Written Answers of 14 February 1995

ENVIRONMENT

  World Wide Web
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available on departmental pages established by his Department on the Government's world wide web server, "www.open.gov.uk"(a) the Audit Commission's reports entitled "Paying the Piper" and "Calling the Tune" and (b) other reports of the Audit Commission.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  No. Distribution -of Audit Commission reports is a matter for the commission.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the(a) population, (b) number of employees, (c) number of employees per 1,000 population and (d) political party in control in each local authority; and if he will post the answer on his Department's pages on the Government's world wide web server, "www.open.gov.uk.".

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I have today placed the information requested in the Library of the House. No firm decision has yet been taken by the Department on the use of the Internet.

  County Hall
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the current policy of the London residuary body towards the ownership and development of County hall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Under the Local Government Act 1985, the London residuary body has a duty to dispose of surplus property for the best price reasonably obtainable; pursuant to this duty the LRB exchanged contracts on 14 October 1994 with Frogmore Estates plc in association with Galliard Homes for the sale of the remainder of the County hall site, and the sale is due to be completed by 29 March 1995.

  Construction Industry Board
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made in the establishment of a construction industry board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. Friend, my noble Friend the Minister of State and I met with representatives of the construction industry and their clients on 7 February and agreed to set up a new construction industry board. The board will take forward the reform proposals in Sir Michael Latham's report "Constructing the Team". The board will be chaired by 550
  Sir Michael Latham and will include representatives from the construction industry and its clients.

  Dog Fouling
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Luton, South (Sir G. Bright) of 14 December,Official Report, column 664, when he proposes to give powers to local authorities to tackle dog fouling; how the designated areas will be determined; and when he expects to bring forward the necessary legislative proposals to effect these changes.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Bill, which was introduced by the hon. Member for Blackpool, North (Mr. Elletson) and received its Second Reading on 10 February, would give local authorities the necessary powers. The Bill proposes that local authorities may designate land which is open to the air and to which the public have access.

  Ministerial Discussions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Norway, and what plans he has for discussions on the damage done to the environment by the lack of fully operated coal desulphurisation plant at power stations.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Secretary of State has had no recent bilateral discussions with his Norwegian counterpart on sulphur emissions from UK power stations. The UK is, however, on target to meet fully its commitments to reduce sulphur emissions under the EC large combustion plants directive. Both the United Kingdom and Norwegian Governments signed last year the UNECE protocol on further reductions in sulphur emissions.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy on allowing departmental civil servants to work for, or be seconded to, local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Department strongly encourages interchange with local government. Since 1993, 12 DOE staff have been on secondment to local authorities, and 18 local government staff have had secondments to DOE.

  Westminster City Council
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines have been issued to local authorities since the district auditor's interim report on Westminster city council's designated sales policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Files of general correspondence are normally destroyed after a five-year period, and we have been unable to locate the response to which the hon. Member refers.

  Private Hostels
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what standards his Department requires of private hostels used by persons on social security benefits.
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  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Private hostels will usually fall within the definition of a house in multiple occupation contained in part XI of the Housing Act 1985. Under these provisions, local authorities have extensive powers to ensure that houses in multiple occupation are fit for the number of occupants. The Department's circular 12/92 sets out guidance to local authorities on the standards of fitness they might wish to impose in such cases.

  Affordable Housing
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new initiatives he is taking to encourage the construction of affordable housing.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Government continue to promote efficiency, value for money and use of private finance in the provision of affordable housing. In this way we aim to ensure that the maximum benefit is derived from the public resources available.

  Emissions
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what studies he has conducted into which substances are emitted when secondary liquid fuel is burned;

  (2) what monitoring has taken place of the emissions from the Rugby Cement works at Barrington.

  Mr. Atkins
  Studies have been made on the emissions to air for particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, oxygen, total organic carbon, dioxins, and heavy metals. The dioxins and heavy metal content of solid waste discharges and the chlorine, heavy metals, sulphur and PCB content of secondary liquid fuels has also been studied.

  Rugby cement works at Barrington has monitored all the above parameters.

  Housing Revenue Account
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department gives to local authorities with regard to the use of moneys in the housing revenue account.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The items of expenditure and income falling within the Housing Revenue Account are defined in schedule 4 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, also issues an annual determination setting out the sums to be debited and credited to the account under items 8 of parts I and II of schedule 4. The Department will shortly be issuing a circular providing further guidance on local authority expenditure and income which should be accounted for in the housing revenue account.

  Local Government Finance, Shropshire
  Mr. Biffen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the aggregate financial balances, excluding schools, held by Shropshire at the latest available date and for the corresponding date in 1994 and 1993.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer Monday 13 February 1994]: The latest available estimates of the level of reserves, excluding schools is as follows. These
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  estimates are subject to amendments as authorities finalise their accounts. Compatible data on the use of balances in 1994–95 which would be needed to derive an estimate of the level of reserves as a date later than 1 April 1994 are not yet available.

  Estimated Level of Reserves: Shropshire1

  Date

  £

  1st April 19932

  8,002,000

  1st April 19943

  -557,000

  Notes:

  1 These reserves include those which may not be available to the Council for general use.

  2 Source: Level of reserves (outturn) at 1st April 1993 (RS return for 1993–94).

  3 Source: Level of reserves (outturn) at 1st April 1993 appropriations to/withdrawals from reserves during 1993–94 (RS return for 1993–94). The estimated levels of schools reserves at 1st April 1994 is £7,789,000.

  Local Government, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the population of the proposed north riding of Yorkshire is from areas that, prior to local government reorganisation in 1974, were in the administrative areas of the(a) north riding, (b) west riding and (c) east riding of Yorkshire.

  Mr. Robert B Jones
  [holding answer Monday 13 February 1995]: We no longer propose to create a county of the north riding of Yorkshire.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those who made representations to him requesting that the name of North Yorkshire county council should be changed.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer Monday 13 February 1995]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has concluded that the county's name should not be changed.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Companies House (Sickness)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to institute an occupational health assessment of the sickness at Companies House.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As this is an operational matter for Companies House executive agency, I have asked David Durham, the chief executive, to respond directly to the hon. Member.
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  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 14 February 1995:

  You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question about assessment of sickness at Companies House. The President has informed you that I have been asked to reply as Chief Executive of the Agency as this is an operational matter for Companies House.

  Measurement of sickness absence poses a number of statistical problems, and comparisons between different kinds of organisation should be treated with caution, particularly if there are wide differences in, for example, the proportion of part time staff. The figures for the Department as a whole published in the recent Parliamentary Answer given to Mr. David Chidgey MP (Question 187) use a standard, civil service wide definition. We do not use this definition for management purposes at Companies House (CH) because we find it produces anomalous results when applied to part time staff.

  CH employs an unusually large number of part time staff (333, or 29 per cent. of our workforce). We count absence for management control purposes in line with normal practice in the private sector. This takes account of the very different working patterns that may occur in production environments such as that predominating at CH. Under this definition, CH has had a sickness absence rate for 1994–95 which for 9 month period to the end of December stood at 4.8 per cent. We understand that this is comparable to that achieved by other similar organisations.

  In the light of this, I do not believe that any special assessment of sickness absence is necessary.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to(a) end, (b) raise and (c) extend the nuclear levy.

  Mr. Eggar
  The future of the fossil fuel levy is being considered as part of the review of nuclear power currently being undertaken by the Government and I cannot pre-judge the outcome.

  Offices

  Permanent staff

  1OGD loanees etc.

  Casual staff

  Total staff

  Midland Region

  Birmingham

  71.5

  5

  11.5

  88

  Norwich

  23

  4

  3

  30

  Ipswich

  16.5

  2

  3

  21.5

  Nottingham

  25

  2

  8

  35

  Leicester

  21.5

  1.5

  2

  25

  Northampton

  23

  0.5

  0.5

  24

  Cambridge

  15

  1

  4

  20

  Stoke

  18

  1

  3.5

  22.5

  Chester

  19

  1.5

  3.5

  24

  Regional Total

  232.5

  18.5

  39

  290

  South East Region

  Croydon

  71.5

  6

  17.5

  95

  Brighton

  37.5

  1

  13.5

  52

  Canterbury

  17.5

  3

  4

  24.5

  Rochester

  21.5

  2

  4

  27.5

  Reading

  35.5

  8

  16

  59.5

  St. Albans

  34.5

  3

  11.5

  49

  Southend

  33.5

  2

  8

  43.5

  Regional Total

  251.5

  25

  74.5

  351

  South West Region

  Bristol

  28

  3

  11

  42

  Gloucester

  20

  1

  5.5

  26.5

  Cardiff

  26.5

  3

  3

  32.5

  Opencast Mining Sites
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to amend the Coal Industry Act 1994 to give local planning authorities the power to protect the local communities from the liability of restoration of opencast mining sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no proposals to amend the existing provisions of the Act in respect of the responsibilities of planning authorities.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his changes in the INsolvency Service affect the powers(a) to prosecute for fraud, (b) to disqualify directors and (c) to prosecute in situations of bankruptcy; and if he will make a statement on the rights of private contractors to initiate prosecution and disqualifications

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  No decision to contract out the functions of official receivers has been taken. When considering that decision, Ministers will take into account such factors as value for money and enabling official receivers to concentrate resources on their investigative role. The latter would improve the Insolvency Service's ability to take disqualification proceedings against directors.

  The power to prosecute in personal bankruptcies and in cases of fraud in company liquidations rests with the investigations division of the Department of Trade and Industry and this situation will not be affected by any decision to contract out official receivers' functions.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the present size of the Insolvency Service employment(a) in total and (b) in each region and nation; and if he will estimate the effects on such employment of his proposals to change the status of the service.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Figures for the Insolvency Service staff in post as at 1 January 1995, in total and broken down by offices, are as follows.
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  Offices

  Permanent staff

  1OGD loanees etc.

  Casual staff

  Total staff

  Plymouth

  33

  4

  9

  46

  Exeter

  21

  3

  10.5

  34.5

  Southampton

  25.5

  1

  10.5

  37

  Bournemouth

  19

  2

  10.5

  31.5

  Swansea

  22

  1

  4

  27

  Regional Total

  195

  18

  64

  277

  Northern Region

  Manchester

  59

  11

  69

  139

  Hull

  21.5

  2

  1

  24.5

  Leeds

  37

  5

  4.5

  46.5

  Liverpool

  23.5

  2

  1

  26.5

  Newcastle

  25

  2

  7

  34

  Stockton

  15

  3

  1

  19

  St. Annes

  30

  1

  1.5

  32.5

  Sheffield

  22

  2

  1

  25

  Regional Total

  233

  28

  86

  347

  Or London

  London

  147.5

  14

  34

  195.5

  PORLU

  35

  0

  1

  36

  LSU

  63

  0

  30

  93

  London Total

  245.5

  14

  65

  324.5

  Headquarters

  301

  17

  36

  354

  National Total

  1,458.5

  120.5

  364.5

  1,943.5

  1 OGD loanees includes short term appointees and staff on loan from other Government Departments and the private sector.

  Consultations have been engaged by the service to consider the implications of any decisions to contract out but at this stage it is too early to say what impact such a decision would have on levels of staffing.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been dealt with and how many staff employed by the Insolvency Service in each year since 1988; and if he will express these figures in index form with 1988 as the base.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The figures for the number of cases dealt with by the Insolvency Service each year since 1988, together with the number of staff employed in the same period, are as follows:

  New Cases

  Financial Year

  Bankruptcy

  Company

  Total

  Index

  1988–1989

  7,595

  3,550

  11,145

  100

  1989–1990

  8,679

  4,431

  13,110

  118

  1990–1991

  14,359

  6,777

  21,136

  190

  1991–1992

  26,186

  8,911

  35,097

  315

  1992–1993

  33,152

  9,540

  42,692

  383

  1993–1994

  28,996

  7,623

  36,619

  329

  1994–19951

  24,400

  6,100

  30,500

  274

  1 Based on actual figures for Quarters 1–3 and projected figure for Quarter 4.

  Cases Completed

  Financial Year

  Bankruptcy

  Company

  Total

  Index

  1988–1989

  7,928

  4,871

  12,799

  100

  1989–1990

  8,048

  3,875

  11,923

  93

  1990–1991

  10,881

  4,900

  15,781

  123

  1991–1992

  15,516

  5,900

  21,416

  167

  1992–1993

  16,169

  4,957

  21,126

  165

  556

  Cases Completed

  Financial Year

  Bankruptcy

  Company

  Total

  Index

  1993–1994

  26,243

  7,746

  33,989

  266

  1994–19951

  42,500

  10,500

  53,000

  414

  1 Based on projected figures for year

  Average staff in post

  Financial year

  Permanent

  Casual

  Total

  Index

  1988–89

  1,393

  16

  1,409

  100

  1989–90

  1,386

  20

  1,406

  100

  1990–91

  1,431

  24

  1,455

  103

  1991–92

  1,499

  85

  1,584

  112

  1992–93

  1,531

  158

  1,689

  120

  1993–94

  1,537

  281

  1,818

  129

  1994–951

  1,491

  399

  1,890

  134

  1 Based on average staff in post for 1 April 1994–31 December 1994.

  Companies House
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the full cost of the consultancy work carried out by SRU Ltd. on(a) the privatisation of Companies House and (b) the contracting out of work carried out in Companies House.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The fee paid to SRU Ltd. in connection with the review of Companies House is £189,000.

  Euratom Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the facilities operated by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority have had sanctions
  557
  imposed for infringement of article 83 of the Euratom treaty since 1988; if he will specify the infringements that occurred; and what has been done in each case to rectify the situation.

  Mr. Eggar
  Sanctions have been imposed on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority under article 83 of the Euratom Treaty on only one occasion. That was at the least severe level—a "warning"—on 4 March 1992 concerning a facility at Dounreay. I refer the hon. Member to the European Communities Commission decision C(92) 476 final—OJ L88 of 3 April 1992—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. To rectify the situation, modifications were made to the plant and to management procedures, and improvements were made to the accounting and records systems.

  Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent, of 26 January,Official Report, column 335, on the imports and exports of uranium, what factors led to the figures for certain years being classed as commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Energy to the hon. Member for Newcastle Upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins), on 7 February 1995,Official Report, column 142.

  Saddlery
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the prospects of the saddlery trade; and what measures he proposes to promote this industry in rural areas.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has initiated discussions with representatives of the industry about its prospects and the issues which influence its competitiveness both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  If the right hon. Member has particular concerns in this context I would be pleased to consider them.

  Auction Houses
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions apply in France to British auction houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  In France, all auctioneering or individual sales of works of art must be undertaken by "commissaries priseurs", who are personally appointed by the state and restricted in number. As a result, British auction houses are not able to operate in France as corporate entities or to levy commission at rates comparable to those levied in the United Kingdom. The Government will continue to press the European Commission and the French authorities to secure the removal of this barrier to trade.

  Lloyd's
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the extent to which the solvency rate for Lloyd's of London for each year since 1987 took account of statistics made available to his Department with particular reference to non-marine all other business.
  558
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Lloyd's statutory solvency requirements, which are aimed at ensuring that there are sufficient funds to pay policyholders' valid claims, do not include a solvency rate.

  Lloyd's is subject to two solvency requirements, the first determined in accordance with section 84 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982, requires the members of Lloyd's taken together to maintain a margin of solvency as prescribed by the Act and relevant regulations. Since 1987, the margin of solvency—the extent to which the value of the declared assets of the members taken together exceeds the required minimum—has varied between 11.5 and 2.25 the required minimum, and for the year ended December 1993 was three times the required minimum. For this test, the required minimum is calculated—in conformity with domestic and European law applying to all insurers—by reference to premium received or claims notified. The "settlement statistics" made available to the Department about particular classes of business—of which the non-marine all other is one—do not have a direct impact on this margin of solvency.

  The settlement statistics are however one of the elements used to determine the basis for calculating the liabilities considered in the second solvency requirement. In accordance with section 83 of the Act, the value of each underwriter's assets must meet his/her liabilities—the liabilities, for general business, within which the non-marine all other category falls being calculated on a basis approved by the Secretary of State. Where appropriate, an underwriter's assets may be supported by the central fund and other assets held centrally by the society. For these purposes a name's liability on each syndicate is his/her share of the syndicate's liabilities, which in turn is the greater of

  (i) the product of the syndicate's premium income and a percentage approved by the Secretary of State, and

  (ii) the reserves regarded as necessary by the underwriting agent, and confirmed by syndicates' auditors.

  In deciding which percentages to approve, the Secretary of State has regard to all available relevant information, of which the settlement statistics are an important part. Since the percentages determine the minimum reserves applicable to all syndicates, and are not averages to be applied to the totality of business, and the settlement statistics are in respect of the aggregate of business in a particular audit class, the percentages are not directly dependent upon the settlement statistics. It would be inappropriate to impose a level of percentages based upon the average of all syndicates, as that would cause some to be materially over-reserved. It is accordingly expected that a number of syndicates' liabilities will be determined on the basis (ii) above. Thus the achievement of this solvency requirement—which has been met every year since 1987, and every year prior to that—is not directly dependent on the settlement statistics.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the British companies which were given licences to attend the Eurohied and Intertech exhibitions held in Baghdad in November.

  Mr. Needham
  It has been the practice of successive administrations not to disclose such information unless the public interest outweighs the requirements of confidentiality.
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  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 760, on what occasions Ministers or officials in his Department have met any representatives of the Iraqi British interests group, and for what purposes, since sanctions began.

  Mr. Needham
  Although Ministers and officials may for a variety of reasons have met representatives of the companies involved in the Iraq British interests group, there have been no meetings with the Iraq British interests group's organisers since its formation.

TRANSPORT

  Crash Tests
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the potential annual casualty reduction in respect of deaths and injuries which would arise from the implementation of the proposed European Union crash test legislation in relation to(a) frontal impacts (i) stage I angled barrier and (ii) stage 2 offset deformable barrier and (b) side impacts (iii) with ground clearance of 260 mm and (iv) with ground clearance of 300 mm.

  Mr. Norris
  Estimates made by the Department and the Transport Research Laboratory are as follows:

  (i) There is insufficient research to make a precise estimate but the overall effect on the numbers of casualties is likely to be small.

  (ii) Up to 65,000 deaths and serious injuries per annum in the European Union—for which some 10 per cent. in the UK.

  (iii) This has not been estimated. Any reduction in the height of the lower edge of the barrier below 300 mm makes the test less effective at reducing casualties in side impact accidents.

  (iv) Up to 25,000 deaths and serious injuries per annum in the European Union—of which some 10 per cent. in the UK.

  public Transport
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new initiatives he has to promote the use of public transport.

  Mr. Norris
  We announced on 15 December the allocation of £79 million in 1995–96 for 37 local authority transport packages covering bus priority measures and park and ride schemes. In 1995–96 the package approach to local transport investment becomes the norm, particularly in urban areas. In addition, I have reconstituted the bus working group with representatives from the Confederation of Passenger Transport, local authority associations and the National Federation of Bus Users, to see what further measures can be taken to improve bus services within the deregulated framework.

  Road Construction
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment is made of the risk of sediment from soil disturbance entering water courses prior to commencing road construction.

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
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  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 14 February 1995:

  The Minister for Roads and Railways has passed to me your request on what assessments are made of the risk of sediment from soil disturbance entering watercourses, prior to commencing road construction. This is an operational matter for which the Highways Agency is responsible.

  All schemed in the National Road Programme are subject to Environmental Assessment at key stages in their development. The Assessment permits consideration of the likely environmental effects and allows Statutory Bodies like the National Rivers Authority (who are responsible for maintaining and conserving water quality) to comment on our proposals.

  There are a number of ways in which a road scheme may affect watercourses. The Environmental Assessment will record the existing quality of these watercourses and the areas which are vulnerable to change. The assessment and subsequent mitigation will be discussed with the National Rivers Authority throughout the development of a road scheme. Prior to any contract for road construction being awarded, the Highways Agency would include the National Rivers Authority specific requirements in the contract documents to safeguard any watercourses.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the tonnage of road stone which will be required in the next 10 years of projected road building.

  Mr. Watts
  I regret this information is not available because it depends on the statutory progress of individual schemes in the current programme and on the availability of funds to take them forward. Furthermore, as scheme design evolves so their detailed requirements are refined.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what priority is given to environmental impact studies within the decision-making process for the development of new roads.

  Mr. Watts
  Environmental assessment has formed part of the Department's procedures for road schemes for many years. Trunk road proposals are the Government's responsibility and we give full weight to environmental aspects alongside economic, engineering and safety considerations in the decision-making process. Assessment takes place throughout the development of a trunk road scheme and informs the decision-making process at all stages. The current requirements are laid down in volume 11 of the design manual for roads and bridges. The final stage of the assessment is in accordance with directive 85/337/EEC. A formal environmental statement is published, where the scheme is likely to have a significant environmental effect, with the draft orders. This statement, together with representations about it, must be formally considered by the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport in reaching their decision on whether or not to go ahead with the scheme. Schemes promoted by local highway authorities require planning permission and are also, where they are likely to have a significant effect on the environment, subject to formal environmental assessment in accordance with the directive. The planning authority must have regard to all material considerations including, where required, the environmental information.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 6 February, if his inquiry into breaches of the Air Navigation Order of flights containing calves from Coventry airport in
  561
  November and December 1994 deals specifically with the airline involved.

  Mr. Norris
  The purpose of the current inquiry is to seek to determine whether there have been any breaches of the Air Navigation Order. The inquiry will consider all relevant matters including the actions of the airlines involved in the operation of the flights.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the road worthiness of lorries used to export animals through the port of Shoreham.

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

  Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr. Elliot Morley, dated 13 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the roadworthiness of lorries used to export animals through the port of Shoreham.

  Lorries used for all forms of transport have an annual statutory roadworthiness examination and are also subject to roadside checks conducted by the Vehicle Inspectorate regardless of the nature of the transport operation.

  In the financial year 1993/94 the Vehicle Inspectorate conducted a total of 672,780 annual checks on motor vehicles and trailers, and
  562
  120,335 roadworthiness spot check inspections (with a further 13,931 special checks on lorry lights and exhaust emissions). We do not have details on inspection of vehicles specifically used for the transportation of animals.

  If you have any further queries about the Inspectorate's enforcement activities, please contact me at the above address.

  Rail Privatisation
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what fee his Department paid for services relating to rail privatisation to(a) Hambros, (b) Price Waterhouse, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG, (e) SG Warburgs, (f) Samuel Montagu, (g) Shandwick, (h) Linklaters and Paines, (i) Freshfields and (j) Greshams.

  Mr. Watts
  Information about fees paid by the Department to individual contractors is commercially confidential. Total payments to date to these contractors amount to £17.1 million.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to travel to Hong Kong in 1995.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None at present.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Parsonages
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners (1) if he will list, for each year of the last 10 years, and by location new parsonages that the Church Commissioners have(a) had built and (b) bought, and the relative costs involved;

  Parsonages built 1985–1994

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Bath and Wells

  1

  98,970

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  139,000

  1

  154,211

  Birmingham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Blackburn

  1

  65,000

  3

  86,792

  2

  80,830

  2

  29,677

  2

  169,677

  Bradford

  2

  90,577

  3

  86,192

  —

  —

  2

  119,092

  1

  153,141

  Bristol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  95,000

  Canterbury

  3

  98,119

  —

  —

  1

  132,210

  1

  93,395

  1

  156,000

  Carlisle

  2

  95,849

  2

  95,192

  9

  111,915

  4

  107,283

  5

  118,896

  Chelmsford

  3

  97,670

  1

  94,311

  1

  135,000

  1

  135,000

  3

  163,373

  Chester

  3

  82,576

  1

  95,000

  1

  123,080

  3

  100,525

  4

  177,068

  Chichester

  —

  —

  1

  100,047

  3

  129,514

  4

  138,636

  2

  158,412

  Coventry

  1

  70,735

  —

  —

  3

  89,990

  —

  —

  1

  115,000

  Derby

  3

  99,233

  3

  94,702

  1

  108,000

  1

  109,292

  —

  —

  Durham

  3

  89,189

  2

  83,796

  6

  99,789

  1

  102,564

  6

  116,971

  Ely

  3

  78,039

  2

  84,005

  1

  87,301

  1

  108,640

  —

  —

  Exeter

  3

  85,848

  3

  97,001

  4

  97,874

  3

  105,633

  1

  121,301

  Gloucester

  —

  —

  1

  83,992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Guildford

  2

  107,357

  3

  108,636

  1

  108,762

  —

  —

  2

  136,796

  Hereford

  1

  86,165

  2

  82,974

  1

  107,350

  3

  102,001

  1

  166,018

  Leicester

  —

  —

  1

  81,744

  3

  93,055

  1

  89,622

  3

  109,675

  Lichfield

  3

  75,182

  5

  89,419

  2

  107,129

  3

  103,146

  2

  101,845

  Lincoln

  3

  84,179

  4

  84,619

  4

  78,728

  2

  80,738

  1

  114,245

  Liverpool

  3

  78,000

  1

  92,016

  3

  86,503

  2

  119,701

  5

  135,690

  London

  2

  116,504

  3

  117,672

  1

  172,989

  3

  143,521

  2

  159,444

  Manchester

  8

  82,901

  1

  81,231

  8

  93,299

  7

  109,469

  3

  137,021

  Newcastle

  3

  76,328

  1

  91,372

  2

  104,587

  4

  96,209

  —

  —

  Norwich

  6

  83,243

  1

  84,705

  3

  102,488

  —

  —

  1

  119,000

  Oxford

  2

  99,999

  5

  101,336

  4

  114,356

  3

  124,596

  2

  129,115

  Peterborough

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  196,531

  Portsmouth

  —

  —

  1

  135,211

  —

  —

  2

  140,099

  1

  153,640

  Ripon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  88,918

  1

  110,352

  1

  126,744

  Rochester

  2

  95,624

  1

  100,294

  —

  —

  2

  141,580

  5

  164,351

  St. Albans

  —

  —

  1

  101,115

  1

  120,000

  2

  114,906

  1

  153,424

  St. Edmunds and Ipswich

  —

  —

  1

  98,011

  —

  —

  1

  163,950

  2

  121,085

  Salisbury

  1

  61,460

  —

  —

  2

  125,058

  1

  111,977

  1

  179,870

  Sheffield

  3

  79,482

  2

  74,663

  2

  87,000

  —

  —

  2

  114,800

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  120,750

  —

  —

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  107,015

  1

  144,000

  —

  —

  Southwall

  1

  67,656

  —

  —

  3

  84,182

  3

  91,588

  1

  112,283

  Truro

  1

  78,230

  1

  85,214

  2

  85,408

  2

  95,845

  —

  —

  Wakefield

  5

  74,165

  5

  82,115

  6

  91,984

  4

  90,329

  7

  106,107

  Winchester

  1

  92,880

  —

  —

  1

  133,032

  —

  —

  3

  154,000

  Worcester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  119,673

  —

  —

  —

  —

  York

  1

  86,445

  1

  98,060

  —

  —

  3

  106,122

  2

  93,000

  Total

  76

  85,832

  62

  92,571

  88

  101,391

  75

  112,524

  79

  135,610

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total Number

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Bath and Wells

  2

  177,030

  2

  198,441

  1

  192,312

  1

  154,100

  —

  —

  9

  Birmingham

  —

  —

  1

  138,750

  —

  —

  1

  150,100

  —

  —

  2

  Blackburn

  2

  146,125

  2

  160,500

  —

  —

  1

  140,000

  2

  102,642

  19

  Bradford

  l

  140,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  192,477

  10

  Bristol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  190,949

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  564
  (2) for each of the last 10 years, and by location, the parsonages that the Commissioners have sold; and what revenue has been raised from the sale of each.

  Mr. Alison
  The initiative for the sale, purchase and construction of parsonages rests with the diocesan parsonages boards although each transaction requires the consent of the Church Commissioners. Over the 10 year period 1985–1994, 563 parsonages have been built, 550 purchased and 1,486 sold. The following table gives details including location by diocese and sums raised or expended.
  565

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Total Number

  Canterbury

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Carlisle

  2

  171,845

  1

  163,763

  1

  131,100

  4

  126,229

  —

  —

  30

  Chelmsford

  1

  151,102

  1

  141,588

  1

  174,122

  —

  —

  2

  142,993

  14

  Chester

  7

  161,761

  1

  302,489

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20

  Chichester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  130,000

  11

  Coventry

  1

  225,346

  1

  223,153

  1

  157,585

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  Derby

  1

  145,214

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  172,316

  —

  —

  11

  Durham

  —

  —

  1

  180,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19

  Ely

  1

  148,000

  2

  149,000

  1

  159,430

  —

  —

  2

  181,500

  13

  Exeter

  3

  147,539

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  168,182

  —

  —

  18

  Gloucester

  1

  132,000

  2

  158,704

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Guildford

  —

  —

  1

  165,353

  1

  183,000

  1

  303,367

  2

  188,453

  13

  Hereford

  1

  157,050

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  133,915

  —

  —

  10

  Leicester

  1

  127,000

  —

  —

  2

  145,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  Lichfield

  1

  185,300

  1

  149,419

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  190,000

  18

  Lincoln

  1

  103,501

  5

  136,509

  3

  160,988

  2

  144,880

  2

  148,952

  27

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  91,335

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  London

  1

  249,054

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  150,000

  —

  —

  13

  Manchester

  —

  —

  7

  175,254

  1

  192,577

  1

  195,000

  1

  169,000

  37

  Newcastle

  3

  152,256

  2

  127,446

  1

  185,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16

  Norwich

  2

  163,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  140,000

  14

  Oxford

  —

  —

  1

  154,440

  1

  140,000

  4

  168,071

  —

  —

  22

  Peterborough

  2

  154,339

  2

  182,337

  —

  —

  1

  45,963

  —

  —

  6

  Portsmouth

  1

  140,930

  2

  163,938

  —

  —

  2

  134,736

  1

  232,000

  10

  Ripon

  —

  —

  1

  158,000

  1

  167,073

  1

  143,000

  1

  100,000

  10

  Rochester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  144,748

  —

  —

  11

  St. Albans

  2

  152,696

  2

  191,188

  1

  190,000

  —

  —

  2

  215,320

  12

  St. Edmunds and Ipswich

  1

  145,209

  1

  202,815

  3

  210,028

  —

  —

  1

  175,000

  10

  Salisbury

  1

  163,560

  2

  189,126

  3

  134,970

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  Sheffield

  4

  102,785

  —

  —

  4

  116,250

  —

  —

  2

  123,250

  19

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Southwark

  —

  —

  2

  219,200

  —

  —

  2

  222,372

  1

  178,000

  8

  Southwall

  1

  143,914

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  120,000

  —

  —

  10

  Truro

  1

  141,315

  3

  132,028

  1

  119,137

  1

  128,966

  —

  —

  12

  Wakefield

  3

  115,113

  2

  137,156

  —

  —

  1

  129,749

  —

  —

  33

  Winchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  197,000

  1

  151,306

  7

  Worcester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  139,428

  —

  —

  2

  York

  1

  135,000

  —

  —

  1

  140,600

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  Total

  49

  150,036

  48

  167,492

  30

  156,239

  32

  155,291

  24

  161,000

  563

  Note:

  It should be noted that the costs given are averages, so do not necessarily reflect the value of parsonages across each diocese.

  Parsonages purchased 1985–1994

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Bath and Wells

  1

  80,000

  1

  105,672

  6

  121,864

  1

  130,000

  2

  192,000

  Birmingham

  3

  72,350

  1

  84,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Blackburn

  —

  —

  2

  63,903

  3

  80,871

  1

  138,000

  1

  120,000

  Bradford

  —

  —

  1

  83,274

  1

  112,500

  —

  —

  1

  125,000

  Bristol

  —

  —

  2

  112,577

  2

  108,430

  2

  162,125

  —

  —

  Canterbury

  2

  92,542

  2

  98,969

  2

  115,850

  1

  188,400

  —

  —

  Carlisle

  1

  47,950

  1

  61,775

  3

  92,119

  1

  98,000

  1

  56,100

  Chelmsford

  4

  97,007

  2

  130,000

  4

  142,094

  5

  193,250

  5

  210,000

  Chester

  3

  89,077

  3

  125,995

  1

  123,250

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Chichester

  5

  96,325

  —

  —

  2

  166,081

  2

  172,000

  4

  223,500

  Coventry

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  76,000

  —

  —

  1

  194,000

  Derby

  1

  72,377

  —

  —

  3

  72,600

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  134,264

  1

  100,000

  —

  —

  Ely

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  84,956

  1

  132,000

  1

  202,000

  Exeter

  2

  67,114

  3

  104,876

  4

  113,537

  2

  131,426

  4

  219,371

  Gloucester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  155,000

  —

  —

  4

  277,375

  Guildford

  3

  162,701

  2

  141,344

  1

  195,055

  2

  340,500

  3

  309,394

  Hereford

  1

  61,335

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  140,000

  Leicester

  1

  93,000

  1

  89,267

  —

  —

  1

  160,000

  3

  166,152

  Lichfield

  1

  42,000

  2

  69,772

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  227,172

  Lincoln

  2

  60,490

  1

  76,000

  3

  67,983

  2

  109,750

  9

  117,136

  566 567

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  3

  74,705

  1

  82,950

  2

  112,000

  3

  171,167

  London

  3

  106,300

  4

  213,950

  3

  434,487

  3

  299,000

  5

  316,177

  Manchester

  —

  —

  3

  77,300

  4

  83,975

  6

  91,219

  9

  130,142

  Newcastle

  1

  80,775

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  168,000

  Norwich

  2

  89,897

  2

  89,000

  1

  102,000

  1

  152,100

  —

  —

  Oxford

  2

  129,025

  2

  131,131

  2

  136,225

  3

  220,665

  4

  213,000

  Peterborough

  1

  93,130

  2

  113,465

  —

  —

  2

  132,750

  3

  162,233

  Portsmouth

  —

  —

  4

  111,988

  3

  158,494

  1

  165,000

  1

  131,300

  Ripon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  94,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Rochester

  1

  123,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  265,000

  —

  —

  St. Albans

  —

  —

  2

  112,400

  1

  208,000

  1

  247,000

  2

  277,750

  St. Edmunds and Ipswich

  5

  75,749

  1

  78,540

  1

  101,997

  1

  137,500

  1

  187,000

  Salisbury

  1

  90,398

  1

  115,010

  2

  115,036

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sheffield

  3

  57,821

  2

  66,300

  4

  75,250

  2

  61,700

  3

  136,667

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southwark

  4

  137,352

  2

  126,550

  3

  146,438

  2

  229,300

  1

  295,000

  Southwell

  3

  72,812

  1

  80,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  154,975

  Truro

  1

  69,500

  1

  65,850

  1

  74,750

  —

  —

  3

  132,217

  Wakefield

  3

  74,077

  4

  90,725

  4

  86,327

  2

  94,350

  3

  167,725

  Winchester

  2

  109,850

  1

  164,500

  1

  155,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Worcester

  1

  88,228

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  132,600

  2

  164,675

  York

  5

  69,542

  2

  94,930

  —

  —

  3

  103,333

  2

  140,625

  Total

  68

  89,573

  61

  106,892

  74

  123,396

  54

  162,684

  87

  186,203

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  Total Number

  Bath and Wells

  3

  247,667

  1

  212,000

  4

  147,506

  1

  159,000

  3

  174,167

  23

  Birmingham

  —

  —

  1

  170,000

  1

  155,000

  1

  99,000

  1

  175,000

  8

  Blackburn

  1

  183,225

  2

  190,700

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  244,247

  11

  Bradford

  1

  139,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Bristol

  —

  —

  2

  168,625

  1

  200,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  Canterbury

  2

  213,750

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  Carlisle

  1

  191,773

  1

  194,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  67,000

  10

  Chelmsford

  1

  133,300

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  172,644

  22

  Chester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  74,950

  1

  240,000

  1

  108,000

  10

  Chichester

  —

  —

  1

  160,000

  —

  —

  2

  145,544

  4

  125,502

  20

  Coventry

  2

  157,500

  —

  —

  2

  166,750

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Derby

  2

  112,765

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  134,000

  —

  —

  7

  Durham

  2

  61,250

  2

  122,750

  3

  128,826

  —

  —

  2

  128,374

  11

  Ely

  1

  127,500

  —

  —

  1

  205,000

  1

  87,500

  2

  184,250

  11

  Exeter

  9

  201,083

  2

  192,649

  1

  169,500

  3

  144,869

  —

  —

  30

  Gloucester

  3

  186,000

  1

  202,508

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  Guildford

  1

  123,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  272,459

  —

  —

  13

  Hereford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  108,000

  1

  153,976

  5

  Leicester

  1

  152,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  Lichfield

  2

  165,500

  2

  113,770

  1

  135,000

  —

  —

  1

  155,000

  10

  Lincoln

  3

  99,475

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20

  Liverpool

  1

  115,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  192,641

  12

  London

  2

  364,719

  1

  276,343

  —

  —

  2

  285,446

  —

  —

  23

  Manchester

  5

  127,200

  4

  127,488

  1

  67,000

  2

  157,902

  —

  —

  34

  Newcastle

  2

  124,760

  1

  129,200

  1

  165,000

  1

  122,900

  —

  —

  8

  Norwich

  —

  —

  1

  119,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  Oxford

  3

  218,333

  5

  199,274

  2

  210,000

  1

  180,000

  1

  199,400

  25

  Peterborough

  1

  115,000

  —

  —

  1

  268,206

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  Portsmouth

  1

  267,500

  1

  150,000

  1

  175,000

  1

  195,000

  —

  —

  13

  Ripon

  1

  160,217

  1

  125,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Rochester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  145,612

  4

  St. Albans

  1

  160,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  228,000

  8

  St. Eds and Ips

  —

  —

  8

  169,657

  2

  126,500

  1

  160,749

  2

  145,000

  22

  Salisbury

  2

  202,250

  —

  —

  1

  220,200

  —

  —

  1

  128,000

  8

  Sheffield

  3

  134,667

  2

  81,000

  1

  101,000

  —

  —

  2

  104,000

  22

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Southwark

  —

  —

  2

  309,000

  —

  —

  2

  230,974

  —

  —

  16

  568 569

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Diocese

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  No.

  Average£

  Total Number

  Southwell

  1

  168,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  101,000

  1

  146,000

  9

  Truro

  1

  178,450

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  118,167

  3

  107,983

  13

  Wakefield

  —

  —

  1

  112,642

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  91,917

  20

  Winchester

  5

  216,060

  3

  234,791

  —

  —

  1

  207,500

  —

  —

  13

  Worcester

  2

  174,653

  2

  195,866

  1

  217,680

  —

  —

  1

  112,938

  10

  York

  1

  180,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  126,500

  15

  Total

  67

  175,130

  47

  173,784

  26

  159,098

  28

  164,427

  38

  142,672

  550

  Note:

  It should be noted that the costs given are averages, so do not necessarily reflect the value of parsonages across each diocese.

  Parsonage Sale 1985–1994

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Bath and Wells

  6

  86,916

  1

  132,000

  5

  126,650

  6

  176,754

  —

  —

  Birmingham

  2

  44,875

  2

  100,000

  2

  58,500

  —

  —

  1

  180,000

  Blackburn

  6

  64,333

  6

  57,492

  6

  85,033

  2

  78,750

  4

  45,738

  Bradford

  3

  65,500

  1

  50,000

  4

  59,250

  —

  —

  1

  165,000

  Bristol

  2

  83,059

  4

  89,625

  3

  109,167

  3

  114,585

  1

  250,710

  Canterbury

  9

  62,444

  8

  96,904

  2

  152,000

  2

  136,300

  2

  173,750

  Carlisle

  10

  61,350

  6

  47,917

  6

  65,500

  8

  80,525

  7

  154,479

  Chelmsford

  8

  87,381

  10

  195,247

  7

  203,193

  7

  210,997

  2

  123,000

  Chester

  1

  60,000

  6

  81,000

  2

  122,500

  2

  91,750

  —

  —

  Chichester

  8

  130,164

  5

  101,900

  3

  230,167

  5

  193,600

  3

  206,333

  Coventry

  1

  101,500

  2

  75,825

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  173,317

  Derby

  6

  68,333

  3

  70,000

  3

  94,385

  2

  91,000

  5

  152,132

  Durham

  10

  51,102

  4

  69,125

  3

  31,894

  6

  49,283

  2

  147,061

  Ely

  8

  70,705

  5

  154,430

  8

  97,260

  5

  172,400

  2

  215,055

  Exeter

  9

  67,722

  7

  87,000

  11

  121,318

  13

  169,154

  6

  208,367

  Gloucester

  4

  101,935

  —

  —

  2

  199,626

  —

  —

  4

  158,250

  Guildford

  3

  118,666

  5

  173,010

  6

  196,917

  4

  169,625

  1

  131,992

  Hereford

  1

  43,500

  4

  75,775

  2

  96,250

  2

  175,500

  2

  200,500

  Leicester

  9

  79,094

  3

  87,667

  2

  99,700

  1

  100,000

  2

  225,000

  Lichfield

  13

  54,923

  5

  74,000

  8

  59,800

  4

  88,500

  1

  65,000

  Lincoln

  1

  52,000

  8

  56,094

  9

  75,458

  9

  107,253

  —

  —

  Liverpool

  5

  41,700

  7

  41,107

  8

  52,167

  7

  39,640

  3

  92,050

  London

  3

  108,000

  8

  155,014

  7

  356,257

  3

  686,167

  2

  209,750

  Manchester

  5

  53,700

  2

  32,000

  4

  50,663

  6

  53,250

  13

  109,258

  Newcastle

  5

  57,770

  5

  59,210

  5

  47,800

  2

  86,125

  3

  110,091

  Norwich

  10

  72,219

  8

  86,500

  9

  95,500

  4

  111,125

  —

  —

  Oxford

  11

  128,923

  15

  153,090

  10

  164,272

  6

  225,167

  7

  227,429

  Peterborough

  4

  107,659

  4

  105,675

  2

  140,250

  3

  137,653

  1

  170,000

  Portsmouth

  1

  153,000

  —

  —

  4

  215,578

  2

  167,500

  2

  281,000

  Ripon

  4

  88,625

  1

  39,000

  2

  80,000

  1

  113,500

  —

  —

  Rochester

  2

  98,000

  —

  —

  2

  181,125

  2

  470,000

  2

  262,350

  St. Albans

  7

  97,651

  —

  —

  2

  107,475

  5

  274,200

  3

  471,032

  St. Edmunds and Ipswich

  12

  83,759

  7

  86,165

  3

  128,167

  5

  201,663

  —

  —

  Salisbury

  4

  77,750

  1

  99,000

  4

  163,088

  3

  136,383

  3

  222,000

  Sheffield

  4

  50,359

  5

  45,700

  3

  58,250

  6

  70,361

  2

  76,500

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southwark

  6

  138,076

  6

  187,854

  4

  152,190

  3

  330,000

  —

  —

  Southwell

  7

  61,788

  5

  51,400

  5

  73,665

  1

  65,000

  1

  140,000

  Truro

  1

  75,000

  3

  49,683

  7

  78,568

  2

  473,000

  1

  180,000

  Wakefield

  10

  40,025

  6

  67,500

  12

  58,612

  10

  64,455

  4

  107,125

  Winchester

  8

  140,285

  2

  185,000

  —

  —

  3

  170,410

  1

  331,011

  Worcester

  2

  57,739

  2

  84,675

  1

  240,000

  2

  228,760

  1

  270,000

  York

  9

  58,889

  9

  53,144

  5

  123,996

  2

  54,950

  5

  190,490

  Total

  240

  78,624

  191

  97,329

  193

  115,950

  159

  153,382

  102

  175,061

  570 571

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Diocese

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  No.

  Average £

  Total Number

  Bath and Wells

  5

  249,700

  2

  155,500

  4

  194,519

  3

  150,000

  1

  130,000

  33

  Birmingham

  1

  80,500

  1

  272,000

  —

  —

  1

  80,000

  —

  —

  10

  Blackburn

  2

  150,000

  3

  72,000

  3

  90,158

  4

  109,500

  2

  176,750

  38

  Bradford

  1

  282,600

  1

  162,000

  1

  67,500

  2

  94,000

  2

  87,500

  16

  Bristol

  1

  266,000

  2

  124,000

  1

  217,000

  1

  235,000

  1

  100,000

  19

  Canterbury

  3

  164,750

  2

  184,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  28

  Carlisle

  8

  179,296

  4

  90,250

  4

  117,750

  4

  141,500

  4

  119,375

  61

  Chelmsford

  5

  142,500

  5

  190,000

  5

  155,400

  6

  143,140

  3

  99,983

  58

  Chester

  4

  148,750

  5

  190,250

  3

  122,333

  4

  84,750

  6

  139,917

  33

  Chichester

  9

  186,619

  1

  210,000

  —

  —

  2

  176,750

  4

  142,476

  40

  Coventry

  3

  196,667

  —

  —

  1

  250,000

  3

  124,333

  2

  143,500

  14

  Derby

  1

  185,000

  —

  —

  1

  185,000

  1

  129,000

  3

  187,000

  25

  Durham

  1

  64,000

  4

  79,150

  3

  118,000

  3

  77,000

  2

  110,000

  38

  Ely

  1

  135,950

  2

  252,500

  1

  120,000

  9

  133,513

  1

  298,000

  42

  Exeter

  6

  208,167

  6

  159,417

  3

  127,500

  3

  107,000

  4

  95,000

  68

  Gloucester

  1

  175,000

  2

  208,250

  4

  182,000

  —

  —

  2

  127,250

  19

  Guildford

  3

  230,750

  4

  302,500

  1

  130,000

  2

  197,250

  1

  330,000

  30

  Hereford

  2

  154,500

  1

  103,000

  2

  167,500

  1

  128,000

  4

  146,128

  21

  Leicester

  3

  189,333

  4

  133,850

  1

  122,500

  1

  262,000

  —

  —

  26

  Lichfield

  5

  131,107

  1

  75,500

  3

  138,833

  3

  97,833

  1

  55,000

  44

  Lincoln

  7

  119,114

  8

  110,363

  5

  123,300

  9

  130,183

  12

  100,083

  68

  Liverpool

  5

  102,000

  5

  76,600

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  191,125

  44

  London

  4

  334,000

  2

  310,000

  2

  370,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31

  Manchester

  10

  88,200

  11

  106,527

  10

  93,603

  6

  83,167

  7

  97,429

  74

  Newcastle

  4

  175,374

  5

  123,300

  4

  91,500

  3

  197,333

  1

  79,000

  37

  Norwich

  2

  128,250

  —

  —

  5

  93,100

  —

  —

  3

  174,583

  41

  Oxford

  6

  202,875

  4

  183,375

  9

  191,667

  7

  146,464

  5

  186,800

  80

  Peterborough

  2

  243,250

  3

  160,333

  3

  225,858

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  Portsmouth

  2

  193,750

  2

  182,500

  4

  339,680

  1

  85,000

  3

  215,000

  21

  Ripon

  1

  80,000

  2

  153,331

  1

  134,000

  1

  230,000

  —

  —

  13

  Rochester

  2

  158,750

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  110,000

  —

  —

  11

  St. Albans

  6

  181,875

  —

  —

  5

  185,290

  —

  —

  2

  249,750

  30

  St. Eds and lps

  3

  175,333

  5

  131,900

  2

  122,500

  9

  133,696

  7

  127,107

  53

  Salisbury

  2

  136,500

  2

  213,000

  3

  226,333

  2

  169,000

  3

  140,867

  27

  Sheffield

  4

  105.625

  7

  95,057

  3

  90,083

  6

  105,750

  1

  49,750

  41

  Sodor and Man

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Southwark

  —

  —

  1

  240,000

  3

  250,167

  7

  146,150

  3

  216,500

  33

  Southwell

  5

  115,800

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  59,950

  —

  —

  25

  Truro

  4

  127,113

  2

  95,000

  1

  120,000

  4

  78,254

  4

  119,250

  29

  Wakefield

  13

  129,892

  2

  64,000

  1

  96,000

  2

  122,850

  3

  91,667

  63

  Winchester

  3

  202,851

  5

  168,200

  1

  115,000

  2

  183,750

  2

  163,625

  27

  Worcester

  1

  138,000

  —

  —

  3

  141,000

  1

  320,000

  1

  265,000

  14

  York

  3

  119,369

  2

  80,500

  1

  79,000

  —

  —

  3

  133,000

  39

  Total

  154

  161,812

  118

  144,395

  107

  156,058

  115

  130,955

  107

  140,177

  1,486

  Note:

  It should be noted that the costs given are averages, so do not necessarily reflect the value of parsonages across each diocese.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what action Her Majesty's Government have taken in relation to Lockerbie and Libyan sanctions since the Adjournment debate on 1 February.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has written to two hon. Members on matters which arose during the Adjournment debate on 1 February. Discussions about Lockerbie and UTA 772 with our closest partners have continued. The Government's policy towards Libya is kept under constant consideration, but it is only the Libyan Government who can bring about the lifting of sanctions by complying in full with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 14 February.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 14 February.

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

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Statutory Instruments
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the statutory instruments which each Government Department has sponsored in the last 12
  573
  months; and what statutory instruments each Department proposes to introduce during the current year.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make a statement on the current progress and the likely timetable to when hon. Members on the parliamentary data and video network will be able to have House of Commons e-mail addresses accessible to their constituents and the general public through the Internet.

  Mr. Waller
  The Information Committee has recommended, subject to endorsement by the Finance and Services Committee of the necessary expenditure, that connection to the Internet should be made available, as an experiment, to those Members who are users of the parliamentary data and video network and who request it. It is hoped that connection to the Internet will be possible by May of this year. The experiment will be assessed in due course.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Contagious Agalactia
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of contagious agalactia have occurred in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Ancram
  There have been no cases of contagious agalactia in Northern Ireland.

  Rape and Child Abuse
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the provision in the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994, in respect of the removal of a defendant's right to anonymity prior to conviction and sentencing in cases of alleged rape and alleged child abuse.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Following publication of the proposal for a draft order in 1993, two representations were received expressing concern that the removal of a

  Year

  Total

  PAYE

  Capital gains tax

  Corporation tax

  Schedule D tax

  1978–79

  11,041

  4,473

  135

  560

  5,873

  1979–80

  10,648

  4,215

  148

  584

  5,701

  1980–81

  10,222

  3,953

  143

  597

  5,529

  1981–82

  10,124

  3,842

  126

  409

  5,747

  1982–83

  10,221

  4,042

  116

  390

  5,673

  1983–84

  10,171

  4,094

  113

  394

  5,570

  1984–85

  9,339

  4,016

  92

  557

  4,674

  1985–86

  8,443

  3,196

  92

  559

  4,596

  1986–87

  7,989

  2,902

  85

  530

  4,472

  1987–88

  7,795

  2,902

  105

  538

  4,250

  1988–89

  7,866

  2,931

  121

  571

  4,243

  1989–90

  7,879

  2,974

  92

  570

  4,243

  1990–91

  7,846

  2,808

  79

  549

  4,410

  1991–92

  8,187

  3,209

  70

  532

  4,376

  1992–93

  8,410

  3,119

  69

  492

  4,730

  1993–94

  8,173

  2,945

  68

  465

  4,695

  574
  defendant's right to anonymity in a rape case might lead to the identification of the complainant. One of them also expressed concern that a defendant in a rape case whose name had been published might be subject to harassment. The right to anonymity had not extended at any time to defendants in other types of cases, including child abuse.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what redress is open to defendants for detrimental publicity in cases of alleged rape and alleged child abuse where the defendant's right to anonymity is removed but where the defendant is not proved guilty of an offence.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The law does not make specific provisions in this matter. A defendant acquitted of a charge in proceedings which may be freely reported must decide for himself whether to seek redress under criminal or civil law if he believes publicity of the case was detrimental to him.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to protect teachers from false accusations of rape and child abuse.

  Sir John Wheeler
  None. It is impossible to protect any person from having a false accusation laid against them.

TREASURY

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of Inland Revenue collection staff employed in each year since 1979, broken down to show those employed in ensuring the collection of(a) PAYE, (b) capital gains tax, (c) corporation tax, (d) schedule D tax and (e) national insurance contributions.

  Sir George Young
  Excluding staff employed on central administration, the table sets out the total numbers of Inland Revenue staff engaged on the collection of tax within the Department's accounts offices, local office network, and the enforcement officers for each year since 1978–79 and how many were working in the areas of(a) PAYE, (b) capital gains tax, (c) corporation tax and (d) schedule D tax. Under (a) the figures include staff used in collecting PAYE from employers and a relatively small number of schedule E tax assessments. As resource usage on national insurance contribution work is incidental to mainstream tax collection, it is not separately recorded.
  575
  The number of staff employed on collection and enforcement work has decreased since 1979. The greater proportion of the reduction arose through automation but other decreases resulted from administrative and efficiency measures and the transfer of work to other parts of the Department. Conversely, extra work loads attracted staff increases but the net overall reduction in permanent staff is around 2,860.

  Monetary Union
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions United Kingdom Ministers or officials have had concerning technical aspects of introducing notes and coins for the single European currency, with(a) the expert group reporting to Commissioner Christopherson and (b) other bodies; what representation the United Kingdom has on this group; and when it is anticipated that technical aspects of monetary union will be settled to enable the change over to a single currency to take place.

  Mr. Nelson
  United Kingdom ministers and officials have had no discussions concerning technical aspects of introducing notes and coins for a single currency with the expert group on the changeover to the single currency. This is an independent group and neither the United Kingdom nor the other member states are formally represented. The group is likely to seek opinions from relevant United Kingdom bodies.

  Article 109f(3) of the EC treaty provides that the European Monetary Institute shall supervise the technical preparation of ecu bank notes. The EMI has set up a group of national central bank experts to undertake a detailed study, the EMI working group on printing and issuing a European banknote.

  A working group of mint directors from EU member states has been formed to address the technical implications of single European coinage, with the aim of providing advice to the European Commission on the options available.

  Technical preparations which would be necessary for monetary union are at a very early stage, and it is not yet possible to give a date for their completion.

  The UK opt-out under the Maastricht treaty means that no decision to proceed to monetary union would be made without the agreement of Parliament.

  Fraud
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of fraud have been reported in(a) Government Departments and (b) non-departmental public bodies; and what has been their value in each of the last five years.

  Sir George Young
  The data are submitted by Departments in line with the requirements of 37.1.4 of Government accounting and cover frauds and suspected frauds committed by departmental and agency staff, including cases where staff have colluded with outsiders. The data include NDPB staff frauds where these have been reported by Departments. However, complete data on frauds in NDPBs are not held centrally.

  The values are not a completely accurate indicator of actual losses resulting from fraud since in some cases the amounts involved are estimates, and in others, some or all of the sums have been recovered.
  576
  The number and value of fraud cases within Departments, agencies and NDPBs reported to the Treasury in the last five years are:

  Year

  Number of cases

  Total value £

  1989–90

  221

  1,496,700

  1990–91

  196

  2,302,900

  1991–92

  287

  1,536,900

  1992–93

  302

  2,108,900

  1993–94

  352

  1,688,500

  Bank Notes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current value of(a) £5, (b) £10, (c) £20 and (d) £50 notes in circulation; and what is the estimated current face value of forged notes.

  Mr. Nelson
  The total value of Bank of England banknotes in circulation is published weekly in the bank return. The value of individual denominations was, at Wednesday 25 January 1995, £1,069 million for the £5; £5,362 million for the £10; £7,677 million for the £20; and £2,869 million for the £50.

  The Bank of England, in common with most note-issuing authorities, does not publish details. of the counterfeit notes it receives. However, despite an increase in counterfeiting over the last few years, counterfeit notes detected still represent only a small fraction of 1 per cent. of the total notes in circulation

  Bus Fuel Duty
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the difference between the bus fuel duty rebate which has been paid and what would have been paid had the rebate not been frozen for each year from November 30 1993 to date.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Information for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95 is as follows.

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Cost of rebate

  220

  1225

  Estimated cost without freeze in rebate announced 30 November 1993

  227

  257

  1 Indicates forecast outturn.

  Business Statistics Service
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for confidentiality and impartiality in a contracted out statutory collection of business statistics service under the Contracting Out (Statistics of Trade) Order 1995.

  Mr. Nelson
  The order referred to exists in draft form only and has not been laid before Parliament. An independent assessment into the attitudes of business to the contracting out of statistical inquiry work was made in October 1993, and the results of the study were placed in the Library. Should an appropriate contracting out order laid under section 77 (2) of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 be approved by Parliament, any
  577
  subsequent market testing or contracting out of statistical inquiry work would take the results of this research into account.

  Reinvestment Relief
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if investment in those companies listed under stock exchange rule 4.2 are eligible for reinvestment relief.

  Mr. George Young
  Yes. Capital gains tax reinvestment relief is available for investment in shares in qualifying unquoted trading companies. Companies listed under stock exchange rule 4.2 are unquoted companies for this purpose.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to travel to Hong Kong in 1995.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have no plans to travel to Hong Kong in 1995.

  Public Works Loan Board
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the quotas for lending to local authorities by the Public Works Loan Board.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Public Works Loan Commissioners have issued a circular today notifying local authorities that there will be no change in the formula for calculating quotas for 1995–96.

  Copies of the circular have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Expenditure Review
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement about the likely effect on staff numbers in his Department of the fundamental review of expenditure;

  (2) what savings to his Department's budget in the next three financial years he expects as a result of the Treasury's fundamental expenditure review.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: The FER report identified savings of 25 posts at grade 5 and above—round 25 per cent. of the total. The saving in direct staff costs attributable to this will amount to about £1.8 million in a full year. The implications of the FER for the number of staff employed by the Treasury in these and other grades and for other expenditure for next year and beyond is being considered in the work currently in hand and to set budgets for 1995–96.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Link Projects
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a full list of all 500 LINK research and development projects supported by Government to date, indicating the annual Government contribution for each of the last five years.
  578
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  I have today placed in the Library a full list of the 571–343 active and 228 completed LINK projects supported by the Government since the start of the LINK initiative in 1986, together with details of Government expenditure on LINK for the last five years.

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total expenditure on all forms of advertising by his Office and its agencies for each year since its establishment, in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Expenditure on all forms of advertising by the Office of Public Service and Science, including its agencies, for each year since 1992–93, when the office was established, was as follows:

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  11994–95 £

  OPSS

  695,400

  1,259,200

  477,500

  1 To end—January.

  1992£

  1993£

  1994£

  HMSO

  537,100

  1,471,700

  1,745,800

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Public Library Service
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to respond to the report commissioned by his Department from the consultants ASLIB on the public library service.

  Mr. Sproat
  I expect to receive the final report from the review consultants within the next month. I intend then to make a statement on the report as soon as possible thereafter.

  Sports Council
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to announce the results of his Department's consultation on proposals to restructure the Sports Council.

  Mr. Sproat
  I am currently considering responses to the consultation on the Government's proposals set out in my 8 July statement. To assist me in this, I have asked the Great Britain Sports Council to provide me with its, own view of how its current functions and staffing might be realigned to take account of those proposals. I shall be taking final policy decisions in the light of my analysis and this further work, which will be completed shortly.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) when the decision was taken to remove the words "sport for all" from the Sports Council's letterhead;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the Sports Council about the removal of the words "sport for all" from the Sports Council's letterhead;
  579
  (3) how many sheets of letterheads were discarded by the Sports Council following the recent removal of the words "sport for all" from the design;

  (4) what costs have been incurred in the alteration of the Sports Council's letterhead by the removal of the words "sport for all".

  Mr. Sproat
  The Sports Council decided to remove "sport for all" in redesigning its letterhead on the appointment of its new chairman and vice-chairman. This was a matter for the Sports Council and therefore Ministers and officials were neither consulted nor informed. I am advised by the Sports Council that because of the level of stocks held at any one time, the costs were negligible.

  Children's Play (Funding)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made on the present arrangements for funding children's play.

  Mr. Sproat
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle under Lyme (Mrs. Golding) on 16 January,Official Report, columns 300–01.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Languages, EEC
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many working languages were used in the EEC(a) in 1970, (b) in 1980, (c) in 1990 and (d) at the latest date for which figures are available; what is the estimated cost of translation services in 1995; and what was the cost in each of the previous years.

  Mr. David Davis
  The European Community had four official and working languages in 1970, six in 1980, nine in 1990 and has had 11 since the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden in January this year. There is no separate line in the EC budget covering the cost of translation services. Estimates could therefore be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

  Copenhagen Summit
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what priority Her Majesty's Government attach to the United Nations social summit to be held in March in Copenhagen; and who will represent Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are committed to achieving a successful summit and have participated actively in the preparations. Our principle priority is to improve the focus of the international debate around the issues of development.

  A final decision on attendance at the summit will be taken near the date.

  Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 February,Official Report, column 19, which of the functions of the EU monitors in Bosnia duplicate
  580
  similar functions performed by UNPROFOR and UNHCR; and if he will make it his policy to avoid such duplication and to ensure that EU funds are used more efficiently in Bosnia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are satisfied that there exists no duplication of effort between UNPROFOR's and UNHCR's roles and that of the EU monitoring mission.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those resolutions on nuclear arms control, nuclear disarmament, nuclear testing and nuclear materials production freeze voted upon at the most recent session of the United Nations General Assembly, indicating the vote taken on each resolution, how the United Kingdom voted, and the reasons in each case for the way the United Kingdom voted.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I shall write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested shortly.

  Piracy
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the numbers and locations of acts of piracy committed against British shipping worldwide since 1987; and what action his Department has taken in response to these(a) unilaterally, (b) bilaterally and (c) multilaterally.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information will take some time to compile. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the eligibility of United Kingdom citizens to apply for work permits into the United States of America.

  Mr. Baldry
  British citizens are eligible to apply to the United States immigration authorities for a United States work permit. Applications are generally based on a specific offer of employment from a United States employer.

  Colombia
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the appointment of a special rapporteur in Colombia by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

  Mr. David Davis
  President Samper has pledged to give human rights the highest priority. He has discussed them constructively with UN human rights bodies, foreign Governments and NGOs. We do not believe the appointment of a special rapporteur is needed.

  Islamic Fundamentalism
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has raised the issue of Islamic fundamentalism at NATO meetings.
  581
  Mr. David Davis
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: Potential threats to security and stability in the Mediterranean region are discussed from time to time in NATO meetings. These threats include acts of violence carried out by extremist groups, some but not all of which act under the guise of fundamentalist movements.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the possible threat from Islamic fundamentalism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: We do not consider Islam, or Islamic revival, to be a threat. However a number of countries in the middle east face problems of violent extremism under the guise of Islamic movements. These are clearly a threat to the stability of the region.

  Security Co-operation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy concerning the establishment of military links between NATO and(a) north African and (b) middle eastern countries; what consideration his Department has given to the establishment of wider security co-operation with these countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: NATO has no plans to establish military links with either north African or middle eastern countries. The Mediterranean initiative announced by the NATO Secretary-General on 7 February is political in nature and reflects the alliance's wish to contribute to the strengthening of regional stability, to foster better understanding of mutual concerns, and to correct any misunderstandings of the NATO's purpose that could lead to perceptions of a threat. It also seeks to complement OSCE and WEU dialogues with certain countries in the region.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Live Animal Exports
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the oral answer by the Leader of the House of 2 February,Official Report, column 1231, and Madam Speaker's statement of 2 February, Official Report, column 1231, what considerations underlay his decision to hold a press conference on the issue of exported live animals for slaughter rather than make a statement to the House.

  Mr. Waldergrave
  I believed that it was extremely important to inject into the wider public debate a point which I hope is reasonably well understood in the House—since the Government have made it clear both to hon. Members and in another place namely that, legally, it is not open to the United Kingdom to introduce a unilateral ban on exports of live animals. My statement to the press on 1 February merely confirmed that position. A letter sent to all Members of the House earlier that day set out the legal position in detail, as did answers given on 2 February to parliamentary questions from the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) and my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale),Official
  582
  Report, columns 846–47. I believe that misunderstanding on this point fuels some of the frustration of many of those demonstrating against the trade and diverts attention from the necessity of securing improvements in European law.

  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the legal arguments put forward by Compassion in World Farming rebutting his contention that it would be illegal for the United Kingdom to impose a ban on the export from the United Kingdom of live animals for slaughter.

  Mrs. Browning
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 2 February to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) and my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale),Official Report, columns 846–47, about the legality under Community law of measures banning or restricting calf exports. Similar considerations would apply to a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 851, what information he now has on how many of the exporters of livestock currently using Brightlingsea have convictions and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  I have nothing to add to that reply.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle over six months of age were loaded on the MV Caroline at Brightlingsea on 1 February; where they came from; what was their destination; where they were lairaged prior to transportation; what were the nationalities of the haulage firms prior to lairage and after lairage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: A total of 32 heifers and bullocks from premises in County Meath, Republic of Ireland were loaded on the MV Caroline on that day. According to the health documents and journey plan accompanying the animals their destination was premises in Vitre, France and they were to be rested, fed and watered at premises in Northampton and Nieuwpoort, Belgium. The animals were transported by a British haulage firm.

  Contagious Epididymitis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the cases of contagious epididymitis in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  No cases of contagious epididymitis have been recorded since it was made notifiable on 1 January 1993. Official records are not available before that date.

  Contagious Agalactia
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of contagious agalactia have occurred in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  No cases of contagious agalactia have been recorded in England since it was made notifiable on 1 January 1993. Official records are not available before January 1993.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in each of the last five years, the amount of compensation paid out to farmers whose animals have been slaughtered as BSE carriers.

  Mrs. Browning
  Compensation is paid when animals suspected to be affected with BSE are compulsory slaughtered. Details of compensation paid in the last five years are as follows:

  Year

  Compensation £

  1990

  9,030,752

  1991

  15,741,463

  1992

  28,205,613

  1993

  36,290,273

  1994

  22,546,902

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many slaughterhouses have closed and what killing capacity by species has been taken out of commission in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  Our records indicate the numbers of licensed red meat slaughterhouses in England in each year since 1984 were:

  1984: 861

  1985: 852

  1986: 815

  1987: 793

  1988: 782

  1989: 689

  1990: 643

  1991: 593

  1992: 455

  1993: 434

  1994: 424

  The Department does not hold figures on the total capacity of slaughterhouses.

  Sheep Pox
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of sheep pox have been reported in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  No cases of sheep pox have been recorded in England since 1985.

  Agricultural Development Advisory Service
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made as to which Ministry work currently carried out under various memoranda of understanding will be transferred to a privatised ADAS.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No decisions have yet been taken on the extent of the work which might be transferred to the private sector.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures for the number of sheep farmers authorised under the certification scheme to purchase organophosphorous dip products in Wales, Scotland and each of his Department's regions in England; and what, in each case, was the total estimated number of sheep farmers.

  Mrs. Browning
  The certification scheme is run by the National Proficiency Tests Council. There are 90,000 registered sheep farmers in the United Kingdom. The number of farmers who have applied for certification in each NPTC region by 10 February 1995 is set out in the following table. The information is not available by MAFF regions.

  By 10 February, 11,151 sheep farmers had enrolled for certification. A total of 4,746 certificates had also been issued by that date. None of this data are available on a corresponding regional basis.

  The decision on whether or not to apply for certification is a matter for the individual sheep farmer, bearing in mind their judgment on the possible need to purchase OP sheep dips for the treatment of sheep in the coming year.

  Applications for sheep dipping certificates received by 10 February 1995

  Counties

  Numbers registered

  Northumberland

  1,448

  Durham

  Tyne and Wear

  Cumbria

  Lancashire

  Cheshire

  Merseyside

  Great Manchester

  Yorkshire

  596

  Cleveland

  596

  Humberside

  190

  Lincolnshire

  190

  Derbyshire

  407

  Leicestershire

  Northamptonshire

  Nottinghamshire

  Shropshire

  268

  Staffordshire

  268

  Hereford and Worcester

  434

  Gloucester and North Avon

  Warwickshire

  West Midlands

  Cambridgeshire

  122

  Norfolk

  Suffolk

  Essex

  62

  Hertfordshire

  London (North of Thames)

  Bedfordshire

  155

  Berkshire

  Buckinghamshire

  Oxfordshire

  Kent

  218

  Sussex—East

  London (South of Thames)

  Surrey

  73

  Sussex—West

  73

  Hampshire

  100

  Isle of Wight

  100

  Dorset

  614

  Somerset

  South Avon

  Devon

  Cornwall

  Wiltshire

  Clwyd

  756

  Gwynedd

  756

  Powys

  551

  Dyfed

  602

  Glamorgan

  213

  Gwent

  213

  585

  Applications for sheep dipping certificates received by 10 February 1995

  Counties

  Numbers registered

  Scotland

  1,230

  Northern Ireland

  300

  ATB Landbase

  2,812

  Total as known

  11,151

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether payments under the 1995 hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme will all be made within the payments timetable set out in his Department's latest commitment to service document.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The 1995 HLCA scheme opened for applications on 15 November 1994. The Council regulation which extended the agri-monetary system on which HLCA rates are dependent was not published in the Official Journal until 31 December 1994. The statutory instrument allowing payments to be made was laid in the House on 19 January 1995. Most claimants should receive their payments within three months of receipt of their claim as provided for in the Ministry's regional service standard "Commitment to Service". However, some of the claims submitted early in the claim period are unlikely to be processed in time to meet the target. We will keep any delays to a minimum.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Grade

  Women

  Total staff

  Per cent.of total

  Women

  Total staff

  Per cent, of total

  Women

  Total staff

  Percent, of total

  Women

  Total staff

  Percent, of total

  3

  1

  25

  4.0

  1

  24

  4.2

  1

  25

  4.0

  0

  23

  0.0

  7

  130

  957

  13.6

  134

  924

  14.5

  150

  920

  16.3

  161

  919

  17.5

  EO

  773

  1,721

  44.9

  786

  1,731

  45.4

  965

  1,946

  49.6

  878

  1,910

  45.9

  AO

  1,365

  2,064

  66.1

  1,377

  2,057

  66.9

  1,541

  2,274

  67.8

  1,584

  2,335

  67.8

  AA

  1,499

  2,056

  72.9

  1,576

  2,086

  75.6

  1,541

  2,065

  74.6

  1,466

  1,993

  73.5

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ernest Saunders
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for granting Ernest Saunders parole in 1994.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Mr. Saunders was released on licence in 1991, when he become eligible for parole, following a recommendation to that effect from the Parole Board, an independent body.

  Data Protection Directive
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an undertaking that he or his representative will vote against the draft data protection directive in the relevant forthcoming Council of Ministers' meeting unless it has been amended to reflect the criticisms made of it by the Minister of State, the right

  Guide Dogs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to seek exemption for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and guide dog owners from the Restrictions on the Administration of Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulations 1994, SI 2987, in order to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe generic alternatives to specialist veterinary prescriptions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 10 February 1995]: None. It is in the interests of animals to treat them with medicines which have been fully assessed for safety, quality and efficacy in the species concerned. The regulations encourage good practice in both areas by reinforcing the code of practice introduced by the British Veterinary Association in 1991. The provisions have therefore established good veterinary practice in the United Kingdom, but which now have statutory backing. Where no authorised product exists for a particular condition in a particular species the veterinary surgeon is able to exercise his or her clinical judgment to consider alternatives in accordance with the regulations.

  Departmental Employees
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many employees for which his Department is responsible were women(a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.

  Mr. Jack
  [pursuant to his reply, 25 January 1995, c. 214–16]: The information given for 1994 was incorrect, the correct information is as follows:

  hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth), in European Standing Committee B.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The draft directive in its original form was unacceptable to the United Kingdom. By the time of the Standing Committee debate on 7 December 1994, a number of improvements had been made, for example in relation to the use of data for research and statistical purposes and for health administration. However, a number of concerns remained. Intensive negotiations continued until political agreement was reached on the directive at the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 February. By then, significant progress had been made towards meeting UK concerns. In particular there is now more flexibility in applying the directive to existing records held in paper filing systems; a safeguard for the effective supervision of City financial institutions; and freedom to continue political canvassing. The UK indicated that it would be abstaining when the matter is put to a formal vote, probably later this month. The
  587
  decision to abstain was conditional upon the improvements which have been secured.

  Disclosure Requirements
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a duty on courts not to reveal the identity and addresses of people who allow the police to use their property for surveillance purposes.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am looking into this point as part of my consideration of the issues raised by the current disclosure requirements generally.

  Closed Circuit Television
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the application by Cleethorpes borough council for a closed circuit television installation under the CCTV challenge competition 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  The bid from Cleethorpes borough council for funding for its proposed CCTV installation is at present under consideration, along with the other bids received. The winners will be announced in early March.

  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the amendments made to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Three amendments have been made:

  1. The definition of protected animal in section 1(1) has been extended to include any invertebrate of the species Octopus vulgaris from the stage of its development when it becomes capable of independent feeding. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (Amendment) Order 1993: SI 1993/2103.

  2. Any bird of the species Coturnix coturnix—quail—has been added to schedule 2—animals to be obtained only from designated breeding or supplying establishments. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (Amendment) Order 1993: SI 1993/2103.

  3. Section 10(3) has been extended to exclude the use—except in exceptional circumstances— of species of animals listed in appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (Amendment) Regulations 1993: SI 1993/2102

  Crime Statistics
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of recorded crimes for each year since 1992 in(a) supermarket car parks, (b) out of town shopping centres and (c) town centre shopping malls; and if he will indicate the percentage involving (i) assaults on women, (ii) assaults on men, (iii) car crime and (iv) other crimes.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the conversion of the national collection of criminal records into digital form for entry on the police national computer; and what steps he is taking to ensure that technical staff who have access to the computer do not have criminal connections.
  588
  Mr. Maclean
  The contract for the back record conversion of criminal records, for eventual entry on the police national computer, was awarded to PCL Group Ltd. on 5 July 1994. Work began in October and is expected to take 18 months. It is being carried out, under conditions of the strictest security, in three locations in the United Kingdom.

  PCL Group operators do not have direct access to the police national computer but key portions of records on to magnetic tape from electronic images supplied by the national identification service at New Scotland Yard. The procedures for conversion make it impossible for workers to associate a subject's name with details of his or her convictions, since the different sections of each criminal record are separately streamed and only reassembled at New Scotland Yard on return of the magnetic tapes. After quality control has taken place, the converted data will be passed, again on tape, to Home Office civil servants at the Hendon Data Centre for entry on the police national computer.

  All the workers keying in records have been subject to a criminal record check, as have all Home Office staff involved in this work.

  Police Forces (Budgets)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the budget adjustment made by his Department in respect of each police force for 1995–96.

  Mr. Maclean
  The setting of budgets is a matter for police authorities. Grant allocations to police authorities for 1995–96 were announced in the reply given on 30 January to a question from the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence),Official Report, column 516.

  Methcathinone
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to add methcathinone to the prohibited substances list.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Methcathinone is a synthetic stimulant. The World Health Organisation has recently recommended that it should be brought under the controls of the United Nations convention on psychotropic substances, 1971. The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs will shortly be considering the recommendation.

  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which has a duty to keep under review drug misuse in the United Kingdom, is to consider whether to recommend bringing methcathinone under the controls of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

  Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Toxteth
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Liverpool police force has agreed compensation to be paid out to Mr. and Mrs. Walker of Toxteth following a raid on their house by mistake; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  This is a matter for the chief constable of Merseyside police. I am told, though, that a claim has been received and is being assessed.

  Special Constabulary
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations govern members of the special constabulary; and who negotiates members of the special constabulary's conditions of service.

  Mr. Maclean
  The main regulations which apply to members of the special constabulary are as follows:

  The Special Constables Regulations 1965

  The Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 1968

  The Special Constables (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1992

  The Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 1992

  The Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations 1971 (revoked by SI 1973/431, except in relation to pensions awarded before 1 April 1972)

  The Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations 1973 The Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations 1980

  The Special Constables (Injury Benefit) Regulations 1987

  By virtue of section 34(1) of the Police Act 1964, the Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of special constables. As a matter of practice, the Department consults representatives of the police staff associations, the special constabulary, and other interested parties before laying any such regulations.

  Police Officers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers per 100,000 population each year since 1979 for(a) the Metropolitan police, (b) Hampshire, (c) Manchester and (d) Essex.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on ratios of police officers to population levels are contained in the appendices to the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, copies of which are in the Library.

  Life Prisoners
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile), on 16 January,Official Report, column 333, if he will list the nature of offence for which they were convicted and the date of their sentence in respect of each of the 15 individuals serving mandatory and discretionary life sentences who have been informed that previous Ministers set a whole life tariff in their case.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  All 15 prisoners were convicted of murder. The convictions were in May 1966, July 1976, November 1978, November 1983, September 1984, October 1986 (two), December 1986, July 1987, February 1988, November 1988, February 1990, July 1991, September 1991, and October 1991.

  Police Officers (Severance Arrangements)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce voluntary and compulsory severance arrangements for police officers.

  Mr. Howard
  The -Metropolitan police service is running a limited voluntary retirement scheme which will come to an end of 31 March 1995. This was introduced to assist the force to restructure its middle management.
  590
  All other Home Departments' forces expect to be able to carry out any such restructuring without voluntary or compulsory severance arrangements. The Government do not therefore intend to introduce legislative provision for such arrangements.

  Prison Escapes
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 810, for what reason information on escapes from Greater London prisons is not available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: 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 14 February 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question, pursuant to his Answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 810, for what reason information on escapes from Greater London prisons is not available.

  Information about escapes has only been recorded centrally since 20 June 1988. Before this date, all relevant information was held at establishments, or regional offices, for inclusion in the Annual Report on the work of the Prison Department.

  The data for 1979 is contained in the Prison Department Annual Report for 1979. It details only escapes from specific establishments for male adult and young prisoners. It does not record the establishment from which borstal trainees or detention centre trainees escaped. The same Report details one escaper from Brixton prison and three escapers from Latchmere House remand centre within the Greater London area.

  The Prison Department Annual Report for 1984–85 records three escapers from Ashford remand centre and one escaper from Latchmere House remand centre. It does not record the establishment from which young offenders or females escaped.

  The Prison Department Annual Report for 1985–86 records four escapers from Ashford remand centre, five escapers from Brixton prison, four escapers from Pentonville prison and one escaper from Wormwood Scrubs prison. There are no details of the prisons from which the young offenders or females escaped.

  During the year ending 31 March 1994 there were eleven escapers from establishments within the Greater London area, namely:

  Six escapers from Downview prison

  Three escapers from Feltham young offenders institution

  One escaper from Highdown prison One escaper from Pentonville prison

  These figures do not include those prisoners who escaped from escort from Greater London prisons.

  Tiger Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tiger products were seized by the Metropolitan police in their raids on Chinese medicine shops in London on 7 February.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand from the Commissioner that several hundred items were seized in raids on four premises in central London on 7 February. These included articles believed to be tiger bones, and medicinal powder and pill products believed to contain ingredients derived from tigers and other endangered species.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tiger products were seized in raids on Chinese medicine shops on 7 February outside the metropolitan area.
  591
  Mr. Maclean
  The Greater Manchester police and the West Midlands police seized hundreds of products in raids at eight premises on 7 February. These included articles believed to be tiger bone and products derived from tigers and other endangered species.

EDUCATION

  Spending
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will give the total amount spent or to be spent(a) in cash terms and (b) in 1995 prices on education in (i) 1978–79, (ii) 1994–95 and (iii) 1995–96.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table includes expenditure by central Government and English local authorities in 1978–79 and 1994–95. The 1994–95 figures are based on estimated outturn. Figures for local authority budgeted expenditure on education in 1995–96 are not yet available. Central Government's own expenditure for 1995–96 will total some £10,949 million. Figures include expenditure on mandatory student awards in Wales and for 1978–79 expenditure on universities in Great Britain, but otherwise are for England only.

  £million

  1978–79

  1994–95

  Cash

  7,459

  28,262

  Real terms1

  21,801

  28,262

  1 Cash figures adjusted to 1994–95 levels using November 1994 GDP deflator.

  Budget Deficits
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information she has as to budget deficits in Wycombe West school, Buckinghamshire; Langham secondary school, Haringey; King David's school, Manchester; Southridge first school, North Tyneside; and Bramingham JMI school, Bedfordshire; and under what provisions of their respective local authorities' schemes for local management of schools such deficits have been authorised.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  At 31 March 1994, the budget deficits at the schools as recorded on the outturn statements produced by the respective local education authorities were as follows:

  £

  Wycombe West school

  114,000

  Langham secondary school

  143,667

  Kind David high school

  344,344

  Southridge first school

  68,585

  Bramingham JMI school

  47,000

  I shall write to the hon. Member with the other information which has been requested; a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

  Education Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what formula is used to calculate education standard spending assessments per pupil.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is contained in the "Local Government Finance Report (England) 1995–96," a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The SSA system does not set out to provide the same sum of money per pupil, but to provide funding for a common standard of service across the country.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will amend the parents charter on maximum pupil numbers per class.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No.

  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the research carried out by her Department into the effect of class sizes on pupil progress and attainment levels.

  Mr. Forth
  As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Ms Church) on 24 January,Official Report, column 166, the Department has not undertaken such research itself, but monitors work generally in this field.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will state by school the classroom sizes in schools designated as seriously below standard in the report from Her Majesty's inspector of schools for 1993–94 on standards in schools.

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

  Schools, Hampshire
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what sum the Government's contribution to the Hampshire local education authority has changed for the years 1994–95 and 1995–96; and what information he has concerning the cash balances held by schools in Hampshire.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Allowing for the reform of inter-authority recoupment, Hampshire's education standard spending assessment for 1995–96 will rise by £2.3 million over the comparable 1994–95 figure.

  For the financial year ending in March 1994, the outturn statement prepared by the county council for that year under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988 showed that total balances held by schools in Hampshire were £25.542 million.

  Aggregated Schools Budget
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if she will list the proportion of the ASB retained by the local education authorities of the metropolitan cities for each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) how much each metropolitan city retained on the non-schools section of their aggregated schools budget for 1995–96; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The aggregated schools budget represents, by definition, that part of a local education
  593
  authority's general schools budget which is distributed to the schools themselves.

  Information on the percentage of the general schools budget, and the potential schools budget; retained centrally by each local education authority for 1994–95 and previous years is contained in the answer which I gave on 17 October 1994 to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) Official Report, columns 27–36. No corresponding information in relation to 1995–96 is yet available.

  Surplus Places
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest figure for surplus places for each local education authority of the metropolitan cities; and what representations she has received from Sheffield local education authority on its proposed reduction.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on Friday 9 December 1994,Official Report, columns 410–14. Sheffield is implementing approved reorganisation proposals which have reduced the primary figure and will reduce the secondary figure by July.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) primary and (b) secondary school places surplus to requirements currently exist in (i) Ealing, (ii) other London boroughs and (iii) the remaining local education authorities of the country; what costs are involved in each case; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on Friday 9 December 1994,Official Report, columns 410–14. The average premises-related cost of maintaining a surplus place is estimated to be £182 a year for a primary school and £303 a year for a secondary school at 1995–96 prices. The actual cost and scope for

  Proposals under consideration for:-

  LEA

  (a) Up to 3 months

  (b) 3–6 months

  (c) 6–9 months

  (d) 9–2 months

  (e) In excess of 12 months

  Avon

  —

  1

  3

  —

  1

  Barnet

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Bedfordshire

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Berkshire

  —

  3

  5

  —

  —

  Birmingham

  5

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Bradford

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Buckinghamshire

  3

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cheshire

  4

  6

  1

  —

  —

  Croydon

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Cumbria

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster

  —

  29

  8

  —

  —

  Durham

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Ealing

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  East Sussex

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  —

  7

  4

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greenwich

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Hampshire

  4

  3

  1

  —

  —

  Haringey

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Hillingdon

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  594
  realising savings from removal of surplus places in practice will depend on local circumstances.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will arrange an early meeting with local education authorities.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend meets local authority associations and officials from local education authorities in the normal course of business.

  Teachers
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will estimate the total loss of jobs among teachers and school support staffs which is currently expected in 1995–96.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under the arrangements for local management, decisions about school staffing levels are made by school governors on the basis of a variety of local factors. No central estimate is made.

  School Closures
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many proposals for school closure and reorganisation and from which local education authority have been awaiting a decision from her for(a) up to three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to nine months, (d) nine to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table lists proposals under consideration by the Department as at 10 February 1995 for the closure, alteration or establishment of county and voluntary schools and the length of time the proposals have been under consideration. Following the publication of proposals, there is a statutory two-month period during which objections may be submitted. Where objections are submitted to the LEA there is a further one-month period within which the objections must be forwarded to the Secretary of State.
  595

  Proposals under consideration for:-

  LEA

  (a) Up to 3 months

  (b) 3–6 months

  (c) 6–9 months

  (d) 9–2 months

  (e) In excess of 12 months

  Humberside

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Islington

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  3

  6

  —

  4

  —

  Knowsley

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Leeds

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Lewisham

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire

  1

  11

  —

  —

  —

  Liverpool

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Manchester

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  North Tyneside

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Northamptonshire

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Northumberland

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  5

  2

  —

  —

  Oldham

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Oxfordshire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Redbridge

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sandwell

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Sefton

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Shropshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Solihull

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  1

  4

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Stockport

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Surrey

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutton

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Tameside

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trafford

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Wakefield

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Walsall

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Waltham Forest

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  —

  33

  —

  —

  1

  West Sussex

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Wiltshire

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Wirral

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wolverhampton

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  74

  144

  29

  7

  8

  St. Philip's College, Birmingham
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she will announce her response to the recommendations of the Further Education Funding Council for England concerning St. Philip's Roman Catholic sixth form college, Birmingham; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Following the publication of the FEFC's report on the college and its recommendations last November, I have received a number of representations from the trustees, from present and former governors and others connected with the college. After considering these most carefully, I am satisfied that there was mismanagement of the college.

  The recommendation from the Further Education Funding Council was that I should remove and replace all the members of the governing body in order, the Council advised, to provide a fresh start and a complete break from the past. However, the hon. Member will be aware that it is possible that the college will close at the end of
  596
  the 1995–96 academic year. This is a matter in which the relevant legislation gives me no say. In the current circumstances, I have decided that it would not be expedient for me to replace the remaining governors. A number of governors have already resigned. Those who remain have all been in post for a very short time and are now, I believe, doing their best to ensure good governance of the college and, in particular, to secure that the education of the students remains the first priority.

  The funding council also made recommendations concerning amending the instrument of government and the provision of a statutory procedure to govern the closure of designated colleges in the further education sector. We shall be considering these recommendations in consultation with those concerned with St. Philip's and other designated colleges.

  I am very grateful to the funding council for investigating the circumstances at the college and for the action it is taking to disseminate the lessons to be learnt. A copy of the official response to the funding council is

  597
  being placed in the Library. It is clear that these difficulties are not typical of the further education sector as a whole. It is using its new freedoms responsibly, and has already made impressive progress. I hope that I shall not be required to exercise my powers again, but I shall not hesitate to do so if I consider it warranted.

  Derby Tertiary College
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she will announce her response to the recommendations of the Further Education Funding Council for England concerning Derby tertiary college, Wilmorton; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Following the publication of the FEFC's report on the college and its recommendations last November, I have received a number of representations from present and former governors and others connected with the college. After considering these most carefully, I am satisfied that mismanagement took place for which the governing body bears a collective responsibility.

  I intend therefore to exercise my power under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to remove the remaining members of the governing body. I am excluding two governors from this action, whom I judge were not responsible for the mismanagement that took place. I intend to appoint seven new governors both as replacements and in order to restore a quorum to the governing body. I hope that all those connected with the college can now put these events behind them and work together in the interests of its students.

  I am very grateful to the Further Education Funding Council for investigating the circumstances at the college and for the action it is taking to disseminate the lessons to be learnt from this episode. A copy of the official response to the funding council is being placed in the Library. It is clear that these difficulties are not typical of the further education sector as a whole. It is using its new freedoms responsibly and has already made impressive progress. I hope that I shall not be required to exercise my powers again, but I shall not hesitate to do so if it warranted.

  Office for Standards in Education
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) full-time employees and (b) part-time employees were in Ofsted for each of the years since it commenced operation.

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

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many full-time medical advisers are employed by the Benefits Agency at Arden house, Newcastle;
  598
  (2) how many cases have been handled by Dr. Roger Bowmer and Dr. Sheila Hunter at Arden house, Newcastle medical centre for (a) all categories and (b) PD4 cases;

  (3) what is the civil service salary grade payable to full-time medical advisers employed by the Benefits Agency medical section.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 13 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the number of Medical Advisers employed by the Benefits Agency at Arden House, Newcastle; the Civil Service salary grade payable to full time Medical Advisers employed by the Benefits Agency Services (BAMS); the number of cases handled by Dr. Roger Bowmer and Dr. Sheila Hunter for all categories and for PD D4.

  In the BAMS at Arden House, Newcastle there are ten full-time Medical Advisers.

  The salary scale payable to full time Medical Advisers in BAMS in the North East is between £28,213 (minimum) and £41,039 (maximum).

  Information is not available relating specifically to the number of PD D4 cases handled by Dr. Bowmer and Dr. Hunter. However I have provided information relating to all categories at Annex A. Records relating to the number of cases handled are collated over differing periods.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex A

  Dr. Hunter

  Dr. Bowmer

  1 March 1994–31 January 1995

  Medical advice on files relating to all prescribed diseases cases

  410

  250

  March 1994–31 January 1995

  Advice on files relating to all other benefits for which medical advice is requested (excluding invalidity benefit)

  3,914

  1,279

  1 January 1994–31 January 1995

  Examination sessions to give medical opinions on incapacity in claims for invalidity benefit (maximum—7 examinations per session)

  41

  74

  1 October 1994–31 January 1995

  Medical advice on files relating to claims for invalidity benefit

  5,377

  4,633

  Reduced Earnings Allowance
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 were made in each year since 1989(a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, (c) at Phoenix house and (d) at South Shields;

  (2) what is the average time taken to process a PD4 claim (a) at the disability benefit centre, Arden house and (b) nationally;
  599
  (3) what was the total number of reduced earnings allowance awards in each year since 1989 (a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, Sunderland, (c) at Phoenix house, Sunderland, (d) in South Shields and (e) in Houghton-le-Spring.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of reduced earnings allowance is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 13 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about awards of reduced earnings allowance since 1989 both nationally and at various Benefits Agency offices.

  Information is not available in respect of new awards of reduced earnings allowance from 1989; the collection of such data did not begin until October 1991. In addition, information is not available separately for Dunn House and Pheonix House in Sunderland and for South Shields and Houghton-le-Spring. Those offices comprise the Benefits Agency's Wearside District and data is collated at District level. The information that is available is attached at Annex A.

  Information in respect of the number of reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 is also collated at District level and the collection of such data did not commence until June 1992. I have provided at Annex B the information that is available relating to Wearside District and national figures.

  Information is not available in respect of the average time taken to process a PD4 claim at the Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre (DBC). The Benefits Agency Medical Services do not hold information separately for PD D4 or other prescribed diseases. However statistics are held for clearance times of all Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit claims which includes prescribed diseases. The average national clearance time for the year ending 31 January 1995 was 32.6 days. The average clearance time in Newcastle DBC was 29.6 days.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex A

  New awards of reduced earnings allowance

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Wearside

  235

  950

  482

  642

  National

  2,895

  6,077

  3,514

  3,593

  Awards of reduced earning allowance in respect of PD D4

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Wearside

  Nil

  6

  17

  National

  933

  701

  702

  Compensation Recovery Unit
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many sufferers from asbestos-related diseases have had to pay back benefits to the compensation recovery unit during the current financial year; and what were the sums of money that were clawed back;
  600
  (2) what is the largest sum of money that has ever been clawed back by the compensation recovery unit; and what was the type of sickness, accident or illness involved in this case;

  (3) what is the distribution by size of the amounts of money clawed back by the compensation recovery unit.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 13 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the number of sufferers from asbestos related diseases who have had to pay back benefits to the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU); the largest sum of money recovered by the CRU and the distribution by size of the amounts recovered.

  The CRU's computer system records cases involving victims of asbestosis rather then asbestos related diseases. In the period 1 April 1994 to 31 January 1995 there were 121 recoveries made in relation to asbestosis totalling £893,937.82. The individual amounts are shown on the attached schedule at Annex A.

  The full range of information you requested in respect of a breakdown or recoveries by size is not available. This is because data prior to April 1994 is no longer held on the computer system and to obtain such information n would be at a disproportionate cost. However, the information that is available from 1 April 1994 to 31 December 1994, has been provided at Annex B.

  The largest amount recovered to date is £84,630.01. This was from an award for a back/spinal injury.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex A

  Schedule of 121 cases referred to in PQ 0873 showing amounts recovered

  £

  1.

  18.64

  2.

  18.64

  3.

  42.00

  4.

  55.92

  5.

  68.34

  6.

  89.90

  7.

  126.00

  8.

  173.70

  9.

  223.68

  10.

  337.95

  11.

  433.50

  12.

  484.64

  13.

  605.29

  14.

  621.20

  15.

  672.20

  16.

  706.28

  17.

  862.93

  18.

  1,032.31

  19.

  1,105.13

  20.

  1,176.00

  21.

  1,208.80

  22.

  1,219.80

  23.

  1,329.95

  24.

  1,582.87

  25.

  1,692.18

  26.

  1,693.30

  27.

  1,738.24

  28.

  1,747.37

  29.

  1,773.16

  30.

  1,798.56

  31.

  1,853.68

  32.

  1,927.64

  33.

  1,937.45

  601

  Annex A

  Schedule of 121 cases referred to in PQ 0873 showing amounts recovered

  £

  34.

  2,069.31

  35.

  2,135.36

  36.

  2,147.76

  37.

  2,270.16

  38.

  2,298.58

  39.

  2,375.28

  40.

  2,414.16

  41.

  2,454.00

  42.

  2,547.84

  43.

  2,572.01

  44.

  2,579.18

  45.

  2,629.67

  46.

  2,655.15

  47.

  2,676.40

  48.

  2,768.28

  49.

  2,815.44

  50.

  3,002.10

  51.

  3,061.41

  52.

  3,125.32

  53.

  3,270.80

  54.

  3,416.08

  55.

  3,422.72

  56.

  3,662.04

  57.

  4,038.28

  58.

  4,039.11

  59.

  4,119.04

  60.

  4,135.12

  61.

  4,165.87

  62.

  4,279.80

  63.

  4,297.84

  64.

  4,406.56

  65.

  4,582.56

  66.

  4,626.08

  67.

  4,763.04

  68.

  4,814.80

  69.

  4,873.36

  70.

  5,059.80

  71.

  5.263.56

  72.

  5,298.16

  73.

  5.442.85

  74.

  5,527.24

  75.

  5,527.34

  76.

  5,909.44

  77.

  6,000.72

  78.

  6,274.02

  79.

  6,304.15

  80.

  6,559.10

  81.

  6,582.70

  82.

  6,603.92

  83.

  6,668.43

  84.

  6,689.10

  85.

  6,691.50

  86.

  6,946.10

  87.

  6,973.50

  88.

  7,609.51

  89.

  7,758.84

  90.

  8,029.77

  91.

  8,082.43

  92.

  8,969.48

  93.

  9,076.00

  94.

  9,314.79

  95.

  9,533.69

  96.

  10,170.90

  97.

  10,367.62

  98.

  10,917.52

  99.

  10,947.30

  100.

  11,062.90

  101.

  11,725.80

  102.

  12,796.04

  103.

  14,946.17

  104.

  15,862.47

  602

  Annex A

  Schedule of 121 cases referred to in PQ 0873 showing amounts recovered

  £

  105.

  16,832.00

  106.

  17,136.67

  107.

  17,140.01

  108.

  19,027.45

  109.

  19,749.98

  110.

  23,719.15

  111.

  24,395.44

  112.

  25,294.82

  113.

  25,355.18

  114.

  27,518.62

  115.

  28,421.77

  116.

  28,855.99

  117.

  31,153.19

  118.

  32,203.62

  119.

  35,220.65

  120.

  36,558.38

  121.

  47,994.18

  Annex B

  £

  Percentage

  To 5,000.01

  31.5

  5,000.01 to 10,000.00

  17.8

  10,000.01 to 15,000.00

  15.4

  15,000.01 to 20,000.00

  12,0

  20,000.01 to 25,000.00

  8.4

  25,000.01

  14.9

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make an estimate of how many individuals(a) receive means-tested benefits, (b) receive means-tested benefits and pay income tax, (c) receive means-tested benefits and pay national insurance contributions; how many individuals would cease to be eligible for means-tested benefits if they no longer paid income tax or national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  It is estimated that 8.53 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit at May 1993, the latest date for which figures are available for all benefits.

  An adjustment has been made to take account of the fact that individuals may be in receipt of more than one income-related benefit at the same time. Such adjustment does, however, not produce reliable estimates of the number who also pay tax and national insurance contributions or whose eligibility would cease if no tax or national insurance contributions were paid. The table therefore provides this information separately for each income-related benefit.
  603

  Income-related benefit recipients paying tax and National Insurance

  Recipients paying tax (000s)3

  Recipients paying National Insurance (000s)3

  Recipients who cease to be eligible if tax and NI not payable (000s)4

  Income support

  20

  10

  0

  Family credit

  340

  455

  80

  Housing benefit

  580

  355

  160

  Council tax benefit

  520

  225

  85

  Disability working allowance

  *

  5

  —

  Notes:

  1 All estimates are on a benefit unit basis.

  2 Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000 (* indicates a figure less than 2,500).

  3 Estimates for Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are based on data from the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994–95 benefit levels and prices. Estimates for Family Credit are based on the 1994 Family Credit Enquiry. Estimates for Disability Working Allowance are based on the 1994 Disability Working Allowance Enquiry.

  4 All estimates are based on data from the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994–95 benefit levels and prices. Insufficient information is available on Disability Working Allowance for an estimate to be made.

  5 Columns cannot be totalled because of the various overlaps between the benefits.

  Invalidity Benefits
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many male claimants of invalidity benefit have had working wives in each of the last 10 years.

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

  Percentage of all invalidity benefit recipients who are male with working wives

  Years

  Percentage

  1987–89

  19

  1990–92

  20

  Notes:

  1. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole percentage point.

  Source:

  Family Expenditure Survey.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have opted for the reduced national insurance liability in each year since 1965.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Reliable figures prior to 1978 are not available. The married woman's option was abolished from April 1977 but women who had the right to pay reduced-rate contributions at this time were allowed to continue to do so provided that certain conditions were satisfied. The numbers of women who paid reduced national insurance contributions in each year since 1978 are as follows:

  Year

  Number (thousands)

  1978–79

  1,917

  1979–80

  1,875

  1980–81

  1,754

  1981–82

  1,544

  1982–83

  1,371

  1983–84

  1,237

  1984–85

  1,139

  1985–86

  1,075

  1986–87

  1,031

  604

  Year

  Number (thousands)

  1987–88

  1,013

  1988–89

  1,016

  1989–90

  1,016

  1990–91

  992

  1991–92

  915

  1992–93

  845

  1993–94

  *763

  * Figures for 1993–94 may not yet be complete.

  Fraud
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money his Department estimates was lost through social security fraud in each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The following table details the estimated value of fraud losses prevented by Benefits Agency investigators in the four financial years since 1990–91:

  Year

  Savings (£million)

  1990–91

  341

  1991–92

  427

  1992–93

  558

  1993–94

  654

  Although the full extent of social security fraud is not known, we are examining ways of producing a reliable estimate of the sum which might be involved.

  Benefits
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of benefits paid in each year since 1990–91 to the unemployed in(a) all benefits, (b) unemployment benefit (c) income support, (d) housing benefit and (e) council tax and other benefits; what are

  605
  the average costs of benefits for persons unemployed; and what is the corresponding information for people unemployed for more than (i) one year and (ii) two years.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is set out in the tables.

  Expenditure on the unemployed 1990–1994

  Years beginning April

  Benefit

  1990–1991 £millions

  1991–1992 £millions

  1992–1993 £millions

  1993–1994 £millions

  All benefits

  5,300

  7,560

  8,970

  9,720

  Unemployment benefit

  870

  1,600

  1,760

  1,740

  Income support

  2,950

  4,230

  5,380

  5,720

  Housing benefit

  1,120

  1,340

  1,420

  1,910

  Community charge benefit

  330

  350

  380

  310

  Social fund

  20

  30

  30

  30

  Notes:

  1 The figures are rounded to the nearest £10 million

  2 Totals may not sum due to rounding

  Sources: The 1994 departmental annual report

  Average weekly payments (£) of benefits for the unemployed 1990–94

  Years1

  1990–91

  1997–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Unemployment benefit—All

  40.20

  44.64

  46.19

  47.38

  Income support—All

  44.69

  49.69

  53.20

  55.01

  Income support—1–2 years

  48.36

  53.36

  58.24

  59.59

  Income support—2 years or over

  49.31

  53.62

  55.89

  59.51

  Housing benefit—All

  26.39

  30.42

  35.94

  39.74

  Community charge benefit—All

  6.76

  3.85

  4.70

  —

  Council tax benefit—All

  —

  —

  —

  7.33

  1 The figures are as at May each year.2 The figures for 1993–94 are estimated outturns.

  3 Amounts are rounded to the nearest penny.

  Sources:

  4 Unemployment benefit: the half-yearly analysis of unemployed claimants (5 per cent. sample). Income Support: the income support annual statistical enquiry (1 per cent. sample).

  Unemployment
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people are claiming income support who are actively seeking work; and if such persons are included in the official unemployment figures.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  As at 11 August 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1.89 million people claiming income support who were both available for and actively seeking work. They were included in the claimant unemployment count.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole have appealed to a social security appeal tribunal concerning a decision that they are fit for work, or work within limits; what percentage of these people were successful; and if he will give the figures for those who were represented and those who were not with the corresponding success rates.
  606
  Information relating to the proportioning of housing benefit, council tax benefit and community charge benefit according to the length of time that people are unemployed is not kept.

  Mr. Hague
  Figures are available only on appeals against all decisions on invalidity benefit and for Scotland as a whole. Information on the last available full year is as follows.

  Appeals on Invalidity Benefit in the Scottish Region Year ending 1993

  Appeals

  Lodged

  4,101

  Heard and Decided

  1,595

  In Appellant's Favour

  50 per cent.

  Representative and/or Representative and Appellant Present

  758

  In Appellant's Favour

  65 per cent.

  No Representative Present

  837

  In Appellant's Favour

  37 per cent.

  Source:

  The annual social security appeal tribunal statistics 1993 produced by the Government Statistical Service.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what action he is taking in respect of the payment of housing benefit to prisoners; and if he will make a statement;
  607
  (2) if he will make a statement on the provision of housing benefit to the tenant of Mr. and Mrs. Shelston of 123 Southland Park road, in the light of previous representations from the hon. Member for South Hams.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We are consulting the Social Security Advisory Committee and local authority associations about proposals for restricting the payment of housing benefit to prisoners to 13 weeks, and their reports are expected shortly. Subject to their views and the approval of Parliament, we intend to bring the amended regulations into effect from 1 April 1995.

  Housing benefit is available in the normal way to the tenant of Mr. and Mrs. Shelston although, for reasons of confidentiality, no details can be provided.

  Incapacity Allowance
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are expected to be in receipt of incapacity allowance for the years ending April 1996, 1997 and 1998; and how many of those will be(a) single, (b) claimants with partners and (c) claimants with dependant children.

  Mr. Hague
  [holding answer Friday 27 January 1995]:The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table.

  Estimated number of claimants in receipt of incapacity benefit

  thousand

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Total

  1,800

  1,685

  1,635

  Total with adult dependency increase

  410

  345

  300

  Total with child dependency increase

  120

  115

  115

  Notes:

  1. Estimates are provisional and as such will be subject to revision at a later stage.

  2. Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.

  3. Figures take account of the estimated effect of the new medical test.

  Pensions Bill
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, on the basis of information in Cm. 2714 on the Pensions Bill, he will estimate the percentage of women retiring in(a) 2000–01, (b) 2010–11, (c) 2020–21, (d) 2030–31 and (e) 2040–41 who will retire with entitlement to a full basic pension (i) under the existing scheme and (ii) after proposed changes in the Pensions Bill.

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  Core costs

  143,657

  143,657

  158,023

  161,970

  164,400

  Equipment

  —

  4,032.50

  —

  —

  —

  Children Act training

  —

  5,700

  6,950

  —

  —

  Powys development officer

  —

  4,778

  3,756

  3,850

  2,260

  Review

  —

  —

  13,400

  —

  —

  Total

  143,657

  158,167.50

  182,129

  165,820

  166,660

  608
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Government Actuary advises that there is little difference between proportions of women who will receive a full basic pension under the current scheme and with the new state pension age. By 2025, almost all women, on reaching age 65, will retire with a basic pension in their own right: the average entitlement being over 90 per cent. Approximate, rounded, percentages of those who will retire with a full basic pension, based on estimates of the projected average level of pension, are contained in the table.

  Year

  Percentage of women retiring in year with full basic pension percentage

  2000–01

  25

  2010–11

  50

  2020–21

  65

  2030–31

  65

  2040–41

  65

WALES

  Dental Services, Gwynedd
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how may dental practices in Gwynedd were represented at the meetings between Welsh Office officials and dentists in Gwynedd; how many of these indicated that they would be prepared to recommence taking patients on the NHS if the Government were to make policy changes; and what were the policy changes requested.

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

  Following the publication of the Green Paper "Improving NHS Dentistry", Welsh Office officials held a series of consultation meetings in each of the eight counties in Wales. Some 30 dentists attended the meeting in Gwynedd.

  The purpose of the meeting was to seek dentist views' on the contents of the Green Paper. The intention of individual dentists was not addressed.

  Pre-school Playgroup Association
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amounts of cash he has given to the Pre-school Playgroup Association Wales for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  Wales PPA has received funding from the "Support for Child and Family Services" grant scheme and the details are as follows:
  609
  In addition to the above, a grant of £92,269 was awarded in respect of a joint Wales PPA/MYM venture, for the development of a special needs training pack.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes further to help Pre-school Playgroup Association Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  Along with other voluntary organisation and bodies, Wales PPA has applied to the Welsh Office for funding in 1995–96 under the "Support for Child and Family Services" grant scheme. The applications are currently under consideration and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Sheep Diseases
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of contagious agalactia have pccurred in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases of contagious agalactia have occurred in Wales since 1 January 1993. This disease became notifiable only on that date and official records prior to that were not collected.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of sheep pox have been reported in each year since 1985.

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

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has attended the Council of Ministers meetings in Brussels since he took office; what were the dates of the visits; and what were the subjects discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have not yet attended a meeting of the Council of the European Community as Secretary of State for Wales. I was a regular attender as a UK Minister at the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Flooding
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have found themselves with no recourse to compensation following serious flooding incidents in Wales over the past 18 months; and what evaluation there has been of the permissive drainage powers of district and borough councils.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on numbers of people who have found themselves with no recourse to compensation is not held by the Welsh Office. The permissive drainage powers of district councils were reviewed when the National Rivers Authority was created by the Water Act 1989 and no reason was found to change existing arrangements.

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average wage of workers in Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees in Wales from 1989 to 1994 is set out in table X5 of part A of the "New Earnings Survey", published annually by the Employment Department.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations his Department has made to the European Commission on the subject of the export of live animals from Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food conducts negotiations and discussions on behalf of the United Kingdom Agriculture Departments on the issue of live animals exports, and the Welsh Office is in regular contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about this subject. The United Kingdom continues to press the EC to resolve the issue quickly, and has asked the French presidency to place welfare discussions amongst its priorities. The question of welfare standards during transport was raised by the UK at the Agriculture Council on 23 January 1995 and the Commission and the presidency have agreed to search for an early solution to the matter.

  Fishermen
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many full-time fishermen there were in Wales in each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The latest available information is published in table 2.6 of "UK Sea Fisheries Statistics 1993", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. NO separate information is available on the number of full-time fishermen in Wales.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what accumulated balances are currently held by each of the grant-maintained schools in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The accumulate balances, shown in the latest audited accounts for each grant maintained school, are as follows:

  £

  Bryn Elian, Clwyd

  77,480

  Derwen, Clwyd

  30.054

  Eirias, Clwyd

  214,357

  Emrys ap Iwan, Clwyd

  111,062

  Maelor, Clwyd

  34,670

  Pen-y-Bryn, Clwyd

  1,546

  Brynmawr, Gwent

  6,918

  Cwmcarn, Gwent

  18,510

  Our Lady and St. Michaels, Gwent

  272

  St. Albans, Gwent

  35,095

  Caergeiliog, Gwynedd

  36,729

  Llanerfyl, Powys

  30,213

  St. Cyres, South Glamorgan

  100,993

  Stanwell, South Glamorgan

  118,129

  Bishop Vaughan West Glamorgan

  69,542

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Richards
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: This information is not available for payments made before 1 April 1994. NHS trusts have notified the

  611
  Department of the following termination payments to chief executives and general and senior managers this financial year.

  Number of payments

  Amount £

  Carmarthen and District NHS Trust

  2

  37,883

  Glan Clwyd NHS Trust

  1

  20,718

  Clwydian Community Care

  1

  45,000

  Education
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on matters relating to education in the last four months.

  Mr. Richards
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: I have received many representations on a wide range of education matters over the last four months.

DEFENCE

  Defence Cost Study
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions he has taken regarding defence cost study number 10.

  Mr. Soames
  Proposals recommending the rationalisation of naval stores depots were announced on 14 July 1994 and set out in detail in a consultative document promulgated on 19 August 1994. Representations were made by trade unions, a number of local authorities and Members of Parliament. The most detailed and careful consideration was given to all of the representations received on these proposals. Having reviewed all of this work, I am satisfied that the basis for the rationalisation of naval stores depots in order to provide an improved and more cost-effective system of stock distribution to the Royal Navy is sound.

  I have therefore decided to proceed with the rationalisation under which depots at Eaglescliffe, Wrangaton and Exeter will close by April 1997, part of the latter site will be retained at least in the short term to support naval engineering tasks, pending further study. Naval stores depots at Devonport and Rosyth will be reduced, in the same time frame, although new waterfront storage facilities at the former will be provided to improve local support arrangements for the vessels base ported there. Naval stores facilities at Portsmouth will be enhanced by April 1997 to provide a central storage and distribution facility for a major part of the naval stores inventory. Facilities at Faslane will also be improved to meet the requirements of logistic support to the Fleet in Scotland.

  These measures will result in significant savings of some £174 million over 10 years and some £24 million a year thereafter. Regrettably, there will also be significant reductions in civilian posts at the depots affected; approximately 1,170 posts will no longer be required. It is anticipated that many of these will need to involve redundancy. However, my Department will make every effort to keep redundancies to a minimum and will ensure that anyone made redundant will be offered a
  612
  comprehensive resettlement package and assistance with training. We will of course continue to consult staff and the trades unions about the detailed implementation of this programme. In addition, by liaising with other Government Departments, local authorities and training and enterprise councils, my Department will do everything it can to assist in finding alternative employment.

  Colombian Military Students
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will stop the training of Colombian military students until political killings in Colombia have ceased; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  British military personnel have been providing training to the Colombian authorities to help counter the illicit production and trafficking of drugs since 1989. Although details of the assistance provided are confidential between the two Governments, I can assure the hon. Member that the training is dedicated to the fight against drugs.

  Submarines (Fishing Vessels)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what signals are communicated to a Royal Navy submarine or a submarine belonging to a NATO power when that vessel is perceived to be posing a danger to fishing vessels.

  Mr. Soames
  The conduct of dived Royal Navy submarines, and of dived foreign submarines in United Kingdom waters, is governed by the code of practice, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Compliance with the code, together with the "SUBFACTS" system of providing information about dived submarine movements, and a number of other safety measures agreed after extensive consultation with the fishing industry, ensures that dived submarines and fishing vessels are able to co-exist safely.

  In addition, we have recently agreed with the fishing industry that, when a submarine is exercising with a number of warships, one of the surface vessels participating in the exercise would, in addition to its exercise role, be designated the fishing vessel safety vessel. This vessel would have responsibility for confirming the position of any fishing vessel in the vicinity.

  Eurofighter 2000
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what topics were discussed at the meeting on 6 February in Munich of representatives of the nations participating in the Eurofighter 2000 project.

  Mr. Freeman
  As part of our regular programme of contacts with our Eurofighter 2000 partners, I met my counterparts from the other nations in Munich on 6 February to review progress in the reorientation of the project as agreed by the four Defence Ministers in December 1992, and to discuss a number of matters relating to planning for future phases.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the date for the commencement of the production phase of the Eurofighter 2000; and if he will make a statement on the future of the project.
  613
  Mr. Freeman
  On current plans, we expect to reach decisions on entering the production phase of the project by the end of this year.

  We remain committed to the development of the Eurofighter 2000 which will provide the cornerstone of the RAF's future air combat capability.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary Refits
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is this policy concerning the placing of contracts for Royal Fleet Auxiliary refits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  RFA refits are part of the unallocated ship refit programme, contracts for which are placed following competition. I am pleased to confirm our intention that RFA ships remain in the unallocated programme.

  HMS Andromeda
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the value for money achieved by the sale of HMS Andromeda.

  Mr. Freeman
  HMS Andromeda has not yet been sold. Once the decision has been taken to dispose of a ship, the sale price we would aim to achieve would not be below the value of recoverable and re-usable on-board stores and equipment plus the scrap value of the remainder of the ship.

  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the efficiency with which HMS Andromeda was refitted.

  Mr. Freeman
  The refit was carried out under the normal price negotiation, contract oversight and post-costing mechanisms for commercial refitting. These were reviewed following completion of the refit and were found to be well within accepted limits for commercial refitting.

  Air House, Rheindahlen
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on maintenance, furniture, fittings and refurbishment at the official service residence, Air house, at Rheindahlen, Germany, for each year since 1985; which officers lived in the residence from 1985; who authorised the expenditure; and when the property was sold and for how much.

  Mr. Soames
  Air house, Rheindahlen was the property of the Federal German Government and was returned to them on 30 June 1993. The occupants since 1985 were as follows:

  Occupants

  Year

  Air Marshal Sir David Parry-Evans

  1985–87

  Air Marshal Sir Anthony Skingsley

  1987–89

  Air Marshal Roger Palin

  1989–91

  Air Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson

  1991–93

  614
  Details of expenditure on the residence from 1991 are contained in annex C to my Department's paper on official services residences which is in the Library of the House.

  Figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the reorganisation of the MOD budgetary system in 1991, ultimate responsibility for expenditure within each top level budget has rested with the relevant budget holder, who in this case was the Air Officer Commanding in Chief Germany. A significant portion of the expenditure shown reflected decisions on security made earlier.

  Footpaths
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures were used to effect the stopping up of a public footpath on each occasion in the last 10 years, to date, where the power under section 16 of the Defence Act 1842 was exercised to stop up a public footpath.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer Monday 6 February 1995]: During the last 10 years, the power conferred under section 16 of the Defence Act 1842 has been exercised to stop up a public footpath on two occasions. As far as can be ascertained from the available records, the procedures used were as follows:
  Footpath No. 43 (Darley) at Menwith Hill station, North Yorkshire. This footpath had apparently been out of general use from 1955 when the station was established; indeed, the station was unaware of its existence, and a building has been constructed across the route, which in any case ran through the secure area of the base. In the early 1980s the Ramblers Association became interested in re-establishing the right of way, and in view of the situation it was thought appropriate to re-provide the footpath across the north-west corner of the site, a short distance from the original route, but outside the secure fencing. The agreement of the local highway authority was obtained that the new route was reasonable.
  Footpath No. 31 at HMS Cambridge, Wembury, Devon. The stopping up of this footpath took place at a time when there was increased concern about the security risk to military establishments from the terrorist threat. The original line of the footpath ran through the establishment's administrative and accommodation area, around which a security fence had been established and the continuing threat to security from the footpath was deemed to be unacceptable. As at Menwith Hill, the new route was in fact slightly shorter than the original. Informal discussions were held with Devon county council footpath officers prior to the closure action being taken.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last 10 years, to date, the power conferred under section 16 of the Defence Act 1842 to stop up public or private footpaths or bridle roads has been exercised; on each such occasion if he expressly authorised the stopping order to be made; on each such occasion who signed the stopping up order; what was the exact geographical location of the footpath or bridle road in question; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer Monday 6 February 1995]: During the last 10 years, the power conferred under section 16 of the Defence Act 1842 to stop up public or private footpaths or bridle roads has been exercised on five occasions. Although, due to the passage of time, file records are now incomplete, ministerial approval is normally sought on each occasion and the orders are signed by the head of what is now the Defence

  615
  Lands Service. The information specific to each case is as follows:
  At RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, on 5 February 1985. The route in question was part of bridleway number 28 in the parish of Brington and Molesworth, between GR50702 27665 and GR50680 27779.
  At Menwith Hill station, North Yorkshire, on 1 October 1985. The route in question was part of footpath number 43 in the parish of Darley, between GR42005 and 45776 and GR41996 45719.
  At RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, on 18 November 1985. The route in question was part of bridleway number 27 in the parish of Brington and Molesworth, between GR50858 27694 and GR50868 27710.
  At RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, on 30 July 1990. The route in question was part of the Portway (bridleway number 1) in the parish of Upper Heyford, between GR45050 22647 and GR45051 22669.
  At HMS Cambridge, Wembury, Devon, on 3 December 1991. The route in question was part of footpath number 31 in the parish of Wembury, between GR24987 04873 and GR25022 04882.

  Consultants
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December,Official Report, column 1166, where details of contracts awarded by his Department's central contracts branch are held; and what consideration he has given to collecting these details centrally.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer Tuesday 10 January 1995]: Financial and management responsibility for all goods and services purchased by my Department, including consultancy work, rests with individual budget holders. Large and valuable contracts are, however, placed by the appropriate central contracts branch in order to ensure an additional degree of oversight in entering into such important commitments. Although records are kept, for a time, of the value of, and parties to, such contracts, there is no requirement for the relevant contracts branch including the central contracts branch to maintain a full description of the purpose for which each contract was let; that remains the responsibility of the budgetary area concerned. There is no need for contracts branches to keep detailed information after the work is finished; and there are no Defence management reasons for collecting or maintaining details centrally. Finally, consultancy, in whatever form, routinely constitutes but one element in larger contracts and is often not separately identified or costed in such records as are held.

EMPLOYMENT

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of young people who complete a youth training course obtain NVQs at(a) level 2 and (b) level 3.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those who completed their youth training between April and August 1993, 31 per cent. gained an NVQ or equivalent at level 2 and 13 per cent. at level 3.

  Careers Provision
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the difference in bids to provide careers provision in Stockport between the consortium including Stockport metropolitan borough council and the bid by Nord Anglia plc; and what factors led to the awarding of the contract to Nord Anglia plc.

  Mr. Paice
  Bids were assessed against the criteria published in the careers service prospectus. These included: effective quality assurance arrangements; financial viability and value for money for the taxpayer. In each case the preferred bidder has more closely met the criteria than competing bids. As yet, contracts have not been signed in any area. Negotiations with preferred bidders continue.

  Training
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of those leaving adult training schemes who progress to(a) full-time work, (b) part-time work, (c) self-employment, (d) further education or training and (e) unemployment in each training and council area in England and Wales for the past four years and for (i) those unemployed for six to 12 months, (ii) those unemployed for 12 to 24 months, and (iii) those unemployed for more than 24 months.

  Mr. Paice
  As this information is contained in a large number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much the running of the training for work programme cost in the financial year 1993–94; and what is the projected cost for the scheme for 1994–95.

  Mr. Paice
  In 1993–94, £760.2 million was spent on training for work in England. The estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is £693.3 million. These figures exclude administration and running costs.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people who took part in schemes run under the auspices of employment training and employment action went on to further education as a result of their training scheme in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving employment training in Great Britain in 1991–92, 3 per cent. went into full-time education/training courses. For 1992–93 leavers, the figure was 4 per cent.

  The only full year for which data are available for employment action is 1992–93. Of those leaving EA in Great Britain in that year, 2 per cent. went into full-time education/training courses.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have taken part in training for work programmes since the scheme started in April 1993.

  Mr. Paice
  In the period April 1993 to October 1994, there were 515,000 starts on training for work in Great Britain.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those people who have taken part in training for work programmes since April 1993 have proceeded on to further education as a result of their training.
  617
  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving training for work in Great Britain in 1993–94, 4 per cent. went into full-time education/training courses.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people who took part in schemes run under the auspices of employment training and employment action(a) successfully completed their programme and (b) attained a recognised qualification in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving employment training in Great Britain in 1991–92, 55 per cent. had completed their agreed course of training and 35 per cent. had gained a qualification or credit towards one. Of those leaving in 1992–93, 59 per cent. had completed their agreed course of training and 38 per cent. had gained a qualification or credit towards one.

  No figures are available on completion and qualification rates from employment action.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those people who have taken part in training for work programmes since April 1993 have successfully managed, on completion of their course, to get full or part-time employment as a result of their training.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those completing Training for Work in England and Wales in 1993–94, 38 per cent. went into full or part-time employment or self-employment.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much the running of the combined employment training and employment action cost his Department in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Paice
  Total expenditure for employment training and employment action is given in the following table:

  ET

  EA

  Total £ million

  1991–92

  737.4

  16.3

  753.7

  1992–93

  629.5

  137.3

  766.8

  Notes:

  1. ET figures for 1991–92 are for England and Wales. EA figures for 1991–92 are for England, Scotland and Wales.

  2. ET figures for 1992–93 are for England only. EA figures for 1992–93 are for England and Scotland.

  3. Excludes administration and running costs.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those people who have taken part in training for work programmes since April 1993 have(a) completed their course and (b) successfully attained the goals set out in their individual participation plans.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving training for work in England and Wales in 1993–94, 60 per cent. completed their agreed course of training. In the same year, 51 per cent. of leavers fulfilled their individual participation plans.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Employment how many people took part in schemes run under the auspices of employment training and employment action during the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Paice
  In 1991–92, there were 293,000 starts on employment training in Great Britain. In 1992–93, the figure was 291,000. Employment action began in October 1991; in the remaining part of 1991–92, there were 22,000 618
  starts in Great Britain. In 1992–93, there were 67,000 starts on EA.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those people who have taken part in training for work programmes since April 1993 have proceeded on to further training as a result of their course.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving training for work in Great Britain in 1993–94, 3 per cent. went into another Government training programme.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people who took part in schemes run under the auspices of employment training and employment action went on to part or full-time employment as a result of their training scheme in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Paice
  Of those leaving employment training in Great Britain 1991–92, 31 per cent. went into full or part-time employment or self-employment. For 1992–93 leavers, the figure was 35 per cent.

  The only full year for which data are available for employment action is 1992–93. Of those leaving EA in Great Britain in that year 17 per cent. went into full or part-time employment or self-employment.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are awaiting a YT place; and what is the figure as defined in the careers service management returns supplement.

  Mr. Paice
  On 31 January 1995, in England, 35 young people covered by the youth training guarantee had been waiting for the offer of a YT place for eight weeks or longer as provided in the monthly returns from careers services.

  Benefits Appeals
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking in response to the chief adjudication officer's report on the number of(a) decisions in 1993–94 which were unsatisfactory and (b) decisions regarding appeals against benefit disqualification in the past year which did not follow the prescribed procedures.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the subject of' the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to the Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 14 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the action being taken in response to the Chief Adjudication Officers's (CAO) Annual Report on Adjudication Standards for 1993–94.

  The fact that a monitoring comment has been raised by the CAO's adjudication monitors does not necessarily mean that the adjudication decision is incorrect, but rather that the adjudication process was not correctly followed in one or more respects. Similarly, where a comment is raised on a written appeal submission, it is an indication that some aspect of the information included in it was either deficient or incomplete. The type of shortcomings identified by the CAO are unlikely to affect the outcome of appeals.

  The CAO recognises that some of the deficiencies in the adjudication process identified by his monitoring are more significant than others. One of the principal concerns must he whether the claimant received the correct amount of benefit but, until the current operational year, the monitoring procedures did not

  619
  assess this factor. When the CAO's monitoring for the current year (1994–95) is completed this information will be available for the first time and will enable him to focus his findings more closely on our service to claimants in the quality of decision making, as well as on deficiencies in aspects of the adjudication process.

  I responded positively to the findings and recommendations made by the CAO in his 1992–93 report, which was published on 24 November 1993. My people introduced a package of measures aimed at improving the overall quality of our adjudication function.

  This package includes a statistically valid system of quality monitoring; a review of all forms and procedures; and the creation of a permanent Quality Working Group. In his 1993–94 report, the CAO confirms that he expects these measures to lead to improved standards, and that their effect will be reflected in future reports by the CAO.

  Two out of six recommendations in the CAO's 1993–94 report focused on the quality of adjudication within the Employment Service. They related to review and overpayment decisions and the standard of written appeal submissions respectively. These recommendations are currently being addressed by our Quality Working Group.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the annual expenditure per capita of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Great Britain in each of the last three years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Equal Opportunities Commission's grant in aid for the last three years has been £5.949 million, 1994–95; £5.794 million, 1993–94; and £5.282 million, 1992–93. This works out at approximately lop per person in the population.

  Youth Training Guarantees
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in the London boroughs of Lewisham, Lambeth, Greenwich and Southwark he expects to be in receipt of youth training guarantees on 1 April.

  Mr. Paice
  I am unable to estimate the number of young people who will be on youth training in these boroughs on 1 April. The current figure at accounting period 10–5 December 1994 to 1 January 1995—shows that 2,643 young people were on YT in the four South Thames training and enterprise council boroughs.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training guarantees were made in 1994 to young people in the area covered by South Thames training and enterprise council; how many youth training guarantees had been met by South Thames TEC as at 21 December 1994; and how many youth training guarantees he expects will have been met by 31 March 1995 in the area covered by South Thames TEC.

  Mr. Paice
  Some 2,979 young people covered by the youth training guarantee started on a YT scheme in the South Thames training and enterprise council area between April 1994 and 1 January 1995. As at 31 December 1994, when the careers service returns were made for December, there were no young people for whom the YT guarantee had not been met. I am unable to estimate the position for 31 March 1995.

  Training and Enterprise Councils, London
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contingency plans he is making to 620
  deliver training to the London boroughs of Lewisham, Lambeth, Southwark and Greenwich if SOLOTEC and CENTEC are unable to provide sufficient contracts to meet the needs of the unemployed.

  Mr. Paice
  In putting forward the proposals for the four boroughs in the South Thames training and enterprise council area, CENTEC and SOLOTEC will have to satisfy me that they can provide adequately for the demand and range of training provision required. If they are unable to do so, the Department will put in place other measures to ensure that adequate training provision is maintained in the area.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if information relating to contracts and performance by individual training providers contracted to South Thames TEC will be made available to SOLOTEC or CENTEC if the same training providers apply to either TEC for a contract from 1 April onwards.

  Mr. Paice
  Information will be made available provided all parties involved agree.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many contracts for training for work and youth training he expects to be issued by SOLOTEC and CENTEC at 1 April to training providers formerly contracted to South Thames TEC.

  Mr. Paice
  I am unable to estimate the number of contracts likely to be issued. This is a matter for SOLOTEC and CENTEC which are best placed to decide who they should contract with.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many contracts were issued by South Thames TEC in the financial year 1994–95 to provide training for people with special needs.

  Mr. Paice
  A total of 81 contracts under youth training and training for work were issued by South Thames training and enterprise council in 1994–95. Nine of the YT contracts and three of the TfW contracts are exclusively for people with special training needs. However, all the 81 contracts encourage training providers to recruit trainees with special needs by paying them premium rates to do so.

SCOTLAND

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many cases of medical negligence were settled, and what was the total cost of damages awarded together with legal costs, in each year since 1990–91, by district;

  (2) how many cases of medical negligence were settled, and what was the total cost of damages awarded together with legal costs, in each year since 1990–91, by region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In Scotland the regional and district functions of the NHS are administered by health boards. Given the small number of cases in certain health boards, it is not appropriate on the ground of confidentiality to publish the information in the form requested. The total amount of damages awarded, including legal costs, for all health boards and NHS trusts in Scotland for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 is given.
  621

  Total amount of compensation (including legal costs)

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  949,603

  1991–92

  998,367

  1992–93

  1,091,489

  1993–94

  946,038

  Agricultural Arbitration
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 575, what plans he has to reassess the costs associated with agricultural arbitration cases; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The rate of remuneration for agricultural arbiters appointed by the Secretary of State is normally reviewed annually. The current hourly rate was set in August 1989 and stands at £42. There are no plans at present to adjust the rate.

  Other costs are a matter for the arbiter and the parties concerned in the arbitration.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, (1) if he will give the number of persons convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment in the last year for which figures are available and the number of those who were unmarried or single as defined in Department of Social Security regulations;

  (2) how many single or unmarried prisoners served sentences between 26 weeks and two years as a result of the non-payment of fines, in the last year for which figures are available.

  (3) if he will give the number of single or unmarried prisoners who were sentenced to 26 weeks but not more

  Local authority

  Population (thousands)

  Number of employees

  Number of employees per thousand population

  Political party in control

  Borders

  105.3

  3,979

  37.8

  1NOC

  Berwickshire

  19.4

  127

  6.6

  Con.

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  35

  269

  7.7

  Ind.

  Roxburgh

  35.4

  320

  9.1

  1NOC

  Tweeddale

  15.6

  128

  8.2

  Ind.

  Central

  272.9

  13,270

  48.6

  Lab.

  Clackmannan

  48.7

  810

  16.6

  Lab.

  Falkirk

  142.6

  1,700

  11.9

  1NOC

  Stirling

  81.6

  1,319

  16.2

  Con.

  Dumfries and Galloway

  147.9

  7,521

  50.9

  1NOC

  Annandale and Eskdale

  37.1

  329

  8.9

  Lib. Dem.

  Nithsdale

  57.2

  512

  8.9

  1NOC

  Stewartry

  23.7

  197

  8.3

  Ind.

  Wigtown

  29.9

  336

  11.3

  Ind.

  Fife

  351.2

  16,760

  47.7

  Lab.

  Dunfermline

  130.2

  1,614

  12.4

  Lab.

  Kirkcaldy

  148.6

  1,756

  11.8

  Lab.

  North East Fife

  72.4

  791

  10.9

  Lib. Dem.

  622
  than two years in prison in Scotland, broken down by gender, in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  I have asked the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to reply.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 14 February 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your 3 Questions relating to the number of unmarried or single prisoners sentenced to a term of imprisonment in Scotland.

  At present information on the marital status or household composition of prisoners is not collected centrally.

  Contagious Epididymitis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the cases of contagious epididymitis in each year since 1985.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No ases of contagious epididymitis have been recorded since the disease was made notifiable on 1 January 1993. Official records are not available for the period before that date.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the(a) population, (b) number of employees, (c) number of employees per 1,000 population and (d) political party in control of each local authority; and if he will post the answer on his Department's pages on the Government's world wide web server, "www.open.gov.uk".

  Mr. Kynoch
  The following table list for each Scottish local authority(a) its population as at June 1993, (b) its total number of employees-full time plus part time-and (c) the number of employees per thousand population as at September 1994. These are the most up-to-date figures available. The information relating to the political party in control of each local authority is as at May 1994. I have today placed the information requested in the Library of the House. No firm decision has yet been taken by the Scottish Office on the use of the Internet.
  623

  Local authority

  Population (thousands)

  Number of employees

  Number of employees per thousand population

  Political party in control

  Grampian

  528.1

  23,516

  44.5

  1NOC

  City of Aberdeen

  218.1

  3,212

  14.7

  Lab.

  Banff and Buchan

  88.0

  1,077

  12.2

  Ind.

  Gordon

  79.7

  511

  6.4

  Ind.

  Kincardine and Deeside

  56.0

  376

  6.7

  1NOC

  Moray

  86.3

  911

  10.6

  1NOC

  Highland

  206.9

  10,938

  52.9

  Ind.

  Badenoch and Stathspey

  11.1

  86

  7.7

  Ind.

  Caithness

  26.4

  234

  8.9

  Ind.

  Inverness

  63.9

  608

  9.5

  1NOC

  Lochaber

  19.4

  201

  10.4

  Ind.

  Nairn

  10.9

  104

  9.6

  Ind.

  Ross and Cromarty

  50.3

  565

  11.2

  Ind.

  Skye and Lochalsh

  11.9

  114

  9.6

  Ind.

  Sutherland

  13.2

  136

  10.3

  Ind.

  Lothian

  753.9

  33,136

  44.0

  Lab.

  East Lothian

  85.6

  1,054

  12,3

  Lab.

  City of Edinburgh

  441.6

  5,566

  12.6

  1NOC

  Midlothian

  79.9

  840

  10.5

  Lab.

  West Lothian

  146.7

  1,456

  9.9

  1NOC

  Strathclyde

  2,286.8

  104,208

  45.6

  Lab.

  Argyll and Bute

  63.3

  840

  13.3

  Ind.

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  41.1

  363

  8.8

  1NOC

  Clydebank

  46.6

  592

  12.7

  Lab.

  Clydesdale

  58.3

  711

  12.2

  1NOC

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  63.9

  652

  10.2

  Lab.

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  42.8

  640

  14.9

  Lab.

  Cunninghame

  139.0

  1,721

  12.4

  Lab.

  Dumbarton

  78.5

  1,110

  14.1

  Lab.

  East Kilbride

  85.4

  777

  9.1

  Lab.

  Eastwood

  60.9

  323

  5.3

  Con.

  City of Glasgow

  681.5

  12,945

  19.0

  Lab.

  Hamilton

  107.5

  1,276

  11.9

  Lab.

  Inverclyde

  90.0

  1,390

  15.4

  Lab.

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  81.0

  1,032

  12.7

  1NOC

  Kyle and Carrick

  114.0

  1,504

  13.2

  Con.

  Monksland

  102.6

  1,518

  14.8

  Lab.

  Motherwell

  143.7

  2,062

  14.3

  Lab.

  Renfrew

  201.2

  2,686

  13.4

  Lab.

  Strathkelvin

  85.7

  928

  10.8

  Lab.

  Tayside

  395.2

  18,763

  47.5

  1NOC

  Angus

  97.4

  965

  9.9

  SNP

  City of Dundee

  170.1

  3,160

  18.6

  Lab.

  Perth and Kinross

  127.7

  1,170

  9.2

  Con.

  Orkney Islands

  19.8

  1,816

  91.9

  Ind.

  Shetland Islands

  22.8

  2,745

  120.2

  Ind.

  Western Isles

  29.4

  2,256

  76.7

  Ind.

  1 No party in overall control.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the political balance among justices of the peace in Dumbarton district; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The table shows the political affiliations declared at the time of their appointment by the 57 justices of the peace for the Dumbarton commission area:624

  Number

  Conservative

  20

  Labour

  21

  Liberal Democrat

  2

  Independent

  1

  SNP

  1

  No particular views/none declared

  12

  JPs are appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland on the basis of nominations by local authorities for

  625
  ex-efficio appointment of elected members or on the recommendation of local advisory committees. JPs are not paid and are not compelled to declare their political views. The primary consideration in the appointment of a JP is the individual's personal suitability for the office.

  NHS Trusts
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the external financing limit for each of the NHS trusts in Strathclyde.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  NHS Trust

  1994–95 (£000s)

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare

  2,113

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary University

  (2,459)

  Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services

  (3,470)

  Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals

  (759)

  Inverclyde Royal

  (1,089)

  Law Hospital

  1,317

  Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals

  1,276

  North Ayrshire and Arran

  (364)

  Renfrewshire Healthcare

  (1,658)

  Royal Alexandra Hospital

  (1,818)

  South Ayrshire Hospitals

  850

  Southern General Hospital

  2,749

  Stobhill

  (1,520)

  Victoria Infirmary

  116

  West Glasgow Hospitals University

  3,052

  Yorkhill

  1,379

  Note:

  Those figures in brackets mean a negative limit. In essence, this means the trust's agreed capital expediture is less that its surplus.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: This information is not held centrally. Consideration is being given to the collection of data on termination payments in Scotland.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those NHS trusts which have received either(a) a loan from his Department or (b) an overdraft guarantee in each year since their creation, indicating (i) the amount involved and (ii) the reason for its allocation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is detailed in the tables:

  Loans issued to NHS Trusts in Scotland

  Trust name

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust

  500,00

  3,530,000

  2,466,000

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  1,533,000

  —

  Caithness and Sunderland NHS Trust

  —

  736,000

  250,000

  Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  8,381,000

  —

  Moray Health Services NHS Trust

  —

  9,705,000

  7,993,000

  626

  Loans issued to NHS Trusts in Scotland

  Trust name

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust

  —

  2,946,000

  —

  Royal Scottish National Hospital and Community NHS Trust

  —

  251,000

  —

  Southern General Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  870,000

  —

  Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  —

  199,000

  1,620,000

  Yorkhill NHS Trust

  —

  1,120,000

  1,700,000

  South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  400,000

  —

  —

  Total

  900,000

  29,271,000

  14,029,000

  Overdraft guarantees issued to NHS Trusts in Scotland

  Trust name

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Monklands and Bellshill NHS Trust

  —

  —

  500,000

  Law Hospital NHS Trust

  —

  —

  250,000

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  —

  —

  500,000

  Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  —

  750,000

  Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  —

  300,000

  300,000

  Dundee Healthcare

  —

  —

  750,000

  Royal Scottish National Hospital NHS Trust1

  —

  —

  250,000

  East and Midlothian NHS Trust

  —

  —

  1,000,000

  Moray Health Services NHS Trust

  —

  200,000

  200,000

  Fife Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  —

  500,000

  Southern General Hospital NHS Trust

  —

  200,000

  —

  Central Scotland Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  —

  1,000,000

  Total

  0

  700,000

  6,000,000

  Note:

  1 This trust has now merged with Forth Valley Healthcare.

  Trusts borrow principally to support their capital investment activities, but may also borrow to cover working capital requirements. All the borrowing detailed was within agreed limits. Trusts use overdrafts to cover very short-term working capital requirements. The purpose of overdraft guarantees is to reduce the cost of this borrowing from the trusts' bankers.

  Remedial Care
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of children and young persons who are currently providing a substantial amount of remedial care to sick, elderly and disabled relatives in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only information available comes from the 1991 census of population and relates to "dependants". A dependant is defined as a person aged zero to 15, or a person aged 16 to 18 who
  627
  has never married, is in full-time education and economically inactive, or a person with a limiting long-term illness whose economic activity is "permanently sick" or "retired". The table shows the number of households where all residents were dependants and the youngest was aged five to 18 and the oldest 19 or over. However, the figures give no indication as to whether the child(ren) in such households actually provide a substantial amount of care for the adult dependant(s). Households which contain a 16 to 18-year-old non-dependant and one or more older dependants are not included.

  Number of households

  Area

  Inverclyde

  78

  Strathclyde

  2,241

  Scotland

  3,369

  Dentists and dental list numbers in Scotland

  Financial year

  1992–1993

  1993–1994

  Health board

  Dentists1 on HB lists

  Dental2 list number commencements

  Dental2 list number withdrawals

  Dentists1 on HB lists

  Dental2 list number commencements

  Dental2 list number withdrawals

  Argyll and Clyde

  211

  41

  16

  205

  28

  30

  Ayrshire and Arran

  134

  13

  4

  139

  21

  17

  Greater Glasgow

  417

  63

  19

  428

  79

  70

  Lanarkshire

  189

  18

  14

  193

  22

  16

  Scotland—Total

  1,745

  310

  132

  1,792

  339

  306

  1 Total number of individual dentists who practised during the financial year in each of the health boards. Dentists contracted to more than one health board are counted more than once. The total number of dentists shown in Scotland is the number of individual dentists with no double-counting.

  2 A dentist may hold one or more list number. The table shows a count of the list numbers that commenced or were surrendered in the given period, not dentists. Dentists may surrender health board list number for a variety of reasons—including moving to another health board area, practice reorganisation, or retirement.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dentists in(a) Inverclyde and (b) Strathclyde have closed NHS registers to new patients in each year since 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available. General dental practitioners on health board NHS dental lists are free to decide in each case whether to provide NHS treatment to an individual patient.

  Earnings
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the average earnings per capita for(a) men aged 16 to 65 years and (b) women aged 16 to 60 years in full-time work for (i) 1990 and (ii) the latest available date.

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information in the table gives average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees in Scotland.

  Dentists
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dentists in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole have ceased to treat NHS patients in each year since 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In order to provide NHS dental services a dentist must join a health board dental list. The table shows the number of individual principal dentists on health board lists in each of the four health board areas within Strathclyde region and Scotland as a whole; the number of new list numbers allocated; and list numbers cancelled. Information for individual local government districts and regional areas is not available. It is not possible to identify from these figures the number of individual dentists who may have withdrawn from providing NHS treatment as dentists who surrender one number may hold other numbers.

  Average gross weekly earnings

  1990 £

  1994 £

  Full-time male employees aged 16 to under 65

  271.4

  331.5

  Full-time female employees aged 16 to under 60

  184.4

  242.0

  Source:

  Employment Department New Earnings Survey.

  Prison Damage
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of repairing and renovating prisons as a result of damage caused by prisoners acting unlawfully in each year since 1976.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under the chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  629
  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman dated 14 February 1995:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the cost of repairing and renovating prisons as a result of damage caused by prisoners' unlawful activity.

  Such activity ranges from minor incidents such as breaking light bulbs to serious riot damage. Damage of a minor nature caused by vandalism would normally be repaired as part of the ongoing maintenance programme and the cost would not therefore be separately identified.

  Information on the cost of prisoner damage from major incidents is not available prior to 1986 but the annual cost each year since then is set out in the table below.

  Year

  Cost (£)

  1986–87

  1,099,437

  1987–88

  258,926

  1988–89

  379,790

  1989–90

  12,805

  1990–91

  56,595

  1991–92

  71,556

  1992–93

  4,865

  1993–94

  210,413

  1994–95

  122,204

  1 Provisional

  Emergency and Accident Facilities
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals in(a) Strathclyde arid (b) Scotland have had emergency and accident facilities in each of the past 10 years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Number of accident and emergency departments1 in Scotland and Strathclyde; years ending 31 March

  Year

  Scotland

  2Strathclyde

  1985

  102

  31

  1986

  104

  32

  1987

  106

  32

  1988

  103

  29

  1989

  101

  29

  1990

  100

  29

  1991

  100

  29

  1992

  101

  31

  1993

  101

  29

  1994

  101

  29

  1 Hospitals with at least 100 accident and emergency attendances in each year.

  2 Comprises Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire Health Board areas.

  Prison Escapes
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of escapes from prison in each year since 1983 stating(a) the prison concerned, (b) what offence the prisoner had been convicted for and (c) how long each prisoner remained at large.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
  630
  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 14 February 1995:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about escapes from Scottish prisons.

  Information on the number of escapes from 1983 from Scottish Prisons is included in Reports "Prisons in Scotland" and from 1991–92 "Scottish Prison Service".

  The remaining information you requested relating to escapes is not held centrally. Details of the relevant Annual Reports are as follows:

  Year

  Command number

  Number of escapes

  11987

  551

  Appendix 4

  Page 22

  1988–89

  998

  Appendix 4

  Page 21

  1989–90

  1,499

  Appendix 4

  Page 17

  1990–91

  1,663

  Appendix 4

  Page 10

  1991–92

  2,143

  Appendix 9

  —

  1992–93

  2,323

  Appendix 9

  Page 61

  1993–94

  515

  Appendix 8

  Page 59

  1 This report contains the number of escapes from 1983–87.

  Gynaecology Units
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many gynaecology units have been provided in hospitals in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in each of the past 10 years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  NHSIS—numbers of hospitals with gynaecology units1; Scotland and Strathclyde; years ending 31 March

  Year

  Scotland

  2Strathclyde

  1985

  46

  19

  1986

  44

  19

  1987

  45

  20

  1988

  41

  17

  1989

  41

  16

  1990

  40

  16

  1991

  37

  16

  1992

  34

  16

  1993

  32

  13

  1994

  32

  13

  1 Hospitals with two or more staffed gynaecology beds on average in the year.

  2 Comprises Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire health board areas.

  Schools (First Aid)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines are issued to regional and island authorities concerning the subject of first aid cover in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No guidelines are issued to regional and islands authorities specifically on first aid cover in schools. It is for authorities to make appropriate arrangements for first-aid cover, having regard to their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and to the guidance in the revised! approved code of practice published in February 1990 by the Health and Safety Commission in respect of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981.

  Fort William Rail Services
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Highlands and Islands Enterprise in respect of the future of Fort William sleeper services and the Fort William and Inverness motorail service; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Highlands and Islands Enterprise wrote to my officials about future rail service levels, and in particular sleeper services, in October 1994. My right hon. Friend and I will continue to take a close interest in this matter.

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications his Department received, and how many had been agreed, for objective 1 FEOGA funding by 30 September 1994.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: Three applications for the first tranche of awards under the FEOGA processing and marketing grant scheme were received by my Department from applicants in the objective 1 region of the highlands and islands. All were received by 30 September 1994.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what considerations were taken into account by

  Persons called to Sheriff Courts and those with a charge proved where the main charge was sexual abuse of children' in each Sheriffdom in Scotland, 1990–93

  Persons with charge proved by main penalty

  Sheriffdom

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Custody

  Community service order

  Probation

  Fine

  Caution admonition

  Other

  1990

  Grampian, Highland and Islands

  63

  54

  10

  5

  10

  22

  4

  3

  Tayside, Central and Fife

  88

  74

  17

  6

  18

  26

  6

  1

  Lothian and Borders

  41

  34

  9

  6

  5

  9

  4

  1

  Glasgow and Strathkelvin

  35

  26

  5

  3

  10

  2

  6

  —

  North Strathclyde

  38

  30

  6

  3

  4

  9

  7

  1

  South Strathclyde and Dumfries and Galloway

  42

  35

  6

  7

  6

  9

  7

  —

  Total

  307

  253

  53

  30

  53

  77

  34

  6

  1991

  Grampian, Highland and Islands

  57

  51

  8

  3

  12

  20

  6

  2

  Tayside, Central and Fife

  78

  65

  11

  8

  17

  18

  9

  2

  Lothian and Borders

  53

  46

  10

  5

  10

  18

  3

  —

  Glasgow and Strathkelvin

  27

  20

  7

  —

  5

  5

  3

  —

  North Strathclyde

  26

  23

  6

  —

  10

  5

  1

  1

  South Strathclyde and Dumfries and Galloway

  38

  33

  8

  1

  7

  7

  10

  —

  Total

  279

  238

  50

  17

  61

  73

  32

  5

  1992

  Grampian, Highland and Islands

  45

  42

  10

  4

  9

  11

  6

  2

  Tayside, Central and Fife

  60

  51

  8

  5

  21

  7

  10

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  32

  28

  8

  2

  11

  4

  3

  —

  Glasgow and Strathkelvin

  23

  17

  4

  —

  8

  2

  2

  1

  North Strathclyde

  22

  16

  4

  2

  2

  2

  5

  1

  South Strathclyde and Dumfries and Galloway

  36

  29

  8

  3

  11

  6

  1

  Total

  218

  183

  42

  16

  62

  26

  32

  5

  632
  his Department when it was decided to extend the time limit for submission of applications for the first tranche of objective 1 FEOGA funding in 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: The time limit of 30 September 1994 for submission of applications for the first tranche of FEOGA processing and marketing scheme awards was not extended.

  Sexual Abuse
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each sheriffdom the number of cases of sexual abuse of children which have been reported to procurators fiscal since January 1990; how many of those were(a) referred to court under summary procedure, (b) referred to court under indictment and (c) cases in which the accused was found guilty; and what were the sentences given in cases when the accused was found guilty.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: It is not possible to identify all cases of child abuse proceeded against in Scottish courts because the Scottish Office Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences does not contain information on the victims of crime. The table sets out the available information for those sexual offences within the classification which, by definition, involve abuse of children.
  633

  Persons called to Sheriff Courts and those with a charge proved where the main charge was sexual abuse of children' in each Sheriffdom in Scotland, 1990–93

  Persons with charge proved by main penalty

  Sheriffdom

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Custody

  Community service order

  Probation

  Fine

  Caution admonition

  Other

  1993

  Grampian, Highland and Islands

  30

  27

  5

  5

  9

  7

  1

  —

  Tayside, Central and Fife

  72

  56

  10

  11

  15

  10

  9

  1

  Lothian and Borders

  34

  28

  6

  2

  12

  7

  1

  —

  Glasgow and Strathkelvin

  29

  26

  7

  —

  10

  6

  3

  —

  North Strathclyde

  18

  15

  5

  1

  7

  —

  1

  1

  South Strathclyde and Dumfries and Galloway

  33

  27

  2

  1

  13

  4

  5

  2

  Total

  216

  179

  35

  20

  66

  34

  20

  4

  1.Covers lewd and libidinous practices, defilement of girls under 16 causing the seduction, prostitution etc of a girl under 16.

  Oncologists
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Scotland how many(a) clinical oncology consultants and (b) medical oncology consultants there are currently in Scotland; and how many of each are funded by charities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: There were 31 consultants in clinical oncology—radiotherapy—and 12 consultants in medical oncology in Scotland at 30 September 1994 the latest date for which information is available centrally.

  The Pringle report "Management of Non-Surgical Cancer Services in Scotland", 1992, found that five posts in medical oncology were funded by the major cancer charities.

  Fish Conservation
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to amend section 4 of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 as recommended by "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas", Cm 2560, HMSO May 1994, paragraph 17.31, page 265; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]:The Government expect to issue shortly a consultation paper on the standards of fish factory ships.

  Rate Appeals
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many rate revaluation appeals are currently outstanding for previous rate revaluations from the borders region.

  Mr. Kynoch.
  [holding answer 10 February 1995]: None.

  Newton Street Rail Tunnel, Greenock
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects repair work on the Newton street rail tunnel, Greenock, to be completed; if he will estimate when the passenger train service to Gourock will be resumed; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 February 1995]: Responsibility for repairs to the Newton street rail tunnel rests with Railtrack and Strathclyde regional council through the Strathclyde passenger transport executive. I understand, however, that the tunnel
  634
  is expected to re-open for passenger traffic on 27 March 1995.

  Scottish Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what proportion of SVQs achieved on Government training schemes was externally moderated by Scotvec;

  (2) to what extent the attainment of SVQs on Government training schemes is dependent on internal assessment by the training provider.

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]: Questions about Scottish vocational qualifications achieved on Government training schemes are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about how and to what extent the income of training providers on Government training schemes is dependent on the achievement of vocational qualifications.

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]: For youth and adult training programmes, between 25 and 40 per cent of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding to local enterprise companies is payable on the achievement of positive outcomes, including vocational qualifications. The funding of training providers is, however, a commercial contractual matter between them and the local enterprise companies.

  Trust Hospitals (Press Officers)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) health authorities and (b) trust hospitals in Scotland have press officers; what is the cost incurred for their services; and if he will list these authorities and trust hospitals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 February 1995]:The information requested is not held centrally.

  Water Schemes
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those private companies which have
  635
  expressed an interest in creating build own and operate water schemes in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 8 February 1995]:Awarding of contracts for build own and operate water and sewerage schemes is a matter for regional and islands councils. My officials are, however, aware of considerable interest by many Scottish, United Kingdom and international companies in the construction, finance and other sectors.

  Ian Greer Associates
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 February 1995]:None.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions departmental officials met representatives of Ian Greer Associates(a) formally and (b) informally on 26 January to discuss matters relating to their clients' interests.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 31 January 1995]:There were no such occasions on 26 January when officials from my Department met representatives of Ian Greer Associates.

  Hunterston Terminal
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last received a report, as required under sub-paragraph (2) of the Clyde Port Authority (Hunterston Terminal) Order Confirmation Act 1973; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 January 1995]:The last report under the requirements of the Clyde Port Authority (Hunterston Terminal) Order Confirmation Act 1973 was received in 1976. However, throughout the subsequent period there has been monthly environmental monitoring at Hunterston by Clydeport plc, overseen by Cunninghame district council and, until imports of ore and coking coal ceased, Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the duty to make annual reports under sub-paragraph 10(2) of the Clyde Port Authority (Hunterston Terminal) Order Confirmation Act 1973 now applies to Clydeport Ltd. as owners of the terminal.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 January 1995]:This duty has passed to Clydeport plc as successors to the Clyde port authority.

  Local Government and Housing Act 1989
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sections of the local Government and Housing Act 1989 have not been brought into force; for what reasons they have not been brought into force; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]:The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 relates to England, Wales and Scotland but only the following sections, together with associated schedules, extend to Scotland:
  636

  Sections 1–32

  Section 36(9)

  Sections 140–145

  Sections 150–153

  Section 155

  Section 157

  Section 159

  Section 161

  Section 168

  Sections 170–171

  Sections 176–182

  Section 185 Section 190 Section 192

  Section 194(1) and (4)

  Section 195

  A number of these sections were commenced at royal assent and further commencements were made by commencement order under section 195(2). The following Scottish provisions have not been fully commenced:

  Section 9 (Assistants for political groups)

  Section 14 (Voting rights of members of certain committees)

  Section 15 (Duty to allocate seats to political groups)

  Section 16 (Duty to give effect to allocations)

  Section 17 (Exceptions to and extensions of political balance requirements)

  These sections are commenced only for the limited purpose of giving the Secretary of State regulation-making powers and substantive commencement. The making of regulations on these sections is still under consideration.

  Section 140-commenced for the year 1990/91

  Section 141-not commenced

  Both these sections have been repealed and are replaced by section 10 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, which introduced new sections 7A and 7B to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975 making provision as to the setting of non-domestic rates.

  Section 142

  Section 145

  These sections were commenced for the years 1990–91 onwards and are now obsolete following the abolition of the community charge.

  Local Authority Members (Payments)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is reviewing the levels of payment which can be made by local authorities to the authorities' senior elected members.

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 26 January 1995]:I refer the hon. member to the answer given by the hon. Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) to myself on 19 January, which covered allowances for all councillors.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of operations for breast cancer in 1993–94 was performed in hospitals where more than 150 such operations took place.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table:
  637

  Estimated number of discharges from Scottish NHS hospitals following an operation for breast cancer (year ending March 1994)

  Frequency

  Per cent. of total cases

  Female breast cancer

  Hospitals with frequency over 150 cases

  3,743

  71

  male breast cancer

  Hospitals with frequency over 150 cases

  0

  0

  1 Data for 1994 are provisional

HEALTH

  Clinical Services (Market Testing)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all clinical services that have been market tested since April 1991; and if she will list all those that will be market tested in 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since April 1991, some 22 clinical and clinical support services have been market tested by one or more national health service units.

  For 1994–95, we have been advised of local plans to market test some 20 clinical and clinical support services.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to alter the cost of prescriptions.

  Mr. Malone
  Judgments have to be made each year about how finite health resources can best be targeted for maximum health gain so that year on year the national health service can continue to treat more patients than ever before. Prescription charges are but one aspect of these considerations. Any announcement will be made at the appropriate time.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been waiting for more than 12 months for hospital treatment in Tameside and Glossop; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  At 30 September 1994, of a total waiting list of 1,800 at the Tameside and Glossop acute services national health service trust, only 11 people—0.6 per cent—had been waiting for more than a year as opposed to a national average of 5.8 per cent. None had been waiting for more than two years.

  Smoking and Diet Targets
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the achievements of the targets on(a) smoking and (b) diet set out in the White Paper, "The Health of the Nation".

  Mr. Sackville
  Adult smoking prevalence, smoking in pregnancy and total cigarette consumption are continuing to fall. However smoking amongst 11 to 15-year-olds remains broadly unchanged.
  638
  Trends over time indicate that the proportion of energy intake derived from total fats has remained comparatively steady while that from saturated fatty acids has been declining.

  In 1994 the Government published "Smoke Free for Health" and "Eat Well!" setting out action plans for achieving the smoking and diet targets respectively. Each document sets out the range of measures being taken.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been in the number of general practitioners in the past decade; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  The number of general medical practitioners in England rose from 23,640 at 1 October 1984 to 26,387 at 1 April 1994, an increase of 12 per cent.

  Community Care
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next expects to meet disability organisations to discuss the implications for disabled persons of the Government's community care policy.

  Mr. Bowis
  I meet disability organisations on a regular basis and discuss a range of issues including community care. I also meet the national user and carer group every six months. The group is made up of users from a wide range of community care client groups and carers and provides information on the progress being made with the community care reforms by local and health authorities from a user's and carer's perspective.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have not submitted audited returns detailing community care spending in 1993–94.

  Mr. Bowis
  Audited returns detailing community care spending in 1993–94 for 29 local authorities have not yet been received by the Department. The outstanding returns are being followed up through the Audit Commission. A list of the relevant authorities is as shown.

  List of local authorities whose audited returns have not yet been received by the Department of Health.
  Metropolitan Authorities

  Birmingham

  Bolton

  Bury

  Coventry Manchester

  Rochdale Sheffield Wirral

  County Councils

  Berkshire Cheshire Gloucestershire

  Hampshire

  Hereford and Worcester

  Hertfordshire

  North Yorkshire

  Northamptonshire

  639

  Northumberland

  Nottinghamshire

  London Boroughs

  Bexley

  Brent

  Ealing

  Greenwich

  Hackney

  Haringey

  Hillingdon

  Islington

  Kensington

  Richmond Upon Thames

  Sutton

  Winter Illnesses
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the adequacy of NHS resources to cope with flu and flu-type illnesses this winter.

  Mr. Sackville
  Every year the Department runs an immunisation campaign aimed at people who are at particular risk of serious illness or death.

  At the first sign of an impending epidemic, the Department alerts health authorities and trusts so that local contingency plans can be made.

  The national health service reimburses general practitioners for the purchase of influenza vaccine. The cost of vaccine purchased during 1993–94 was about £27 to £28 million. Year-on-year increases in uptake are expected.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the population is currently served by a GP fundholder; and what proportion she expects this to be from April.

  Mr. Malone
  Some 35 per cent. of the population in England is currently served by a fundholding general practitioner. Final figures for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the amount of general practitioner fundholders' budgets which is being spent on medical services outside the NHS in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary gave the hon. member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 9 December 1994 Official Report, column 401.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given the health commissions in respect of those general practitioner fundholders who have overspent their budget.

  Mr. Malone
  Guidance on financial matters relevant to the general practice funding scheme was issued to health authorities in EL(91)36 and covered by the general practitioner fundholders' manual of accounts, 1993, copies of which are in the Library.

  West Midlands Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings she expects to result from the abolition of the West Midlands regional health authority.
  640
  Mr. Malone
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) earlier today.

  Community Care
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next expects to meet the Association of Directors of Social Services to discuss resources available for the implementation of community care.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have regular contacts with the association and discuss a wide range of issues, including community care.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital accident and emergency departments have closed since 1979, and since April 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of(a) beds and (b) accident and emergency departments needed in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities are responsible for purchasing hospital and other services for their resident populations, with general practitioner fundholders also purchasing some care for patients on their lists. In addition, districts are responsible for purchasing accident and emergency services for all-comers in their area, and for ensuring that, where major changes to the pattern of local services are proposed, full public consultation takes place.

  Consultant Episodes (Private Patients)
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage increase in finished consultant episodes on private patients on NHS premises between 1990–91 and the latest available date.

  Mr. Sackville
  Between 1990–91 and 1992–93 there was an increase in private patient finished consultant episodes in the national health service in England of 21.8 per cent. Private patient episodes in the NHS are about one per cent. of total episodes.

  Waiting Times, Essex
  Dr.Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of Essex county council's budgetary overspend on social services on waiting times in Essex hospitals.

  Mr. Malone
  We have made no comprehensive assessment of this impact but recent visits to two otherwise well-run national health service trusts in Essex have made it clear to me that the county council's failure to make arrangements for discharge of patients is having a direct impact on hospitals' ability to admit new patients for elective surgery.

  Teenage Pregnancies
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress in meeting
  641
  "The Health of the Nation" targets for teenage pregnancies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The year 1991 saw the first fall in 10 years in the under–16 conception rate. Provisional figures for 1992 are broadly in line with 1991. Concerted effort is necessary if a downward trend is to be maintained.

  Minimal Access Surgery
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the dangers of minimal access surgery; and how many hospital re-admissions occurred in the last year as a result of the failure of that type of surgery.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received a number of letters about the risks and benefits of minimal access surgery. Information on readmissions following minimal access surgery, or for any other reason, is not available centrally.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Patten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those public bodies for which she 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. Sackville
  The public bodies for which the Department has responsibility are listed in "Public Bodies 1994". None have been identified as suitable for privatisation. As part of the usual quinquennial review process, the Department critically examines both the need for its public bodies and whether control of their business should reside in the private sector.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to order NHS trusts to stop the practice of NHS trusts soliciting voluntary contributions from persons treated for road accident injuries.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no evidence of national health service trusts seeking voluntary contributions. All health service hospitals, including those managed by NHS trusts, are empowered to collect the emergency treatment fee under section 158 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The fee, which must be covered by motor vehicle insurance policies, is payable by vehicle users in respect of each person given immediate treatment or examination arising from a road traffic accident.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will advise all NHS trusts to finance a patients' friend and arrange that the postholder is accountable only to the appropriate community health council.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for individual trusts.

  Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Government's intentions in regard to the future of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government accept the case for examining how far this legislation provides an adequate framework for professional self-regulation. We intend to commission an independent review of the current operations of the statutory bodies concerned. We shall 642
  bring forward for consultation specific proposals for change in the light of the outcome of that review.

  Convictions (Disclosure)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to require all organisations tendering for NHS authority or trust business to declare convictions for fraud or professional misconduct.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Care Fees
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people who have had to sell their homes to pay for fees in a residential or nursing home since 1990.

  Mr. Bowis
  The value of a resident's interest in a property can be taken into account only if he or she has moved permanently to residential accommodation. It must be ignored in certain circumstances, for example if the resident's spouse still lives in it. If it does have to be taken into account, the local authority may put a charge on the property which is not recovered until the property is eventually sold.

  Information about the number of properties actually sold in order to meet charges for residential accommodation is not available centrally.

  Directors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if chairmen and non-executive directors of health authorities and trusts are informed on appointment of the number of hours per week or month that they would normally be expected to devote to their duties.

  Mr. Malone
  The matter of the number of hours per week or month which chairmen and non-executive directors of health authorities and national health service trusts will be expected to devote to their duties forms part of a comprehensive discussion between the appropriate regional health authority and prospective nominees before their names are submitted to Ministers, or, in the case of appointments made by regional health authorities, before formal appointment is made.

  Club 18–30
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of the current poster advertising campaign of Club 18–30 on "The Health of the Nation" targets for teenage pregnancies and sexual health; and what plans she has to make representations to those responsible for these posters.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Club 18–30 is a commercial enterprise. It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in the company's choice of advertising material. Complaints about the nature or content are a matter for the Advertising Standards Authority.

  Consultants
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued since the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 on the limitation of NHS consultants' private work sessions, or private
  643
  work income; and on what occasions such guidance has later been withdrawn or amended.

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to NHS consultants on doing private work at the same time as their NHS(a) out-patients work, (a) surgeries, (c) ward rounds and (d) other clinical sessions.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 2 February, columns 837–38.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has issued on the maximum time NHS consultants with maximum part-time contracts can spend working in the private sector during their normal working week.

  Mr. Malone
  Guidance is contained in the national terms and conditions of service for national health service consultants.

  Specialties
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to increase the numbers of doctors specialising in neurology and anaesthesiology.

  Mr. Malone
  Considerable attention is given to medical work force planning. The aim is to provide an adequate supply of appropriately-trained doctors in each specialty. The agreed policy of achieving a balance, introduced in 1987, is overseen by the Advisory Group on Medical Education, Training and Staffing. This policy encourages consultant expansion of at least 2 per cent. per year. Consultant posts are also funded under the new deal and the part-time consultant scheme.

  However, the establishment of new consultant posts is a matter for local employing authorities and they should have regard to competing priorities and available resources.

  For doctors in higher specialist training, senior registrar and career registrar quotas set by the Joint Planning Advisory Committee are still in operation. It is necessary to ensure an appropriate supply of doctors, and numbers of higher specialist trainees in any specialty must therefore depend on the best available predictions of future consultant opportunities in that specialty.

  Liquid Fuels
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health risks have been identified from the emissions from burning secondary liquid fuel.

  Mr. Sackville
  The likely health effects of emissions from the burning of fuel cannot be determined unless the specific components of the fuel, and the method and temperature of its combustion, are known.

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary Trust
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the names, occupations and qualifications of all persons nominated for appointment as chairman to the Doncaster Royal Infirmary trust; what were the names of those shortlisted; who shortlisted them; and who made the final selection.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 November 1994,Official Report, column
  644
  789. Mr. Raymond Tonkinson, chairman of the Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital national health service trust, is a company chief executive.

  Operation Statistics
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to collect statistics on the number of operations purchased by the private sector, together with their cost.

  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  Dermatology
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her policy in relation to dermatology; and what response she has made to the submissions by Professor Rona Mackie of Glasgow university, on behalf of the all-party group on the skin.

  Mr. Sackville
  The provision of dermatology services and the manner in which they are delivered is a matter for health authorities and hospital and community trusts in the light of available resources and local needs and priorities.

  I attended a meeting of the all-party parliamentary group on skin on 20 October 1994 when the hon. Member for Linlithgow mentioned Professor Mackie's work. I am not aware of any submissions from Professor Mackie on behalf of the all-party group on skin. We will, of course, consider carefully any such representation.

  Domiciliary Care
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards exist to ensure proper standards of domiciliary care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The social services inspectorate published guidelines "Developing Quality Standards for Home Support Services" in October 1993, copies of which are available in the Library. A code of practice is produced by the United Kingdom Home Care Association, by which all its members are expected to abide, and the Joint Advisory Group of Domiciliary Care Associations produced a document "A Framework for the Development of Standards for the Delivery of Domiciliary Care" last July. Local authorities who purchase domiciliary care from independent providers are able to include specific standards in their contract specifications, and should monitor compliance with them.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received domiciliary care in 1993–94; and how many are estimated to need domiciliary care in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98.

  Mr. Bowis
  In a sample week in September 1993, there were an estimated total of 512,600 households in England receiving home help or home care.

  Estimates are not made for future years.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the number of independent sector agencies providing domiciliary care.

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are undertaken to monitor the suitability of domiciliary care provided to individuals who purchase such care directly from private agencies or individuals.
  645
  Mr. Bowis
  Domiciliary care agencies are subject to the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act 1973.

  Hormone Replacement Therapy
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the use of synthetic alternatives to premarin and prempak-C in hormone replacement therapy.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are many other forms of hormone replacement therapy available, all of which are synthetic and all of which can be prescribed under the national health service. It is for the woman and her doctor to decide which preparation is most suitable for her needs.

  London Chest Hospital
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to close the London chest hospital;

  (2) what plans she has for the future of the London chest hospital under "Making London Better".

  Mr. Malone
  "Making London Better" reported that North East Thames regional health authority would initiate public consultation on proposals to merge the management of the London chest hospital with that of the Royal London hospital. Following public consultation, the Royal Hospitals trust was established incorporating the London chest hospital, the Royal London hospital and St. Bartholomew's hospital.

  East London and the City health authority is currently consulting on proposals to consolidate the trust's services at the Royal London hospital, Whitechapel. No decisions will be taken until all the responses to public consultation have been fully considered.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the research rating of the London chest hospital in relation to other hospitals.

  Mr. Malone
  The London chest hospital was included in the 1993 review of the research and development taking place in the London postgraduate special health authorities, as part of the Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung hospitals SHA. The Review Advisory Committee's report did not give a separate rating for the London chest hospital.

  Closures
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given in relation to district health authorities taking account of local opinion when deciding to close services.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 8 February,Official Report, column 277.

  Glaucoma and Diabetic Eye Disease
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of treating glaucoma and diabetic eye disease in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.
  646

  Waiting Times
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time(a) to see a consultant privately and (b) to see a consultant in the NHS in each of the last five years (i) generally and (ii) by specialty where such figures are available.

  Mr. Malone
  We do not collect information on waiting times for patients who see consultants in the private sector. Provisional information on outpatient waiting times for patients seen in the national health service is only available for the quarter ending 30 September 1994 and is contained in statistical bulletin 95/3, copies of which are available in the Library. This shows how long patients seen over the quarter had to wait following written referral by a general practitioner within specified time bands but does not give average waiting times.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the current average waiting times for operations(a) in the NHS and (b) privately.

  Mr. Malone
  In 1992–93, the latest year for which information on national health service operations is available, the average waiting times for patients admitted from waiting lists or who had booked admissions was just over three months. We do not collect information on waiting times in the private sector.

  Opthamology
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the cost to the NHS in treating eye diseases and (b) the total budget for ophthalmology in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities are funded through their general allocations for purchasing ophthalmology services.

  Expenditure by health authorities and national health service trusts on opthamology is shown in the table.

  Year

  Expenditure £000 (cash)

  1989–90

  159,804

  1990–91

  177,976

  1991–92

  293,825

  1992–93

  308,715

  1993–94

  328,953

  Note:

  Figures after 1991–92 are not directly comparable with earlier years due to a change in accounting policy and practice with the introduction of the internal market.

  Source:

  Annual financial returns of district, regional and special health authorities—1989–90 to 1993–94—and NHS trusts—1991–92 to 1993–94.

  Consultants
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional payments are made to NHS consultants to perform operations on NHS patients privately(a) in NHS hospitals and (b) in private hospitals.

  Mr. Malone
  Such payments are a matter for the individuals concerned.

  Cataract Operations
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract operations were performed in each of the last five years; and what was the average cost of a cataract operation in England.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of cataract operations performed in the last five years up to and including 1992–93 are shown in the table.

  Year

  Thousands

  1988–89

  82.3

  1989–90

  92.2

  1990–91

  97.9

  1991–92

  111.7

  1992–93

  118.6

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics.

  Note:

  Information on the average cost of cataract operations is not available centrally.

  Closures, Hertfordshire
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what weight will be given to the views of Hertfordshire general practitioners on the closure of two Hertfordshire accident and emergency departments; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what is her policy in respect of closures of accident and emergency units in Hertfordshire for the next five years; and if she will make a statement;

  (3) if she will make a statement on the proposed closure of two accident and emergency units in Hertfordshire, and the plans she has for hospital services in Hertfordshire.

  Mr. Sackville
  Hertfordshire health agency recently initiated a period of public debate on possible future patterns of health services, including accident and emergency services, in the county. The right hon. Member may wish to contact Ms Jenny Griffiths, chief executive of Hertfordshire health agency, for information on the conclusions that have been reached following this period of public discussion.

  Supplementary Medicine Review
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will be the chairman of the review body for the review of the professions supplementary to the Medicine Act 1960; and when she expects to introduce measures for the protection of fully qualified physiotherapists.

  Mr. Sackville
  We intend to commission an independent review to examine the current operations of the statutory bodies concerned. The study team has yet to be decided. The report, to be produced within a year, should provide an authoritative and objective base from which to carry out a more comprehensive consultation on future arrangements.
  648

  St. Christopher Nursing Home
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request a report from the chair of the Hertfordshire health authority on its investigation into the number of deaths at Takare plc St Christopher nursing home; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Investigations into deaths in any nursing home are a matter for the relevant health authority.

  Hertfordshire Health Agency
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the members of the Hertfordshire health agency, the chief executive, their qualifications and a list of their outside interests.

  Mr. Malone
  The Hertfordshire health agency is an agency of the three Hertfordshire district health authorities—East and North Herts, South West Herts and North West Herts—and Hertfordshire family health services authority. Control of the agency rests with the four boards of the authorities. The chief executive is Ms Jenny Griffiths. The right hon. Member may wish to contact Ms Griffiths for any additional information.

  Out-of-hours Service
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average cost of the general practitioner out-of-hours service per general practitioner in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  The cost of general practitioners' out-of-hours services is not separately identifiable within total GP remuneration.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the model of general practitioner out-of-hours services to be promoted by her Department.

  Mr. Malone
  The Department promotes general practitioner out of hours services which provide high-quality care for patients and manage effectively GP work load. It is for individual GPs to decide the exact model which best suits local needs.

  Authority Funding
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) real funding and (b) the preferred funding per head of population for each (i) district health authority and (ii) family health services authority in (1) 1992–93, (2) 1993–94, (3) 1994–95, (4) 1995–96 and (5) 1996–97.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally.

  Population Statistics
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the average population by family health services authority from(a) census data and (b) general practitioner list size data.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley) on 10 January, columns 129–31.

  Takare plc Nursing Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will investigate the arrangements made by district health authorities in respect of the registration of Takare plc Nursing Homes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The registration and inspection of nursing homes is wholly delegated to health authorities.

  Junior Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of operations was performed by junior doctors and what percentage by consultants in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally.

  Consultation
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the extent to which health authorities and health commissioning agencies should take account of the views of the local population and general practitioners.

  Mr. Malone
  Health authorities are expected to consult widely with their local populations, general practitioners and other interested agencies in establishing local priorities, developing annual purchasing plans and longer term strategies. Recent guidance—EL(94)79—sets out an enhanced role for GPs working in partnership with health authorities in developing local health strategies. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

  General Practitioners (Night Visits)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many night visits were carried out by general practitioners in each of the last five years; and how many night visit claims were submitted by general practitioners in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  The table shows the number of night visits in each of the last five years, calculated from information held by the Department of Health on the number of night visit fee claims by general practitioners.650

  Financial year

  Number of visits

  1993–94

  1,832,456

  1992–93

  1,585,999

  1991–92

  1,712,245

  1990–91

  1,586,960

  1989–90

  936,148

  Note:

  In 1989–90, night visit fees were payable for the period from 11 pm to 7 am. From 1990–91, this period was extended to cover 10 pm to 8 am.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she proposes to issue on the maximum target time before a patient needing emergency care from a general practitioner, should be initially assessed by that general practitioner.

  Mr. Malone
  None. All general practitioners are bound by their terms of service. It is for GPs to exercise their professional judgment, within these terms of service, as to when a patient needs to be seen.

  Deprivation
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the average deprivation score for each district health authority.

  Mr. Malone
  Information will be placed in the Library showing figures for district health authorities calculated using the same method as the Department of the Environment's ward index of local conditions.

  Bed Closures, London
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of(a) acute bed closures and (b) long-stay bed closures in London since the publication of the Tomlinson report.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 30 January 1995]:This information is not available centrally. However, analysis of published data on available beds suggests that the bed reductions in inner London as defined by Tomlinson, including special health authorities, between 1990–91 and 1993–94 were:

  1,399 for acute beds and

  900 for long-stay beds.

  Crown Dependencies and Dependent Territories: Right of Individual Petition
  Crown Dependencies and Dependent Territories: Right of Individual Petition
  GEST Grant for School Effectiveness
  GEST Grant for School Effectiveness
  GEST Grant for Vocational Qualifications in Schools
  GEST Grant for Vocational Qualifications in Schools
  St Philip's RC Sixth Form College, Birmingham
  St Philip's RC Sixth Form College, Birmingham
  Derby Tertiary College, Wilmorton
  Derby Tertiary College, Wilmorton
  EC Legislation Deposited in Parliament
  EC Legislation Deposited in Parliament
  War Pensioners: Payment for Palliative Care
  War Pensioners: Payment for Palliative Care
  Mr. Kevin Taylor: Costs of Action
  Mr. Kevin Taylor: Costs of Action
  Bosnian Refugees: Policy
  Bosnian Refugees: Policy
  Bosnian Refugees in EU Countries
  Bosnian Refugees in EU Countries