.

  The financial terms in the event of redundancy are those set out in the civil service compensation scheme. This scheme—formerly section 10 of the principal civil service pension scheme—which applies throughout civil service, was laid before Parliament on 20 December 1994.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates the Treasury has for the annual costs to companies and members of the public of accounting for and paying capital gains tax.
  478
  Sir George Young
  The Inland Revenue is not aware of any recent studies of capital gains tax compliance costs.

  The deregulation task force chaired by Francis Maude is looking at capital gains tax as part of its efforts to reduce compliance costs for businesses. We shall consider carefully any recommendations the task force may make in due course.

  European Monetary Institute
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 6 February,Official Report, columns 63–64, about the European Monetary Institute, what period of time is intended to be covered by the institute's budgeted expenditure for which the total capital requirement is 615.6 million ecu.

  Mr. Nelson
  The capital resources will be used to generate an income necessary to cover the expenditure of the European Monetary Institute until its liquidation, in accordance with article 1091 of the EC treaty. The Council of the EMI intends to review the size of the resources three years after the establishment of the EMI, at the end of 1996.

  Income Tax Evasion
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money his Department estimates was lost through income tax evasion in each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  No reliable estimates are available.

  Company Shares
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the tax law regarding the buy-back of company shares.

  Sir George Young
  The current Finance Bill contains no proposals relating to the tax treatment of the purchase by a company of its own shares, but, as with a wide range of tax issues, the position is kept under review.

  Clearing Banks (Charges)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives of the clearing banks to discuss charging policies and the need for openness with customers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  My colleagues and I meet the chairmen and other representatives of the clearing banks from time to time to discuss a wide range of issues. Bank charges for business customers were looked at in reviews of the financing of small firms published by the Bank of England in January 1994 and January 1995. Neither highlighted charges as a significant problem. For the retail sector, the code of banking practice, introduced by all the major banks, already encourages greater openness between banks and their customers. All the major banks have now introduced, or are introducing, pre-notification of charges.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the numbers of staff with science, engineering and technology qualifications employed in the civil service by grade in(a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987 and (d)

  Sir George Young
  This information is not held centrally. Below the open structure, there are civil servants employed in the professional and technology group and the science group. Details of the numbers and grades of these staff are available in table 4 of "Civil Service Statistics" for each of the years. Copies of "Civil Service Statistics" are available in the Library.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is on relocating civil service jobs to areas of high unemployment and low opportunities.

  Sir George Young
  Departments and agencies should review the location of their work with the intention of securing cost savings, and wider employment and economic development benefits, including consistency with Ministers' wider regional and inner-city area policies.

  Departments considering relocation liaise closely with other Departments, the Government offices for the English regions, local authorities and the training and enterprise councils over their proposals for change.

  Ecu
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work the Government have undertaken to facilitate the use of the ecu.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: Since 1988 the Government have issued ecu denominated debt. In addition to widening the options for management of the United Kingdom's reserves, this programme shows the importance the Government attach to providing further opportunities for the development of the private ecu markets in London.

  Home Owners (Benefit Entitlement)
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral answer of 2 February to the hon. Member for Warrington, North, (Mr. Hoyle)Official Report, column 1201, what advice he has received from the Council of Mortgage Lenders about the likely effect of the changes he proposed in the Budget to income support for home owners' mortgage interest payments on the number of repossessions.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]: The Department of Social Security has on-going discussions with the Council of Mortgage Lenders and will continue to do so throughout the consultation process. The council has expressed concern about the possible impact of the proposals. The Government are listening carefully to its concerns but believe that the proposed changes will result in the development of comprehensive quality insurance which will provide better protection for all home owners against repossession, not just those who currently receive income support mortgage interest.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his office and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Newton
  The Privy Council Office incurred no expenditure in respect of advertising over the years in question. I am not responsible for any agencies.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what(a) guidance and (b) direction he has issued to NHS trusts in Scotland relating to local pay bargaining; and if he will place copies of these documents in the Library.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  NHS in Scotland employers are aware of the Government's policy. Responsibility for devising pay arrangements should be delegated wherever possible to those who are responsible for managing the delivery of services. NHS employers in Scotland are responsible for taking appropriate steps to develop and implement local pay.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.

  Mr. Lang
  The Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, lists non-departmental public bodies, nationalised industries, public corporations and NHS bodies. None of the bodies listed as being sponsored by my Department has been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector. Non-departmental public bodies are subject to review every five years, at which time consideration is given inter alia to the possibility of privatisation. The position of the other bodies is also considered regularly.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why he has not yet provided the information about next steps agencies requested by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton in his question of 20 January.

  Mr. Lang
  I apologise for the delay in answering the right hon. Member's question, which was in fact answered on 8 February,Official Report, column 336.

  Dundee Port Authority
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much public investment in the form of Government and European grants has been given to Dundee port authority in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  No Government grants were paid to the authority for port-related developments over this period. Payments from the European regional development fund were:

  Year

  £

  1985

  104,957

  1986

  80,178

  1987

  Nil

  1988

  1,389,300

  1989

  874,200

  1990

  Nil

  1991

  353,905

  1992

  178,270

  1993

  47,491

  1994

  520,679

  1995 (to date)

  Nil

  Total

  3,548,980

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he or his officials have had with Dundee port authority in relation to proposals for privatising that authority.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  Dundee port authority's chairman has met my noble Friend Lord Goschen, and with his professional advisers has had a number of meetings with officials of the Department.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Advertisements
  Ms Corston
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions and in what circumstances in the last five years advertisements have been placed in newspapers or periodicals which have been described as being issued by, or on behalf of, Ministers in his Department rather than on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Within the framework of collective responsibility there is no practical distinction between publicity described as being issued by a single Minister or Her Majesty's Government.

  Centrally produced DTI advertising does not refer to either Her Majesty's Government or an individual Minister, but generally includes the DTI logo and its descriptor.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposals for the Insolvency Service on the rights of the employees of the service to transferred rights and conditions.
  482
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  In the absence of any decision to contract out the work of official receivers, it is too early to consider the issue of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, the implications of which may not become clear until the nature of proposals in any bidding process could be assessed.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what adjustments to the spending plans for his Department he has made following his proposals for the Insolvency Service;

  (2) what provision he has made for redundancy costs arising out of his proposals for the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the announcement my right hon. and noble Friend Earl Ferrers made on 10 October 1994,Official Report, column 94. No early retirement or severance provisions have been made by my Department, as the preparatory work on increasing private sector involvement in the work of the official receivers is still on-going, nor has my Department made any adjustments to its spending plans.

  Insolvency Practitioners
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to remedy the criticism of insolvency practitioners made by the National Audit Office.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The reports of the National Audit Office and of the Public Accounts Committee contained recommendations that the Insolvency Service should seek to improve the quality and timeliness of reports submitted by insolvency practitioners concerning unfit conduct of directors in insolvent companies.

  The Insolvency Service has issued revised guidelines to insolvency practitioners which emphasised the need for timeliness of reports and the adequacy of evidence to support allegations of unfit conduct. These guidelines are being reinforced by the newly constituted joint insolvency monitoring unit set up by the insolvency profession to raise standards of its members. In addition, the Insolvency Service has commenced a programme of visits to practitioners who have a poor record of reporting, backed by prosecution in extreme cases.

  Steel Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the levels of steel imports into the United Kingdom for each three-month period since January 1993 from(a) the United States of America, (b) France, (c) Germany, (d) Korea and (e) Japan.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is in the following table:
  483

  United Kingdom imports of steel1

  000 tonnes

  United States of America

  France

  Germany

  South Korea

  Japan

  1993

  Q1

  10.0

  83.7

  312.6

  0.3

  14.2

  Q2

  12.7

  79.6

  354.7

  0.3

  14.3

  Q3

  8.9

  94.1

  315.9

  3.4

  17.5

  Q4

  11.8

  415.3

  358.8

  0.2

  16.9

  1994

  Q1

  9.1

  185.2

  359.7

  4.2

  10.0

  Q2

  8.8

  191.6

  391.6

  0.2

  17.5

  Q3

  11.5

  191.4

  381.4

  2.1

  8.4

  Source:

  Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

  Note:

  1 Products of the steel industry in the Standard Industrial Classification (1980), Groups 221, 222 and 223.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to encourage United Kingdom shipbuilding yards to develop their capacity to produce floating oil and gas platforms.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department established a working group on floating production systems last year and the group has made positive proposals to strengthen the competitiveness of UK yards and other suppliers in this sector. Its recommendations are being pursued with the industry and a report will be published shortly.

  Oil Companies (Equipment Purchases)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to encourage United Kingdom oil companies to purchase equipment from United Kingdom producers.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department helps oil companies in the UK and overseas to identify competitive UK suppliers and supports initiatives to help the suppliers improve their competitiveness.

  Ferrybridge
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what allowance was made in the liabilities of PowerGen's accounts for the flue gas desulphurisation of Ferrybridge power station when the company was privatised; what is his estimate of that sum in 1995 prices; and how much has been spent on flue gas desulphurisation of Ferrybridge station.

  Mr. Eggar
  The expectation that investment in 4 GW of flue gas desulphurisation equipment at PowerGen's coal-fired plant would form part of its capital expenditure programme was taken into account at privatisation. The 1991 prospectus for the sale of PowerGen gave an estimated cost of £250 million for the fitting of flue gas desulphurisation equipment at Ratcliffe power station. PowerGen had applied for planning permission to fit flue gas desulphurisation equipment at Ferrybridge C. This permission has subsequently been granted. Information on expenditure on particular capital projects is a matter for the company.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is required to review the conditions of integrated pollution control authorisations granted to power stations and may impose new conditions to prevent or reduce emissions of
  484
  pollutants subject to the application of BATNEEC—best available technique not entailing excessive cost.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has power to direct whether specific conditions should or should not be imposed.

  Cars (Distribution)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received on EU proposals to restrict the block exemptions governing the distribution of cars; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The European Commission has published a draft regulation—OJ 379/16—intended to replace Commission regulation 123/85. This regulation governs the selective and exclusive dealership agreements for motor vehicles, and is due to expire in June 1995.

  My Department has consulted interested parties representing United Kingdom manufacturers, dealers, trade associations, consumer groups and legal bodies to obtain their views on the draft. It has received representations from, or held discussions with, some 40 companies and representative organisations.

  N. M. Rothschild and Son Ltd.
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report columns 760–61, if the contract awarded to N. M. Rothschild was for a fixed fee; which tender was recommended to the then Secretary of State for Energy for acceptance by the interdepartmental group; and when the contact is expected to end.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 9 February 1995]: The contract was awarded on the basis of hourly rates. The then Secretary of State for Energy acted in accordance with the advice he received from officials. The contract will end once the privatisation of the British coal Corporation, including the non-mining activities, is completed.

  Military Equipment Exports (Indonesia)
  Mrs. Clywd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list military equipment that has been refused export licences to Indonesia on the grounds that such equipment might be used for internal repression
  485
  between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1993 and between 31 December 1993 and 1 February 1994.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of export licences or applications for licences unless the requirements of confidentiality are outweighed by the public interest.

  In this instance, I believe that the public interest is served by disclosing the following information:

  Three applications were made in the first period for licences to export military equipment which were ultimately refused.

  The goods were night vision goggles, an HF transceiver station together with battery charger, cable and ancillaries, and a thermal imager with laser range finder and teleconverter lens.

  No applications for licences made during the second period were refused.

  Recent rejections have been riot guns and CS cartridges for the Indonesian Police and pump action shotguns for the prison service.

  The potential for the use against the civilian population was one of the factors taken into account during the processing of the applications.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Witnesses (Disabilities)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions by the Crown Prosecution Service have been dropped within the last five years on the grounds that the principal witnesses or victims have a hearing difficulty or suffer from mental illness.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service maintains no central records regarding witnesses or victims of crime. The information is recorded on individual case files, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Waste Sites
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the domestic waste dump sites in Northern Ireland where environmental problems have arisen, indicating the type of problem which has arisen at each site.

  Mr. Moss
  At present, 28 landfill sites are authorised to receive domestic waste. Twenty-six are operated under district council control and two are operated by the private sector, but regulated by statutory authorities. Prior to 1980, landfill sites were used without proper design and building plans. Since then, authorised sites are engineered to deal with and contain leachate and gas emissions. Environmental problems associated with landfill sites can be litter, smell and bird invasion.

  The degree to which any of these problems may be found at a particular site will depend upon a range of factors such as location, the engineering technology used in design and operation of the site and on-going site management.

  Visual Disability
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to redefine the term blind so that a person who is unable to pass the vision test associated with the driving test should be regarded as being unable to do any work for which eyesight is essential.

  Mr. Moss
  No.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to abandoning the system of two categories of registrable visual disability.

  Mr. Moss
  The system of distinguishing between blindness and partial sight assists in service planning as the needs of blind and partially sighted people are not identical. Fewer people might be willing to register with social services departments if doing so meant they were required to accept the label "blind". We have no plans to change the present system.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to instruct Department of Health officials to issue new guidelines to approve consultant ophthalmologists to certify all persons with a visual acuity of 6/18, or less, as blind and registrable in that category with social services.

  Mr. Moss
  None.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the practice in other countries of having only one category of registrable visual disability.

  Mr. Moss
  None. The system in use throughout the United Kingdom has been established over many years enabling trends in causes of blindness and partial sight to be monitored. There are no plans to amend the system.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The public bodies for which the Secretary of State retains departmental responsibility are set out in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994", copies of which are available in the Library. Since "Public Bodies 1994" was published, the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency was established.

  None of these bodies has been identified as being suitable for placing in the private sector.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the termination payments made to chief executives and general and senior managers in each NHS trust since its inception, indicating the size and number of individual payments.

  Mr. Moss
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Consideration is being given to the collection of data on termination payments in Northern Ireland.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed:

  Year

  Expenditure £ (in 1994 prices)

  1979–80

  1,146,986

  1980–81

  999,033

  1981–82

  1,159,163

  1982–83

  2,731,538

  1983–84

  4,821,516

  1984–85

  4,360,906

  1985–86

  6,004,314

  1986–87

  5,651,684

  1987–88

  5,719,217

  1988–89

  6,100,684

  1989–90

  6,393,354

  1990–91

  6,769,594

  1991–92

  7,953,941

  1992–93

  7,770,377

  1993–94

  6,046,557

  1994–95

  15,241,690

  1 Consists of estimated expenditure or expenditure to date for Departments.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Advisory Board for the Research Councils
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the final recommendations of the disbanded Advisory Board for the Research Councils.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The final recommendations were in December 1993 and consisted of advice on the then science budget. I have placed copies on the Library.

  Government-funded Research
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total spending reduction in Government-funded research which took place when near-market research was abandoned.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Over the period—1987–88 to 1991–92—there was a cash increase of 19 per cent. in total Government-funded R and D expenditure.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by what method he is kept informed as to scientific developments and breakthroughs that warrant funding and other support from Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Many different methods.

  Space Funding
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on funding of space science.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  I met my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for space last November, to 488
  discuss the funding of space science and our two Departments continue to work closely together.

  There is continual contact between the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, my Department and the British National Space Centre at an official level, through which we are currently looking in detail at the cost-effectiveness of the UK's participation in the European Space Agency's science programme.

  I recognise fully that our space scientists have an excellent reputation and we will continue to support our best space science research.

  Large Hadron Collider
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the letter from the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what discussions Her Majesty's Government are having with CERN partners on ways in which the original timetable for the large hadron collider and associated developments in particle physics can be adhered to.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The timetable of the large hadron collider project agreed by member states in December 1995 foresees full operation in 2008. This can be achieved within known existing resources. Completion before this date will require significant additional. contributions from non-member states.

  The CERN director general is taking the lead in discussing with potential partners the terms on which they might participate scientifically and financially. He has the full support of the UK and other CERN member states. We stand ready to give the director general every assistance to help these discussions reach a satisfactory conclusion. Any proposal for the participation of non-member states will be discussed by member states in the CERN council.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will name the companies which have been successful in obtaining contracts to provide services for Government Departments as a result of the market-testing process; and if he will list them by Government department.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  For information on the contracts awarded by the Office of Public Service and Science, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 12 December 1994,Official Report, column 455. Other Ministers provided similar information on their Departments to the hon. Member for Darlington. Their answers were published in the Official Report between 12 December and 16 December. The Ministry of Defence provided a full list of contractors in an answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) Official Report, 30 January 1995, columns 546–48.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Somaliland
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he or
  489
  international organisations have to restart mine clearing operations in Somaliland.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have no plans. We understand the UN has been unable to agree a programme for mine clearance work with the regional authorities, which include adequate systems for monitoring, reporting and accountability.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the ODA co-ordinator in Hargeisa has made of the priorities for British and European assistance to Somaliland.

  Mr. Baldry
  North-west Somalia's needs are extensive. Britain's priorities remain support for programmes to help re-establish basic health and education services and help for those displaced by the recent fighting. EU assistance includes support for the livestock sector; water and sanitation and income generation. We agree with the NGO liaison and support officer's judgment that these remain priority areas for assistance.

  Wealth Distribution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the statistical impact made by his Department's programme in the relative distribution of wealth between the world's 20 richest and 20 poorest countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 9 February 1995]: Twenty-nine per cent. of the United Kingdom's total bilateral net official development assistance disbursements in 1992 went to the 20 countries listed as poorest in GNP per capita terms according to World bank information. The only countries with a higher percentage than the United Kingdom were Norway, Denmark and Finland, all of which had lower total disbursements to these countries in volume terms.

  However, it is not possible to isolate the statistical effect of aid disbursements to these countries—let alone disbursements by a single donor—from other factors when examining their economic growth.

EMPLOYMENT

  Domiciliary Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to monitor the suitability of employment agencies offering domiciliary care provision; and how such agencies are monitored in terms of conduct and suitability.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Employment Agencies Act 1973 and its associated regulations require all employment agencies to abide by specified minimum standards of conduct. Inspectors from the Department's Employment Agency standards offices investigate all complaints and other indications of breaches of the standards of conduct and undertake random checks.

  South Thames Training and Enterprise Council
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was owed by South Thames TEC to Southwark college(a) for work
  490
  undertaken before 7 November 1994 and (b) for work undertaken after 7 November 1994.

  Mr. Paice
  I am as yet unable to assess the financial impact of the receivership of South Thames training and enterprise council on Southwark college. Money owed by South Thames TEC to Southwark college before 7 November 1994 is a matter for the receiver, who is still establishing the total amount involved. The Department has processed invoices from the college for 7 November 1994 to 1 January 1995 to the value of £133,209.55 and these will be paid to the college by the end of next week.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the financial impact of the receivership of South Thames TEC on Southwark college.

  Mr. Paice
  I am as yet unable to assess the financial impact of the receivership of South Thames training and enterprise council on Southwark college.

  Jobseekers
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria will be used to assess an individual's skills, qualifications and experience for the purposes of entering into the jobseeker's agreement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: The employment officer and the jobseeker will seek to draw up a jobseeker's agreement. The terms and conditions of the agreement have to be such that if the jobseeker complies with the agreement he will satisfy the conditions set out in regulations on availability and actively seeking work.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria will be used by the adjudication officer to determine what is reasonable for purposes of deciding whether a claimant for jobseeker's allowance considers the agreement as a condition of entitlement to be unreasonable.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: Adjudication officers will be expected to have regard to the legislation and any relevant caselaw. They will be assisted by guidance issued by the chief adjudication officer.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what procedures will apply when the adjudicating officer charged with deciding whether the agreement as a condition of entitlement for jobseeker's allowance is reasonable, rules it(a) to be reasonable and (b) to be unreasonable.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: (a) If the adjudication officer determines that it is reasonable to expect the jobseeker to comply with the terms and conditions of a proposed agreement, the jobseeker can accept his determination or appeal to a social security appeals tribunal.

  (b) If the adjudication officer determines that it is not reasonable he may give directions as to the terms and conditions on which the employment officer is to enter into an agreement with the jobseeker. If the jobseeker does not consider the adjudication officer's terms reasonable, he can appeal to another adjudication officer, and if he is still not content he can appeal to a social security appeals tribunal.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons
  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have died in prison from natural causes in the past five years.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Robert Litherland, dated 13 February 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many people have died in prison from natural causes in the past five years.
  A total of 147 people have died from natural causes whilst in custody during the last five years.

  1990: 37

  1991: 20

  1992: 32

  1993: 31

  1994: 27

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether decisions relating to the searching of category A prisoners and their visitors are policy or operational matters.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The power to search prisoners and their visitors is set out in the prison rules, which are made by the Secretary of State. Decisions relating to the rules themselves and changes to them are policy matters.

  The actions which are taken to implement the rules, including the procedures for searching category A prisoners and their visitors, are operational matters, as are the day-to-day decisions to search individual prisoners or visitors.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cuts to its budget have been proposed by the Prison Service; and what new equipment and materials have been cancelled.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Prison Service has not proposed any cuts to its budget and no new equipment and materials have been cancelled.

  Data Centre, Bootle
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report, column 50, for what reasons the transitional and restructuring costs in the contract between his Department and the Sema Group in respect of the privatisation of the data centre in Bootle remain in confidence now that the contract has been agreed; what proportion this element of the contract was of the total contract amount; if any part of the agreement prior to the contract being signed required such commercial secrecy; if permission of Sema is required to publish the figure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  It is not the usual practice to publish commercially sensitive information about contracts particularly where that would involve the disclosure of details of the pricing arrangements or structure of competitive bids and this applies both before and after a contract is let. The purpose is to preserve the legitimate business interests of competing companies who may wish to bid for future contracts. This consideration applied to 492
  the contract between the Home Office and Sema Group plc and I continue to regard information about the proportion of the contract costs which relate to transitional and restructuring activities as commercially confidential. If it was considered appropriate to disclose commercially sensitive information from tender or contractual documents. I would regard it as necessary to discuss the matter in advance with the contractor concerned.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report, column 50, how many people were employed at the data centre in Bootle prior to its privatisation; how many of those employees (a) have been and (b) will be made redundant as a result of the Sema Group's proposals; and if he will indicate the type of staff, and the number in each category, made redundant.

  Mr. Howard
  Following the award of a contract for the supply of Home Office administrative information technology services, staff in the undertaking were transferred to Sema Group plc under the terms of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981; this included 272 staff based on Merseyside.

  Although subsequent redundancies by Sema Group are a matter for it, we understand from the company that, in order to make efficiency savings identified following an operational review of business requirements, it invited applications for voluntary redundancy in November 1994 from staff on Merseyside. As a result, 92 former Home Office staff on Merseyside have been accepted for voluntary redundancy under terms equivalent to those which would have applied if they had remained civil servants. I understand that all of these were formerly administrative grade civil servants in the grades administrative assistant to grade 7.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report. column 50, what is the expected percentage level of overspend or underspend for the estimated total payments from his Department for the Sema Group's transitional and restructuring costs against the amount allocated for these costs in the contract.

  Mr. Howard
  Payments to Sema Group plc to cover transitional and restructuring costs are expected to be at the level set out in the contract. Sema Group's bid contained an element for such costs, a proportion of which were estimated because they were dependent on the outcome of an operational review which they would conduct if awarded the contract. However, the contract specified a maximum to be paid by the Home Office on the basis that any costs over that amount would be melt by Sema Group. It is expected that the level of payments from the Home Office to Sema Group will be at that maximum level, which was the level assumed in evaluating the bid.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.
  493
  Mr. Howard
  The following non-departmental public bodies presently fall within my Department's responsibility:

  Alcohol Education and Research Council

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Community Development Foundation

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

  Fire Services Examinations Board

  Gaming Board for Great Britain

  Horserace. Betting Levy Board

  Horserace Totalisator Board

  Office of the Data Protection Registrar

  Police Complaints Authority

  Police Promotions Examinations Board

  National Lottery Charities Board

  Advisory Board on Restricted Patients

  Advisory Committee on Service Candidates

  Advisory Council on Race Relations

  Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council

  Firearms Consultative Committee

  National Board for Crime Prevention

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  Parole Board

  Poisons Board

  Police Negotiating Board

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel

  Data Protection Tribunal

  Horserace Betting Levy Appeals Tribunal for England and Wales

  Interception of Communications Tribunal

  Misuse of Drugs Advisory Body

  Misuse of Drugs Professional Panel

  Misuse of Drugs Tribunal

  Police Arbitration Tribunal

  Police Discipline Appeals Tribunal

  Security Services Tribunal

  Boards of Visitors to Penal Establishments

  These NDPBs are subject to a rolling review every five years, the first stage of which includes an examination of prior options, including the scope for privatisation. At present, none has been identified for privatisation.

  Police and Prison Services (Radio)
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of running the Home Office supply service for radio and high technology equipment to the police and prison services.

  Mr. Howard
  The police and prison services now purchase their radio and high technology equipment directly from suppliers. The Department, through the radio frequency and communications planning unit, undertakes frequency regulation and management functions and provides strategic advice and technical guidance on radio matters to the police, fire, prison and 494
  other Home Office Departments. The cost of this service is approximately £940,000 in 1994–95.

  Parkhurst
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who advised him that the installation of geophones in the perimeter fence at Parkhurst would have to wait until building work was complete.

  Mr. Howard
  After the escapes from Parkhurst which took place on 3 January, I was informed by the Prison Service of the reasons why geophones had not been installed, as I explained to the House in my statement on 10 January, column 34.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Howard
  Expenditure on television, radio press and poster advertising by my Department and its agencies, except the Forensic Science Service agency, for each year since 1979 is as follows:

  1993–94 prices (using the GDP deflator)

  £

  1979–80

  7,131,352

  1980–81

  3,422,914

  1981–82

  3,470,771

  1982–83

  3,456,974

  1983–84

  4,659,770

  1984–85

  5,243,644

  1985–86

  5,037,696

  1993–94 prices using the GDP deflator

  £

  1986–87

  7,395,028

  1987–88

  6,599,918

  1988–89

  7,107,320

  1989–90

  6,766,316

  1990–91

  6,524,067

  1991–92

  7,797,182

  1992–93

  7,569,370

  1993–94

  9,345,196

  The projected spend for 1994–95 is £10,178,074.

  The above figures do not include the marginal advertising spend for the Forensic Science Service since it became an agency in 1991. The agency does not have data to separate advertising spend from general publicity. Its systems will be modified to provide a breakdown from 1995–96.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the cost of policing the demonstrations against the export of live calves;
  495
  (2) if he will require commercial organisations to pay the full cost of policing their commercial operations.

  Mr. Maclean
  The policing of recent demonstrations against the export of live animals has arisen from the duty of the police to uphold the law and I should not expect charges to be made for this.

  Information on the total costs of policing demonstrations against the export of live calves is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Drugs
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of prisoners were estimated to be drug users(a) when they entered prison, and (b) when they were released from prison in (i) womens' prisons and (ii) mens' prisons in each of the last 15 years.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 13 February 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question on how many and what proportion of prisoners were estimated to be drug-users on entering and upon release from prison for both male and female establishments for each of the past 15 years.
  The information currently available on the prevalence of drug misuse among prisoners does not enable me to provide you with the information that you requested. However, the Prison Service will be introducing mandatory drug testing for prisoners. As part of the mandatory drug testing programme prisoners will be required to participate in random drug testing. This will provide statistical information on the extent of drug misuse in prison.

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that monitoring shall be carried out of the number of accidents and fatalities resulting from the use of bathing beaches.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No. But I would refer the hon. Member to the work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and, so far as concerns fatal accidents, to the reply which I gave to his question on 25 January, column 236.

  Prevention of Terrorism Powers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-United Kingdom nationals in each year, to date, have been(a) excluded from the United Kingdom, (b) are currently excluded from the United Kingdom and (c) have had exclusion orders withdrawn under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.
  496
  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]: Only persons who are not British citizens may be excluded from the United Kingdom under the 1989 Act: 14 persons are currently so excluded. Figures for each year since 1989 are shown in the following table:

  Persons excluded from the United Kingdom

  Orders in force on 1 January

  New orders made during year

  Orders renewed during year

  Orders revoked/lapsed during year

  1989

  35

  —

  4

  5

  1990

  30

  4

  2

  12

  1991

  22

  3

  6

  7

  1992

  18

  1

  4

  1

  1993

  18

  —

  4

  1

  1994

  17

  1

  5

  3

  19951

  15

  —

  —

  1

  Note:

  1 As at 7 February.

HEALTH

  National Blood Authority
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the relationship between the National Blood Authority and the promotion of national prune week.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the National Blood Authority.

  RAF Hospital, Wroughton
  Mr.Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department made to the Ministry of Defence regarding the implication for the NHS of the closure of RAF hospital, Wroughton.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regular discussions take place between officials of the Department of Health and the Ministry of Defence about plans for the future of military hospitals and their impact on the national health service, including RAF Wroughton. The timing and management of change at individual hospitals are discussed in joint machinery involving officials from my Department, NHS managers and Ministry of Defence officials.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on bovine somatotropin following recent research at Musgrave Park hospital on concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1.

  Mr. Sackville
  All cows' milk contains IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor. Administering artificially produced bovine somatatrophin to dairy cows results in marginally increased levels of IGF-1 in their milk.

  I understand that doctors at the Musgrove Park hospital, Taunton, have been conducting research into possible links between BST and cancer.

  Pregnancy
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number and rate of(a) conception, (b) full-term pregnancies and (c) terminations for each of the last 10 years for girls in the age group 12 to 15 years; and if she will indicate the levels of disaggregation for which figures are available currently.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available for England as a whole is shown in the table. Corresponding information for regional health authorities is published in birth statistics series FM1—Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys—and that for district health authorities from 1986 onwards, with rates averaged over three-year periods, in the OPCS monitor, "Conceptions in England and Wales 1991: residents of regional and district health authority areas FM1 94/1", copies of which are in the Library.

  Conception at ages under 16 England

  Year

  Number

  1984

  9,096

  1985

  8,829

  1986

  8,684

  1987

  8,590

  1988

  8,246

  1989

  7,922

  1990

  8,111

  1991

  7,362

  19921

  7,475

  1 Provisional.

  Note:

  1. Rates in the table use the mid-year population estimates revised following the rebasing of mid-1991 estimates using the 1991 Census of Population.

  Rates per 1,000 women aged 13–15 England

  Conceptions leading to

  Year

  Total conceptions

  maternities

  abortions

  1984

  8.7

  3.8

  4.9

  1985

  8.6

  3.8

  4.9

  1986

  8.8

  4.0

  4.8

  1987

  9.3

  4.2

  5.1

  1988

  9.4

  4.3

  5.0

  1989

  9.4

  4.5

  4.9

  1990

  10.0

  4.9

  5.1

  1991

  9.3

  4.5

  4.8

  19921

  9.2

  2—

  2—

  1 Provisional.

  2 Data not yet available.

  Note:

  1. Rates in the table use the mid-year population estimates revised following the rebasing of mid-1991 estimates using the 1991 Census of Population.

  Royal Liverpool Hospital
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the length of time currently taken to treat a patient arriving at the Royal Liverpool hospital seeking treatment in the accident and emergency department between their arrival and the time of treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities are responsible for setting and monitoring performance 498
  standards for accident and emergency services locally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Liverpool health authority, Mr. Donald Tod, for this information in respect of the Royal Liverpool hospital.

  Paramedics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will fund the training of the paramedics required to meet her 1995 target.

  Mr. Sackville
  The funding arrangements for paramedic training are matters for individual ambulance services.

  NHS Audits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who appoints external auditors for(a) health authorities and (b) NHS trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Audit Commission.

  Accident and Emergency Closures
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the closure of London accident and emergency facilities on emergency ambulance response times.

  Mr. Sackville
  We understand that, at the request of health authorities and others, the London ambulance service has looked at patient flows resulting from changing patterns of accident and emergency provision in London. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Martin Gorham, chief executive of the LAS.

  Anaphylaxis
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the availability within the NHS of user-friendly adrenaline injection kits for the treatment of anaphylaxis.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are at least three presentations of self-injectable adrenaline preparations available, but only one of which is licensed for use under the Medicines Act 1968. Doctors can prescribe any product which they feel necessary for the treatment of their patients at national health service expense, providing it is not included in schedule 10 to the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992. However, doctors must take full responsibility for the patient's welfare when prescribing an unlicensed product. Arrangements are in place to enable these to be obtained.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of guidelines for the treatment of anaphylaxis in accident and emergency departments of NHS hospitals in England and Wales.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are not aware of any clinical guidelines on the treatment of anaphylaxis in accident and emergency departments. The development of such guidelines and their upkeep would be a matter for the medical profession. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
  499
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of equipment and training for the treatment of anaphylaxis for ambulance services in England and Wales.

  Mr. Sackville
  All national health service paramedics in England and Wales are trained in the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis, and I am informed that the equipment needed for such treatment is standard on all front-line ambulances.

  Staff Loans
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a list of(a) trusts and (b) health authorities that have made loans to staff members in the latest year for which figures are available, indicating the sums involved.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Smoking
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what attempts were made, and what controls were in place to safeguard and judge the effectiveness of the 1994 no smoking campaign;

  (2) what proposals she has to improve the (a) targeting and (b) monitoring of future Government no smoking campaigns; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  All health education campaigns on smoking are aimed at particular groups in line with "The Health of the Nation" targets on smoking and are evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the sum spent last year on the no smoking campaign was disbursed.

  Mr. Sackville
  Resources for health education campaigns on smoking in 1993–94 and 1994–95 were allocated to programmes aimed at particular target groups as follows:

  1993–94 £000

  1994–95 £000

  Teenage smoking campaign

  1,199

  1,260

  Smoking in pregnancy

  446

  480

  Adult and parental smoking

  6,611

  7,552

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current estimated cost to the national health service of treating smoking-related diseases.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 13 January, column 257.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people registered as mentally ill in the community is assigned a key worker.
  500
  Mr. Bowis
  Mentally ill people in the community are not required to register with health or social services authorities or with any other agency. All patients subject to the care programme approach should have an identified key worker, but we do not require information on numbers of such patients to be submitted to the Department.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) guidelines or (b) rules her Department sets to ensure that people released from long-stay mental hospitals are given (i) social security advice, (ii) housing advice and (iii) financial advice.

  Mr. Bowis
  The "Mental Illness Key Area Handbook" advises health and local authorities that under the care programme approach, a systematic assessment of the health and social care needs of the patient should be undertaken prior to discharge. The assessment will include the person's housing and financial needs.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many long-stay mental hospitals in(a) London, (b) Birmingham, and (c) Manchester are open; and how many have set closure plans.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on all long-stay mental illness hospitals is not routinely collected. Details on the remaining large mental illness hospitals—with over 100 beds—including closure plans if any, were published in the mental health task force report, "Survey of English Mental Illness Hospitals, March 1993", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in(a) London, (b) Birmingham, and (c) Manchester are registered with health authorities as mentally ill in the community.

  Mr. Bowis
  Mentally ill people living in the community are not required to register with health authorities. National health service agencies will generally only hold details of those people in contact with specialist services and we do not require this information to be submitted to the Department.

  NHS Beds
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new acute psychiatric beds in(a) London, (b) Birmingham, and (c) Manchester are due to become available in 1995.

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 February,Official Report, column 29, if she will provide a breakdown by region of the number of general practitioner fundholders who have overrun their budgets; and by what amount in each year since their inception.

  Mr. Malone
  Regional health authorities are responsible for the fundholding scheme in their areas. Information from regions is provided in the table. Final audited information for 1993–94 is not yet available.
  501

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Region

  Number of GP fundholders who overspent their budget

  Total overspend (£ million)

  Number of GP fundholders who overspent their budget

  Total overspend (£ million)

  Northern

  8

  0.4

  10

  0.5

  Yorkshire

  5

  0.3

  20

  2.4

  Trent

  6

  0.3

  19

  1.1

  East Anglia

  1

  0.0

  3

  0.1

  North West Thames

  1

  0.1

  8

  0.5

  North East Thames

  0

  0.0

  7

  0.4

  South East Thames

  0

  0.0

  12

  0.6

  South West Thames

  4

  0.4

  22

  1.7

  Wessex

  3

  0.2

  5

  0.3

  Oxford

  5

  0.2

  6

  0.3

  South Western

  7

  0.4

  9

  0.4

  West Midlands

  0

  0.1

  6

  0.3

  Mersey

  1

  0.0

  3

  0.0

  North Western

  5

  0.2

  17

  1.0

  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100,000.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts and health authorities have given early retirement to chief executives or senior and general managers in each of the last three years, indicating the number and value of awards made.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is not available centrally.

  Charging Policy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her policy with regard to local authorities charging for services provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Bowis
  We are advised that local authorities do not have legal powers to charge for services provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account has been taken of local authorities' inability to charge for services provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in the special transitional allocation.

  Mr. Bowls
  None.

  Domiciliary Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the assumption that 9 per cent. of expenditure on domiciliary care is recovered from charges excludes domiciliary and day care services provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Bowis
  Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 has no bearing on the level of an individual authority's personal social services standard spending assessment. In the calculation of PSS SSAs for day and domiciliary services for people aged 65 and over and for services to people aged 18 to 64, no explicit account is taken of actual income from charges. The formulae for both elements implicitly assume that all local authorities recover costs at the same rate.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of operations for breast cancer in 1993–94 were performed in hospitals where(a) more than 150 such operations took place, (b) between 100 and 150 took place, (c) between 50 and 100 took place and (d) fewer than 50 took place.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on breast cancer research in each year since 1990–91 broken down by(a) Government contribution and (b) the contribution of charities.

  Mr. Sackville
  Government expenditure on breast cancer research since 1990–91 is shown in table.

  £ million

  1990–91

  3.22

  1991–92

  2.12

  1992–93

  3.80

  1993–94

  3.72

  Cancer charities' expenditure on breast cancer research is not available centrally.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by her Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information for the years 1979–80 to 1984–85 is not available. Annual spend for the financial years 1985–86 to 1992–93 at 1993–94 prices is shown in the table:

  Year

  £ million

  1985–86

  4.732

  1986–87

  11.786

  1987–88

  9.119

  1988–89

  4.014

  1989–90

  8.956

  1990–91

  5.464

  503

  Year

  £ million

  1991–92

  8.656

  1992–93

  5.637

  1993–94

  6.076

  1994–95 (estimated)

  4.090

  Figures for 1985–86 to 1990–91 are for advertising publicity only.

  Figures for 1991–92 include the costs of Departmental and Agency recruitment advertising.

  Consultants
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) clinical oncology consultants and (b) medical oncology consultants there are currently in England and Wales; and how many of each are funded by charities.

  Mr. Malone
  The available information is shown in the table. Information on the funding of national health service consultant posts by charities is not available centrally.

  Hospital medical consultants in selected specialties by number England and Wales as at September 1993

  Specialty

  Number

  Clinical oncology

  237

  Medical oncology

  60

  Local Authority Contracts
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts have been awarded by local authority social services departments to the private sector in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

EDUCATION

  Independent Schools (Surplus Butter)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent schools with charitable status benefit from the sale on favourable terms of surplus EC butter; and what is her estimate of the total value in 1994 of such sales at(a) the actual price charged and (b) the average retail price.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department does not collect this information.

  Education Assets Board
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what was the date of appointment of each of the members of the Education Assets Board; and by whom each was appointed;
  504
  (2) what is the remuneration of the chairman, chief executive and members of the Education Assets Board.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Education Assets Board

  First appointed

  Reappointed

  Chairman

  Mr. R. Suddards CBE, DL

  January 1994

  Salary: £31,400

  Chief Executive

  Mr. S. Hoare (ex-officio board member)

  July 1990

  August 1992

  Salary: £49,100

  Board Members

  Mr. B Arthur, CBE

  July 1990

  August 1992

  February 1995

  Mr. K. Bridge

  July 1988

  July 1990

  August 1992

  Ms K. Buckley

  August 1992

  Mr. H. Couch TD

  July 1988

  July 1990

  August 1992

  February 1995

  Mr. M. Edwards CBE, QC

  July 1988

  January 1991

  August 1992

  Miss A. Lees

  July 1988

  July 1990

  August 1992

  Mr. P. Lewis

  August 1992

  Mrs. M. Ryding

  November 1994

  Mr. A. Solomons

  July 1988

  July 1990

  August 1992

  February 1995

  Members receive expenses and a fee of £155 for attending Board meetings.

  The Chairman and Board Members are appointed by the Secretary of State.

  The Chief Executive is appointed by the Board subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

  Independent Schools
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list those independent schools registered with her Department which have charitable status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There are currently 1,312 independent schools in England registered with this Department which have informed us that they have charitable status. I have placed a list of these schools in the Library.

  School Performance Tables
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if she will make it her policy to include measures in school performance indices comparing numbers of pupils not achieving any GCSE grades from one year to the next;

  (2) if she will list the criteria to be used in comparing school performance from one year to the next.

  Mr. Forth
  We shall be consulting soon on the arrangements for the 1995 school and college performance tables.

  Mature Students Allowance
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate she has made of the savings which would arise from the abolition of the mature students' allowance.

  Mr. Boswell
  We estimate that savings will amount to £5 million, £20 million and £30 million in the 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 financial years respectively.

  Grant-maintained Schools, Lancashire
  Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the grant-maintained schools in Lancashire, giving in each case their location and their parliamentary constituency.

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

  Grant-maintained Schools

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Archbishop Temple School (Ex William Temple), St. Vincent's Road, Fulwood, Preston

  Nigel Evans, Esq., MP, Ribble Valley

  Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School Glen Road, Waterfoot, Rossendale

  Ms Janet Anderson, MP, Rossendale and Darwen

  Baines School, Highcross Road, Poulton-le-Fylde

  Keith Mans, Esq., MP, Wyre

  Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, York Street, Clitheroe

  Nigel Evans, Esq., MP, Ribble Valley

  Lancaster Girls Grammar School, Regent Street, Lancaster

  Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman, MP, Lancaster

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School, East Road, Lancaster

  Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman, MP, Lancaster

  Leyland St. Mary's RC GM School, Royal Avenue, Leyland, Preston

  Robert Atkins, Esq., MP, South Ribble

  Newton Bluecoat C of E GM Primary School, School Lane, Newton Kirkham, Preston

  Michael Jack, Esq., MP, Fylde

  Salesbury CE Primary School, Lovely Hall Lane, Salesbury, Blackburn

  Nigel Evans, Esq., MP, Ribble Valley

  St. Peter's CE Grant-Maintained School, Eaves Lane, Chorley

  Den Dover, Esq., MP, Chorley

  St. Wilfrid's CE High School, Shakespeare Streat, Blackburn

  Jack Straw, Esq., MP, Blackburn

  Schools, Shropshire
  Mr. Biffen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the aggregate financial balances held by schools in Shropshire at the latest available date, and for the corresponding date in 1994 and 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The figures are £4.574 million at 31 March 1994, the latest date for which the information is available: £5.339 million at 31 March 1993. These figures relate to primary and secondary schools which were covered at those dates by the local education authority's scheme for the local management of schools 506
  Information relating to financial balances held by grant-maintained schools is held by the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the funding agency to write to my right hon. Friend.

  College Funding
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education to what extent the funding formula for colleges takes into account the extra needs of inner-city students.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Further Education Funding Council's funding methodology currently allows colleges to claim full reimbursement from the council for the provision of free tuition to unemployed people, people on low incomes, and those taking programmes of English for speakers of other languages, or adult basic education. In 1995–96, the funding methodology will also recognise the additional needs of students on low incomes who have child care responsibilities.

  Bradford University (Bursaries)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 727, if he will place a copy of the survey together with replies, undertaken in 1994 in the Library.

  Mr. Boswell
  The survey undertaken in 1994 covered the academic year 1992–93. A copy of the letter to institutions seeking information about students on the courses supported through the Department's postgraduate scheme and tables summarising the responses have been placed in the Library.

  William Morris Academy
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she has asked the Further Education Funding Council to consider bringing forward proposals to incorporate the William Morris Academy into the further education sector.

  Mr. Boswell
  Yes.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Forth
  The expenditure figures for advertising, including press, television and radio, by the Department for the financial years since 1979 are provided in the table:

  Year

  Advertising £000

  At 1993–94 prices £000

  1979–80

  91.6

  224.9

  1980–81

  8.9

  18.5

  1981–82

  86.9

  164.4

  1982–83

  6.0

  10.6

  1983–84

  9.6

  16.2

  1984–85

  18.5

  29.7

  1985–86

  14.8

  22.5

  1986–87

  532.0

  786.8

  1987–88

  280.0

  393.2

  1988–89

  515.0

  677.8

  1989–90

  249.8

  307.3

  1990–91

  2,604.0

  2,965.9

  1991–92

  3,037.9

  3,255.5

  507

  Year

  Advertising £000

  At 1993–94 prices £000

  1992–93

  1,086.4

  1,119.6

  1993–94

  1,442.2

  1,442.2

  1994–95

  1150.0

  147.1

  Note:

  1 Estimate.

  The Department's agencies are responsible for their own expenditure on advertising. Such information is not held centrally.

  Southwark College
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education if she will make a statement about the funding of Southwark college.

  Mr. Boswell
  Southwark college was guaranteed core funding by the Further Education Funding Council of £10.266 million for 1994–95. The college's bid for an additional £0.650 million was allocated in full, giving a total recurrent funding allocation for 1994–95 for £10.916 million.

ENVIRONMENT

  Aquifers, London
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state, or investigate, the extent to which water in the aquifers of the London geological syncline could be used in greater volumes, either in the public water supply or other purposes; what is the current cost of obtaining potable water from this source; and what capital and revenue costs would be incurred in using sufficient water for these uses so as to stabilise the height of the local water table.

  Mr. Atkins
  The National Rivers Authority has, at the request of the Department, improved the monitoring network of groundwater levels in the London area, and has worked closely with Thames Water Utilities Ltd. to investigate the potential of this resource to provide additional water for public supply. The TWUL is currently involved in several groundwater schemes in the London area including recharge and abstraction schemes in north London and south London and an exploratory scheme in central London.

  In 1989, the Construction Industry Research and Information Association published a report "The Engineering Implications of rising groundwater levels in the deep aquifer beneath London", part-funded by the Department. Since that time, the TWUL has investigated 20 sites in central London. Of these, seven provided yields of sufficient quantity and quality to be of potential use for public supply. However, the development of this resource for public water supply is relatively expensive. I am informed that the TWUL is not likely to require it in the short or medium term because of the success of the north London recharge scheme, improved leakage control and the construction of the London ring main.
  508
  Capital and operational costs for public water supplies are a matter for the water undertakers, within the price limits determined by the Director General of Water Supplies.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds were awarded under objective 1 to Liverpool during the past 12 months: how many bids were entered for this money; how many were accepted; what is the total amount of money used from the allocation; what is the residue; and how the residue is to be used.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The objective 1 programme covers the five boroughs of Merseyside, including Liverpool. The first round of applications seeking £243 million grant were submitted in August 1994. Many applications, for example for business support services or for training schemes, were not targeted at Liverpool alone and it is therefore not possible to say how much funding was bid for the borough. Approvals in principle for the first round of successful applications involving grant of £175 million were announced in November 1994. This includes £36 million of ESF for training projects, of which a significant amount will benefit Liverpool, and over £12 million of ERDF to projects based in Liverpool.

  Over £550 million of European funding remains for the rest of the programme up to 1999. It will be used in accordance with the single programme document. A second round of applications is currently under consideration.

  Imperial War Museum, Hartlepool
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to give Treasury authorisation for the commencement of building the new Imperial war museum in Hartlepool.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A proposal to construct the Imperial war museum for the north in Hartlepool has been submitted by Teesside development corporation and is under consideration.

  Social Housing
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures have been prepared by his Department to estimate the need for new social housing provision in England on a framework for the investment programme set out in the 1995–96 budget.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Banks) on 1 February,Official Report, columns 685–86.

  Boreholes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what compensation will be available under the Environment Bill to those affected by damage caused by underground water abstractions from boreholes.
  509
  Mr. Atkins
  The Environment Bill currently contains no provisions on this subject, although relevant amendments have been proposed in another place. Compensation for damage caused by water abstractions from boreholes is governed mainly by the common law and the provisions of chapter II of part II of the Water Resources Act 1991.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of local authority highways department road building on sites of special scientific interest;

  (2) what studies he has undertaken to monitor the impact of road building on sites of importance to wildlife, other than sites of special scientific interest.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Comprehensive information about the effect of road building or widening programmes might have on wildlife sites is not held centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. All relevant considerations are taken into account in the planning process before final decisions are made.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken to monitor water tables in sites of special scientific interest and other areas of environmental sensitivity, where developments of roads could result in drainage changes.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  If necessary, conditions may be attached to a planning permission if there is likely to be a significant effect on drainage that would affect the integrity of the SSSI.

  Roads (Wildlife)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been made of the effect of road development on(a) otter and (b) badger populations; and what record of road mortality is kept for these species.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  An assessment of the overall impact on these species and other wildlife is undertaken at the planning stage of road development and mitigating measures, for example fencing and tunnels, installed where appropriate and practicable. There are no records kept of species killed on roads, but it is estimated that some 47,000 badgers die each year from road accidents. This rate of loss is not considered to affect the conservation status of the species.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been undertaken to identify the impact of road noise on(a) wildlife breeding success and (b) breeding distribution.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None. However, I am advised by English Nature that during 1995–96 work is likely to be commissioned to review indirect effects such as noise and lighting.

  Black Smoke Emissions
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for black smoke emissions in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  Total national emissions of black smoke in 1992 were 457,000 tonnes.

  Nitrous Oxide Emissions
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 200 highest records for nitrous oxide emissions in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Atkins
  The table below lists the UK 1993 NOx emissions from existing and new large combustion plants.

  Emissions of NOx (in tonnes) from existing and new large combustion plant in the United Kingdom for 1993

  Operator

  Plant

  NOx (in tonnes)

  Plant > 300 MWth

  National Power

  Aberthaw A and B

  26,512

  National Power

  Agecroft

  280

  National Power

  Blyth A and B

  12,700

  National Power

  Didcot

  28,303

  National Power

  Drax

  70,200

  National Power

  Eggborough

  23,546

  National Power

  Fawley

  1,630

  National Power

  Ironbridge

  19,990

  National Power

  Littlebrook

  4,971

  National Power

  Padiham

  1,728

  National Power

  Pembroke

  2,948

  National Power

  Rugeley A and B

  24,958

  National Power

  Skelton Grange

  1,980

  National Power

  Staythorpe

  5,515

  National Power

  Thorpe Marsh

  16,635

  National Power

  Tilbury

  18,385

  National Power

  Uskmouth

  1,050

  National Power

  West Burton

  29,916

  National Power

  West Thurrock

  2,980

  National Power

  Willington A and B

  5,714

  PowerGen

  Castle Donington

  128

  PowerGen

  Cottram

  40,859

  PowerGen

  Drakelow B

  79

  PowerGen

  Drakelow C

  11,849

  PowerGen

  Ferrybridge C

  44,895

  PowerGen

  Fiddlers Ferry

  13,853

  PowerGen

  Grain

  1,485

  PowerGen

  High Marnham

  6,817

  PowerGen

  Ince

  8,222

  PowerGen

  Kingsnorth

  13,542

  PowerGen

  Ratcliffe

  43,464

  PowerGen

  Richborough

  2,334

  SP

  Longannet

  23,690

  SP

  Cockenzie

  7,840

  SHE

  Peterhead

  18,616

  NIE

  Belfast West

  2,992

  NIE

  Ballylumford B

  6,487

  NIE

  Coolkeeragh

  371

  NIE

  Kilroot

  8,310

  BASF

  Seal Sands

  2,194

  BP Chemicals

  Baglan Bay

  4,737

  British Alcan

  Lynemouth

  11,555

  British Steel

  Llanwern

  350

  British Steel

  Port Talbot

  842

  British Steel

  Redcar

  461

  British Steel

  Scunthorpe

  373

  Brunner Mond

  Winnington

  1,880

  Ford Motor Co

  Dagenham

  291

  Grovenhurst Energy

  Sittingbourne

  2,408

  ICI

  Runcorn

  749

  ICI

  Wilton

  7,270

  Phillips

  Seal Sands

  220

  UML

  Bromborough

  650

  Total (53 plants)

  589,754

  Refineries

  BP Oil

  Grangemouth

  2,794

  BP Oil

  Llandarcy

  838

  Conoco

  South Killingholme

  2,085

  ELF

  Milford Haven

  971

  511

  Emissions of NOx (in tonnes) from existing and new large combustion plant in the United Kingdom for 1993

  Operator

  Plant

  NOx (in tonnes)

  ESSO

  Fawley

  5,051

  Gulf

  Milford Haven

  764

  Lindsey

  Killingholme

  2,773

  Mobil

  Coryton

  2,513

  PIP

  North Tees

  299

  Shell

  Shell Stanlow

  4,655

  Shell

  Shell Haven

  1,728

  Texaco

  Pembroke

  3,070

  Total (12 plants)

  27,541

  Total all UK existing combustion plant

  636,339

  New Combustion Plant

  Albright and Wilson

  Whitehaven

  91

  Slough Trading Estate

  Slough

  88

  Estimated emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by source category for 1980–1992

  Thousand tonnes

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Power stations

  880

  839

  799

  787

  711

  775

  807

  826

  800

  769

  777

  718

  694

  Domestic

  68

  68

  67

  67

  64

  72

  75

  74

  72

  68

  68

  75

  73

  Commercial/public service

  62

  61

  61

  62

  63

  64

  65

  61

  60

  55

  56

  60

  58

  Refineries

  43

  38

  37

  36

  36

  34

  35

  33

  33

  35

  35

  37

  37

  Iron and steel

  44

  52

  47

  48

  48

  50

  45

  50

  54

  53

  51

  49

  47

  Other industrial combustion

  211

  191

  186

  177

  164

  169

  171

  165

  168

  158

  156

  158

  152

  Non-combustion processes

  11

  12

  12

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  Extraction and distribution of fossil fuels

  44

  50

  54

  59

  63

  66

  68

  73

  76

  78

  82

  85

  88

  Road transport

  839

  846

  867

  907

  974

  1,015

  1,080

  1,205

  1,311

  1,418

  1,434

  450

  1,398

  Railways

  41

  39

  35

  37

  35

  37

  37

  35

  35

  32

  30

  31

  32

  Civil aircraft

  10

  9

  10

  10

  11

  11

  11

  12

  13

  14

  14

  14

  14

  Shipping

  121

  104

  119

  111

  123

  116

  108

  101

  102

  127

  131

  133

  130

  Waste treatment and disposal

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  Agriculture

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  Total

  2,392

  2,328

  2,312

  2,332

  2,321

  2,438

  2,533

  2,664

  2,749

  2,842

  2,860

  2,835

  2,750

  Source:

  Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics No. 16 1994.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in descending order of population those former county boroughs for which a recommendation of unitary status has not yet been made.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The following former county borough areas have not been recommended for unitary status by the Local Government Commission for England:

  Population

  Northampton

  187,244

  Warrington

  185,005

  Blackpool

  153,614

  Blackburn

  139,528

  Canterbury

  132,391

  Preston

  132,166

  Oxford

  131,967

  Norwich

  128,050

  Chester

  120,845

  Ipswich

  114,806

  Exeter

  105,087

  Gloucester

  104,805

  512

  Emissions of NOx (in tonnes) from existing and new large combustion plant in the United Kingdom for 1993

  Operator

  Plant

  NOx (in tonnes)

  Glaxo

  Stevenage

  2

  BP

  Grangemouth

  70

  Total new plant

  251

  Total all UK existing combustion plant

  636,339

  Total new plant

  251

  Total

  636,590

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list nitrogen oxide emission sources by tonne within the United Kingdom, for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Atkins
  The list below gives estimated emissions of nitrogen oxides, by source, for 1980–1992.

  Population

  Carlisle

  102,878

  Great Yarmouth

  88,799

  Worcester

  87,638

  Eastbourne

  86,794

  Lincoln

  85,502

  Barrow in Furness

  73,299

  Burton on Trent1

  60,000

  Population figures above are mid-1993 resident populations.

  1 The former county borough of Burton on Trent is currently subsumed within the district of East Staffordshire which has a total population of 98,300.

  The Local Government Commission has recommended unitary status, within a larger unitary authority, for the areas of the former county boroughs of Brighton, Grimsby and Bath.

  New Forest Heritage Area
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State of the Environment what are the current boundaries of the New forest heritage area in which national park planning
  513
  policies apply; and what proposals there are to change these boundaries.

  Mr. Atkins
  The New forest heritage area includes all the surrounding countryside which both has strong visual and historic links with the forest and provides off-forest grazing land needed to sustain commoning. The boundary as currently delineated has no statutory designation but was adopted in 1985 by the New Forest district council and is reflected in local development plans.

  The new planning regime will apply to the definition of the New forest heritage area as it emerges from the current process of preparing and adopting local plans.

  Cleveland (Structural Change) Order 1994
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to other Government Departments, regarding the meaning of article 12 of the Cleveland (Structural Change) Order; and if he will publish that guidance.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None.

  Water Companies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value of the current five-year investment projections for each of the water companies; and what was the variation from the stated figure at the time the K factors were announced.

  Mr. Atkins
  Capital expenditure for individual water companies for the period 1995–2000 is shown in Ofwat's "Future Charges for Water and Sewerage Services" published in July 1994. The extent to which actual expenditure varies from these projections will be known only when returns of actual expenditure are available from individual water companies. This is monitored on an annual basis by the director general.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Advertising expenditure by my Department over the last five years was:

  1989–90: £24,635,221

  1990–91: nil

  1991–92: £ 733,481

  1992–93: £ 6,205,659

  1993–94: £ 4,477,643

  Expenditure by departmental agencies was nil with the exception of Ordnance Survey, which spent £24,378 in financial year 1990–91 and £213,736 in financial year 1991–92.

  Figures are expressed at 1994 prices using the retail price index and are exclusive of VAT.

  Information relating to the advertising spend alone for the financial years before 1989–90 cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Office of Water Services
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many staff are currently employed at present by the Office of Water Services; and 514
  what were the figures (a) 12 and (b) 24 months previously;

  (2) on what terms Credit Lyonnais has been appointed as consultant adviser to the water industry regulator.

  Mr. Atkins
  These are matters for the Director General of Water Services.

  Housing Bond Guarantee Schemes
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will approve and support the operation of housing bond guarantee schemes in 1995–96 and subsequently.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  If the hon. Member is referring to schemes under which local authorities provide rent deposits or equivalent indemnities to private sector landlords, the Government believe that they have a very useful role to play in helping people in housing need to secure accommodation. We are consulting the local authority associations about a general consent for local authorities to operate these schemes.

  Water (Leaks)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the figure for leakage as a percentage of total treated water supply for each of the water companies for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Atkins
  This information is to be found in Ofwat's "Report on the Cost of Water Delivered and Sewage Collected", for the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94. Copies of the reports are available in the Library.

  National Forest Company
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an announcement about the composition of the board of the National Forest Company.

  Mr. Gummer
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have invited the following people to serve on the board of the National Forest Company.Chairman
  Mr Rodney Swarbrick—(Lancashire farmer, former President of the Country Landowners Association, and currently a Countryside Commissioner)

  Directors

  Miss Bridget Bloom—(Journalist and Forestry Commissioner)

  Mr. Duncan Jeffray—(Nature conservation expert and current Chairman of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation)

  Mr. Derrick Penrose—(Fonner Chief Agent of the Chatsworth Estate)

  Mr. Geoff Steeley—(Local authority and planning expert, and current Director of Planning, Hertfordshire County Council)

  Mr. David Taylor—(Forestry consultant)

  Mr. John Thompson—(Responsible for access and recreation for the Peak District National Park)

  Mr. Rupert Wilkins—(Management consultant, local to the Forest area)

  Miss Susan Bell—(Chief Executive of National Forest Company)

  The National Forest Company will commence operations on 3 April this year.

  Energy Saving Trust
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take concerning the administrative expenses of the Energy Saving Trust.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State proposes to lay before Parliament an
  515
  order designating the Energy Saving Trust under section 153 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This will provide a statutory basis, subject to parliamentary approval of an appropriate estimate, for the Government to contribute to the running costs of the trust.

  In the Government's view, the trust has a key role in future as an effective catalyst for change in a policy area which is important for progress on our economic, climate change and sustainable development objectives. The trust has had a difficult and uncertain year. It now needs to review its plans. It can do that only with a measure of certainty over funding. The trust must maintain its independence, but it is important that it is able to develop new and innovative ideas at a time of major change in the gas and electricity industries.

  I envisage contributing to the trust's administrative and salary costs if the trust can put forward satisfactory and cost-effective proposals to develop new initiatives to promote energy efficiency in the rapidly changing energy markets. Once the trust has drawn up proposals, my officials will discuss the plans with the trust and its other members. This will provide a basis for deciding on an appropriate contribution from Government, taking into account other contributions.

  United Nations Environment Programme
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to ensure the success of the next meetings of the Commission for Sustainable Development and the governing council of the United Nations environment programme.
  516
  Mr. Gummer
  On 10 and 11 February, the United Kingdom Government hosted a meeting to discuss the future role of these two organisations. It was attended by Environment Ministers from 13 countries, the European Environment Commissioner, the chief executive officer of the Global Environment Facility and the heads of the two organisations. The Indian Minister of Environment and Forests, Mr. Kamal Nath, and I jointly chaired the meeting.

  The meeting achieved a welcome degree of consensus about the respective roles of the two organisations which I believe will pave the way for productive meetings of both organisations over the next few months.

  Mr. Nath and I produced a note of the chairmen's conclusions at the end of the meeting. I have placed a copy of this note in the Library.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who represented the United Kingdom Government at the recent United Nations conference on trade and development meeting in Prague to discuss carbon dioxide emissions.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer Friday 10 February 1995]: The meeting took place on 12 to 14 January in Pruhonice near Prague and was attended by an official from my Department. The meeting was sponsored by the Czech Republic and its theme was "Economic Instruments for Sustainable Development". A new UNCTAD Paper entitled "Combining Global Warming: Possible Rules, Regulations and Administrative Arrangements for a Global Market in CO2, Emission Entitlements" was introduced by one of its joint authors on the final morning. This paper is now being studied by my Department.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Africa
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions preventive diplomacy has been successfully undertaken by the Government in Africa.

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom has carried out diplomatic activity on many occasions in response to possible crises in Africa. It is seldom possible to assess the effectiveness of any particular action but recent examples where we have played a constructive role include Lesotho and Mozambique. One objective of the United Kingdom initiative on African peacekeeping is to strengthen institutional support for preventive diplomacy by African nations.

  Somaliland
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he or international organisations have to stimulate peace and development in Somaliland.

  Mr. Baldry
  Peace and development in the north-west and throughout the country is dependent on the Somalis reaching agreement on national reconciliation. We are encouraging other countries in the region to assist and the United Nations is willing to continue political efforts if the Somalis wish. However, responsibility for the process lies with the Somalis themselves.

  International agencies and NGOs continue to implement activities in the north-west where security permits, and we shall continue to support their work giving priority to those displaced by recent fighting.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he or, international organisations have to increase the pressure on the rulers of Nigeria to return the country to civilian and democratic rule.

  Mr. Baldry
  Members of the European Union have agreed that the measures against the Nigerian military jointly imposed in 1993 should remain in force, in the absence of progress towards a return to civilian rule. Our policy towards Nigeria is under constant review.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he or international organisations are currently considering for an embargo on oil sales from Nigeria, and what is his policy on such an initiative.

  Mr. Baldry
  We are not aware of plans for any such initiative.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he proposes to apply additional pressure on Indonesia to ratify the international covenant on civil and political rights.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We regularly encourage all countries to ratify the international covenant on civil and political rights and other United Nation human rights instruments.518
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs did so most recently at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 8 February.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations his Department has received from foreign Governments over future changes in size in the United Kingdom's nuclear arsenal.

  Mr. David Davis
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received specific representations from foreign Governments on this issue. However, many countries express their opinions on nuclear deterrence in a number of international fora.

  Turkey
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to Turkey during the last 12 months on the subject of the Kurds living within its boundaries.

  Mr. David Davis
  We have made representations at ministerial and official level to the Turkish Government many times during the last 12 months on the subject of their human rights performance overall and in particular the human rights abuses arising from the conflict in the south-east of the country between the Turkish military authorities and the Kurdish separatist movement: most recently when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs—together with his French, German and Italian colleagues—met the Foreign Minister Karayaclin in London on 2 February.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage the Government of Turkey to take steps(a) to safeguard the Christian community in south-east Turkey and (b) to halt its destruction of Christian villages.

  Mr. David Davis
  The Turkish Government are well aware that we take a close interest in the Christian communities in Turkey in the context of our wider concerns about human rights there. We take every opportunity to make known these concerns, which are shared by our western partners. Most recently my right honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and his French, German and Italian colleagues raised human rights with the Turkish Foreign Minister when they met him in London on 2 February.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues concerning Turkey's Christian minority he raised with the Turkish parliamentary delegation during its recent visit.

  Mr. David Davis
  My honourable Friend the Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the issue of Turkey's overall human rights performance when he gave lunch to the Turkish parliamentary delegation on 1 February.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage the Government of Turkey to end its discrimination against Turkey's Armenian community; and if he will make a statement.
  519
  Mr. David Davis
  The Turkish Government are well aware that we take a close interest in the minority communities in Turkey in the context of our wider concerns about human rights there. We take every opportunity to make known these concerns, which are shared by our western partners.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on whether the Sudanese Government will allow a visit by Amnesty International; and what representations he has made.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Sudanese Government have refused to agree to a visit by Amnesty International. This disappointing decision follows the recent publication of a report by Amnesty International detailing human rights abuses in Sudan. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights abuses with the Sudanese authorities bilaterally as well as through the EU and UN. We shall continue to urge them to accept visits by international humanitarian organisations such as Amnesty.

  Iran
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about Iran developing nuclear weapons and purchasing ballistic missiles; what information he has on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  The Government remain deeply concerned at reports that Iran is interested in developing nuclear weapons and in acquiring ballistic missiles. We discuss such reports regularly with our partners in the missile technology control regime and nuclear suppliers group. We remain firmly committed to strengthening international efforts to combat the proliferation of both nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to Iran's nuclear power programme.

  Mr. David Davis
  Iran is a state party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency. All of Iran's nuclear facilities are under IAEA safeguards, and open to inspection. But we remain concerned at reports that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Since March 1993, we have decided that, with two exceptions, licence applications for significant nuclear items destined for Iran should not be approved.

  It is also our policy not to approve items for Iran where there is knowledge or reason to suspect that it would go to a military end-user or be used for military purposes.

  Mr. Roy Ricks
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what employment, duties or services were carried out for his Department or its agencies by Mr. Roy Ricks and over which periods of time.
  520
  Mr. Goodlad
  To my knowledge there has been none.

  European Ombudsman
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the procedures involved in the appointment of the European ombudsman.

  Mr. David Davis
  The post of ombudsman is established by article 138 (e) of the treaty which states that the European Parliament shall appoint the ombudsman. The Council decision of 7 February 1994 approved the regulations and general conditions governing the performance of the ombudsman's duties. The procedure involved in the appointment is set out in rule 159 of the European Parliament's "Rules of Procedure". A copy of both the decision and the "Rules of Procedure" are in the House Library. The hon. Member should be aware, however, that the Rules Committee of the European Parliament is currently considering whether or not to amend this rule; the main change would be to allow the European Parliament's Petitions Committee to submit the names of up to five candidates to the EP plenary. The present rules allow for only one.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 86–87, what have been the obstacles to increasing the number for human rights monitors in Rwanda; and if these obstacles have now been removed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  UN human rights monitors in Rwanda have been funded by voluntary contributions. Although the British contribution of £250,000 and four vehicles was made quickly in response to the appeal by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the response of the international community as a whole has been disappointing. Some 80 UN monitors have now been deployed, but the High Commissioner continues to face funding difficulties.

  The UN Centre for Human Rights, which is responsible for mounting the programme, has been hindered by lack of previous experience of managing such an operation.

  The European Union is planning to deploy a team of human rights monitors shortly, to work with those from the UN.

  Prisoners of War, Japan
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has achieved with the establishment of a fund for prisoners of war held captive by the Japanese in world war two; and if he will list the donations so far received from Japanese companies trading within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have concluded that in present circumstances the proposal for a non-governmental fund to help former prisoners of war and civilian internees is unlikely to succeed. We are therefore exploring with the Japanese Government other possible ways of addressing this issue.

  Inhumane Weapons
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether measures have been proposed by Her Majesty's Government to help verify and enforce an updated UN inhumane weapons convention; and what is his assessment of their effectiveness.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The UN inhumane weapons convention is to be reviewed in September this year. We have played a full and active part in preparations for the review conference and shall continue to work hard to secure a strengthened and more effective convention at the conference itself.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Total expenditure on promotional material and recruitment advertising in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Diplomatic Wing and Overseas Development Administration) since 1979 at 1993–94 prices was:

  1979–80: 773,379

  1980–81: 544,123

  1981–82: 701,848

  1982–83: 645,044

  1983–84: 772,957

  1984–85: 617,116

  1985–86: 657,625

  1986–87: 834,308

  1987–88: 766,714

  1988–89: 1,288,287

  1989–90: 1,798,965

  1990–91: 2,082,746

  1991–92: 1,913,947

  1992–93: 2,095,207

  1993–94: 2,130,264

TRANSPORT

  Drivers (Eyesight)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide figures for each of the last five years of the number of drivers(a) who have committed an offence by not complying with the eyesight requirements of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to report their disability to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (b) who have reported themselves to the DVLA and who have been found to have visual defects rendering them unfit to hold a licence to drive and (c) who have been reported by the police as having visual defects rendering them unfit to hold a licence to drive.

  Mr. Norris
  The information is not available.

  Interlogic Control Engineering
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will place in the Library a paper setting out the financial and commercial reasons underlying the proposal by British Rail's subsidiary, Interlogic Control Engineering, to close its York office; and what reasons he has received from Interlogic for adopting this proposal 522
  rather than closing one of its other offices or reducing the size of the work force at several locations;

  (2) how much British Rail's subsidiary, Interlogic Control Engineering, estimates that it will cost (a) itself and (b) the Exchequer to make redundancy payments to the 169 staff at its York office.

  Mr. Watts
  The deployment of staff in Interlogic Control Engineering, the closure of the York office and associated redundancy payments are management matters for the British Railways Board. The cost of redundancy payments, which falls entirely to the British Railways Board, will depend upon individual circumstances. There are no direct costs to the Exchequer.

  Rail Funding
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been applied for and how much granted under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974, over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Watts
  Two grant applications were approved at a total value of £2,911,720. Five other applications with an estimated total value of £7 million are still under consideration. No decisions have been taken on these applications.

  Grant claims totalling £2,193,683 were paid in respect of four freight facilities grants awarded before February 1994.

  Section 8 of the Railways ct 1974 has been replaced by section 139 of the Railways Act 1993.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been applied for and how much granted under section 137 of the Railways Act 1993.

  Mr. Watts
  The Department has received seven formal applications for track access grant. Five are under consideration, one has been withdrawn, and one has been rejected. Grant is payable only up to the level needed to tip the balance in favour of rail, and the precise amount of grant to be paid for each of these schemes is currently being considered.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  "Public Bodies 1994", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House, lists bodies in existence at 1 April 1994 for which I am responsible. I also have responsibility for European Passenger Services Ltd. which was established as a Government-owned company on 9 May 1994.

  BR has been restructured and its main constituent parts are being transferred to the private sector. The first passenger service franchise contracts are due to be awarded by the end of 1995. The maintenance depots of British Rail Maintenance Ltd. should be in private sector ownership very shortly. The three rolling stock leasing companies are set for trade sales during 1995. Trainload Freight has been restructured in preparation for sale later this year and good progress is being made with the transfer to the private sector of the remainder of the domestic freight businesses, Rail Express systems and BR's support systems.
  523
  Railtrack Group plc, the Government-owned company responsible for operating track and infrastructure, is to be privatised by stock market flotation within the lifetime of this Parliament.

  EPS is due to be privatised during 1995–96 as part of the competition to construct and operate the channel tunnel rail link.

  A public consultation was held in spring 1994 on the possible privatisation of National Air Traffic Services, currently part of the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Link Road Offices
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to date, and what is the annual cost, of the Link road offices in(a) Wanstead and (b) Leyton.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency.

  I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen dated 13 February 1995:
  Mr. Steven Norris has asked me to write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question about the cost of the Link Road Offices.
  Our records do not disaggregate the costs of the Wanstead and Leyton offices. However, since we did not take over the Leyton premises until early 1993, very little, if any, costs for this accrued before the 1993/94 financial year. All the figures include staff costs, but since staff are not allocated specifically to one office it is not possible to split their costs between the two.

  The total costs of both offices are:

  Financial year

  Cost £

  1992–93

  174,976

  1993–94

  260,673

  1994–95 to date

  172,153

  Total

  607,802

  Our estimate of future running costs is about £200,000 annually.

  Coventry Airport
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he plans to prosecute those involved with the export of calves from Coventry airport on board Air Algerie aircraft during November and December 1994 for operating without the permits required under the Air Navigation Order 1989.

  Mr. Norris
  The question of prosecution for breaches of article 88 of the Air Navigation Order 1989 will be decided when the current inquiry has been completed and the findings assessed.

  Emergency Stop Signals (Trains)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure that all British Rail trains can pick up an emergency stop signal from a control centre which does not have a blind spot; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  The issue of train communication and radio black spots is being considered as part of the investigations of the accidents at Cowden, Kent and Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.

  Seat Belts
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to conclude his consultation on proposed seat belt legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We intend to go out to formal consultation shortly. We shall then consider the responses carefully before final decisions are taken.

  Security
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors led to his decision to delete 35 posts from his Department's security division; and what work will cease to be done as a result.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The reduction in posts in the transport security division is part of my Department's general drive for increased efficiency. In Transec's case the efficiency gains will be achieved through a combination of delayering, more efficient working and the completion of projects.

  Over half the posts identified are support or managerial. The remainder are inspectorial or investigatory.

  This change will make no difference to the implementation of security measures which, along with the provision of equipment and staff, is the responsibility of operators.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Norris
  The total expenditure on above the line advertising by the Department and its agencies for each year since 1984 in 1994 prices is:

  RPI (1987 base)

  Transport Spending (1994 prices)

  DVLA Spending (1994 prices)

  1984–85

  90.1

  5,118,798

  0

  1985–86

  95.4

  5,375,542

  0

  1986–87

  98.3

  112,947,094

  0

  1987–88

  102.4

  112,610,640

  0

  1988–89

  108.4

  3,504,481

  0

  1989–90

  116.6

  4,391,466

  0

  1990–91

  129.3

  3,130,790

  563,386

  1991–92

  134.6

  5,027,472

  380,392

  1992–93

  139.4

  5,990,156

  692,593

  1993–94

  141.9

  4,338,400

  725,790

  1994–95

  145.0

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a = Not yet available

  All figures provided by COI and exclude VAT. Figures prior to 1984 not readily available.

  Statutory and road scheme advertising figures before 1992 are not included because they wee not centrally collated at the time.

  1 Includes BA and BBA floatation advertising costs.

  Networker
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on J. R. Manufacturing (Cardiff) Ltd. and other subcontractors of the decision by British Rail not to exercise its option to purchase 40 new Networker electric
  525
  multiple units; and what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be lost as a result of this decision.

  Mr. Watts
  British Rail has asked ABB and GEC Aslthom whether they wish to submit leasing proposals for further trains. Choice of subcontractors would be a commercial matter for the main supplier.

  Disabled People (Sea-Fishing)
  Mr. Alfred.Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 201, if he will now make it his policy to collate and publish statistics on the number of people disabled as a result of accidents at work in the sea-fishing industry.

  Mr. Norris
  It is not feasible for this Department to collect information on disabilities resulting from injuries sustained at work in the sea-fishing industry. However, major and serious injuries are required to be reported to the Department's marine accident investigation branch under the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1994. The information is collated by MAIB for inclusion in its annual report.

  Road Building
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sites of special scientific interest will be affected by future proposals for road building.

  Mr. Watts
  Information on the effect of trunk road proposals on sites of special scientific interest is held by the Highways Agency and I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Information about the effect of local authority road proposals on such sites is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 23 February 1995:
  The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about those sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) that will be affected by future proposals for road building.
  I enclose a list of the Trunk Road and Motorway schemes in England, for which preferred routes have been announced, that are likely to involve permanent or temporary landtake from a SSSI and a list of schemes that may have an impact on a SSSI but do not involve landtake. Schemes marked with an asterisk have been under construction in 1994/95. The remaining schemes are at varying stages of design.
  You will, I hope, appreciate that the lists are therefore dynamic and will be subject to change as, and when, scheme designs are developed.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Schemes which may involve permanent or temporary landtake from SSSIs

  Road scheme

  SSSI

  *A30 Indian Queens Bypass

  Goss and Tregoss Moors

  A31 Poole Harbour Crossing

  Poole Harbour (Holes Bay)

  A31 Poole Link Road

  Slop Bog and Uddens Heath, Canford Heath

  A35 Chideock—Morcombelake Bypass

  Morcombelake, West Dorset Coast

  A43 Geddington Bypass

  River Ise and Meadows

  A46 Upper Swainswick—Pennsylvania

  Monkswood Valley

  *M4/M49 Second Severn

  Magor and Undy, Severn Estuary

  526

  Schemes which may involve permanent or temporary landtake from SSSIs

  Road scheme

  SSSI

  M5 Widening J18–10

  Severn Estuary

  A4S6 Kidderminster,

  Hurcott and Podmore Pools

  Blakedown and Hagley

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road

  Chasewater Heath

  A1(M) Redhouse—Ferrybridge

  Brockadale

  A650 Bingley Northern Relief Road

  Bingley South Bog

  *A13 Thames Avenue— Wennington

  Inner Thames Marshes

  A120 Stansted to Braintree (S.272)

  High Wood, Dunmow

  *M6 J30–32 Widening

  Red Scar and Tun Brook Woods

  *M6 J20–21A Widening

  Woolston Eyes

  A249 Iwade—Queenborough Improvement

  The Swale, Medway Estuary and Marshes

  *A249 M2—Iwade Improvement

  The Swale

  A259 Bexhill and Hastings Western Bypass

  Combe Haven, Pevensey Levels, Marline Valley Woods

  A259 Dymchurch—M20 J11 Improvement

  Lympne Escarpment (The Roughs)

  A259 Pevensey—Bexhill Improvement

  Pevensey Levels

  A259 Rye Bypass

  Walland Marsh, Camber Sands and Rye Saltings, Rye Harbour

  A17 Leadenham—Sleaford Imp

  High Dyke

  A10 Setchey and West Winch Bypass

  River Nar

  A27 Lewes—Polegate Improvement

  Southerham Grey Pit, Milton Gate Marsh

  A2/A282 Dartford Crossing

  Darenth Wood

  A34 Newbury Bypass

  Snelsmore Common

  M2 J1–4 Widening

  Shorne and Ashenbank Woods, Cobham Woods

  *M3 Bar End—Compton

  St. Catherine's Hill, Itchen Valley Water Meadows

  A5 Dunstable Eastern Bypass

  Blows Down

  Schemes with possible indirect impact on SSSIs but do not involve landtake

  Road schemes

  SSSI

  A45 Stonebridge GSJ

  River Blythe

  A31 Ashley Heath

  Avon Valley, Hum Common

  A5 Dunstable Eastern Bypass

  Houghton Regis Marl Lakes

  A1(M) Ferrybridge—Hook Moor

  Fairburn and Newton Ings

  A303 Wylye—Stockton Wood

  Stockton Wood and Down

  A303 Ilminister—Marsh

  Long Lye

  A21 Kipping's Cross—Lamberhurst

  Brookland Wood

  A57/A628 Mottram Tintwistle Bypass

  Dark Peak

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road

  River Blythe

  A40 Witney Bypass—Cassington

  Pixey and Yarnton Meads

  A419 Latton Bypass

  North Meadow, Cricklade, River Churn

  A10 Wadesmill High Cross—Colliers End Bypass

  Plashes Wood

  A1(M) Hook Moor—Bramham

  Hook Moor

  A64 York—Malton Bypass

  Mount Pleasant Query

  A65 Hellifield and Long Preston Bypass

  Long Preston Deeps, Pan Beck Fen

  M6 Widening J11–16

  Doxey and Tillington

  Western Orbital Route

  Hurcott Pools

  A556(M) M6-M56 Imp

  Rostherne Mere

  Forth Rail Bridge
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 7 February,Official Report, column 53, what assessment he has made of the time scale of the threat to the structural integrity of the Forth rail bridge.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 10 February 1995]: Railtrack continues to carry out detailed assessments of the Forth bridge. The structure is being inspected more thoroughly than ever before so as to ensure that attention can be concentrated on the areas which are in the most deserving condition. New shotblasting methods are currently being concentrated on the lattice tie-members of the bridge. Although relatively small components, these are of great importance to the bridge's structural integrity. Railtrack assessments confirm that the present maintenance and painting programme is fully adequate to protect the structural integrity of the bridge.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the classes of vehicle currently exempt from vehicle excise duty for which vehicle excise duty will become payable from 1 July; and if he will give the amount of vehicle excise duty that will be payable in each class.

  Mr. Norris
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1995, c. 383]: The information requested is as follows:

  Current exempt class

  Proposed class

  Proposed duty

  Special vehicles

  Road roller

  road rollers

  £135 (under 3.5 tonnes)

  £150 (over 3.5 tonnes)

  Road construction

  Street cleansing

  PLG or HGV

  £135—1£5,000

  Street lighting

  Vehicles used for short journeys between private land

  2as appropriate

  £15—1£5,000

  Special concessionary

  Electric

  electric

  Gritter

  gritter

  £35

  Snowplough

  snowplough

  1 No increase of more than £1,000 in first year of vehicle relicensing from 1 July 1995.

  2 Vehicles will license in appropriate new classes; the majority in special concessionary.

WALES

  Out-of-town Shopping Centres
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to limit the growth of out-of-town shopping centres.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The need for attractive, vital and viable town centres, and their importance in the life of communities is emphasised in my right hon. Friend's published planning guidance, in the press release he issued last November and in his environmental agenda.

  Local Government Staff
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local government staff are employed in Wales; what population they serve, and at what cost; what are the figures for(a) England an(b) Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Figures for local authority staffing are compiled by the Local Government Management Board. These show that in June 1994, there were 117,000 local government employees in Wales serving a population of almost 3 million and costing £2 billion. Comparable figures for England were 1,677,000 employees for a population of 48.5 million at a cost of £32.4 billion; and for Scotland, 255,000 employees for a population of over 5 million at a cost of £4.6 billion.

  Rare Beef Breeds
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of Sate for Wales what measures he is taking to promote the export of rare Welsh beef breeds for human consumption and for breeding.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The development agencies provide financial support for Welsh Food Promotions Ltd. which has recently launched an initiative to promote Welsh beef, including Welsh Black beef.

  Jobseekers Allowance Bill
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made on the future effects on Welsh jobs of the Jobseekers Allowance Bill.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The jobseeker's allowance will help unemployed people to obtain jobs.

  Morriston Hospital, Swansea
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his decision on the future of the cardiac unit at Morriston hospital, Swansea.

  Mr. Richards
  I hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales that representations he has received on the resources allocated to training and enterprise councils in Wales for the current financial year.

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend and I have received no recent representations on this matter. I met TEC chairmen on 11 January to discuss, in broad terms, the 1995–96 training and enterprise public expenditure package. Allocations to TECs have not yet been made for 1995–96; the Department will begin negotiations with TECs shortly.

  Unemployment (Coal Mining Areas)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to lessen unemployment levels in former coal mining areas in south Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  We are using the full range of the Welsh Office's responsibilities, in conjunction with public bodies, development agencies and the private sector, to
  529
  help to provide both job opportunities and skills training for the people of the former coal mining areas in south Wales. Most importantly, the Government are creating the framework for a healthy economy in which businesses create jobs.

  Crewe-Holyhead Railway Line
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what priority he has given to the Crewe to Holyhead railway line as a link between member states of the European Union.

  Mr. Richards
  The Crewe to Holyhead line is included in the European Commission's proposals for trans-European transport networks.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to approve the necessary staff transfer order where there is a local agreement to the effect that all local government staff within a locally agreed area would transfer to a new authority following local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Gwilyn Jones
  That already is my policy.

  I wrote to the Staff Commission for Wales on 20 January as follows:
  "Once a group of authorities in a particular area has agreed which staff should be transferred to them, [the Secretary of State] would be prepared to give effect to the decision in the staff transfer order to be made under section 42 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994."

  Flooding
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the role of the National Rivers Authority in relation to serious flooding in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office maintains close contact with the National Rivers Authority over its handling of flooding defence and I am pleased to report that there has been no serious flooding of developed areas in Wales so far this winter, despite the unusually wet weather.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to earmark or ring-fence a sum to each district and borough council in Wales to enable it to discharge its obligations effectively under its permissive drainage powers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office funds local authorities through the annual local government revenue and capital settlements. It is for individual authorities to decide how to apportion those moneys between and within their various functions in accordance with their statutory obligations and their own priorities. However, the Welsh Office does make grant aid available under the Land Drainage Act 1991 specifically to assist district councils to undertake capital works under their permissive drainage powers.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure on all forms of 530
  advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Redwood
  Advertising expenditure, expressed in 1994 prices, for my Department and its executive agency, Cadw, since 1979 is as follows:

  Year

  Welsh office £0001

  Cadw £0001

  1979–1980

  146

  —

  1980–1981

  128

  —

  1981–1982

  184

  —

  1982–1983

  170

  —

  1983–1984

  178

  —

  1984–1985

  103

  —

  1985–1986

  46

  —

  1986–1987

  109

  —

  1987–1988

  317

  —

  1988–1989

  227

  —

  1989–1990

  495

  —

  1990–1991

  317

  —

  1991–1992

  366

  58

  1992–1993

  434

  71

  1993–1994

  275

  126

  Note:

  1. Cadw was set up as an executive agency in April 1991.1 At 1993–1994 prices, using the retail prices index.

  Arts in Wales
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next plans to meet officials of the Arts Council in Wales to discuss funding for the arts in Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  I am meeting the chairman of the Arts Council of Wales on 27 March to discuss the council's plans for 1995–96.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EU Spending
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list(a) the spending on agriculture by the EU and (b) the national Government spending on agriculture by each member state (i) in the current year, (ii) in the previous year and (iii) five years ago.

  Mr. Jack
  Details of expenditure on agriculture by the EU, broken down by member state, are contained in annexe 2 of the annual financial reports on the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, guarantee section, copies of which have been deposited in the Library of the House. The latest report available relates to 1993. Provisional figures for 1994 are set out in the table.

  Details of United Kingdom expenditure on agriculture are contained in table 9.1 of the annual publication "Agriculture in the United Kingdom", copies of which are also deposited in the Library of the House. Comparable information for other member states is not readily available. Summary information on national aids to agriculture in other member states is available in the Commission's periodic surveys of state aids in the European Community. The latest of these covers 1986 to 1990 and is available in the Library of the House. This information is not, however, fully representative of

  531
  national Government expenditure on agriculture—for example, it excludes aid for research but includes aid financed by parafiscal charges.

  Expenditure on CAP support from the EC budget by member state

  1994 (provisional)

  MECU

  £ million

  Belgium

  1,170

  904

  Denmark

  1,277

  986

  Germany

  5,174

  3,997

  Greece

  2,626

  2,029

  Spain

  4,255

  3,287

  France

  8,019

  6,195

  Ireland

  1,457

  1,126

  Italy

  3,464

  2,676

  Luxembourg

  12

  9

  Netherlands

  1,916

  1,480

  Portugal

  652

  504

  United Kingdom

  2,797

  2,161

  Non-attributed direct payments

  103

  80

  Total

  32,924

  25,433

  Note

  1. The figures are rounded and do not add up to the totals shown.

  Source:

  Commission Working Document

  Exchange rate: 1 ecu = £0.77249

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those public bodies for which he retains departmental responsibility; which of these bodies have been identified as suitable for placing in the private sector; and by when it is expected each of these bodies will enter the private sector.

  Mr. Jack
  The bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1994" which has recently been placed in the Library of the House. None of these has been identified as currently suitable for placing in the private sector.

  Flooding
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has carried out into the effect of the removal of hedges and trees on the propensity of land to flood; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Research is being funded by MAFF into the hydrological effects of urban growth and the run-off response of river catchments, which are major factors influencing storm water run-off and therefore the propensity of land to flood. The removal of hedges and trees, taken on its own, is unlikely to have a significant effect on flood flows and this is therefore not seen as a priority area of research.

  Common Fisheries Policy
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will include the option of negotiating to leave the common fisheries policy and developing a policy for fisheries management based on the premise that each member state can reclaim the sovereignty of its waters as part of his policy group review of the common fisheries policy;

  (2) what are the terms of reference of his policy group reviewing the common fisheries policy; what evidence it
  532
  will take from the industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The arrangements for the group to review the common fisheries policy are currently under consideration and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not yet provided the information about the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce requested from him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton in his question about next step agencies on 20 January.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The intervention board is an independent Government Department established under the European Communities Act 1972 responsible to all four Agriculture Ministers. Although it is an executive agency, it is not a next steps agency in my Department, and did not therefore come within the terms of the right. hon. Member's question. It has not, however, acquired its own buildings, its staff numbers have declined since it became an agency; it publishes no periodical journals; has no executive cars; its logo pre-dates agency status and was internally designed at no cost; it has no corporate clothing, although it provides protective clothing to specialist staff when their duties require it, and it has always had its own corporate stationery. This was redesigned in August 1993 at a cost of under £500.

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies he has undertaken to identify risks to human health resulting from lead contamination from petrol entering the human food chain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  MAFF routinely monitors the dietary intakes of lead by the United Kingdom population. The average intake is very low and in 1991 had further decreased to about half that found in 1988. The results of specific studies on the effect of lead fall-out from the atmosphere on the food chain, which would include lead from petrol, were reported in 1989 in "Food Surveillance Paper" No. 27 published by HMSO.

  Rules and Regulations
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the rules and regulations in his Department which have been withdrawn in the last 12 months, or which his Department plans to withdraw in the next 12 months; and what impact this will have on his Department's manpower.

  Mr. Waldergrave
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: The following rules and regulations were revoked by my Department over the last 12 months. Many, however, were replaced by new, but wherever possible less burdensome, legislation. The Department is continuing to identify rules and regulations for withdrawal. Those for withdrawal in the next 12 months will be announced as and when consultations are completed. The manpower implications will be taken into account in the Department's central manpower plans which will be published in the Department's annual report in March:

  533

  The Milk Marketing Scheme 1933, SR and 1933/789 as amended.

  Part 1 of the Agriculture Marketing Act 1958, in relation to milk.

  The Common Agricultural Policy (Wine) Regulations 1993, SI 1993/517 as amended.

  The Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulations 1988, SI 1988/180 as amended.

  The Hill Livestock (Compensatory Allowances) Regulations 1993, SI 1993/2631 as amended.

  The Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976, SI 1976/221 as amended.

  The Diary Produce Quotas Regulations 1993, SI 1993/923 as amended.

  The Agricultural Holdings (Units of Production) Order 1993, SI 1993/2037.

  The Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Quota, Measures) Order 1993, SI 1993/387.

  The Third Country Fishing (Enforcement) Order 1993, SI 1993/1197.

  The Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Control Measures) Order 1993, SI 1993/2016.

  The Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Conservation Measures) (Amendment) (No. 5) Order 1992, SI 1992/2936.

  The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations 1988, SI 1988/1378.

  The Movement and Sale of Pigs Order 1975, SI 1975/203 as amended.

  The Movement of Animals (Records) Order 1960, SI 1960/105 as amended, in relation to pigs and bovine animals.

  The Markets, Sales and Lairs Order 1925, SR and 0 1925/1349 as amended, in relation to pigs.

  Articles 8 (1)(a) and (e) and 18 The Swine Fever Order 1963, SI 1963/286.

  The Bovine Animals (Identification Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990, SI 1990/1867 as amended.

  Article 14 (3) to (6) and (8) (b) of The Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990, SI 1990/2628.

  The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992, SI 1992/3304.

  The Export of Animals (Protection) Order 1981 SI 1981/1051, in relation to the export of animals to another member state.

  The Poultry Pens, Fittings and Receptacles (Disinfection) Order 1952, SI 1952/437 as amended.

  The Poultry Premises and Vehicles (Disinfection) Order 1956, SI 1965/11.

  534

  The Fowl Pest (Infected Areas Restrictions) Order 1956, SI 1956/1611 as amended.

  The Live Poultry (Movement Records) Order 1958, SI 1958/1344.

  The Fowl Pest Orders (Amendment) Order 1983, SI 1983/941.

  The Infectious Diseases of Poultry Order 1986, SI 1986/1755.

  The Racing Pigeons (Vaccination) Order 1994, SI 1994/944.

  The Medicines (Leaflets for Veterinary Drugs) Regulations 1993, (SI 1983/1727.

  The Medicines (Veterinary Medicinal Products) (Applications for Product Licences) Regulations 1983, SI 1993/2398 as amended.

  The Medicines (Labelling) Regulations 1976, except for regulations 9 and 13, SI 1976/1726 as amended in respect of veterinary drugs placed on the market in accordance with the Marketing Authorisations for Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulations 1994.

  The Medicines (Veterinary Drugs) (Renewal Applications for Licences and Animal Test Certificates) Regulations 1993 SI 1993/1227.

  The Medicines (Restriction on the Administration of Veterinary Medicinal Products) Regulations 1983, SI 1983/1732.

  Article 4 of the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974, SI 1974/2211 as amended, in respect of commercially traded cats and dogs from other member states.

  The Medicines (Fees Relating to Medicinal Products for Animal Use) Regulations 1992, SI 1992/694.

  The Welfare of Livestock (Intensive Units) Regulations 1978, SI 1978/1800 as amended.

  The Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987, SI 1987/2020.

  The Welfare of Calves Regulations 1987, SI 1987/2021.

  The Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1990, SI 1990/1445.

  The Welfare of Pigs Regulations 1991, SI 1991/1477.

  The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Compensation Order 1990, SI 1990/222.

  The Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) (Fees) Regulations 1990, SI 1990/617 as amended.

  The Plant Breeders' Rights (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 1993, SI 1993/430.

  The Marek's Disease (Restriction on Vaccination) Order 1987, SI 1987/905.

  Partial revocation of The Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Radioactivity in Sheep) (England) Order 1991, SI 1991/6.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support (Mortgages)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with the Council of Mortgage Lenders regarding changes in income support for mortgage interest; what views he received from the council; what plans he has to review his decision; and what further plans he has to meet the Council of Mortgage Lenders for further discussions of his proposals.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We have on-going discussions with the Council of Mortgage Lenders and will continue to do so throughout the consultation process. The council has expressed concern about the possible impact of the proposals. We are listening carefully to its concerns but believe that these proposals will result in the development of comprehensive quality insurance and will provide better protection for all home owners, not just those who currently get help from income support mortgage interest.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from charities for the homeless regarding his proposals for changes in income support for mortgage interest.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We have received one representation from a charity for the homeless. We hope that all interested parties will take the opportunity to make representations to the Social Security Advisory Committee during its consultation on these proposals.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently on invalidity benefit in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Wales, (c) each Welsh county and (d) each Welsh constituency; in each case, what percentage of the population this represents; what were the figures in (i) 1979, (ii) 1983 and (iii) 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Number of women receiving full (a) or partial Retirement Pension on their husbands contribution record payable in Great Britain

  Category B widows (b)

  Category B married women (a)

  Total

  Category B (L)

  Category A/B(L)(e)

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  31.12.64(c)

  1,269,900

  62,420

  1,098,320

  25,480

  —

  —

  2,368,220

  87,900

  31.12.65(c)

  1,281,280

  64,180

  1,139,800

  27,360

  —

  —

  2,421,080

  91,540

  31.12.66(c)

  1,288,820

  62,820

  1,180,120

  28,500

  —

  —

  2,468,940

  91,320

  31.12.67(c)

  1,301,100

  60,560

  1,226,620

  31,660

  —

  —

  2,527,720

  92,220

  31.12.68(c)

  1,316,800

  59,840

  1,272,780

  33,660

  —

  —

  2,589,580

  93,500

  31.12.69(d)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.70(d)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.71(c)

  1,378,350

  55,370

  1,398,890

  53,900

  —

  —

  2,777,240

  109,270

  30.11.12(c)

  1,423,145

  58,402

  1,434,781

  59,172

  —

  —

  2,857,926

  117,574

  30.11.73

  1,475,288

  60,138

  1,471,773

  61,303

  —

  —

  2,947,061

  121,441

  29.11.74

  1,510,945

  62,962

  1,518,145

  63,959

  —

  —

  3,029,090

  126,921

  28.11.75

  1,582,473

  44,250

  1,556,967

  39,419

  —

  —

  3,139,440

  83,669

  26.11.76

  1,639,875

  42,820

  1,611,094

  39,973

  —

  —

  3,250,969

  82,793

  25.11.77

  1,716,099

  39,873

  1,652,205

  40,438

  —

  —

  3,368,304

  80,309

  30.11.78

  2,020,940

  76,140

  1,685,220

  39,830

  —

  —

  3,706,160

  115,970

  30.11.79

  2,045,650

  75,730

  1,707,440

  40,910

  7,920

  70

  3,761,010

  116,710

  28.11.80

  2,055,980

  71,290

  1,716,800

  40,270

  30,040

  230

  3,802,820

  111,790

  30.08.81

  2,073,950

  69,780

  1,715,520

  40,020

  45,080

  180

  3,834,550

  109,980

  31.05.82

  2,073,740

  66,660

  1,703,970

  38,550

  72,980

  330

  3,850,690

  105,540

  31.03.83

  2,068,690

  64,370

  1,671,020

  39,760

  102,560

  960

  3,842,270

  105,090

  31.03.84

  2,024,830

  59,330

  1,623,660

  40,360

  139,610

  820

  3,788,100

  100,510

  536
  Mr. Hague
  No information is available in respect of the Welsh counties and constituencies.

  Information for Great Britain, and Wales is in the table. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for Social Security statistics in Northern Ireland.

  The number of Invalidity Benefit recipients in Great Britain and Wales at a particular time, and the percentage of the population they represent

  Number of recipients

  Percentage of population

  Great Britain:

  1979

  610,000

  1.7

  1983

  737,000

  2.0

  1987

  968,000

  2.6

  1993

  1,580,000

  4.2

  Wales:

  1979

  69,000

  3.8

  1983

  87,000

  4.8

  1987

  122,000

  6.6

  1993

  172,000

  9.2

  Notes:

  1. The number of recipients figure is at June for 1979, and April for 1983, 1987 and 1993.

  2. The Welsh 1979 figure may contain a small number of claimants not in receipt of benefit.

  3. The estimated population figures used are mid—year, and are in respect of men aged 16 to 69 and women aged 16 to 64.

  Sources:

  1. Invalidity benefit information is based on a one per cent. sample of claimants, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Estimated mid-year population figures supplied by population estimates unit, OPCS.

  Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women received(a) a full and (b) a partial retirement pension on the contribution record of their husbands in each of the last 30 years.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The available information is in the table.
  537

  Number of women receiving full (a) or partial Retirement Pension on their husbands contribution record payable in Great Britain

  Category B widows (b)

  Category B married women (a)

  Total

  Category B (L)

  Category A/B(L)(e)

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  full rate

  reduced rate

  31.03.85

  2,033,850

  70,970

  1,602,710

  40,130

  182,690

  1,010

  3,819,250

  112,110

  31.03.86

  2,013,410

  65,910

  1,554,690

  37,750

  264,360

  1,510

  3,832,460

  105,170

  30.09.87

  1,981,230

  53,830

  1,490,620

  37,790

  366,450

  1,910

  3,838,300

  93,530

  31.03.88

  1,962,880

  53,100

  1,463,630

  38,350

  394,110

  1,950

  3,820,620

  93,400

  31.03.89

  1,933,910

  51,420

  1,417,850

  38,480

  445,040

  2,210

  3,796,800

  92,090

  30.09.90

  1,876,810

  50,040

  1,375,150

  39,180

  522,530

  2,790

  3,774,490

  92,010

  31.03.91

  1,859,670

  48,990

  1,349,990

  39,680

  543,530

  2,800

  3,753,190

  91,470

  31.03.92

  1,823,070

  50,810

  1,320,390

  42,680

  586,870

  2,770

  3,730,330

  96,260

  31.03.93

  1,783,330

  51,640

  1,284,950

  45,790

  625,560

  2,930

  3,693,840

  100,360

  31.03.94

  1,736,610

  52,090

  1,243,940

  47,800

  661,200

  2,910

  3,641,750

  102,800

  Notes:

  (a) Full rate category BL and category A/B(L) pension is equal to approximately 60 per cent. of the full rate of category B pension.

  (b) Excluding pensions paid at a reduced rate on the basis of age at widowhood and pensions based on a combination of the woman's own contributions and those of her late husband.

  (c) Figures include a small number of pensions paid to persons overseas.

  (d) Figures not available.

  (e) Category A/B(L) retirement pension based on a combination of the woman's own contributions and those of her husband was introduced with effect from 6 April 1979.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claimed the retirement pension who have incomes from work in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is estimated that, on average, 630,000 people in the United Kingdom receiving state retirement pension also have income from earnings.

  Source: 1992 family expenditure survey.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Security (1) what assessment he has made of the causes for 9 per cent. of people over retirement age failing to qualify for a national insurance retirement pension; if he will break down the main failures in a claimant's contributory record, signifying the significant changes over time; and if he will divide these data according to whether the non-pensioner claimants are men or women;

  (2) how many pensioners drew a reduced retirement pension because of an inadequate insurance record for each of the last 30 years; if he will divide these data by gender; if he will give the totals as a percentage of all those drawing a retirement pension; and if he will list the main causes of the inadequate contributions records.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is in the table.

  As stated at footnote 5 to my answer of 7 February, Official Report, columns 202–204, the "People without RP" at column 6 of tables 1A and 1B includes people receiving invalidity benefit and widows' benefit in place of retirement pension. The information for 1993 is that there are 314,000 men aged 65 or over and 630,000 women aged 60 or over, who do not receive a retirement pension. Of these, around 229,000 men are in receipt of invalidity benefit or sickness benefit while around 101,000 women are receiving invalidity benefit, sickness benefit or widows benefit. In addition, married women aged over 60, with a husband aged less than 65, or who has not yet claimed retirement pension, would be entitled to a retirement pension only if they satisfied the contribution conditions in their own right.

  The main causes of inadequate contribution records are:

  non-liability due to:

  earnings, if any, being below the threshold for payment of contributions

  periods spent outside UK

  538

  full time education

  exercise by a married women or a widow of the right to pay contributions at a reduced rate giving no pension entitlement

  In the case of the self-employed, a small earnings exception from payment of contributions.

  Source:

  Retirement pension biannual inquiry

  Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit one per cent. sample.

  Population figures from OPCS.

  Number of claimants receiving less than 100 per cent. Standard rate contributory Retirement Pension in Great Britain in the last 30 years

  Men

  All Category A men

  Reduced rate

  Per cent.

  31.12.64(a)

  2,048,160

  63,420

  3.10

  31.12.65(a)

  2,120,780

  68,120

  3.21

  31.12.66(a)

  2,191,560

  71,900

  3.28

  31.12.67(a)

  2,291,460

  79,780

  3.48

  31.12.68(a)

  2,373,320

  84,780

  3.57

  31.12.69(e)

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.70(e)

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.71(a)

  2,591,360

  121,620

  4.69

  30.11.72(a)

  2,653,509

  126,277

  4.76

  30.11.73

  2,719,684

  136,217

  5.01

  29.11.74

  2,784,488

  147,528

  5.30

  28.11.75

  2,796,047

  98,129

  3.51

  26.11.76

  2,883,681

  102,198

  3.54

  25.11.77

  2,932,847

  103,394

  3.53

  30.11.78

  2,993,060

  103,660

  3.46

  30.11.79

  3,049,140

  105,850

  3.47

  28.11.80

  3,084,590

  105,800

  3.43

  30.06,81

  3,099,920

  105,530

  3.40

  31.05.82

  3,107,940

  103,650

  3.34

  31.03.83

  3,096,620

  107,670

  3.48

  31.03.84

  3,078,490

  107,480

  3.49

  31.03.85

  3,107,140

  118,520

  3.81

  31.03.86

  3,160,600

  122,310

  3.87

  30.09.87

  3,219,820

  123,300

  3.83

  31.03.88

  3,215,530

  124,590

  3.87

  31.03.89

  3,224,120

  128,450

  3.98

  30.09.90

  3,263,520

  136,220

  4.17

  31.03.91

  3,260,930

  139,080

  4.27

  31.03.92

  3,280,200

  148,730

  4.53

  31.03.93

  3,293,560

  161,030

  4.89

  31.03.94

  3,302,300

  172,310

  5.22

  539

  Number of claimants receiving less than 100 per cent. standard rate contributory Retirement Pension in Great Britain in the last 30 years

  Women

  All women

  All reduced Categories

  Per cent.

  All Category A women

  Category A reduced

  Per cent.

  All Category A/B(L) (b)(c)

  Category A/B(L) reduced

  Per cent.

  All Category B(a)

  Category B reduced

  Per cent.

  All Category B(L) (b)

  Category B(L) reduced

  Per cent.

  31.12.64(d)

  4,110,160

  263,040

  6.40

  1,654,040

  175,140

  10.59

  —

  —

  —

  1,332,320

  62,420

  4.69

  1,123,80

  25,480

  2.27

  31.12.65(d)

  4,236,340

  275,380

  6.50

  1,723,720

  183,840

  10.67

  —

  —

  —

  1,345,460

  64,180

  4.77

  1,167,160

  27,360

  2.34

  31.12.66(d)

  4,348,420

  286,280

  6.58

  1,788,160

  194,960

  10.90

  —

  —

  —

  1,351,640

  62,820

  4.65

  1,208,620

  28,500

  2.36

  31.12.67(d)

  4,477,720

  301,420

  6.73

  1,857,780

  209,200

  11.26

  —

  —

  —

  1,361,660

  60,560

  4.45

  1,258,280

  31,660

  2.52

  31.12.68(d)

  4,600,120

  313,220

  6.81

  1,917,040

  219,720

  11.46

  —

  —

  —

  1,376,640

  59,840

  4.35

  1,306,440

  33,660

  2.58

  31.12.69(e)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.70(e)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31.12.71(d)

  4,907,490

  373,480

  7.61

  2,020,980

  264,210

  13.07

  —

  —

  —

  1,433,720

  55,370

  3.86

  1,452,790

  53,900

  3.71

  30.11.72(d)

  4,999,553

  384,259

  7.69

  2,024,053

  266,685

  13.18

  —

  —

  —

  1,481,547

  58,402

  3.99

  1,493,953

  59,172

  3.96

  30.11.73

  5,092,180

  391,267

  7.68

  2,023,678

  269,826

  13.33

  —.

  —

  —

  1,535,426

  60,138

  3.92

  1,533,076

  61,303

  4.00

  29.11.74

  5,177,185

  404,000

  7.80

  2,021,174

  277,079

  13.71

  —

  —

  —

  1,573,907

  62,962

  4.00

  1,582,104

  63,959

  4.04

  28.11.75

  5,181,664

  323,429

  6.24

  1,958,555

  239,580

  12.23

  —

  —

  —

  1,626,723

  44,250

  2.72

  1,596,386

  39,419

  2.47

  26.11.76

  5,263,672

  328,126

  6.23

  1,929,910

  245,333

  12.71

  —

  —

  —

  1,682,695

  42,820

  2.54

  1,651,067

  39,973

  2.42

  25.11.77

  5,327,166

  323,574

  6.07

  1,878,553

  243,265

  12.95

  —

  —

  —

  1,755,972

  39,873

  2.27

  1,692,641

  40,436

  2.39

  30.11.78

  5,399,160

  330,020

  6.11

  1,577,030

  214,050

  13.57

  —

  —

  —

  2,097,080

  76,140

  3.63

  1,725,050

  39,830

  2.31

  30.11.79

  5,474,400

  355,130

  6.49

  1,596,680

  238,490

  14.94

  7,990

  70

  0.88

  2,121,380

  75,730

  3.57

  1,748,350

  40,910

  2.34

  28.11.80

  5,590,800

  407,370

  7.29

  1,676,190

  295,810

  17.65

  30,270

  230

  0.76

  2,127,270

  71,290

  3.35

  1,757,070

  40,270

  2.29

  30.06.81

  5,674,060

  438,810

  7.73

  1,729,530

  329,010

  19.02

  45,260

  180

  0.40

  2,143,730

  69,780

  3.26

  1,755,540

  40,020

  2.28

  31.05.82

  5,761,550

  490,690

  8.52

  1,805,320

  385,480

  21.35

  73,310

  330

  0.45

  2,140,400

  66,660

  3.11

  1,742,520

  38,550

  2.21

  31.03.83

  5,830,760

  547,530

  9.39

  1,883,400

  443,400

  23.54

  103,520

  960

  0.93

  2,133,060

  64,370

  3.02

  1,710,780

  39,760

  2.32

  31.03.84

  5,913,380

  626,280

  10.59

  1,987,760

  526,590

  26.49

  140,430

  820

  0.58

  2,121,170

  59,330

  2.80

  1,664,020

  40,360

  2.43

  31.03.85

  5,966,010

  659,080

  11.05

  2,034,650

  547,980

  26.93

  183,700

  1,010

  0.55

  2,104,820

  70,970

  3.37

  1,642,840

  40,130

  2.44

  31.03.86

  6,036,480

  687,300

  11.39

  2,098,850

  583,640

  27.81

  265,870

  1,510

  0.57

  2,079,320

  65,910

  3.17

  1,592,440

  37,750

  2.37

  30.09.87

  6,074,680

  680,850

  11.21

  2,142,850

  589,230

  27.50

  368,36

  1,910

  0.52

  2,035,060

  53,830

  2.65

  1,528,410

  37,790

  2.47

  31.03.88

  6,066,410

  682.570

  11.25

  2,152,390

  591,120

  27.46

  396,060

  1,950

  0.49

  2,015,980

  53,100

  2.63

  1,501,980

  38,350

  2.55

  31.03.89

  6,062,620

  681,660

  11.24

  2,173,730

  591,780

  27.22

  447,250

  2,210

  0.49

  1,985,330

  51,420

  2.59

  1,456,310

  38,460

  2.64

  30.09.90

  6,107,570

  709,320

  11.61

  2,241,070

  620,100

  27.67

  525,320

  2,790

  0.53

  1,926,850

  50,040

  2.60

  1,414,330

  39,180

  2.77

  31.03.91

  6,096,910

  716,090

  11.75

  2,252,250

  627,420

  27.86

  546,330

  2,800

  0.51

  1,908,660

  48,990

  2.57

  1,389,670

  39,680

  2.86

  31.03.92

  6,122,330

  740,270

  12.09

  2,295,740

  646,780

  28.17

  589,640

  2,770

  0.47

  1,873,880

  50,810

  2.71

  l,363,070

  42,680

  3.13

  31.03.93

  6,130,820

  764,210

  12.47

  2,336,620

  666,780

  28.54

  628,490

  2,930

  0.47

  1,834,970

  51,640

  2.81

  1,330,740

  45,790

  3.44

  31.03.94

  6,114,590

  782,760

  12.80

  2,370,040

  682,870

  28.81

  664,110

  2,910

  0.44

  1,788,700

  52,090

  2.91

  1,291,740

  47,800

  3.70

  Notes:

  (a) Paid to widows on the basis of the late husbands' contributions—excludes pensions paid at a reduced rate on the basis of age at widowhood.

  (b) Full rate Category B(L) and A/B(L) paid to married women is equal to approximately 60 per cent. of the full Category B pension.

  (c) Category A/B(L) is based on a combination of the woman's own contributions and those of her husband was introduced with effect from 6 April 1979.

  (d) Figures include a small number of pensions paid to persons overseas.

  (e) Figures not available.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent assessment he has made of the age profile of those pensioners eligible for, but not claiming, income support or housing benefit.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Reliable information on the age profile of pensioners eligible for, but not claiming, income support or housing benefit is not available.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of the 1993 data showing the age profile of retirement pensioners drawing(a) income support, (b) income support and housing benefit and (c) housing benefit only.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The available information is in the table.

  Retirement Pension cases with Income Support1

  Retirement Pension cases with Income Support and Housing Benefit2

  Housing Benefit and Retirement Pension3

  All cases

  1,386

  712

  952

  60–64

  62

  39

  46

  65–69

  154

  95

  189

  70–74

  216

  124

  294

  75–79

  283

  161

  218

  80 and over

  671

  293

  206

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

  1 Includes all income support claimants in receipt of a state retirement pension, whether or not receiving housing benefit.
  540
  2 Represents only those recipients in column 1 also in receipt of housing benefit.

  3 Includes all housing benefit claimants in receipt of a state retirement pension but not in receipt of income support.

  Sources:

  Income support annual statistical inquiry—May 1993, 5 per cent. sample; housing benefit management information system, 1 per cent. sample.

  Reduced Earnings Allowance
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many reduced earnings allowance claims are outstanding for the benefits offices of Phoenix house, Dunn house, Houghton-le-Spring and South Shields.

  Mr. Hague
  Information is not available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Compensation Recovery Unit
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons the £2,500 threshold limit for the compensation recovery unit has not been adjusted to take account of inflation; and what plans he has to increase the threshold.
  541
  Mr. Roger Evans
  Frequent adjustments to the limit could create a disproportionate administrative burden and raise costs. Consequently, we have no immediate plans to increase it.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of successful

  Estimated proportion of GB labour force eligible for standard rate SSP compared with proportion eligible for higher rate SSP 1987–88 to 1993–94

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Average weekly earnings cut off lower rate: standard rate

  £76.50

  £79.50

  £84

  £125

  £185

  £190

  £195

  Proportion eligible for lower rate

  0.1

  0.1

  0.1

  0.2

  0.4

  0.4

  0.3

  Proportion eligible for higher rate

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  0.8

  0.6

  0.6

  0.7

  Notes:

  1. Information is not available for years prior to 1987.

  2. Proportions have been rounded.

  3. Proportions apply to GB employees as a whole eligible for SSP on earnings grounds only, not to SSP recipients.

  4. To apply the proportions to actual SSP recipients would require the assumption of a constant distribution of sickness across earnings bands.

  5. Most SSP recipients receive occupational sick pay in addition to SSP when they are sick. In many cases this brings the total payment received up to full pay.

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department estimates.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to continue collecting data on the number of claims for statutory sick pay.

  Mr. Hague
  We have recently received a report of a joint DSS—employers' working group, which has considered changes and improvements to the administration of the statutory sick pay scheme, including the amount of mandatory records which employers are required to keep for SSP purposes. We are currently considering the group's report, but no changes will be made without consultation with both sides of industry.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people annually gain national insurance credits; and what estimate he has made of the cost of these credits if taxpayers contributed the sums which such individuals would have paid into the national insurance scheme from their own employer's contributions if they were on(a) two thirds and (b) average earnings.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  In 1992–93, the most recent year for which information is available, some 4.5 million people were awarded an average of 47 national insurance contribution credits. If these individuals were receiving earnings and paid employees' national insurance contributions at current rates, those on two thirds of average earnings would have paid £932.48 and those on average earnings would have paid £1,505.88 in contributions.

  Notes:

  (a) Calculations based on weekly male average earnings of £366—new earnings survey April 1994.

  (b) Calculations assume that contributions were paid at the not contracted out rate of 2 per cent. + 10 per cent.
  542
  claims for statutory sick pay for each year since the scheme's inception; and if he will classify the data according to the rate of benefit paid.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. For the available information, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 7 February,Official Report, columns 203–10. Further information is in the table.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many exemptions from class 2 national insurance contributions from self-employed people have been granted on grounds of low earnings in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The administration of national insurance is a matter for Mr. George Bertram, the acting chief executive of the Contributions Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from George Bertram to Mr. John Home Robertson, dated 13 February 1995:
  As Acting Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the National Insurance scheme. I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many exemptions from Class 2 National Insurance contributions from self-employed people have been granted on grounds of low earnings in each of the last five years.
  Small Earnings Exceptions have been granted as follows:

  1989–90: 93,300

  1990–91: 80,400

  1991–92: 82,900

  1992–93: 99,800

  1993–94: 73,100

  A sample statistical interrogation of the National Insurance Recording System was used to extrapolate these figures.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979 in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department of Social Security did not exist independently prior to August 1988.
  543

  Advertising coast in 1994 prices on behalf of the Department and including its agencies for each of the following years ia as follows:

  Year

  £

  1989–90

  8,532,000

  1990–91

  5,298,000

  1991–92

  6,333,000

  1992–93

  4,748,000

  1993–94

  4,824,000

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the unemployed have failed to qualify for the unemployment benefit due to them exhausting their right to 12 months' benefit in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of trends in the proportion of the unemployed who failed to qualify for national insurance unemployment benefit; if he will list the main reasons for the failure for claimants to have a full contributory record; what significant changes over time he has identified in the causes for failure to gain full contribution records; and if he will divide these data into information about men and women claimants.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Statistics covering the reasons why men and women fail to qualify for unemployment benefit due to a lack of national insurance contributions are not kept. The main reasons for an insufficient contribution record in the relevant tax years include: non-payment of class 1 contributions due to long-term unemployment and/or sickness; self-employment; and periods spent outside the labour market.

  Family Credit
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 428, if he will list by benefit office areas and by region how much family credit, expressed in both cash terms and as a percentage of total expenditure on family credit, has been given to families with (a) one child, (b) two children, (c) three children, (d) four children and (e) five or more children, breaking the information down into occupational groupings.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [holding answer 6 February 1995]: The precise information is not available. Information on a pro rata basis for each of the five years given in my answer of 27 January to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman), Official Report, column 428, has been placed in the Library. Information by benefit office and for larger families is not reliable at this level of disaggregation. The tables, therefore, show spending by region and combine spending on families with three or more children.

DEFENCE

  Defence Sales
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contributions his Department made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of credit arrangements for defence sales in each year since 1981.
  544
  Mr. Freeman
  Since 1986–87, the Ministry of Defence has made contributions to the Export Credits Guarantee Department to provide interest rate support for the Jordan defence package. These contributions, which have been reported in the Defence appropriation accounts each year, are as follows.

  Year

  Expenditure £000

  1986–87

  894

  1987–88

  972

  1988–89

  1,118

  1989–90

  993

  1990–91

  1,058

  1991–92

  1,356

  1992–93

  1,054

  1993–94

  852

  International Military Services Ltd.
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal powers he used to set up the International Military Services Ltd. export finance house; when the finance house was set up; and what external legal advice from which source he received before it was being set up.

  Mr. Freeman
  International Military Services Ltd. set up its export finance house, with MOD agreement, in 1985. This business initiative was judged to fall within the financial guidelines laid down for the company by the Ministry. No external legal advice on the scheme was considered necessary.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the total liabilities and assets of International Military Services Ltd. at the time it ceased trading activity; and what they are now.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the company's annual reports and accounts filed at Companies House.

  Royal Marines
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has(a) to purchase and (b) to review the purchase of additional armoured vehicles for the Royal Marines; and at what date an order is likely to be placed.

  Mr. Freeman
  Options for procuring armoured vehicles for the Royal Marines in the United Kingdom landing force are currently under review.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 January,Official Report, column 105, who authorised the passes made over Her Majesty's prison, Stocken.

  Mr. Soames
  The passes made over the prison on 27 September 1994 were made at the request of Her Majesty's Prison Service, and were authorised by the Officer Commanding RAF Cottesmore.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of maintaining British armed forces on the Falkland Islands in each of the last 10 years.
  545
  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 6 February,Official Report, columns 37–39.

  Regimental Silver
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of purchasing and restoring regimental silver in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Soames
  Army regimental silver is maintained by the relevant regiment or corps using money from mess funds or other non-public funds. In the case of the Navy, it is referred to as "naval silver" and the cost of maintenance is borne by a registered charity through donations, and hire charges levied on ships and establishments for the loan of items. In common with the Army, Royal Air Force silver is purchased and restored using mess funds and other non-public funds. In the light of this, I can confirm that there is no cost to the public purse for the purchase or restoration of regimental silver, naval silver or silver belonging to the Royal Air Force.

  Eurofighter 2000
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 744, if he will list the production costs of the Eurofighter 2000 for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  No production costs have been incurred.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 744, whether his Department has agreed fixed price contracts for the Eurofighter 2000 project.

  Mr. Freeman
  The existing main development contracts for Eurofighter 2000 are not generally on a fixed price basis. As part of the reorientation of the project agreed by the Defence Ministers of the partner nations in December 1992, revised fixed price contracts are being negotiated with industry; these contracts are due to be placed shortly. It is the intention of the partner nations to agree with industry fixed or firm price contracts for the production investment and production phases of the project.

  Expenditure (Germany)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of his Department's current defence expenditure arises from the United Kingdom's military presence and responsibilities in Germany.

  Mr. Soames
  The planned costs for 1994–95 of the two primary budgets in Germany, United Kingdom Support Command (Germany) and RAFSTC 2 Group Germany, are identified in table 1.3 of "UK Defence Statistics" 1994 edition as £1,233,800,000 and £262,100,000 respectively, representing 6.57 per cent. of the Defence budget.

  Vehicle Blinde Modulaire Programme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much the British contribution to the Franco-German vehicule blinde modulaire programme is expected to be(a) as a percentage of the total projected programme cost and (b) in financial terms;

  (2) what is his Department's policy towards the Franco-German vehicule blinde modulaire programme; and if he will make a statement.
  546
  Mr. Freeman
  The Government are considering whether the Franco-German vehicule blinde modulaire/gepanzerte transport-kraftfahrzeuge programme offers the basis for trilateral collaboration in meeting our future requirement for armoured utility vehicles. No decisions have been made.

  European Communications Satellite
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the new generation European communications satellite; and how much the British contribution will be(a) as a percentage of the total projected programme cost and (b) in financial terms.

  Mr. Freeman
  Feasibility studies are currently under way to examine how the United Kingdom's military satellite communications requirement, after 2000, could be met. Various collaborative options are being examined as part of these studies. No decision on the way forward is expected to be made before 1996.

  Phoenix Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning the Phoenix UAV; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Phoenix project is currently under review.

  French-British Co-operation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many procurement programmes are currently being developed through co-operation between his Department and the French Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the "Statement of Defence Estimates (SDE) 1994", table 8, which lists collaborative projects involving the United Kingdom.

  Increases in the cost of developing and producing modern high technology equipment, coupled with budgetary constraints make armaments co-operation with other nations a vital component in meeting our future defence needs. We shall therefore pursue co-operation where this makes military and economic sense and we would expect France to be an important partner.

  Farnborough Airfield
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 160, what financial commitment his Department will make for Farnborough airfield after it becomes surplus to requirements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department will make available sufficient funds to meet its commitments at Farnborough airfield between now and the end of the century.

  WE177 Bomb
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning the WE177 bomb; and in what year they will be withdrawn from service.
  547
  Mr. Soames
  We envisage that the WE177 will continue to contribute to our sub-strategic nuclear capability for a number of years.

  Dockyard Consultants
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those external consultants who have been hired to assist on the privatisation of the dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport, (b) the specific functions that they were asked to perform and (c) the latest total cost of the consultants.

  Mr. Freeman
  For the names and functions of the consultants advising on the proposed privatisation of Devonport dockyard and Rosyth dockyard, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) on 5 December 548
  1994, Official Report, column 110. As to the costs involved, for the period between 18 October 1993 and 31 October 1994 I refer the hon. Member to the second answer I gave to the hon. Member for Devonport on 29 November 1994, Official Report, column 621; payments made or outstanding for the period from 1 November 1994 to 31 January 1995 totalled £700,000.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Department and its agencies for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

  Belarus
  Belarus
  Croatia: Discussions with Senator Dole
  Croatia: Discussions with Senator Dole
  Kashmir
  Kashmir
  Turkey: Suryiani Minority
  Turkey: Suryiani Minority
  Turkey: Ankara Metro
  Turkey: Ankara Metro
  China: Fourth World Conference on Women
  China: Fourth World Conference on Women
  St. Helena: Transport Links
  St. Helena: Transport Links
  Mental Health Act 1993
  Mental Health Act 1993
  Airlines: Carriers' Liability
  Airlines: Carriers' Liability