Written Answers of 16 February 1995

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many public appointments have been made by his Department in the last year; and how many of those appointed were identified by the Public Appointments Unit.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Nine public appointments were made in the last year by the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, of which one was identified by the Public Appointments Unit.

  Four public appointments were made in the last year by the Overseas Development Administration wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, of which one was identified by the Public Appointments Unit.

  Corfu
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints by British holiday makers have been received by the British consul in Corfu regarding(a) unprovoked attacks and (b) attacks involving theft.

  Mr. Baldry
  Our records do not show whether attacks were provoked or not. In 1994, our consulate in Corfu were notified of five robberies with assault, and 16 assaults, including five rapes.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice is currently being given to British citizens wishing to visit Lebanon.

  Mr. Baldry
  Foreign Office travel advice to British nationals wishing to visit Lebanon is not to travel outside the main towns. We also advise against travel to the southern suburbs of Beirut, south Lebanon and the north and west of the Bekaa valley, particularly the area around Baalbeck and Hermel.

  We strongly advise our nationals to register with the embassy.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the Lebanese track of the middle east peace negotiations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Progress on the Lebanese track of the middle east peace process is vital if there is to be a comprehensive settlement. We continue to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 425.
  730

  Middle East Peace Process
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what suggestions for a comprehensive peace in the middle east were put forward by the EU troika in its recent mission to Syria; and what was the response of the Syrians.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The EU troika reaffirmed the EU's support for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on UN Security Council resolutions and the principle of land for peace. They urged both Syria and Israel to reach a negotiated settlement as soon as possible. The EU's support for the peace process was welcomed by Syria.

  Syria
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union agreed to remove the arms embargo on Syria; what considerations led to the decision; and how he informed the House of the decision.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in another place, on 7 December 1994 Official Report, House of Lords, column 85. The arms embargo was lifted as the original grounds for imposing the restrictions no longer existed and to provide a signal of encouragement to Syria with regard to progress in the middle east peace process.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the removal of the arms embargo on Syria required parliamentary consent.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No.

  Sierra Leone
  Ms Harriet Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy in respect of British citizens in Sierra Leone.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since 26 January, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been advising dependents and those with no pressing need to stay in Sierra Leone, to leave. Many have already done so, but we estimate that 200 British nationals with the right of abode in the United Kingdom remain in Sierra Leone.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the situation in Sierra Leone.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Lady to my written answer of 30 January, columns 493–94 to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington).

  The security situation in Sierra Leone continues to give cause for concern. Seventeen abducted foreign nationals, including six Britons, remain in captivity: we are working to secure their release. Large numbers of Sierra Leoneans have been displaced by the conflict, with damaging consequences for the economic and social structure of the country. We have given some £500,000 in emergency aid this financial year to help Sierra Leonean victims of this war, and stand ready to provide further such help. Special representatives of the UN and Commonwealth Secretaries-General have now arrived in Sierra Leone, and we continue to give our strong support to efforts to bring about a settlement to the conflict.
  731
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been killed in Sierra Leone since disturbances started in 1991.

  Mr. Baldry
  There are no official figures, but unofficial estimates vary between 15,000 and 20,000 deaths.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the kidnapping of aid workers in southern Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Twelve aid workers, including one British national, were kidnapped on 8 February by a rebel group in southern Sudan. By 11 February, all the aid workers had been released unharmed.

  Angola
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what practical arrangements have been made to transport UNAVEM III troops to Angola.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The UN is discussing the practical arrangements for the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in UNAVEM III with potential troop-contributing countries.

  Mrs. Christina Nevan Gando
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position concerning the application by Mrs. Christina Nevan Gando—Ref: R250794—made to the United Kingdom post in Abuja to join her husband in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the entry clearance officer in Abuja to let me have a report on the application by Mrs. Christina Nevan Gando. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Ushaben Sunil Bhai Patel
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is going to be made on the application made by Mrs. Ushaben Sunil Bhai Patel—Ref: AP/94/10/38—to the post in Bombay to join her husband in the United Kingdom; when her application was made; when was she interviewed at the post; if she has been notified of the outcome of her interview; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the entry clearance officer in Bombay to let me have a report on the application of Mrs. Ushaben Sunil Bhai Patel. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.
  732

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Benzodiazepine Litigation
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give(a) the total cost to date to the legal aid fund of the Benzodiazepine litigation, (b) the total number of legal aid certificates issued for Benzodiazepine litigation, (c) the average cost per certificate where no proceedings were issued, (d) the average cost per certificate where proceedings had commenced and (e) total generic costs associated with the Benzodiazepine litigation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The estimated cost to date to the legal aid fund of the Benzodiazepine litigation is £28.6 million. Some 13,500 certificates were issued in total. Of these, approximately 5,000 claims resulted in the issue of proceedings. The average cost per certificate where no proceedings were issued is estimated to be £1,590. The average cost per certificate where proceedings have been commenced is difficult to estimate because taxations are currently proceeding in these cases and a substantial number of cases have yet to be taxed. Some 3,200 cases have so far been taxed at an average cost of £3,500. This figure is expected to rise as the 1,800 outstanding cases are likely to contain a higher proportion of more expensive cases. The total generic costs paid out to date are £3.9 million.

  The costs are now being taxed and, as with all other legal aid bills, the amount to be paid out of the legal aid fund will be that which the court determines to be reasonable. All the above figures include solicitors' costs, counsel fees, disbursements, court fees and VAT.

  Judges (Training)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Judicial Studies Board has to introduce additional training for judges on managing rape cases.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Judicial Studies Board determines what training is appropriate for judges. The courses which it provides cover rape cases. I understand that the board has no plans to introduce additional training.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to order re-examination of all cases where legal aid costs have exceeded £1 million to establish the justification for approving the legal aid to recover the sums involved in cases where resource statements are found to be false.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The grant and discharge or revocation of civil legal aid certificates is the responsibility of the Legal Aid Board. The grant and revocation or withdrawal of criminal legal aid is the responsibility of the court dealing with the case. Legal aid regulations say what may be done if the assisted person's circumstances change or new information about his or her circumstances comes to light.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the amount of public funds available(a) to conduct prosecutions and (b) to conduct defences by barristers.
  733
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The amount of public funds available to conduct prosecutions is a matter for the various prosecuting agencies. It is estimated that the net cost of criminal legal aid paid to barristers in the current financial year to conduct defences is £158 million.

  Revenue (Fines)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much revenue was collected by way of fines imposed by magistrates courts and the Crown court in England and Wales in each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Figures relating solely to fine revenue are not available. The revenue collected by way of fines, fees, confiscation orders, compensation orders and fixed penalties imposed by magistrates courts and the Crown court in England and Wales in each year since 1989 was:

  Year

  £ million

  1989–90

  241

  1990–91

  269

  1991–92

  241

  1992–93

  232

  1993–94

  233

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Walthamstow of 6 February,Official Report, column 10, if he will make it his policy to instruct area advisory committees on justices of the peace to record the ethnic origin of all those applying to become a JP.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is reviewing his policy. He has already made it clear that he wishes to see more ethnic minority candidates recommended for appointment. Suitability for appointment remains the overriding consideration.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the upper limit on employer's national insurance contributions was abolished; if he will state the additional revenue gained each year since; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of research the Government commissioned on the impact of this change on the employment patterns of higher and lower-paid earners.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  An estimate of the amounts raised each year following the abolition of the upper limit on employer's national insurance contributions is in the table.

  Year

  £ billion2

  1985–19861

  0.50

  1986–1987

  1.50

  1987–1988

  1.75

  1988–1989

  2.25

  1989–1990

  2.75

  1990–1991

  3.00

  734

  Year

  £ billion2

  1991–1992

  3.00

  1992–1993

  3.00

  1993–1994

  3.00

  1994–1995

  3.25

  1 Upper Earnings Limit abolished on 6 October 1985.

  2 Figures are founded to nearest £¼ billion.

  Abolition of the upper earnings limit for employer's national insurance contributions made it possible for the rates of employees' and employers' national insurance contributions to be reduced, especially at lower levels of pay. This was aimed at improving job prospects for the low paid, particularly among the young and unskilled, by reducing individuals' national insurance payments and reducing the business costs of prospective employers.

  Research commissioned by this Department shows that a fifth of employers consider national insurance contributions when setting wage levels and that some employers take contribution rates into account when fixing staffing levels. This supports the view that reducing employers' wage costs in respect of lower-paid workers helps to promote their employment prospects.

  Occupational Deafness
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount spent on disablement benefit for occupational deafness in 1993.

  Mr. Hague
  Information is not available in the precise format requested. Estimates based on a 10 per cent. sample suggest that in 1992–93, the latest available year, occupational deafness accounted for around £25 million of disablement benefit expenditure.

  Notes:

  (i) This figure has been rounded to the nearest £5 million, but is not accurate to that degree.

  (ii) This figure includes cases with aggregate assessments, where occupational deafness was the first, or highest assessment.

  (iii) This figure does not include any expenditure on reduced earnings allowance/retirement allowance or any of the additional allowances such as constant attendance allowance or exceptionally severe disablement allowance.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his appeal to the European Court over the social security commissioner's April 1992 decision about the rate of invalidity benefit payable to women over the age of 60 years is expected to be finally resolved.

  Mr. Hague
  The appeal against the social security commissioner's decision—CS 27/91—was made to the Court of Appeal jointly by the Secretary of State and the chief adjudication officer. At a hearing on 18 January 1994, the Court of Appeal decided to refer the case to the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling on questions of European law. A date for the European Court hearing has been set for 6 April 1995, but the court's ruling is not expected before July 1995. The case will be referred back for a decision by the Court of Appeal following this ruling.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that the invalidity benefit claimants affected will receive the real value of
  735
  back payments of invalidity benefits made to them should the European Court uphold the social security commissioner's decision in respect of the payment of the benefit to women over 60 years.

  Mr. Hague
  Increased awards of invalidity benefit made as a 'result of the social security commissioner's decision—CS27/91—are being suspended pending the outcome of the appeal by the Secretary of State and the chief adjudication officer, except in cases of hardship. Any benefit which has been suspended will be paid in full if the commissioner's decision is upheld. There is no provision for the payment of interest in these circumstances.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants for invalidity benefit have been granted a suspension of his decision in respect of women over 60 years on grounds of hardship, while his appeal to the European Court over the social security commissioner's April 1992 decision is being resolved.

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is in the table.

  Suspensions of increased Invalidity Benefit awarded as a result of Commissioner's decision CS27/91

  Cases in which suspension applied

  Hardship applications

  Cases in which suspension lifted on hardship grounds

  41,560

  1,604

  994

  Notes:

  1. Figures relate to 31 March 1994, the latest date for which information is available centrally.

  Source:Manual count in Benefits Agency offices.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to publicise the independent living fund for disabled people.

  Mr. Hague
  The provision of information to potential clients of the independent living (1993) fund is a matter solely for the trustees. I understand from the fund's director that the trustees have a carefully focused programme to ensure that potential clients of the fund, and local authority social services departments which must support applications to the fund, are aware of the eligibility criteria and application procedures.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he made of the regional variations in the cost of a(a) new grave and (b) funeral in making his decision about funeral payments under the social fund.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We took account of a range of factors, including regional variations in costs, before making our proposals. These are now with the social security advisory committee. We expect to receive its report shortly.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will make a further allocation of funds to the discretionary social fund budget.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I am pleased to announce that due to further improvements in the recovery of social fund loans we have been able to make another additional 736
  allocation in the current financial year. A total of £2 million in equal amounts of £100,000 is to be made available to the Benefits Agency's area directorates on 16 February 1995. This is on top of the £13 million in additional allocations we were able to make in November 1994.

  The whole of the additional allocation will be devoted to social fund loans. We believe that social fund loans offer excellent value for money. They enable us to target available resources on those in most need and to recycle funds to help more applicants.

  Since the scheme started, we have been able to make nearly £1.3 billion worth of loans for an outlay of only £286 million. This expansion of the social fund loans budget will ensure that more people receive help and that the fund continues to play a valuable role in complementing mainstream social security provision.

  Details of individual district allocations have been placed in the Library.

  Mortgages (Insurance Cover)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about insurance cover on home mortgages from the insurance ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  None, but we will be seeking the views of the insurance ombudsman as part of the consultation process.

  Personal Assistants
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with his colleagues on the employment status of personal assistants, with special reference to personal assistants employed by(a) local authorities and (b) other bodies.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  We have had no discussions on this subject.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy that people who leave their job because of discrimination or exploitation at work should not be obliged to live on reduced income support or no benefit at all while their case is being investigated.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Government have considered this issue in the context of the introduction of the new jobseeker's allowance. Where a doubt arises as to whether a claimant has left his job without just cause, but the claimant satisfies the conditions of entitlement for jobseeker's allowance, the Government propose to pay benefit in full until a decision is reached on the case by an independent adjudication officer. This change will be introduced from April 1996.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy that suspension from unemployment benefit will not prejudice applications for hardship payments, and that each application will be decided on its merits alone.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Unemployment benefit is suspended where a question arises over the claimant's
  737
  entitlement. In such cases, hardship payments of income support are made at the discretion of an adjudication officer on a case-by-case basis. However, hardship payments may be made only to people who are not actively seeking work if they have children, are pregnant or have a pregnant partner, or a sick or disabled or have a partner who is sick or disabled.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many unemployed claimants(a) immediately draw income support, (b) draw only unemployment benefit, (c) draw unemployment benefit and means-tested support and (d) draw income support as the right to draw unemployment benefit ceases in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is contained in tables 1.1 of the "Quarterly Analyses of Unemployed Claimants", copies of which are in the Library.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many successful housing benefit applications for each district council in Scotland there have been in each financial year since 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Information is not available in the format requested. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on Thursday 27 October,Official Report, column 801. The available case load information for 1994 is set out in the table.

  Average housing benefit caseload for each district in Scotland 1994 (based on February, May and August 1994 data)

  District

  Average housing benefit caseload

  Aberdeen

  16,379

  Angus

  6,769

  Annandale and Eskdale

  2,517

  Argyll-Bute

  5,306

  Badenoch

  823

  Banff and Buchan

  5,531

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  923

  Berwickshire

  1,342

  Caithness

  2,033

  Clackmannan

  5,759

  Clydebank

  6,726

  Clydesdale

  4,540

  Cumbernauld

  2,656

  Cumnock and Doon

  5,329

  Cunninghame

  13,498

  Dumbarton

  7,421

  Dundee

  23,257

  Dunfermline

  10,977

  Housing benefit expenditure

  Scottish authorities

  1985–86 £

  1986–87 £

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Aberdeen

  8,730,000

  10,650,000

  13,280,000

  13,290,000

  14,760,000

  14,530,000

  15,580,000

  16,570,000

  18,330,000

  Angus

  4,110,000

  4,580,000

  4,880,000

  4,440,000

  5,160,000

  5,390,000

  5,740,000

  6,250,000

  6,970,000

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,760,000

  1,890,000

  2,010,000

  2,040,000

  2,160,000

  2,260,000

  2,570,000

  2,970,000

  3,380,000

  Argyll-Bute

  3,670,000

  3,890,000

  4,160,000

  4,230,000

  4,970,000

  5,510,000

  6,470,000

  7,900,000

  9,240,000

  Badenoch

  510,000

  600,00

  620,000

  640,000

  660,000

  670,000

  830,000

  1,090,000

  1,310,000

  Banff and Buchan

  3,500,000

  4,020,000

  4,110,000

  4,250,000

  4,790,000

  5,000,000

  5,170,000

  5,970,000

  6,470,000

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  520,000

  630,000

  750,000

  790,000

  870,000

  930,00

  1,140,000

  1,340,000

  1,510,000

  738

  Average housing benefit caseload for each district in Scotland 1994 (based on February, May and August 1994 data)

  District

  Average housing benefit caseload

  East Kilbride

  1,233

  East Lothian

  6,950

  Eastwood

  1,278

  Edinburgh

  41,671

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  2,246

  Falkirk

  14,297

  Glasgow

  124,771

  Gordon

  2,746

  Hamilton

  11,483

  Inverclyde

  11,058

  Inverness

  4,470

  Kilmarnock

  8,563

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1,670

  Kirkcaldy

  14,520

  Kyle and Carrick

  10,078

  Lochaber

  1,507

  Midlothian

  4,920

  Monklands

  13,659

  Moray

  5,487

  Motherwell

  18,488

  Nairn

  790

  Nithsdale

  4,346

  North East Fife

  3,729

  Orkney Isles

  964

  Perth and Kinross

  8,230

  Renfrew

  21,121

  Ross and Cromarty

  4,089

  Roxburgh

  3,069

  Shetland Isles

  1,038

  Skye and Lochalsh

  784

  Stewartry

  1,416

  Stirling

  6,695

  Strathkelvin

  3,948

  Sutherland

  1,015

  Tweeddale

  936

  West Lothian

  10,522

  Western Isles

  1,728

  Wigtown

  3,247

  Source:

  Housing Benefit Management Information System

  Notes:

  1. The above figures refer to benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.

  2. The average case-load is based on 100 per cent. inquiries taken at the end of February, May and August 1994. November 1994 figures are not yet available.

  3. When a local authority has failed to send in a return, figures have been estimated.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money was spent on housing benefit, for each district council area in Scotland in each financial year since 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is set out in the table.
  739

  Housing benefit expenditure

  Scottish authorities

  1985–86 £

  1986–87 £

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Berwickshire

  980,000

  1,010,000

  1,080,000

  1,120,000

  1,170,000

  1,220,000

  1,340,000

  1,530,000

  1,740,000

  Caithness

  1,200,000

  1,300,000

  1,490,000

  1,590,000

  1,730,000

  1,830,000

  2,060,000

  2,380,000

  2,660,000

  Clackmannan

  2,470,000

  2,780,000

  3,050,000

  3,110,000

  3,850,000

  4,330,000

  4,720,000

  5,180,000

  5,660,000

  Clydebank

  3,760,000

  4,530,000

  5,270,000

  5,840,000

  7,040,000

  7,670,000

  7,860,000

  8,110,000

  8,710,000

  Clydesdale

  2,390,000

  2,590,000

  2,750,000

  2,940,000

  3,280,000

  3,540,000

  3,930,000

  4,540,000

  5,170,000

  Cumbernauld

  1,190,000

  1,400,000

  1,600,000

  1,760,000

  2,110,000

  2,550,000

  3,180,000

  3,580,000

  3,830,000

  Cumnock and Doon

  2,440,000

  2,770,000

  3,130,000

  3,090,000

  3,430,000

  3,640,000

  4,290,000

  5,310,000

  5,980,000

  Cunninghame

  5,950,000

  7,340,000

  9,060,000

  9,240,000

  10,670,000

  11,580,000

  13,100,000

  15,450,000

  17,680,000

  Dumbarton

  3,160,000

  3,920,000

  4,990,000

  5,900,000

  6,960,000

  8,000,000

  8,660,000

  9,710,000

  11,090,000

  Dundee

  12,220,000

  14,340,000

  16,680,000

  18,890,000

  24,220,000

  27,750,000

  31,000,000

  34,600,000

  37,570,000

  Dunfermline

  5,170,000

  6,100,000

  6,870,000

  7,790,000

  9,130,000

  10,020,000

  11,290,000

  12,800,000

  14,290,000

  East Kilbride

  570,000

  670,000

  690,000

  670,000

  930,000

  1,090,000

  1,310,000

  1,670,000

  2,020,000

  East Lothian

  3,910,000

  4,540,000

  5,170,000

  5,560,000

  6,430,000

  6,800,000

  7,940,000

  8,410,000

  9,120,000

  Eastwood

  620,000

  680,000

  700,000

  720,000

  840,000

  910,000

  1,040,000

  1,560,000

  1,820,000

  Edinburgh

  33,380,000

  38,890,000

  49,370,000

  50,600,000

  57,520,000

  60,470,000

  65,160,000

  73,400,000

  79,750,000

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1,360,000

  1,400,000

  1,480,000

  1,470,000

  1,550,000

  1,680,000

  1,890,000

  2,290,000

  2,550,000

  Falkirk

  8,240,000

  9,150,000

  9,910,000

  10,060,000

  11,420,000

  12,040,000

  13,110,000

  14,600,000

  16,300,000

  Glasgow

  66,190,000

  81,480,000

  96,050,000

  106,050,000

  136,220,000

  153,520,000

  175,490,000

  194,090,000

  207,080,000

  Gordon

  1,520,000

  1,810,000

  1,940,000

  1,890,000

  2,190,000

  2,180,000

  2,630,000

  3,360,000

  3,690,000

  Hamilton

  5,820,000

  6,880,000

  7,980,000

  7,860,000

  9,350,000

  9,860,000

  10,680,000

  12,750,000

  14,100,000

  Inverclyde

  5,860,000

  6,770,000

  7,480,000

  7,760,000

  9,500,000

  10,610,000

  11,580,000

  13,550,000

  14,720,000

  Inverness

  2,340,000

  2,760,000

  3,230,000

  3,360,000

  4,600,000

  4,480,000

  4,960,000

  5,950,000

  6,980,000

  Kilmarnock

  4,420,000

  5,240,000

  5,940,000

  6,070,000

  6,970,000

  7,360,000

  8,230,000

  8,920,000

  9,910,000

  Kincardine and Deeside

  850,000

  1,020,000

  1,120,000

  1,060,000

  1,080,000

  1,210,000

  1,290,000

  1,610,000

  2,060,000

  Kirkcaldy

  7,780,000

  8,910,000

  9,880,000

  10,790,000

  12,810,000

  14,220,000

  15,890,000

  19,700,000

  22,080,000

  Kyle and Carrick

  5,680,000

  6,410,000

  7,020,000

  6,810,000

  8,450,000

  9,280,000

  10,320,000

  11,940,000

  15,170,000

  Lochaber

  1,090,000

  1,160,000

  1,220,000

  1,170,000

  1,230,000

  1,310,000

  1,520,000

  1,790,000

  2,180,000

  Midlothian

  2,960,000

  3,140,000

  3,310,000

  3,760,000

  4,330,000

  4,020,000

  4,180,000

  4,720,000

  5,530,000

  Monklands

  7,120,000

  9,430,000

  10,250,000

  10,920,000

  12,150,000

  12,580,000

  13,920,000

  15,060,000

  16,480,000

  Moray

  3,440,000

  3,770,000

  4,230,000

  4,480,000

  5,140,000

  5,310,000

  5,190,000

  6,000,000

  7,090,000

  Motherwell

  9,590,000

  10,730,000

  12,210,000

  12,710,000

  14,180,000

  15,030,000

  15,640,000

  17,910,000

  20,830,00

  Nairn

  460,000

  550,000

  620,000

  670,000

  680,000

  590,000

  690,000

  900,000

  1,050,000

  Nithsdale

  2,200,000

  2,540,000

  2,680,000

  2,790,000

  3,240,000

  3,600,000

  4,190,000

  5,220,000

  5,900,000

  North East Fife

  2,710,000

  3,190,000

  3,420,000

  3,520,000

  3,810,000

  3,790,000

  4,190,000

  4,830,000

  5,270,000

  Orkney

  530,000

  630,000

  740,000

  760,000

  930,000

  950,000

  1,100,000

  1,260,000

  1,420,000

  Perth and Kinross

  4,910,000

  5,440,000

  5,790,000

  5,550,000

  6,390,000

  7,160,000

  7,930,0000

  9,440,000

  10,320,000

  Renfrew

  9,800,000

  11,820,000

  13,510,000

  13,720,000

  15,980,000

  18,930,000

  21,810,000

  25,680,000

  28,620,000

  Ross and Cromarty

  2,370,000

  2,750,000

  3,000,000

  3,040,000

  3,380,000

  3,570,000

  4,210,000

  5,150,000

  6,160,000

  Roxburgh

  2,010,000

  2,190,000

  2,200,000

  2,240,000

  2,440,000

  2,520,000

  2,920,000

  3,840,000

  4,120,000

  Shetland

  590,000

  690,000

  730,000

  730,000

  840,000

  970,000

  1,160,000

  1,410,000

  1,550,000

  Skye and Lochalsh

  430,000

  520,000

  590,000

  580,000

  690,000

  790,000

  950,000

  1,140,000

  1,340,000

  Stewartry

  930

  1,020,000

  1,050,000

  1,060,000

  1,180,000

  1,260,000

  1,530,000

  1,800,000

  2,000,000

  Stirling

  3,930,000

  4,680,000

  5,320,000

  5,280,000

  6,030,000

  6,530,000

  7,360,000

  8,460,000

  9,890,000

  Strathkelvin

  2,480,000

  3,100,000

  3,510,000

  3,790,000

  3,970,000

  4,270,000

  4,860,000

  5,660,000

  6,450,000

  Sutherland

  610,000

  700,000

  730,000

  750,000

  780,000

  880,000

  1,010,000

  1,220,000

  1,460,000

  Tweeddale

  520,000

  620,000

  640,000

  730,000

  780,000

  850,000

  950,000

  1,100,000

  1,290,000

  Western Isles

  1,270,000

  1,300,000

  1,370,000

  1,560,000

  1,710,000

  1,810,000

  2,490,000

  2,650,000

  2,880,000

  West Lothian

  5,880,000

  6,520,000

  6,920,000

  6,560,000

  7,510,000

  7,890,000

  8,820,000

  10,180,000

  11,310,000

  Wigtown

  2,140,000

  2,300,000

  2,310,000

  2,390,000

  2,770,000

  2,920,000

  3,560,000

  4,510,000

  5,160,000

  Total

  280,340,000

  329,720,000

  380,090,000

  400,440,000

  476,970,000

  519,660,000

  580,630,000

  659,000,000

  727,220,000

  All figures rounded to the nearest £10,000.

  Source:

  Audited subsidy claims, except 1993–94 which is final subsidy claim.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were claiming(a) housing benefit and (b) council tax rebate at the last available date.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  At the end of August 1994, there were 4,667,000 recipients of housing benefit and 5,606,000 recipients of council tax benefit. A recipient may be a single person or a couple.

  Income Support
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current policy of his Department regarding payment of deductions from benefits for rent arrears to local authorities; and what changes to the policy he is considering.
  740
  Mr. Roger Evans
  Deductions from income support for rent arrears are paid to local authorities at intervals of 13 weeks and credited to tenants' rent accounts. There are no plans to change this policy.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total amount of income support annually given to families with(a) one adult working, (b) two adults working and (c) three or more adults working, specifying the amount given to people aged 18 to 24 years in each category; and how much is given to single parents in category (a);

  (2) how many families currently receiving income support have (a) one adult working, (b) two adults working and (c) three or more adults working, specifying

  741
  the number of people aged 18 to 24 years each category includes; and how many single parents are included in (a).

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is in the table.

  Information relating to part (c) is not available, as any working adults living in the same household as the claimant and their partner would claim income support in their own right.

  Number of families

  Average weekly income support £

  Estimated annual income support £ million

  One adult worker

  117,000

  72.88

  442

  of which:

  — single parents

  74,000

  67.08

  257

  — 18–24 year olds

  7,000

  56.16

  21

  Two adult workers

  1,000

  90.17

  2

  of which:

  — 18–24 year olds

  0

  0

  0

  Figures rounded to nearest thousand.

  Notes:

  1. Estimated annual income support is calculated as total weekly income support—number of families in the inquiry week multiplied by average weekly income support—multiplied by 52.

  2. Families have been taken to mean a single person or couple with dependants. Expenditure figures in the departmental report for families are benefits for lone parents only.

  3. Adult workers can be either the claimant or partner.

  4. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

  5. There may be some 18 to 24-year-old lone parents who will be included in both categories but will only be counted once i n the overall total.

  Source:

  6. Income support quarterly statistical inquiry—February 1994.

  Contribution Conditions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, columns 433–35, if he will publish the calculations of his Department on the number of claimants who lost (a) unemployment benefit, (b) sickness benefit or (c) retirement pension as a result of the changes in the contributory conditions since 1975.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Information relating to unemployment benefit and sickness benefit is not yet available. I will let the hon. Member have such information as becomes available as soon as possible.

  The information available in relation to retirement pension is as follows.

  No existing beneficiary lost entitlement to retirement pension as a result of the changes to the contribution conditions since 1975.

  For new beneficiaries, comparisons between notional entitlement under the pre-1975 legislation and actual entitlements are not available.

  In general, the 1975 changes made it easier for a person to qualify for retirement pension. The financial and explanatory memorandum to the 1972 Social Security Bill stated that the extra cost of the overall changes to the contribution conditions for benefits was likely to be small.

  Similarly, no financial savings were anticipated from the 1978–79 change to the definition of a qualifying year; I refer the hon. Member to the Official Report, 29 April 1975, column 355.
  742

  Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the organisational links between his Department and other departments which are concerned with countering benefit fraud.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Close and effective links are maintained between the Benefits Agency, the Employment Service, local authorities and the police to combat benefit fraud. Through its work with the ministerial group on crime prevention and other initiatives, the Department has also established contact with a number of other Departments and agencies.

  Asbestosis
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many sufferers from asbestosis paid back benefits to the compensation recovery unit of his Department in the period 1 April 1994 to 31 January 1995; and what was the range of repayments they made.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 February,Official Report, column 542.

  Residential Care and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of residents of care or nursing homes with preserved entitlements to Department of Social Security benefits who have currently insufficient personal resources to meet the costs of their care.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The number of residents with preserved rights to the higher limits of income support whose total entitlement to social security benefits does not meet the fees is about 78,500.

  Some of these residents may have disregarded benefits, income or capital which could be used to meet any shortfalls.

  Source: February 1994 quarterly statistical inquiry.

  Benefits Agency Medical Service
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claimants in each region, for each quarter ending March 1994, were examined by the Benefits Agency medical service; and how many were found capable of(a) all work and (b) alternative work;

  (2) how many claims for sickness and invalidity benefit were referred to the Benefits Agency medical service in each quarter since March 1994; how many of these resulted in an examination; and what were the outcomes (a) where examinations took place and (b) where they did not.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
  743
  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 15 February 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about examinations made by the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS). This was with regard to the number of customers found capable of work for each quarter ending March 1994; also from March 1994 with regard to the number of sickness and invalidity benefit cases referred to BAMS and the outcomes.
  The BAMS are asked to give an opinion on capacity for work by the independent Adjudication Officer (AO). The decision on the claim to benefit is made by the AO and whilst the AO may take the opinion of the BAMS into account in making a decision the AO is not bound by that opinion. An opinion that a customer is fit for work is not given by the BAMS without the customer being examined. If the evidence available to the BAMS suggests that the customer is incapable of all work, then there will usually be no need for an examination.
  For the year ending March 1994 I have provided information in respect of those cases referred to the BAMS to ask for an opinion on incapacity in relation to Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit. The information for the four quarters ending March 1994 is provided in Annexes A,B,C and D.
  The information requested from March 1994 is provided in Annexes E and F. Figures for the quarter ending 31 December 1994 will not be available until the end of February.
  It should be noted that the figures given may not accurately reflect cases referred to the BAMS within each quarter at each centre because relevant statistics are compiled at the date a case is cleared rather than the date it is received. All of the Annexes have been placed in the Library.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

PRIME MINISTER

  Private Office Staff
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Prime Minister how many of his private office staff are fluent in European languages and which ones.

  The Prime Minister
  A number of my staff are fluent in a number of European languages.

  Phoenix Project
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Prime Minister what response he has made to the letter dated 19 May 1994 from the leader of Somerset county council concerning the Phoenix project.

  The Prime Minister
  My office has no trace of the letter.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the conclusions or recommendations of paragraphs 11, 19, 20, 23, 29, 31, 35, 40 and 50 of the first report of the British Government on sustainable development, together with the Government's response in each case.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has welcomed the first report from the Government panel on sustainable development. The Government will consider the recommendations and respond in due course.
  744

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has had from Dr. David Fieldhouse, former police surgeon at Bradford, on the discrepancies between the Foreign Secretary's explanation of events concerning himself in relation to Lockerbie in December 1988 and Dr. Fieldhouse's own account of duties as a police surgeon as agreed by the Dumfries and Galloway police.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Knighthoods
  Mr. Sedgmore
  To ask the Prime Minister how many hon. Members have received knighthoods since the 1979 general election.

  The Prime Minister
  One hundred and twenty two hon. Members have received knighthoods since the 1979 general election.

  Oxfordshire Education Authority
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister, following his recent statement, how Oxfordshire education authority will be able to maintain its current pupil to teacher ratio in the financial year 1995–96.

  The Prime Minister
  Under local management of schools, it is for governing bodies to determine school staffing levels within the resources available to them, including reserves.

  Climate Change Convention
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Prime Minister, if he will be attending the meeting of the conference of the parties of the climate change convention, in Berlin in March.

  The Prime Minister
  No. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment hopes to attend.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 16 February.

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

  Special and Political Advisers
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Prime Minister how many ministerial special and political advisers were paid salaries in excess of the highest salary payable to a civil servant in each of the last five years; and what were the total annual salary payments to those advisers in each of those years.

  The Prime Minister
  None.
  745

  Single European Act
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will arrange for a copy of a report he commissioned from the head of the Cabinet Office European Secretariat, concerning the policy implications arising from the opt-out negotiated by Her Majesty's Government in 1985 to the Single European Act to be placed in the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  No. It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to disclose policy advice.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, what representations he has received expressing concern at the requirement under the Single European Act on non-British citizens settled in the United Kingdom, to obtain visas before making short visits to other member states of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware, none. The Single European Act contained no provisions relating to visa requirements.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, what action he proposes, in relation to the forthcoming intergovernmental conference, concerning the maintenance by the United Kingdom of its frontier immigration controls; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  We shall take whatever steps are necessary to maintain our frontier controls. It is too soon to decide whether we shall need to take action on this during next year's intergovernmental conference.

TREASURY

  Pool Betting Duty and Lottery Duty
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to address the tax anomaly between football pools operators and the national lottery in respect of the aggregate out-take from receipt for duty and good causes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have no present plans to change the rates of either pool betting duty or lottery duty. In his Budget speech on 16 March 1993, my right hon. Friend the member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont) said that, in deciding the tax rate of the national lottery, account was taken of the level of tax on other forms of gambling and the extent to which spending was likely to be diverted from other taxed activities. He went on to say that much would depend on how the lottery developed and the position would be kept under review. In his recent Budget speech, the Chancellor announced that the 1991 reduction in pools betting duty of 2.5 per cent., to help fund the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, should continue for another five years provided that the pools companies also continue to fund sport and the arts at their present level. HM Customs and Excise is monitoring the effect of the national lottery on receipts of pool betting duty and other gambling duties.

  Iraq (Sanctions)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what lists Customs and Excise prepared of countries or destinations which were possible diversionary routes for 746
  the evasion of sanctions at the time of, or after, the passing of the Iraq sanctions orders in 1990.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Customs and Excise has prepared a number of lists at different times, based on intelligence currently available, to assist its officers to prevent breaches of the Iraq sanctions orders. It is not Customs' policy to make public such information provided in confidence to support operational effectiveness.

  Civil Servants (Rail Travel Costs)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of rail travel incurred by civil servants in the course of their duties; and what proportion of this total represents the cost of(a) first class and (b) standard class travel for each year since 1991.

  Sir George Young
  Government Departments and agencies are responsible for the travel arrangements of staff travelling on official business. Details of the costs of rail travel and the class of travel used by civil servants are not held centrally.

  UK Residents
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were United Kingdom residents for tax purposes but not domiciled in the UK for each year since 1991.

  Sir George Young
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  European Community Budget
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the final adopted version of the EU budget for a 15-member Community; and if he will publish figures showing the level of expenditure for 1995 for all 15 members.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The 1995 EC budget was adopted by the President of the European Parliament on 15 December 1994 on the basis of 15 member states. It will be published soon in the Official Journal.

  The total commitments in 1995 amount to 80.9 billion ecu, or £63.8* billion and total payments to 76.5 billion ecu, or £60.4 billion. The budget does not give details of expenditure receipts by member state.
  *Throughout this reply an exchange rate of £1=1.2675 ecu has been used.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the process of Her Majesty's Treasury's drawing up a supplementary and amending budget which allocates the additional expenditure to the detailed EU budget headings among new member states.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The 1995 EC budget which was adopted by the President of the European Parliament on 15 December 1994 includes provision for additional expenditure to take account of enlargement.

  The Commission will shortly be proposing a preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget which will allocate the additional expenditure to individual EC budget headings, as necessary. The Government will carefully consider the proposal, which will be subject to the usual parliamentary scrutiny procedure.
  747

  Review Body on Senior Salaries
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer in 1995–96 of implementing the review body on senior salaries 17th report.

  Mr. Aitken
  The estimated cost in 1995–96 of implementing the seventeenth report of the review body on senior salaries is £5.7 million, which includes salary increases and associated national insurance and pension contributions. It will be met from the existing public expenditure provision.

  Group of Seven Meeting
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much time the Group of Seven Finance Ministers and central bank governors spent discussing the long-term ecological sustainability of economic activity at their recent meeting in Toronto.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There was no discussion of this issue.

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

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: Expenditure by HM Treasury and the Chancellor's agencies on advertising in the period 1988–89 to 1993–94 at 1993–94 prices, and the spend to date in 1994–95 is shown in the table. Figures for other years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  HM Treasury £

  Privatisation for which HMT responsible £

  Agencies £

  1988–89

  64,900

  —

  —

  1989–90

  70,822

  —

  434,550

  1990–91

  49,671

  —

  779,087

  1991–92

  112,096

  13,976,853

  82,255

  1992–93

  50,204

  —

  399,420

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994 (part)

  Cattle

  2

  0

  0

  0

  246

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sheep

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  265

  0

  0

  334

  0

  287

  Pigs

  285

  1,041

  717

  598

  643

  817

  859

  796

  264

  184

  1,032

  Poultry

  43,944

  110,141

  151,232

  229,701

  273,240

  325,835

  471,649

  718,366

  762,625

  183,018

  662,126

  Source:

  HM Customs and Excise

  British Beef (German Import Restrictions)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the continuing German restrictions on the import of British beef, what representation he has received concerning the legality of the restrictions; and what action the Government can take to resolve the issue.

  Mrs. Browning
  The German Government have implemented the European Commission decision on BSE rules for the export of UK beef to other member states,
  748

  Year

  HM Treasury £

  Privatisation for which HMT responsible £

  Agencies £

  1993–94

  19,651

  10,810,000

  536,046

  1994–95

  2,373

  7,603,000

  446,071

  Tiger Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of all tiger products seized in 1994 and in 1995 to date by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: The figures are as follows:

  1994

  1 tiger skin

  9 tiger teeth

  41 packets of tigerbone plasters

  1,726 individual tigerbone plasters

  20 x 70 cl bottles of tigerbone tincture

  96 bottles of tigerbone pills

  1995 (to date)

  10 packets and 1 bottle of tigerbone pills.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Elliot Morley
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the number and type of livestock exported for(a) slaughter and (b) further fattening to Greece in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Jack
  Official trade statistics for total numbers of livestock exported to Greece between 1984 and 1993, and in the first nine months of 1994, are given in the table. These statistics do not distinguish animals for slaughter or for fattening. However, information derived from 'the Animo computer system in 1994 shows that health certification issued for sheep and pigs being exported to Greece has been for breeding animals only.

  which exempt meat from animals born after 1 January 1992 from any special trade conditions. In some German Lander, however, there are voluntary trade bans on the importation of UK beef. The European Commission has written to the German authorities questioning the legality of these voluntary bans under Community law. I welcome this prompt action by the European Commission.

  The Government have received no representations about these developments, but will continue to seek the respect of EC law in this area.
  749

EMPLOYMENT

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the real increase in take-home pay of a single man at the lowest 10 per cent. of the earnings distribution, between(a) 1973–74 and 1978–1979 and (b) 1978–79 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Real take-home pay for a single man at the lowest 10 per cent. of the earnings distribution fell by 1 per cent. between 1973–74 and 1978–79 and increased by 23 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1993–94.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether benefit can be reclaimed if a claimant who was taking steps to carry out a reasonable direction for purposes of seeking entitlement to jobseeker's allowance benefit fails to do so.

  Miss Widdecombe
  If a claimant fails to carry out a jobseeker's direction which was reasonable having regard to his circumstances, the adjudication officer will consider whether he had good cause for doing so in deciding whether to impose a sanction. Jobseeker's allowance will be paid in full until the adjudication officer has made the decision.

  If the adjudication officer decides that the claimant failed without good cause to carry out the direction, a sanction will be applied for two weeks. Vulnerable groups will have access to hardship payments during a period of sanction.

  Unemployment
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people, and what proportion of the unemployed, left unemployment in each quarter since 1974 to(a) go into work and (b) leave the labour force altogether; and what figures he has for those in each category who had been unemployed for (i) 0 to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) one to two years and (iv) two years or more.

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

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, how many people were unemployed in each quarter since 1974 for(a) under a year, (b) between one year and two and (c) more than two years.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The information on claimant unemployment by duration is available on a quarterly basis from October 1983 and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Information on ILO unemployment by duration can be obtained via the quantime labour force survey service in the Library and is available annually from spring 1984 until spring 1992 and quarterly thereafter.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons and what percentage of the work force have been unemployed for(a) under six months and (b) six to 12 months, (c) 12 to 24 months and (d) over 24 months, in Islwyn in each year since 1979 expressing the figure quarterly and breaking the data down by gender.
  750
  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information on the unadjusted level of claimant unemployment by duration in each local authority district or parliamentary constituency is available from October 1983 onwards, for the months of January, April, July and October, and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Claimant unemployment by duration cannot be calculated as a percentage of the work-force below the level of travel-to-work-areas.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people entered unemployment in each quarter since 1974; and what are the figures as a proportion of the labour force.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Unadjusted figures for claimant unemployment flows in the United Kingdom are available monthly from June 1986 and can be obtained, together with work force denominators, from the NOMIS database in the Library. No information is available on ILO unemployment flows.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of people were unemployed in Islwyn in each quarter since 1979, breaking the data down by gender.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information on the unadjusted level of claimant unemployment in each local authority district or parliamentary constituency is available from July 1983 and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Claimant unemployment rates are not available below the level of travel-to-work areas.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what EU schemes or projects to assist areas of unemployment have benefited Coventry and the west midlands; how much the United Kingdom has benefited from these schemes over the last five years; and what assessment he has made of whether the formulae used by France, Germany and Holland over the last five years to calculate unemployment would have increased the amounts of money coming in the form of grants to Britain to help the unemployed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on funding from the European social fund from 1990 to 1993 is set out in the table. It covers Warwickshire, the west midlands and Great Britain. It is not possible to produce comprehensive figures below county level except at disproportionate cost. The 1994 figures at regional and county level are not yet available.

  In so far as unemployment levels are a factor in determining allocations from ESF, the European Commission uses the International Labour Organisation measure of unemployment published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities. This is an international standard across all European Union countries. Allocations to the UK are thus made on the same basis as those to every other member state.
  751

  ESF funding in Warkwickshire, West Midlands and Great Britain, 1990–1993

  £ pounds

  Year

  Warwickshire

  West Midlands

  Great Britain

  1990

  476,152

  12,034,653

  287,936,452

  1991

  489,787

  22,878,238

  361,623,462

  1992

  517,319

  16,658,843

  361,157,739

  1993

  614,524

  24,795,153

  494,417,781

  Note:

  (i) The figures cover payments made under all the EC Structural Fund Objectives but exclude payments made under Community Initiatives.

  (ii) Warwickshire and West Midlands also benefitted over the period from ESF support for National Government training programmes, figures for which are included in the third column but not the first two.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the differences in calculating figures for unemployed people in the United Kingdom and in France, Germany and Holland; how Britain benefits by using a different calculation; and whether the use of a different formula for calculating the unemployed puts Britain at an advantage or disadvantage regarding assistance from European funds in the form of grants to fund schemes for unemployment.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The United Kingdom, in common with most other European Union countries produces two official measures of unemployment: an administratively based count and a labour force survey measure based on the internationally standard measure of unemployment defined by the International Labour Organisation and which forms the basis for international comparisons. Details of the measures of unemployment used by the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Holland can be found in an article in the September 1992,Employment Gazette entitled, "How Unemployment is Measured in Different Countries".

  The European Commission allocates money from the European social fund to member states using the ILO unemployment measure, published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities. This is an international standard across all EU countries. Allocations to the UK are, thus, made on the same basis as those to every other EU member state.

  Trade Union Membership
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if employers are required to inform employees who do not re-authorise the renewal of their trade union membership subscriptions under the terms of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 that they will cease to be members of their trade union.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  No. An employee who does not authorise the continuance of deductions from pay for trade union subscriptions may have moved to another means of payment.

  Labour Statistics
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, columns 769–70, if he will list for each region in the United Kingdom, since 1979, the number of persons in (a) full-time work and (b) part-time work
  752
  earning (i) less than £1.50 an hour, (ii) between £1.50 and £2.50 an hour and (iii) between £2.50 and £3.50 an hour, also breaking these figures down by gender and the percentage each figure is of the work force.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information on the distributions of hourly earnings of full-time adult workers in the regions of Great Britain is shown in table 115 of part E of the new earnings survey reports. Similar information on part-time women workers is shown in table 117 of part F. Copies of these reports are available in the Library.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the ratio between the UK activity rate and the UK unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the ratio between the Welsh activity rate and the Welsh unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what was the ratio between the UK female activity rate and the UK female unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what was the ratio between the UK male activity rate and the UK male unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what was the ratio between the Welsh male activity rate and the Welsh male unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what was the ratio between the Welsh female activity rate and the Welsh female unemployment rate for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Job Opportunities
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment pursuant to the oral answer on 10 January to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms Quin),Official Report, column 7, if he will list the international evidence in support of the assertion that ore regulated economies are less successful in creating job opportunities; and what other information he has on this issue.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms Quin) on 10 February 1995,Official Report, columns 473–74.

  Unfair Dismissal
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the effect of the proposals to change the law on unfair dismissal for part-time workers and on those working fewer than eight hours per week.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Following the coming into effect on 6 February of the Employment Protection (Part-Time Employees) Regulations 1995, all employees, including those working fewer than eight hours per week, qualify to bring complaints of unfair dismissal after completing two years' continuous service. The effect of this change on business and employment opportunities will be carefully monitored.
  753

  South Thames Training and Enterprise Council
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when Central London TEC will agree new contracts with the former providers of training and services to South Thames TEC.

  Mr. Paice
  CENTEC is currently drawing Lip its proposals to undertake training and enterprise council responsibilities in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. If these negotiations go well, CENTEC should be able to complete contracting arrangements for the beginning of the new contract year on 27 March 1995.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who is responsible for paying the money owed by South Thames TEC to Community Industry in Peckham for work up to 7th November 1994.

  Mr. Paice
  All payments owed to providers by South Thames training and enterprise council prior to 7 November 1994 are a matter for the receiver.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the Grant Thornton report on the circumstances that led up to the failure of South Thames TEC.

  Mr. Paice
  The Grant Thornton work was commissioned on the basis that it was for the internal consideration of the Department only and was not intended as a public document. However, for the information and inspection of hon. Members, a copy of the report is available in the Library.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Disabled People (Access)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, pursuant to his answer a 8 February,Official Report, columns 243–46, if he visited Westminster Hall on 9 February; and if he will make a statement on the means of access and the facilities that were made available to disabled people attending the lobby by disabled people held on that day.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  I visited Westminster Hall during the course of the mass lobby and was satisfied that the arrangements for access to the hall itself were satisfactory. The Committee's proposals to improve access for disabled people to the Grand Committee Room from Westminster Hall are described in my answer to my hon. Friend on 8 February, columns 243–46. The facilities provided for the organisation of a mass lobby are a matter for the Administration Committee and my hon. Friend may wish to refer any specific matter of particular concern to that Committee.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Doncaster Prison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number and annual cost of staff at Doncaster prison; and what are the figures in respect of the agreed tender.
  754
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 16 February 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of and annual cost of staff at Doncaster prison.
  The Prison Service pays a fee to Premier Prison Services Ltd to manage Doncaster prison. It is not broken down into elements such as pay. It is therefore not possible for us to say how much the annual cost of staff is. This is a matter for the company.
  The tender assumed a staffing level of 356 staff. The contract signed with Premier Prison Services Ltd anticipated that additional staff or other resources might be necessary and allowed for the employment of further staff. Costs of additional staff who are authorised by the Prison Service are borne largely by the Prison Service. The price paid by the Prison Service is, however, limited to the maximum permitted by the contract, which equates to the cost per place of £295 per week published at the time of contract award. The Prison Service has authorised the employment of a further 55 staff.
  I understand that Premier Prison Services has employed a further 24 staff for whom they have not sought reimbursement from the Prison Service and the costs of whose employment are borne entirely by the company. This brings the total number of staff to 435.

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

  Mr. Howard
  I wrote to the right hon. Member on 9 February.

  Sikhs (Refugees and Asylum Seekers)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Sikhs have been granted exceptional leave to remain in each year since 1984.

  (2) how many sikhs have been granted political asylum since 1984.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on Sikhs is not separately identifiable in the statistics. The number of Indian nationals recognised as refugees and granted asylum during the period 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1994 was five, and 30 were granted exceptional leave during the same period. Information for the years 1985 to 1993 is given in tables 3.1 and 3.2 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin: "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1993", issue 17/94 published on 14th July 1994, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Long Lartin Prison
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the death in Long Lartin prison of Mr. Norman Manning; if he has established whether it was racially motivated; and if he will instigate further police investigations into the causes of his death.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  755
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 16 February 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the death of Mr. Norman Manning in Long Lartin prison on 29 September last year.
  Mr. Manning's death was immediately reported to the police and their investigation started straight away. These inquiries are still in progress and as yet nobody has been charged with any offence. The conduct of the police investigation is a matter for the Chief Officer of the West Mercia Constabulary.
  I am unable to say whether or not further inquiries may be necessary, nor in these circumstances can I comment on the motive for the killing.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 896–98, (1) how many and what proportion of in-country asylum seekers who were refused both asylum and exceptional leave to remain in 1992 to 1994 have been removed; how many of the balance remain in detention; how many others are required to report regularly to the police or immigration authorities; and in how many cases their addresses are unknown to the authorities;

  (2) how many and what proportion of those citizens of foreign countries, whose in-country application for asylum or exceptional leave to remain were refused in the years 1992 to 1994 have not been removed or left voluntarily; what assessment he has made of the reasons for this; what steps he proposes to take to secure their removal; what reasons underlie the exclusion of people in this category from the statistics published by his Department for inward immigration to the United Kingdom; and if he will now publish revised figures in respect of each of the past five years including those and other categories of illegal entrants known to his Department

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question on 3 February 1995,Official Report, columns 896–98, which provided the available information on the number of refusals of in-country applications for asylum in 1992–1994, and the number of removals and voluntary departures in 1992–94, of failed in-country asylum applicants. Information before 1992 is not available. Those removed are not necessarily included in the figures for those refused in the same time period and thus it is not possible to determine the proportion of refusals who were not removed.

  In-country asylum applicants are included in the Department's statistics on the number entering the United Kingdom who are subject to immigration control, most of whom enter as visitors or students. These figures are published in table 3.1 of the Command Paper "Control of Immigration Statistics 1993". In addition, separate statistics on asylum applications are published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics UK 1993". Copies of both are available in the Library.

  The available figures for departures relating to those refused asylum or exceptional leave to remain are for those removed or who embark voluntarily after deportation or illegal entry action has commenced against them. The difference in the published statistics between the number refused asylum or exceptional leave to remain and the number removed or who voluntarily departed in a given year will include persons who are awaiting the
  756
  outcome of an appeal; are allowed to remain after a successful appeal; have withdrawn their claim for asylum; have left the country before steps had been taken to enforce their departure; and those granted permission to stay in another capacity, for example, marriage.

  Removal of failed asylum seekers who fail to leave of their own volition is possible only after all rights of appeal in this country have been exhausted. At that stage, the immigration service will take the appropriate steps to trace and remove failed asylum seekers.

  As at 30 January 1995, 225 persons who had applied for asylum in country were detained, pending the outcome of an appeal or awaiting removal. In addition, as at 13 February 1995, 1,773 persons who had applied for asylum in-country and had been refused asylum or exceptional leave between 1992 to 1994, were placed on restriction orders or granted temporary admission, requiring them to report to the police on a regular basis and/or restricting their place of residence. A further 220 persons are known to have absconded or are classified as missing.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 896–98, by what date at the present rate of progress, he expects to clear the backlog of 55,255 applications for asylum dependants, outstanding at 31 December 1994; of these how many entered the United Kingdom claiming some grounds other than as asylum seekers; and how many are being detained under secure conditions.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The rate at which the backlog of undecided asylum applications can be reduced will depend in part on the number of applications received in the future. It is therefore not possible to give a reliable forecast of when it might be reduced to a minimum working level. Information is not available on the proportion of the backlog that applied in country for asylum.

  As at 30 January 1995, 139 persons were detained who are awaiting an initial decision on their asylum applications.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences against wild birds were alleged, and how many of these resulted in successful prosecutions, in each year since 1990;

  (2) how many cases of the persecution of birds of prey have been recorded in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  The number of cases of persecution of birds of prey is not recorded centrally.

  The numbers of defendants prosecuted and convicted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from 1990 to 1993, latest available, for offences related to birds are given in the table. Information is not collected centrally as to the species involved.
  757

  Number of defendants prosecuted and convicted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of offences related to birds, 1990–93 England and Wales

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Offence description

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

  Protection of wild birds [Section 1]

  35

  45

  44

  48

  24

  33

  33

  32

  Protection of nests and eggs of wild birds [Section 1]

  5

  14

  9

  16

  2

  12

  7

  8

  Illegal entry into bird sanctuaries [Section 3]

  2

  3

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Protection of wild birds in sanctuaries [Section 3]

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Protection of the nests and eggs of wild birds in sanctuaries [Section 3]

  3

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  1

  Prohibition of certain methods of lulling or taking wild birds [Section 5]

  11

  7

  7

  10

  9

  6

  5

  8

  Protection of captive birds [Section 8]

  7

  1

  4

  3

  7

  —

  4

  2

  Fire Service College
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present financial position of the Fire Service college; what assessment he has made of its future position and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Fire Service college became a next steps agency, operating as a trading fund on 1 April 1992. The published accounts for the financial year 1993–94 show a deficit of £2.7 million. A similar loss is predicted for 1994–95.

  Number of defendants prosecuted and convicted of offences under The Football (Offences) Act 1991, 1992 and 1993 England and Wales

  1992

  1993

  Offence description

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Throwing a missile at or towards the playing area or any area in which spectators or other persons may be present [Section 2]

  34

  27

  31

  24

  Taking part in indecent or racialist chanting [Section 3]

  31

  21

  17

  10

  Going onto the playing or adjacent area without lawful authority or lawful excuse [Section 4]

  275

  246

  268

  218

  Metropolitan Police Committee
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the names of nominees to the Metropolitan police committee from the London Boroughs Association and the Association of London Authorities;

  (2) which serving members of local authorities in London were appointed to the Metropolitan police committee; and what was the source of their nomination or recommendation;

  (3) if the local authority associations for London were consulted on the composition of, or invited to submit nominations for the Metropolitan police committee: and if he will make a statement;

  (4) how many nominations to the Metropolitan police committee submitted by the Association of London Authorities or London Boroughs Association were accepted.

  Mr. Maclean
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for East
  758
  With the assistance of external consultants, a review is being undertaken of options for the college's future status and financial structure.

  Football Offences
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal proceedings involving alleged offences contained in sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991 were pursued in 1993 and 1994; and how many convictions were secured.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for 1992 and 1993 is given in the table below.

  The 1994 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Hampshire (Mr. Mates) on 9 February, columns 382 –83. Two of the 11 members of the Metropolitan police committee whose appointment my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 9 February are also serving members of local authorities in London. Councillor Heaster was suggested by the leader of Wandsworth borough and Councillor Mrs. O'Neill applied directly. A large number of organisations with an interest in the policing of London, including the London local authority associations, were invited to suggest the names of people who might be invited to apply for membership of the Metropolitan police committee but we made it clear that members would be appointed individually, and not as representatives of any particular body. There was no system of nomination. The names suggested by the London Boroughs Association were Councillor Mrs Hanham, Councillor Tope and Councillor Ms Walker; and those by the Association of London Authorities were Councillor Sawyer, Councillor Harris, Councillor Colman and Councillor Ms Hughes. None were appointed.
  759

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many payments have been made to applicants to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in 1993–94; and how much was paid out;

  (2) how many payments have been offered to applicants to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in 1994–95; and how much in total has been offered;

  (3) what was the average time taken to make an offer under the criminal injuries compensation scheme in 1994–95: and what has been the average time taken to make an offer under the tariff scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board made 40,635 monetary awards in 1993–94, paying out £165.111 million in compensation.

  In the period 1 April 1994 to 31 January 1995, approximately 33,000 offers of payment totalling £129 million were made under the old, 1990 scheme, and some 1,560 offers of award totalling £4 million were made under the tariff scheme.

  Comparable information about the average time taken to make awards under the two schemes is not available.

  Horseracing Betting Levy
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sums were raised by the off-course levy collected by the Horseracing Betting Levy Board in 1993 and 1994; and what sums were collected via the 0.25 per cent. duty reduction available to horseracing over the same periods.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The yield for the 32nd levy scheme was £51.6 million; figures for the previous two schemes were £46.9 million—31st levy scheme—and £36 million—30th scheme. The amount made available to the horseracing industry from the reduction in general betting duty in 1992 is not calculated centrally. The effect of the reduction was taken into account in determining the structure of the 31st levy scheme and in subsequent levy settlements.

  British Greyhound Fund
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what receipts have been paid into the British Greyhound Fund for 1994, or to the latest available date: and if he will estimate the percentage that they represent of the total sum that would have been available if all off-course betting shops had contributed their 0.25 per cent. of betting duty during that period;

  (2) what have been the main areas to benefit from the distribution of funds by the British Greyhound Fund since its establishment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand that the fund received income of £1.9 million in 1993–94 as payments from bookmakers in respect of the voluntary agreement arising from the duty concession in the 1992 Budget. Figures are not available centrally for the sum which would have been raised if all off-course bookmakers were contributing in full to the fund.
  760
  I understand that the fund allocates money to benefit areas such as prize money, integrity services and improvements to tracks, including maintenance and lighting.

  Mr. Habid Ur Rehman
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Habid Ur Rehman, the sponsor of his wife, Mrs. Amina Bibi, who has applied to the United Kingdom post in Islamabad to join her husband in the United Kingdom—Ref: IMM/C 3835—will be interviewed by immigration officials at Leeds/Bradford airport; when his Department recorded any request from Islamabad for Mr. Rehman to be interviewed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The request from the British high commission in Islamabad for an interview with Mr. Rehman was received by the Home Office on 7 November 1994 and the papers are, at present, in a queue at Leeds/Bradford airport awaiting the arrangements of an interview. There are other similar cases at Leeds/Bradford airport which have been awaiting a sponsor interview longer than Mr. Rehman and to offer him an earlier interview date would serve only to disadvantage others in the queue.

  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, into which prison category escapes from prison in (a) 1979, (b) 1984–85 and (c) 1993–94 figures fell; and if the escapes include escapes from escorts to prison.

  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 16 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, into which prison category escapes from prisons in (a) 1979, (b) 1984–85 and (c) 1993–94 figures fell; and if the escapes include escapes from escorts to prisons.
  The tables below show the revised figures for the escapes from Prison Service establishments and prison escorts that occurred in the calendar year 1979, the period 1 January 1984 to 31 March 1985 and for the financial year ending 31 March 1994. The figures for 1979 and 1984–85 have been revised in line with my answer to your Question F01470 I.

  1 January 1979–31 December 1979

  Escapes from Category B Prisons

  12

  Escapes from Category C Prisons

  94

  Escapes from Closed Borstals

  118

  Escapes from Closed Detention Centres

  8

  Sub Total

  232

  Escapes from Escort

  94

  Note:

  Information on Borstal and Detention Centres Escapes from Escort is not available.
  761

  Fifteen month period due to change from calendar to Financial Year 1 January 1984–31 March 1985

  Escapes from Category B Prisons

  15

  Escapes from Category C Prisons

  105

  Escapes from closed YCCs

  73

  Escapes from Closed Detention Centres

  14

  Escapes from Closed Female Establishments

  4

  Sub-total

  211

  Escapes from escort

  195

  Total

  406

  1 April 1993–31 March 1994

  Escapes from Category B Prisons

  24

  Escapes from Category C Prisons

  96

  Escapes from Closed YOIs

  50

  Escapes from Closed Female Establishments

  1

  Sub-total

  171

  Escapes from escort

  1102

  Total

  273

  1 This figure does not include 23 escapes from escorts which were not the responsibility of the Prison Service prior to Agency status.

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what notice is given to prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons in the United Kingdom before a cell search takes place.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 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. Elizabeth Peacock, dated 16 February 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the searching of prisoners' cells.
  If a prisoner is available when a cell is to be searched, he or she will be informed that the search is to take place. He or she will be allowed to view the search from the cell doorway, under the observation of staff.
  The Woodcock enquiry recommended that in future at all closed prisons prisoners should be excluded from the cell during search, to avoid intimidation. This was part of a wider recommendation on changes to searching procedures.

WALES

  Local Government Employees
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  The latest available information is shown in the following table. Local authority staffing figures are maintained by the Local Government Management Board. There are currently no arrangements for providing the information in the way requested.
  762

  Population, number of staff employed and political control of each local authority in Wales

  Population1 (000s)

  Total Staff

  Staff per 1,000 population

  Political control

  County Councils

  Clwyd

  416

  14,041

  33.8

  LAB

  Dyfed

  352

  14,733

  41.9

  IND

  Gwent

  450

  17,988

  39.9

  LAB

  Gwynedd

  240

  9,342

  38.9

  IND

  Mid Glamorgan

  544

  21,578

  39.6

  LAB

  Powys

  120

  3—

  3—

  IND

  South Glamorgan

  413

  14,531

  35.2

  LAB

  West Glamorgan

  371

  14,109

  38.0

  LAB

  Borough/District Councils

  Aberconwy

  54

  483

  8.9

  NOC

  Alyn and Deeside

  75

  601

  8.0

  LAB

  Arfon

  57

  561

  9.9

  PC

  Blaenau Gwent

  77

  1,119

  14.5

  LAB

  Brecknock

  42

  251

  6.0

  IND

  Cardiff

  299

  3,630

  12.2

  LAB

  Carmarthen

  56

  454

  8.1

  IND

  Ceredigion

  69

  559

  8.1

  IND

  Colwyn

  57

  465

  8.2

  LDEM

  Cynon Valley

  65

  634

  9.7

  LAB

  Delyn

  70

  661

  9.4

  IND

  Dinefwr

  39

  246

  6.4

  LAB

  Dwyfor

  27

  258

  9.5

  IND

  Glyndwr

  42

  345

  8.2

  IND

  Islwyn

  67

  736

  11.0

  LAB

  Llanelli

  74

  732

  9.9

  LAB

  Lliw Valley

  65

  568

  8.8

  LAB

  Meirionnydd

  33

  349

  10.7

  PC

  Merthyr Tydfil

  60

  771

  12.9

  LAB

  Monmouth

  78

  570

  7.3

  CON

  Montgomeryshire

  54

  460

  8.5

  IND

  Neath

  66

  626

  9.5

  LAB

  Newport

  137

  1,426

  10.4

  LAB

  Ogwr

  135

  1,259

  9.3

  LAB

  Port Talbot

  51

  533

  10.4

  LAB

  Preseli Pembroke

  71

  585

  8.3

  IND

  Radnorshire

  24

  207

  8.5

  IND

  Rhondda

  78

  975

  12.4

  LAB

  Rhuddlan

  55

  495

  9

  IND

  Rhymney Valley

  104

  1,188

  11.4

  LAB

  South Pembroke

  43

  331

  7.7

  IND

  Swansea

  189

  2,528

  13.4

  LAB

  Taff Ely

  101

  804

  7.9

  LAB

  Torfaen

  91

  905

  10.0

  LAB

  Vale of Glamorgan

  115

  868

  7.6

  LAB

  Wrexham Maelor

  117

  1,297

  11.1

  LAB

  Ynys Mon

  69

  536

  7.7

  IND

  1 OPCS 1993 mid-year estimate.2 Joint staffing watch data, June 1994 (provisional) except for Aberconwy (March 1993 figure) and Cynon Valley (March 1994 provisional figure); number of persons, full or part-time, in general services (excluding law or order).

  3 —denotes data not available for 1993 or 1994.

  Cadw
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when Cadw will reopen an office in Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This is a matter for the agency and I have asked the chief executive, Mr. John Carr, to write to the hon. Member.
  763
  Letter from E. A. J. Carr to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 13 February 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question in which you asked when Cadw would re-open an office in Gwynedd.
  The Agency has never had a public office in Gwynedd although it does have a Works management unit at Caernarfon. Our professional and field staff, however, travel frequently throughout Wales, providing a direct point of contact for members of public who may be potential grant applicants; offering advice to local authorities on statutory procedures and best practice in conservation; and also liaising with a range of bodies and organisations which have an interest in preserving and promoting the built heritage of Wales.
  Cadw is committed to improving the standard of services it provides to the public generally and its customers, in particular, across the range of Agency activities. The views of customers on how well they feel we deliver those services, and suggestions for how we may better meet their needs, are always welcome and given careful consideration.
  At present, however, the Agency has no plans to open a public office in the North Wales area.

  Nature Conservation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will issue planning policy guidance on nature conservation in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Draft guidance is being prepared and I intend to consult Welsh interests before the summer.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish a Welsh Office equivalent of planning policy guidance 9, "Nature Conservation".

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Draft guidance is being prepared and I intend to consult Welsh interests before the summer.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if it is his policy to implement in Wales the United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development in January 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government's strategy for sustainable development, published in January 1994, covers all parts of the United Kingdom; and provides a framework for action. In line with this, on 31 January 1995, my right hon. Friend published "The Environmental Agenda for Wales" setting out our plans for striking a sensible balance between development and conservation needs in the Principality. A copy of the agenda is available in the Library of the House.

  Environmental Agenda
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the status of his statement on the environmental agenda for Wales in the planning system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The agenda reflects existing planning policies and should be taken into account by local planning authorities, where relevant, together with detailed planning policy guidance.

  Community Areas and Councils
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each county and district council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole the number of(a) community areas, (b) community and town councils and (c) community ix town councils which have (i) ceased
  764
  to exist or (ii) been established during each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested by the hon. Member at(c) can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information requested at (a) and (b) is set out in the following table.

  Numbers of community areas and town/community councils in Wales

  County Councils

  District borough councils

  Numbers of community areas

  Numbers of town community councils

  Clwyd

  127

  122

  Alyn and Deeside

  13

  13

  Colwyn

  19

  16

  Delyn

  21

  21

  Glyndwr

  35

  35

  Rhuddlan

  10

  8

  Wrexham Maelor

  29

  29

  Dyfed

  202

  202

  Carmarthen

  41

  41

  Ceredigion

  51

  51

  Dinefwr

  23

  23

  Llanelli

  9

  9

  Preseli

  Pembrokeshire

  52

  52

  South Pembrokeshire

  26

  26

  Gwent

  82

  66

  Blaenau Gwent

  9

  5

  Islwyn

  12

  0

  Monmouth

  31

  31

  Newport

  14

  14

  Torfaen

  16

  16

  Gwynedd

  122

  122

  Aberconwy

  18

  18

  Arfon

  17

  17

  Dwyfor

  17

  17

  Meirionnydd

  30

  30

  Ynys Mon

  40

  40

  Mid Glamorgan

  100

  50

  Cynon Valley

  11

  3

  Merthyr Tydfil

  12

  1

  Ogwr

  22

  22

  Rhondda

  31

  0

  Rhymney Valley

  14

  14

  Taff Ely

  10

  10

  Powys

  108

  108

  Brecknock

  36

  36

  Montgomeryshire

  45

  45

  Radnorshire

  27

  27

  South Glamorgan

  54

  28

  Cardiff

  30

  5

  Vale of Glamorgan

  24

  23

  West Glamorgan

  68

  42

  Port Talbot

  12

  0

  Lliw Valley

  14

  14

  Neath

  14

  14

  Swansea

  28

  14

  Total for Wales

  863

  740

  765

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of staff employed by his Department(a) in Cardiff and (b) the rest of Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  At 1 February, my Department, including Cadw, employed 1,701 permanent full-time equivalent staff in Cardiff and 566.5 permanent full-time equivalent staff throughout the rest of Wales.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total budget of his Department in(a) 1979, (b) 1986 and (c)

  Mr. Redwood
  Public expenditure within the responsibility of the Welsh Office totalled £1,769 million and £3,028 million in 1979–80 and 1986–87 respectively and that for 1994–95 is estimated to be £6,585 million.

  Quangos
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total remuneration paid to members of quangos in Wales in 1993–94.

  Mr. Redwood
  The remuneration paid to members of executive non-departmental public bodies in 1993–94 was £773,226.57—excluding national insurance and pension contributions—made up as follows:

  £

  Agricultural Wages Committees

  992.95

  Arts Council of Wales

  nil

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  102,000.00

  Countryside Council for Wales

  96,760.00

  Curriculum and Assessment Authority

  24,909.62

  Development Board for Rural Wales

  112,479.00

  Further Education Funding Council

  132,358.00

  Higher Education Funding Council

  131,417.00

  Housing for Wales

  57,965.00

  Land Authority for Wales

  78,500.00

  National Library of Wales

  nil

  National Museum of Wales

  nil

  Royal Common Ancient and Historical Monuments

  nil

  Sports Council for Wales

  24,753.00

  Wales Tourist Board

  71,000.00

  Wales Youth Agency

  4,900.00

  Welsh Development Agency

  1121,407.00

  Welsh Language Board

  24,785.00

  Welsh National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting

  9,000.00

  1 Excludes chief executive.

  2 £1,712 was paid to chairman prior to the board's inception as an executive NDPB.

  Artificial Limb and Appliance Service
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter dated 31 January from the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association concerning the future management organisation of the artificial limb and appliance services Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  With the agreement of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association, a copy of its letter of 31 January has been placed in the Library of the House.
  766

  Prescribing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answers of 23 January,Official Report, column 66, 26 January, Official Report, columns 379–80, and 30 January, Official Report, column 535, what was the aggregate cost of prescribing for each family health services area authority divided by generic and brand name prescribing and for the total of fundholding GPs and non-fundholders.

  Mr. Redwood
  Data for October 1993 and October 1994 are as follows:

  £'000

  October 1993

  Oct0ber 1994

  Generic

  Other

  Generic

  Other

  Clwyd Fundholders

  583

  583

  693

  599

  Non-fundholders

  705

  1,037

  764

  1,028

  Dyfed Fundholders

  202

  180

  501

  469

  Non-fundholders

  914

  1,183

  791

  929

  Gwent Fundholders

  314

  403

  427

  489

  Non-fundholders

  929

  1,277

  994

  1,209

  Gwynedd Fundholders

  18

  14

  174

  202

  Non-fundholders

  708

  1,051

  665

  1,080

  Mid Glamorgan Fundholders

  283

  250

  368

  265

  Non-fundholders

  1,403

  1,879

  1,556

  1,981

  Powys Fundholders

  104

  128

  174

  209

  Non-fundholders

  206

  296

  178

  230

  South Glamorgan Fundholders

  114

  99

  353

  351

  Non-fundholders

  1,071

  1,299

  990

  1,088

  West Glamorgan Fundholders

  560

  608

  702

  644

  Non-fundholders

  605

  867

  619

  816

  Note:

  Data for October 1992 are not readily available.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date his Department was first informed in writing by a child care officer of allegations relating to wide spread child sex abuse at north Wales children's homes; and what steps his Department took to investigate the allegations.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Department received in June 1991 allegations from a child care worker formerly employed by Gwynedd county council, about sexual abuse of children in children's homes in north Wales. These matters became the subject of inquiries by the North Wales police.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the Queen's counsel to be appointed to read the papers relating to child sex abuse cases in north Wales from the files of the Clwyd and Gwynedd county social services departments and the North Wales police also to be given duties to interview individuals who wish to volunteer statements to the Queen's counsel; and if he will make a statement.
  767
  Mr. Redwood
  Details of the investigation will be announced as soon as possible.

  Local Agenda 21
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take to promote the drawing up of local agenda 21s.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Action by councils in this general area is being taken forward under their local Agenda 21 initiative, co-ordinated at the United Kingdom level by the local authority associations. Although local strategies under agenda 21 are for individual councils to develop, the environmental agenda for Wales, recently published by my right hon. Friend, encourages Welsh councils, and others, to take a range of practical "green" measures.

  Minerals Planning Guidance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest version of minerals planning guidance on aggregates provision which applies to Wales; when it went out of print; and what steps he intends to take to ensure that the guidance on this subject issued by his Department will be taken fully into account by local authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Minerals planning guidance note 6—MPG 6—"Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales", is extant in so far as it relates to Wales: it went out of print in July 1994, although Her Majesty's Stationery Office can still supply copies through an out-of-print service. In October 1993, my right hon. Friend wrote to the leaders of all local authorities in Wales reminding them that government guidance must be fully taken into account when discharging their planning responsibilities.

  NHS Suppliers (Payment)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 377, if he will place a copy in the Library of the guidance issued on prompt settlement of bills to NHS organisations; if he will list which NHS organisations have been sent a copy of this guidance; and if he will make a further statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The guidance has been placed in the Library of the House.

SCOTLAND

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the projects that have been approved for European Union objective 1 funding for the highlands and islands in the first round of(a) the European regional development fund and (b) the European social fund; what was the expenditure approved for each project and what was the total expenditure; and if he will place this information in the Library;

  (2) what limitations apply to Government Departments for applying for European Union objective 1 funding for projects in the highlands and islands;
  768
  (3) how much finance from objective 1 funds for the highlands and islands has so far been earmarked for (a) energy supply networks and (b) transport infrastructure; and if he will list the relevant projects;

  (4) if he will list the projects that were not approved for European Union objective 1 funding for the highlands and islands in the first round of (a) the European social fund and (b) the European regional development fund;

  (5) if he will list the successful applications for European Union objective 1 funding for the highlands and islands which are located in Argyll and Bute;

  (6) what has been the total level of funding from objective 1 funds for the highlands and islands that has so far been earmarked for each Scottish Office Department; and what this is as a percentage of the total expenditure so far committed to projects.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Government Departments are able to compete for objective 1 funding on the same basis as other potential project sponsors.

  To date, no funds have been allocated to the Scottish Office from the European regional development fund. Contributions from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund and the financial instrument for fisheries guidance of 47.08 million ecu, about £37 million, and 19.80 million ecu, about £16 million, respectively are expected over the life of the programme—1994 to 1999—in relation to schemes administered by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department for the benefit of farmers, crofters, food processors, fishermen, fish farmers, fishing industry organisations and local fishing port authorities and enterprises. Applications for support from the European social fund towards Government training programmes is made by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. These programmes will not take up any more than 40 per cent. of the European social fund resources.

  In relation to the more specific questions on the first round of project consideration, as the information requested is lengthy, I shall arrange for copies of the tables to be placed in the House Library.

  Cochlear Implants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what calculation he has made of the numbers of profoundly deaf children who would benefit from cochlear implants;

  (2) what is the cost of a cochlear implant operation for a profoundly deaf child; and how many children in Scotland have received this operation in the current financial year;

  (3) what representations he has received from the surgeons carrying out cochlear implants in Scotland about the best age for carrying out this operation; and what he is doing to match funding to the number of children needing this operation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The national services division of the common services agency, which is responsible for purchasing this service, has commissioned an assessment of need for paediatric cochlear implantation in Scotland which will be published shortly. The findings of this report will inform future provision and funding levels for the service.

  No representations have been received from surgeons carrying out cochlear implants in Scotland about the best age for undertaking the operation. A recent Medical

  769
  Research Council evaluation study has indicated that, in general terms, cochlear implantation has favourable outcomes up to the age of seven years.

  The cost of a paediatric cochlear implant operation is £28,725 in 1994–95. Five children have received this operation in Scotland in the current financial year. The numbers of children referred for operation to centres outwith Scotland is not held centrally.

  Coastal Policy
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the expected publication date for the Scottish Office coastal discussion paper;

  (2) what progress has been made on producing national planning policy guidance on the coast;

  (3) what initiatives the Scottish Office is undertaking to promote coastal zone management in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My officials are working on a discussion paper on coastal policy issues, which will be published as soon as possible. The paper will provide an overview of existing policies affecting the coast and will consider the need for planning guidance. It will also discuss the concept of coastal zone management as it applies to Scottish circumstances putting particular emphasis on partnership and the voluntary principle.

  NHS Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS abortions were performed under 13 weeks of pregnancy on women resident in each health board in 1993; and of these operations, how many involved admission and discharge on the same day.

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

  NHS therapeutic abortions performed in 1993 with an estimated gestation of under 13 weeks; by health board of residence

  Health board of residence

  Total

  Number discharged on day of admission

  All Areas

  9,963

  8,846

  Argyll and Clyde

  518

  422

  Ayrshire and Arran

  633

  623

  Borders

  152

  146

  Dumfries and Galloway

  193

  47

  Fife

  667

  576

  Forth Valley

  445

  418

  Grampian

  1,189

  997

  Greater Glasgow

  1,974

  1,858

  Highland

  405

  332

  Orkney/Shetland/Western Isles

  85

  13

  Lanarkshire

  848

  642

  Lothian

  1,877

  1,826

  Tayside

  977

  946

  Note:

  Abortions performed on Scottish residents in England and Wales are excluded. All figures are provisional.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions were performed on women resident in each health board in 1993; and, of these operations, how many were performed in NHS hospitals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is shown in the table.770

  Therapeutic Abortions in 1993; by health board of residence

  Health Board of Residence

  Total

  Number performed in NHS hospitals

  All Areas

  11,048

  10,922

  Argyll and Clyde

  601

  594

  Ayrshire and Arran

  671

  668

  Borders

  164

  164

  Dumfries and Galloway

  216

  214

  Fife

  761

  759

  Forth Valley

  493

  485

  Grampian

  1,363

  1,317

  Greater Glasgow

  2,142

  2,115

  Highland

  453

  451

  Orkney/Shetland/Western Isles

  96

  96

  Lanarkshire

  906

  896

  Lothian

  2,093

  2,084

  Tayside

  1,089

  1,079

  Abortions performed on Scottish residents in England and Wales are excluded. All figures are provisional.

  Sheriff Court Houses
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Sheriff court houses in Scotland which do not satisfy the objectives set out in the justice charter for Scotland in respect of(a) accessibility for disabled people, (b) adequate and comfortable accommodation, (c) refreshment facilities and (d) services for defence witnesses and lawyers.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Work is currently being undertaken to establish an independent assessment of the facilities provided in Sheriff court houses against the aims and objectives set out in the justice charter for Scotland. In recent years, a major programme of capital investment amounting to some £20 million per annum has been undertaken to improve facilities by providing new and refurbished court accommodation and this programme of work continues.

  Scottish Avalanche Information Service
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase funding to the Scottish avalanche information service following the recent avalanche on Liathach, Torridon, Wester Ross; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish avalanche information service is administered by the Scottish Sports Council and is funded from the grant in aid total provided to the council by the Scottish Office. Any increase in funding is therefore a matter for the council in the first instance. The coverage of the scheme is reviewed regularly and at the end of this winter season, the council will be considering whether changes to the existing arrangements are necessary.

  Local Authority Schools (Recruitment)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the local authority schools in Scotland that seek to recruit nationally.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. However, I am not aware of any local authority school that recruits nationally, either as regards staff or pupils, although education authorities do place advertisements from time to time.
  771

  Local Authority Schools (Funding)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schools in Scotland that he directly funds independently of local authorities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office Education Department provides annual grants for the operation of the following schools:

  Dornoch academy, Sutherland

  Jordanhill school, Glasgow

  and provides grants towards the costs of operating the following schools:

  Royal Blind school, Edinburgh

  Donaldson's college, Edinburgh

  Harmeny school, Balerno, Midlothian

  East Park Home school, Glasgow

  Stanmore House residential school, Lanark

  Corseford residential school, Kilbarchan

  Craighalbert centre, Cumbernauld

  The New school, Butterstone, Dunkeld

  The Scottish Home and Health Department provides occasional grants towards the capital costs of secure accommodation provision at St. Mary's Kenmure, Bishopbriggs and at Rossie school, near Montrose.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the special circumstances of the music school attached to Douglas academy in Milngavie will be fully taken into account when he decides the financial allocation to the new East Dunbartonshire council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As the October 1992 consultation paper "Shaping the New Councils" made clear, the distribution of aggregate external finance to the new councils following local government re-organisation will be subject to consultation with Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in the distribution committee of the working party on local government finance. As at present, the distribution will be determined by the client group assessment methodology. The distribution committee will be considering during the course of this year the preparation of grant aided expenditure assessment for each of the new councils.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to the music school attached to Douglas academy in Milngavie and similar establishments; and what plans he has to give special financial help to such ventures when the new councils are set up.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government recognise the important contribution which the music school and other similar schools in Scotland make to the education system. It was following recommendations in a report by the Scottish Education Department in 1976 that these schools were set up.
  772
  The framework in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 should ensure maximum continuity between the existing and the new authorities in terms of provision of education services.

  Provisions already exist under section 23(2) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to safeguard the financial position of an authority which, as in the case of Douglas academy, is providing education for pupils from another authority's area. Section 23(2) provides a mechanism whereby such an authority may recoup the costs incurred by so doing.

  Procurator Fiscals
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many procurator fiscals or deputy procurator fiscals were attached to each procurator fiscal office in Scotland and if he will provide a breakdown of the average number of cases per procurator fiscal or deputy procurator fiscal in each office in(a) 1974, (b) 1984 and (c) 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Precise staffing figures for 1974 are not available. In any event, the procurator fiscal service took over prosecution in the district court between 1975 and 1976 and this makes comparison of staffing levels prior to then inappropriate. The figures requested are provided below for the years 1976, 1984 and 1994. Little significance can be attached to them, since scope for comparison between staffing levels and bare case numbers is restricted by differing degrees of complexity and duration of cases, geographical considerations, and inter-office assistance.

  1976

  PF

  Deputes

  Cases

  Average per staff member

  Aberdeen

  1

  5

  10,207

  1,701

  Airdrie

  1

  4

  6,547

  1,309

  Alloa

  1

  —

  1,478

  1,478

  Arbroath

  1

  —

  1,929

  1,929

  Ayr

  1

  2

  5,246

  1,749

  Banff

  1

  —

  1,401

  1,401

  Campbeltown

  1

  —

  826

  826

  Cupar

  1

  —

  1,690

  1,690

  Dingwall/Tain

  1

  1

  2,526

  1,263

  Dornoch

  1

  —

  546

  546

  Dumbarton

  1

  4.5

  5,663

  1,030

  Dumfries

  1

  2

  5,311

  1,770

  Dundee

  1

  4.5

  11,104

  2,019

  Dunfermline

  1

  1

  4,716

  2,358

  Dunoon

  1

  —

  1,349

  1,349

  Duns

  1

  —

  902

  902

  Edinburgh

  1

  13.5

  31,330

  2,161

  Elgin

  1

  1.5

  3,268

  1,307

  Falkirk

  1

  2

  5,143

  1,714

  Forfar

  1

  —

  1,805

  1,805

  Fort William

  1

  —

  904

  904

  Glasgow

  1

  35

  63,852

  1,774

  Greenock

  1

  4

  7,281

  1,456

  Haddington

  1

  1

  2,761

  1,381

  Hamilton

  1

  7.5

  12,366

  1,455

  Inverness

  1

  2

  5,395

  1,798

  Kilmarnock

  1

  4

  7,468

  1,494

  Kirkcaldy

  1

  2

  5,578

  1,859

  Kirkcudbright

  1

  —

  747

  747

  Kirkwall

  1

  —

  612

  612

  Lanark

  1

  1

  1,726

  863

  Lerwick

  1

  —

  598

  598

  773

  1976

  PF

  Deputes

  Cases

  Average per staff member

  Linlithgow

  1

  2

  5,259

  1,753

  Oban

  0.5

  —

  993

  993

  Paisley

  1

  7

  11,334

  1,417

  Perth

  1

  3

  5,527

  1,382

  Peterhead

  1

  —

  1,368

  1,368

  Portree

  1

  —

  434

  434

  Rothesay

  1

  —

  601

  601

  Selkirk/Jedburgh/Peebles

  1

  1

  4,676

  2,338

  Stirling

  1

  2

  3,987

  1,329

  Stonehaven

  1

  —

  1,821

  1,821

  Stornoway/Lochmaddy

  1

  —

  575

  575

  Stranraer

  1

  —

  1,113

  1,113

  Wick

  1

  —

  1,204

  1,204

  1984

  PF

  Deputes

  Cases

  Average per staff member

  Aberdeen

  1

  7.5

  14,888

  1,752

  Airdrie

  1

  5

  7,817

  1,303

  Alloa

  1

  1

  2,510

  1,255

  Arbroath

  1

  1

  2,467

  1,234

  Ayr

  1

  3

  7,316

  1,829

  Banff

  1

  —

  910

  910

  Campbeltown

  1

  —

  704

  704

  Cupar

  1

  —

  2,212

  2,212

  Dingwall

  1

  —

  1,513

  1,513

  Dornoch

  1

  —

  641

  641

  Dumbarton

  1

  5

  7,112

  1,185

  Dumfries

  1

  3

  7,295

  1,823

  Dundee

  1

  7

  14,061

  1,758

  Dunfermline

  1

  3

  5,912

  1,478

  Dunoon

  1

  —

  1,565

  1,565

  Duns

  1

  —

  743

  743

  Edinburgh

  1

  19.5

  57,952

  2,827

  Elgin

  1

  1

  3,909

  1,955

  Falkirk

  1

  3

  8,000

  2,000

  Forfar

  1

  —

  2,822

  2,822

  Fort William

  1

  —

  1,200

  1,200

  Glasgow

  1

  54.5

  71,948

  1,296

  Greenock

  1

  4

  6,641

  1,328

  Haddington

  1

  1

  3,211

  1,606

  Hamilton

  1

  11

  18,720

  1,560

  Inverness

  1

  3

  6,004

  1,501

  Jedburgh

  1

  —

  1,435

  1,435

  Kilmarnock

  1

  6

  11,230

  1,604

  Kirkcaldy

  1

  3

  7,294

  1,824

  Kirkcudbright

  1

  —

  919

  919

  Kirkwall

  1

  —

  592

  592

  Lanark

  1

  1

  2,168

  1,084

  Lerwick

  1

  —

  880

  880

  Linlithgow

  1

  3

  6,987

  1,747

  Oban

  1

  —

  1,499

  1,499

  Paisley

  1

  8.5

  11,541

  1,215

  Peebles

  1

  —

  611

  611

  Perth

  1

  3

  7,951

  1,988

  Peterhead

  1

  1

  2,204

  1,102

  Portree/Lochmaddy

  1

  —

  708

  708

  Rothesay

  1

  —

  605

  605

  Selkirk

  1

  —

  1,639

  1,639

  Stirling

  1

  2

  4,870

  1,593

  Stonehaven

  1

  —

  2,581

  2,581

  Stornoway

  1

  —

  817

  817

  Stranraer

  1

  —

  2,164

  2,164

  Tain

  1

  —

  1,443

  1,443

  Wick

  1

  —

  1,116

  1,116

  774

  1994

  PF

  Deputes

  Cases

  Average per staff member

  Aberdeen

  1

  12

  13,436

  1,034

  Airdrie

  1

  6

  6,645

  949

  Alloa

  1

  1

  2,588

  1,294

  Arbroath

  1

  1

  3,060

  1,530

  Ayr

  1

  4.5

  7,353

  1,337

  Banff

  1

  —

  923

  923

  Campbeltown

  1

  —

  693

  693

  Cupar

  1

  1

  2,111

  1,056

  Dingwall

  1

  —

  1,295

  1,295

  Dornoch/Tain

  1

  —

  1,738

  1,738

  Dumbarton

  1

  5.5

  7,339

  1,129

  Dumfries

  1

  4

  6,457

  1,291

  Dundee

  1

  6.5

  11,044

  1,473

  Dunfermline

  1

  3

  7,035

  1,759

  Dunoon

  1

  —

  1,145

  1,145

  Duns/Jedburgh

  1

  —

  3,323

  3,323

  Edinburgh/Peebles

  1

  26.5

  30,243

  1,100

  Elgin

  1

  1

  3,658

  1,829

  Falkirk

  1

  5

  7,348

  1,225

  Forfar

  1

  —

  2,235

  2,235

  Fort William

  1

  —

  1,524

  1,524

  Glasgow

  1

  61

  69,451

  1,120

  Greenock/Rothesay

  1

  4

  5,504

  1,101

  Haddington

  1

  1

  3,997

  1,999

  Hamilton

  1

  17

  17,255

  959

  Inverness

  1

  3

  6,634

  1,659

  Kilmarnock

  1

  7

  9,489

  1,186

  Kirkcaldy

  1

  3.5

  7,687

  1,708

  Kirkwall/Lerwick

  1

  —

  1,487

  1,487

  Lanark

  1

  1

  3,723

  1,861

  Linlithgow

  1

  2.5

  6,973

  1,992

  Oban

  1

  —

  1,123

  1,123

  Paisley

  1

  11

  10,746

  896

  Perth

  1

  4.5

  7,623

  1,386

  Peterhead

  1

  —

  2,617

  2,617

  Portree/Lochmaddy

  1

  —

  721

  721

  Selkirk

  1

  —

  1,781

  1,781

  Stirling

  1

  3.5

  4,656

  1,035

  Stonehaven

  1

  —

  2,008

  2,008

  Stornoway

  1

  —

  904

  904

  Stanraer/Kirkcudbright

  1

  1

  3,481

  1,741

  Wick

  1

  —

  1,038

  1,038

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources were allocated to each procurator fiscal's office in Scotland for each of the last 10 years; and if he will break down this figure to show the average amount allocated per case dealt with by each office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Resources are not allocated to individual offices on a per-case basis; they are allocated and managed regionally for the departmental settlement on a basis of past performance, local factors and forecast work load. Allocations per case would be unreliable, there being no meaningful comparison to be made on such a basis because of differing degrees of complexity and duration of cases, geographical variations and inter-office assistance.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of cases dealt with by each procurator fiscal's office giving the numerical and percentage breakdown of cases which(a) were marked no proceedings, (b) were dealt with through fiscal fines, (c) proceeded to court, (d) resulted in charges being proved and (e) resulted in persons receiving a custodial sentence for the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
  775
  Mr. Lang
  As the information requested is lengthy I have arranged for it to be placed in the Library of the House.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner fundholders in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole have over-run their budgets; and what was the average amount of the over-run in each of the last two years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: There are as yet no operational fundholders in Inverclyde area. In 1992–93, of a total of 10 GP fundholding practices in Scotland, one fundholding practice, located in the Grampian health board area, spent in excess of its allocated fund. The overspend was £4,754, approximately 0.5 per cent. of the allocated fund.

  In 1993–94, 12 GP fundholding practices of a total of 70 throughout Scotland spent in excess of their allocated sum. One of these practices was located in the Argyll and Clyde health board area within Strathclyde region. The average overspend was £17,840 which represented approximately 1 per cent. of the average fund allocated by the health board.

  In each case, the health board reviewed the reasons for these small overspends and considered them acceptable under the regulations governing the scheme.

  Scottish Early Music Consort
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State of Scotland how much Scottish Office sources contribute to the Scottish Early Music Consort; and what help he will give the Glasgow International Early Music Festival in 1996.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 February 1995]: The Scottish Arts Council, which is the main channel of Scottish Office support for the arts in Scotland, will contribute £15,600 to the Scottish Early Music Consort in 1995–96. It is for the Scottish Arts Council to determine whether it should support the Glasgow International Early Music Festival in 1996.

  M77
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place a copy of the informal letter of inquiry from the European Commission about the Ayr road route, M77, in the Library; and if he will make available the response to this letter.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: No. Correspondence between the European Commission and member states on infraction proceedings, including preliminary contacts of this sort, is regarded as confidential between the parties.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies he has undertaken in the Scottish water industry to compare build own and operate, and build own operate and transfer schemes with traditional methods of local government financing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. George Kynoch
  [holding answer 8 February 1995]: In November 1994, a commentary on the benefits of build own and operate schemes was prepared by the
  776
  Scottish Office in response to a study produced by Strathclyde regional council. A copy of the commentary is in the Library. It concludes that the private sector should offer terms which compare favourably with public funding costs. Under current rules, build own operate and transfer schemes would count as public expenditure.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  United Kingdom Integrity
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the policy of his Department in the maintenance of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold).

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many non-departmental public bodies there are in Northern Ireland; how many people serve on two or more of them; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 6 February,Official Report, columns 44–5.

  Criminal Justice
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring the criminal justice system into line with that elsewhere in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  We are preparing a range of measures to improve the working of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland. They reflect Northern Ireland's circumstances, though drawing on experience in the rest of the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

  Town Centres
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance his Department is giving to regenerate town centres in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  In Belfast and Londonderry the urban development grant scheme encourages private sector investment in development projects. Regeneration in town centres other than Belfast and Londonderry is encouraged through grant assistance, totalling around £4 million annually, for comprehensive development, environmental improvement, pedestrianisation and conservation schemes. My Department also administers and co-funds with the international fund for Ireland, IFI, the community regeneration improvement special programme.

  Benefit Applicants
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Social Security Agency offices located in Northern Ireland administer
  777
  cases for applicants residing in Great Britain in addition to applicants from Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  None.

  Peace Process
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further discussions he has had with the Dublin Government on the progress of the peace process.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I met Mr. Spring in Belfast on 14 February. This was a regular meeting of the intergovernmental conference and we discussed a range of issues.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received about future prospects for peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for hon. Members to further the peace process in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had about furthering the peace process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patrick Mayhew
  I refer hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field).

  Northern Ireland-Scotland Bodies
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to create joint Northern Ireland-Scotland bodies with executive powers.

  Mr. Ancram
  None.

  Tourism
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the increase in tourism and visitor bookings in Northern Ireland since the ceasefire last year.

  Mr. Ancram
  It is estimated that since the ceasefire, visitor bookings have increased by 30 per cent. over the same period in 1993. During the period September to December 1994, hotel room occupancy figures rose by an 778
  average of 8 percentage points when compared with the same period in 1993. The occupancy figures recorded in October, November and December 1994 were the highest for those months since records began in 1973.

  The Northern Ireland tourist board's Dublin office has reported a 155 per cent. increase in bookings since the ceasefire.

  Figures for travel to Northern Ireland have also risen since the ceasefire. Sea passenger movements have increased by 6.3 per cent. over the same period in 1993. Belfast international airport and Belfast harbour airport reported inward passenger increases of 3 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively on the figures for December 1993.

  Local Government Employees
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are estimated to be currently employed in local government; in how many local authorities they are operating and at what overall cost per head of the population; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  The total number of people employed by the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland at 31 March 1994 was 8,607. The average cost per head of the total population of the Province, based on the salaries and wages for the financial year ended 31 March 1994, was £61.12. It is not possible to compare this figure with the position of local authorities in Great Britain in any meaningful way because of the much smaller range of functions undertaken by district councils in Northern Ireland.

  Framework Document
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how far the cross-border initiatives in tourism, health and the arts, announced by his Ministers in November last year, are a precursor for the all-Ireland bodies proposed in the framework document.

  Mr. Ancram
  The initiatives announced in November were made on their own merits. I will not be drawn on the proposals likely to be contained in the joint framework document, except to reiterate that they will be for the consideration and agreement of the parties. Obviously if there has already been a declared mutual interest, these might be suitable subjects for north-south co-operation.
  779

  Unemployment
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are currently unemployed; and what was the figure in December 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  The latest available seasonally adjusted figures show that at January 1995 there were 91,100 people unemployed in Northern Ireland. The corresponding figure for December 1992 was 105,900.

  Irish Republic
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding relations between his Department and the Government of the Irish Republic.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I am glad to say that relationships are close and constructive.

  Environment Protection Agency
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration is being given to the establishment of an environment protection agency in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  The Environment Service of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has responsibility for the control of pollution, the conservation of the natural environment and the protection of the man-made heritage. The service is currently the subject of a prior options study. The Government will decide whether any proposals for change in the implementation of environmental policy in Northern Ireland should be made when the results of the study are known shortly.

  Scottish Transport Links
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland about transport links between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  In view of the satisfactory arrangements for discussing these matters at official level I have not needed to discuss the subject of transport links between Northern Ireland and Scotland with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Firearms
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of firearms currently illegally held by terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Terrorist organisations have access to a considerable quantity of weapons and equipment of various types; however, it would not, on security grounds, be appropriate to provide detailed estimates. The Government continue to regard substantial progress on the question of decommissioning paramilitary arms as a vital element in advancing the political process in Northern Ireland.

  Housing
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are his priorities for action to improve housing conditions and prospects in Northern Ireland.
  780
  Mr. Moss
  The Government's housing priorities for Northern Ireland are set out in Command Paper No. 2516 "Expenditure Plans and Priorities", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  The Government are committed to building on the significant progress made over the last 20 years in terms of increasing home ownership, improving housing conditions and meeting housing need.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums he is making available for housing grants in Northern Ireland in the current financial year.

  Mr. Moss
  Government, through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, is making £32.5 million available for housing grants to the private sector in this financial year.

  Training Courses
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.

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

  Generating Companies
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of efficiency improvements achieved in generating companies since privatisation; and what consideration he has given to requiring these companies to absorb more costs rather than pass them on to electricity consumers.

  Mr. Ancram
  None. Following the privatisation of'the electricity industry in Northern Ireland efficiency improvements achieved in generating stations are matter for the private company concerned. The absorption of the costs of generating electricity is a matter for negotiation and contractual agreement between the generating companies and Northern Ireland Electricity plc.

  The Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland has responsibility for ensuring that consumers' interests as regards price and quality of service are protected.

  Islander Marine
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the contracted crew from Islander Marine Strangford, on the Portaferry-Strangford ferry service, is operating to the satisfaction of the Marine Safety Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  Crewing arrangements on the Portaferry-Strangford ferry service have been approved by the Marine Safety Agency.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the postal address of Islander Marine in the village of Strangford; if the premises are occupied; and if he will make a statement about the
  781
  contribution of Islander Marine to the operation of the Portaferry-Strangford ferry.

  Mr. Moss
  The registered postal address of Islander Marine (Ireland) Ltd is 1 the Slip, Strangford, County Down, BT30 7NE. The Department is not aware if these premises ate occupied. Islander Marine (Ireland) Ltd provides part of the crew of the Strangford-Portaferry service.

  Transport Companies
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the studies which have been conducted into the re-organisation of the transport companies in Northern Ireland including Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus and Citybus; and when a report is due to be published.

  Mr. Moss
  My Department commissioned a study into the scope for introducing a private element into the management and operation of Northern Ireland Railways and I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) on 11 January,Official Report, column 146. In addition, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company commissioned a study into the potential for the co-ordination of bus and rail services in Northern Ireland and any necessary restructuring required for this to be achieved.

  Following consideration of a report of that study, and of the study into Northern Ireland Railways, I announced in Belfast on 17 January 1995 plans for co-ordinating bus and rail services; restructuring the boards of Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus and Citybus on the basis of common membership; unifying the senior management structure of these companies; and selling their non-core services and applying market tests and contracting out where appropriate. There are no plans to publish reports of either study.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 400, how many appointments to public positions have been made by his Department in the last year.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Seventy-five appointments have been made to Cabinet Office and Office of Public Service and Science public bodies in the last year. Of these, 57 were to the new research councils announced in the White Paper "Realising Our Potential".

  Sick Leave
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the Department of Social Security in 1993 and the figure given in the answer from the Secretary of State for Social Security to the hon. Member for Eastleigh of 23 January,
  782
  Official Report, column 85; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The figure given in my answer to the hon. Member for Eltham on 7 February represents the average number of days sick leave taken by staff in DSS headquarters—excluding staff in DSS agencies. The figure given in the answer of 23 January by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People to the hon. Member for Eastleigh represents the average number of days sick leave taken by staff throughout DSS.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the Office of Public Service and Science in 1993 and the figure given in his answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh of 2 February, Official Report, column 754; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The sickness absence figure given in my answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 2 February inadvertently used an incorrect figure for staff in post. The correct figure for OPSS excluding any weekends and public holidays which occurred within a single period of sickness absence is as given in my answer of 7 February to the hon. Member for Eltham. I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the Treasury Solicitor's Department in 1993 and the figure given in the answer from the Attorney-General to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 27 January, Official Report, column 409; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The absence figure given in my answer to the hon. Member for Eltham on 7 February is based upon working days lost—excluding weekends and public holidays—solely due to sickness. The figure given in the answer of 27 January by the Attorney-General was calculated including weekends, public holidays and certain absences which were not attributable to sickness.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the Department of Transport in 1993 and the figure given in the answer from the Secretary of State for Transport to the hon. Member for Eastleigh on 31 January, Official Report, column 585; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The calculations which produced the figures given in the answer of 31 January by the Secretary of State for Transport inadvertently omitted one category of sickness absence. The correct figure for sickness absence at the Department of Transport in 1993 is given in my answer of 7 February.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the

  783
  Department of Trade and Industry in 1993 and the figure given in the answer from the President of the Board of Trade of 30 January, Official Report, column 477; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The sickness absence figure given in my answer to the hon. Member for Eltham on 7 February is based on working days lost—excluding weekends and public holidays. The figure given in the answer of 30 January by the President of the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Eastleigh was calculated using data which for reasons of administrative control, included both weekends and public holidays.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) of 7 February,Official Report, columns 125–28, what factors underlie the disparity between the figure given for sick absence at the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency in 1993 and the figure given in his answer to the hon. Member for Eastleigh of 2 February, Official Report, column 755; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The sickness absence figure given in my answer to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 7 February is based upon working days lost—excluding weekends and public holidays. The figure given in my answer of 2 February was calculated including both weekends and public holidays.

EDUCATION

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she keeps central statistics about the specific details of individual learning difficulties in accordance with the recommendations of the Warnock committee.

  Mr. Forth
  A key recommendation of the Warnock report in 1978 was that statutory categories of handicap should be abolished. Central statistics giving details of pupils' individual learning difficulties are not collected.

  Departmental Employees
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) full-time employees and (b) part-time employees were employed in her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of staff in post at 1 April was as follows:

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  1990

  2,514

  155

  2,669

  1991

  2,607

  182

  2,789

  1992

  2,645

  186

  2,831

  1993

  1,962

  148

  2,110

  1994

  1,915

  150

  2,065

  784
  These figures include throughout staff in post in the Teachers Pensions Agency. The figures for 1990, 1991 and 1992 include HMI and staff responsible for science and sport. Those responsible for science and sport transferred respectively to the Cabinet Office and the Department of National Heritage in July 1992. The majority of Her Majesty's inspectorate and their support staff transferred to the Office for Standards in Education in September 1992.

  Further Education Funding Council
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) full-time employees and (b) part-time employees were employed in the Further Education Funding Council for each quarter since it commenced operation.

  Mr. Boswell
  The questions raised by the hon. Member are matters for the funding council. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Funding Agency for Schools
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) full-time employees and (b) part-time employees were employed in the Funding Agency for Schools in each quarter since it commenced operation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked its chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Ministerial Travel (Hong Kong)
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to travel to Hong Kong in 1995.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  None.

  Schools, London
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the actual spending per child at(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the London boroughs of (i) Camden, (ii) Southwark, (iii) Westminster and (iv) Haringey for (i) 1993 and (ii) 1994.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows expenditure by these local education authorities on pre-primary and primary pupils combined, and on secondary pupils, for 1992–93, and provisional figures for 1993–94. Equivalent information on grant-maintained schools is not available.

  Net institutional spending per pupil cash terms

  Nursery/Primary 1992–93 £

  Nursery/Primary 1993–94 £

  Secondary 1992–93 £

  Secondary 1993–94 £

  Camden

  2,067

  2,047

  2,726

  2,721

  Southwark

  1,846

  1,806

  2,506

  2,421

  City of Westminster

  2,292

  2,592

  2,486

  2,739

  Haringey

  2,102

  2,236

  2,897

  3,041

  785

  School Teachers Review Body
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will estimate the cost to her Department's budget in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of the School Teachers Review Body, assuming no changes in staff numbers; and how much of the cost would be borne by(a) direct expenditure by her Department and (b) grants and loans to local authorities.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The School Teachers-Review Body has recommended an increase of 2.7 per cent. in teachers' pay for 1995–96. The cost of this to local authorities in England is likely to be in the order of £275 million. There will be no costs borne directly by the Department.

  Oxford and Cambridge Universities
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to change the system of the payment of college fees to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has been reviewing the experience of the last college fee settlement and expects to make an announcement shortly.

  Teachers
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the percentage increases for the main grades of local education authority school teaching staff for each year since 1989.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The percentage increases in the main pay scales for heads and deputies and classroom teachers since 1989 are set out in the table:

  Year

  Heads and deputies

  Classroom teachers

  1989

  7.5

  6.0

  1990

  10.4

  8.3

  1991

  12.75

  9.5

  1992

  7.5

  7.5

  1993

  1.5

  1.5

  1994

  2.9

  2.9

  1995 (proposed)

  2.7

  2.7

  Independent School Closures
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information her Department has of the number of independent schools which(a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of independent schools which have registered with the Department upon opening, and the number which have been removed from the register because of closure, are given, for each calendar year, in the following table:

  Year

  Number of independent schools opened

  Number of independent schools closed

  1988

  40

  30

  1989

  65

  33

  1990

  50

  45

  1991

  60

  59

  1992

  56

  68

  1993

  63

  51

  786

  Year

  Number of independent schools opened

  Number of independent schools closed

  1994

  67

  79

  Note: The numbers relate to England only and from 1990 include city technology colleges.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list, for each local education authority, the average amount of capital expenditure per pupil for 1995–96.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not yet available.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her estimate of actual spending on education by local education authorities(a) nationally and (b) by individual local education authority in 1994–95; and what is the education standard spending assessment (i) nationally and (ii) by individual local education authority for 1995–96.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 10 February 1995]: Total current spending on education by English local authorities in 1994–95, as recorded on their revenue accounts returns, is estimated to be £17.510 billion. This figure includes expenditure funded by current education specific grants within aggregate external finance, but excludes expenditure funded by specific grants outside AEF. Education standard spending in 1995–96 is £17.204 billion; within that, education standard spending assessments, which include neither current education specific grants within AEF nor specific grants outside AEF, total £17.024 billion. The table gives for each local education authority budgeted spending in 1994–95, and its SSA for 1995–96.

  £ million

  LEA

  1994–95 budget

  1995–96 SSA

  Corporation of London

  2.2

  0.8

  Camden

  64.7

  78.8

  Greenwich

  100.3

  114.3

  Hackney

  109.1

  92.8

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  61.5

  57.2

  Islington

  79.8

  80.4

  Kensington and Chelsea

  41.5

  37.3

  Lambeth

  125.4

  102.1

  Lewisham

  102.2

  108.0

  Southwark

  100.3

  109.9

  Tower Hamlets

  119.0

  120.2

  Wandsworth

  93.9

  88.7

  Westminster

  53.5

  59.9

  Barking and Dagenham

  71.0

  65.7

  Barnet

  106.6

  113.7

  Bexley

  77.9

  84.5

  Brent

  107.0

  106.3

  Bromley

  100.5

  99.6

  Croydon

  118.7

  114.3

  787

  £ million

  LEA

  1994–95 budget

  1995–96 SSA

  Ealing

  114.8

  108.9

  Enfield

  114.1

  112.1

  Haringey

  96.5

  89.1

  Harrow

  76.1

  70.4

  Havering

  85.3

  84.1

  Hillingdon

  85.8

  88.9

  Hounslow

  81.1

  90.2

  Kingston upon Thames

  44.0

  45.9

  Merton

  57.4

  56.3

  Newham

  110.8

  123.8

  Redbridge

  85.9

  94.2

  Richmond upon Thames

  39.2

  44.3

  Sutton

  61.4

  64.5

  Waltham Forest

  95.6

  94.1

  Birmingham

  448.0

  427.2

  Coventry

  120.8

  115.7

  Dudley

  108.3

  98.9

  Sandwell

  117.2

  113.8

  Solihull

  67.2

  69.2

  Walsall

  103.1

  103.7

  Wolverhampton

  103.2

  96.1

  Knowsley

  74.1

  69.6

  Liverpool

  199

  202.7

  St. Helens

  70.6

  63.3

  Sefton

  102.9

  102.3

  Wirral

  126.8

  124.1

  Bolton

  99.0

  95.7

  Bury

  63.9

  57.8

  Manchester

  173.5

  182.5

  Oldham

  88.8

  90.3

  Rochdale

  84.3

  79.7

  Salford

  82.6

  78.7

  Stockport

  95.7

  86.1

  Tameside

  82.1

  76.3

  Trafford

  74.8

  72.5

  Wigan

  108.3

  104.9

  Barnsley

  73.3

  73.1

  Doncaster

  115.5

  113.7

  Rotherham

  93.5

  96.3

  Sheffield

  167.4

  162.8

  Bradford

  196.2

  201.9

  Calderdale

  72.0

  72.8

  Kirklees

  146.6

  136.7

  Leeds

  262.7

  240.4

  Wakefield

  106.4

  106.4

  Gateshead

  74.3

  68.2

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  102.4

  97.3

  North Tyneside

  69.0

  65.4

  South Tyneside

  57.0

  56.3

  Sunderland

  113.2

  110.9

  Isles of Scilly

  1.2

  1.2

  Avon

  329.3

  298.0

  Bedfordshire

  208.5

  212.0

  Berkshire

  260.8

  273.3

  Buckinghamshire

  250.7

  244.5

  Cambridgeshire

  238.9

  226.1

  Cheshire

  353.6

  332.0

  Cleveland

  223.1

  219.0

  Cornwall

  163.8

  156.2

  Cumbria

  168.3

  161.5

  Derbyshire

  333.3

  302.8

  Devon

  329.0

  328.4

  Dorset

  204.5

  198.0

  Durham

  219.5

  206.9

  East Sussex

  216.8

  212.5

  Essex

  549.6

  540.5

  Gloucestershire

  172.5

  174.5

  Hampshire

  541.6

  502.6

  Hereford and Worcester

  217.3

  219.8

  Hertfordshire

  360.6

  371.4

  Humberside

  334.4

  310.8

  788

  £ million

  LEA

  1994–95 budget

  1995–96 SSA

  Isle of Wight Council

  43.2

  43.6

  Kent

  539.3

  559.1

  Lancashire

  521.6

  484.0

  Leicestershire

  326.8

  316.4

  Lincolnshire

  223.3

  199.2

  Norfolk

  252.3

  234.8

  North Yorkshire

  234.7

  223.6

  Northamptonshire

  214.5

  209.8

  Northumberland

  110.9

  107.6

  Nottinghamshire

  378.7

  346.7

  Oxfordshire

  188.8

  186.6

  Shropshire

  141.8

  137.1

  Somerset

  160.0

  143.5

  Staffordshire

  349.6

  348.8

  Suffolk

  215.1

  205.9

  Surrey

  303.3

  299.4

  Warwickshire

  168.0

  156.2

  West Sussex

  235.0

  226.8

  Wiltshire

  198.0

  188.6

  Total

  17,510.1

  17,024.1

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  European Union Frontiers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he or his predecessor have received since 1991, concerning the legality of the opt-out negotiated by Her Majesty's Government to the Single European Act in 1985 relating to frontiers; what such representations he has conveyed to the Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  By convention, neither the advice of the Law Officers nor whether they have advised on a particular issue is normally disclosed.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Museums Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to announce the results of his Department's review of museums policy.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am currently considering the results of the consultation process undertaken last year.

  Oflot
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member of Hexham (Mr. Atkinson) of 2 February,Official Report, columns 779–80, what are the extra costs for consultancy, professional and legal advice associated with the grant of licences by Oflot; and which firms have provided the advice.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for the Director General of the National Lottery. I have therefore asked him to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his letter in the Library of the House.
  789

  Radio Broadcasts (Monitoring)
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what monitoring he carries out of radio broadcasts to ensure that they comply with the Race Relations Acts or Public Order Acts;

  (2) how many staff are employed in monitoring radio broadcasts to consider whether they are racially offensive or incite racial hatred.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None. These are matters for the Radio Authority or the BBC.

  Hotel and Tourism Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to tackle low motivation in the hotel and tourism industry caused by low pay.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no such proposals; pay and personnel issues are a matter for the industry itself.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to encourage investment in the tourist industry to offset jobs lost in the manufacturing industry in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Funding is made available to the Heart of England tourist board through the English tourist board to undertake marketing and development activities in its regions, which includes Coventry and the west midlands. In the 1994–95 financial year, the HETB will receive £364,000—indicative figure. In addition, RTBs may bid for funding from the ETB's £2.25 million tourism development fund for specific projects. The public funds made available to the RTBs lever in substantial funding from the private sector.

  Local authorities and the regional tourist boards are also eligible to bid for support from the European structural funds and the single regeneration budget. The Government office for the west midlands has allocated £28.4 million—indicative figure—from the European regional development fund for projects in the cultural, media and tourism industries in its programme for 1994–96.

  English Tourist Board
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment his Department has made of the impact of reduced funding for the English tourist board on the number of holidays taken in Britain.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Recent changes, upward and downward, in funds provided to the ETB and British Tourist Authority reflect the Government's view of spending priorities in the tourism sector.

  Muslim Community Radio
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has on the connection between Muslim Community radio and Hizb ut Tahir.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None.

  Television Licence Fee
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will bring forward proposals to authorise the increase in the television licence fee.
  790
  Mr. Dorrell
  Regulations to bring into force from 1 April the new fees which I announced on 1 December of £86.50 for a colour licence and £28.50 for a black and white licence—Official Report, column 805, will be laid before the House at the beginning of March.

  Television (Digital Licences)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he is required to bring forward proposals to allocate digital licences for television channels.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government intend to ensure that television broadcasters are in a position to take advantage of new digital technology, and are seeking their views before bringing forward proposals.

  Channel 4
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he is next required to review Channel 4 funding.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Broadcasting Act 1990 does not require me to review Channel 4 funding. However, the threshold percentages in the funding formula may be amended by order, but not before the end of 1997.

  Football Transfers
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the Australian Government in respect to the Australian inquiry into football transfers, with particular reference to transfers affecting English clubs.

  Mr. Sproat
  None.

  Millennium Commission
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if the promotion of environmental education falls within the remit of the Millennium Commission.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, the Millennium Commission may make grants to such projects as it considers appropriate to mark the year 2000 and the beginning of the third millennium. More detailed information on the kinds of project which the commission will fund can be found in the commission's guidelines for applicants, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Arts Grants, Wales
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 619, if he will list the sponsor company which made the corresponding application to the Association for Business Sponsorship for the Arts for each of the cultural organisations or events listed in the answer.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is in the following table:
  791

  Organisation

  Award £

  Sponsor company

  Theatr Bara Caws

  4,000

  Cwmni'r Castell

  7,200

  Penadur

  Y Faner

  5,000

  Ffilmiau Elidir

  10,000

  Delwyn Sion

  Dalier Sylw

  4,000

  Cambrensis

  5,000

  Atsain

  Ewrosgol

  2,500

  Dime Goch

  Creu Cof

  2,500

  Ffilmiau Matinee

  Cwmni Dawns Camre Cain

  4,000

  Fflic

  Welsh International Film Festival

  3,000

  Y Wennol

  3,000

  Ffilmiau'r Ty Gwyn

  4,000

  Eurofocus

  5,000

  Ffilmiau'r Bont

  Wales Actors Company

  4,750

  Tiger Bay Productions

  Arad Goch

  4,000

  Pendefig Dyfed

  2,000

  Intrada

  Hwyl a Fflag

  7,500

  Ffilmiau Eryri

  8,000

  FiTi-TiFi

  National Film and Video Archive of Wales

  6,500

  Hel Straeon

  Clwyd Arts and Exhibition Service

  3,000

  Ffilmiau Llifon

  Taliesin Trust

  2,500

  Llun y Felin

  Theatr Gorllewin Morgannwg

  7,500

  Dyffryn

  Barddas: Y Gymdeithas Gerdd Dafod

  2,000

  Cwmni'r Gannwyll

  Theatr Had

  2,000

  Mintai

  Model House Llantrisant

  1,500

  Cartwn Cymru

  Rhiniog

  1,500

  Ffilmiau Hiraethog

  Welsh Television Channels
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures he will take to enable television viewers in Clwyd to receive the Welsh television channels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is for the BBC, the Independent Television Commission and the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority to determine their own engineering priorities for the coverage of their television services in Wales within the resources they have available.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of television viewers in(a) Alyn and Deeside and (b) Clwyd can receive (i) BBC Wales, (ii) Harlech TV and (iii) Granada TV; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available in the form requested. The BBC, the Independent Television Commission and the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority respectively have responsibility for coverage of their television services in Wales. The Government have no independent figures.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the occasions during the last five years when his Department or its agencies has taken legal action against a consultancy firm; and what were the reasons in each case.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: Since it was established in April 1992, neither my Department nor its agencies have taken legal action against a consultancy firm.
  792

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 587, how many appointments to public positions have been made by his Department in the last year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: In 1994, my Department made 82 appointments. In addition, the Prime Minister made 40 appointments and Her Majesty the Queen made 23 appointments on the recommendations of my Department.

  Concessionary Television Licence Scheme
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to extend the concessionary television licence scheme to cover all housing schemes which have the services of a warden who is either residential or on call.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 14 February 1995]: As indicated in paragraph 5.17 of the White Paper "The Future of the BBC" (Cm 2621) published in July 1994, the Government considers that any review of the concessionary scheme aimed at removing perceived anomalies would most likely have the effect of creating fresh ones. We therefore have no plans for any amendments to the concessionary scheme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Mortgage Protection Insurance
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the average duration of cover received after claiming against a mortgage protection policy; and what discussions his Department has had with the insurance industry in respect of proposals to extend coverage of benefits beyond the present normal fixed period following Government plans to compel all new mortgagees to take out protection policies.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Government have no intention to compel purchase of mortgage protection insurance but wish to encourage personal responsibility wherever possible.

  There have been no specific discussions with the insurance industry on extending maximum duration of mortgage protection benefit beyond what is currently available—commonly, a total of 12 months, but up to 24 months in some cases. New, more flexible products are anticipated to arise from wider take-up of the insurance.

  The Government do not collect information on average claims duration. However, soundings taken by the Association of British Insurers suggest average claim payment periods, in excess of a typical 60-day waiting period, of six to eight months for unemployment, four to six months for sickness and five months for incapacity following an accident.

  Television Channels (Access)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed conditional access to television channels with another EU member state; and if he will make a statement.
  793
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  At the EU Telecommunications Council last November, conditional access was discussed in the context of the draft directive on standards for TV transmission. Agreement was reached on the regulation requiring all conditional access systems used with digital broadcasts to use a standardised scrambling algorithm.

  Steel
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the level of investment in the United Kingdom steel industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures for treaty of Paris products are as follows:Investment in the UK steel crude industry
  (SIC 221 Iron and steel industry treaty of Paris definition)

  Net capital expenditure

  (£ million)

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Land and Buildings

  11.6

  11.7

  9.4

  24.5

  18.8

  Plant and Machinery

  327.7

  413.2

  383.7

  252.2

  182.1

  Vehicles

  2.4

  3

  1.8

  -0.3

  0.8

  Total

  341.7

  427.9

  394.9

  276.5

  201.8

  Source:

  Report on the census of production, PA221.

  In addition, and perhaps more important, the industry has invested in its people and British Steel now spends some 5 per cent. of its employment costs on training. The United Kingdom has a world-class steel industry, but one which is far from complacent and is working with my Department to tackle a whole range of competitiveness issues.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what was the level of steel in(a) tonnes and (b) percentage terms imported into the United Kingdom from (i) the EU, (ii) east Europe, (iii) the Russian Federation, (iv) Turkey, (v) North America, (vi) Latin America and (vii) Asia in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is in the table.

  United Kingdom imports of steel 19931

  Source

  '000 tonnes

  Percentage total

  EU 152

  4,305.60

  87.6

  Eastern Europe3

  131.5

  2.7

  Former USSR4

  89.6

  1.8

  Turkey

  n/a

  n/a

  North America

  46.9

  1.0

  Latin America

  36.4

  0.7

  Asia

  75.4

  1.5

  Others

  231.5

  4.7

  World

  4,916.90

  100

  Source:

  Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

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

  2 EU includes Austria, Finland and Sweden.

  3Not including former USSR.

  4 Figures for Russian Federation alone are not available. n/a: not available.

  Mr. Whitney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about his Department's794
  plans for strengthening the enforcement of European Coal and Steel Community rules on the provision of subsidies to steel producers.

  Mr. Eggar
  I am determined to fight for a level playing field for the United Kingdom steel industry. The exceptional granting of state aid to steel producers in countries such as Italy, Spain and Germany must be rigorously monitored. The Commission has the central role of ensuring that state aid is used only for the agreed purpose of restructuring, but this is a considerable task. It is also important to watch developments which have not yet been considered in the European Council, such as those in Ireland and Germany. I am therefore setting up the steel subsidies monitoring committee to help gather information—including any evidence of illegal subsidies—and to pass this on to the Commission for action. The committee will include representatives of British Steel, the British Iron and Steel Producers Association, Department of Trade and Industry and other Government Departments.

  Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Acts
  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when a consultative document will be published on the review of the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Acts.

  Mr. Eggar
  A consultative document on the review of the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Acts is published today. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House, and further copies can be obtained from my Department.

  As I announced to the House on 2 December 1993, Official Report, columns 735–36, the review has a remit to establish what amendment, revision or reform is needed to the powers to grant compulsory access to minerals in order to provide an integrated regime for all minerals for the next century. Following the privatisation of the coal industry, the special procedures which are available to opencast coal operators—and not to other operators—will expire on 31 December 1999. Subsequently, the procedures for opencast coal are to be unified with the general regime contained in the mines (Working Facilities and Support) Acts. In considering the issues, the review is to have regard to the need to exploit the country's mineral resources, to the perception that the current general procedures are expensive and time-consuming and to the need to protect the rights of landowners.

  The consultative document takes into account representations received following the announcement of the review. It puts forward options on a number of issues which are of concern to those involved in, or likely to be affected by, mineral development activities. It covers the need for rights of compulsory access, and their nature: the system that should be used to determine applications for the grant of such rights; the criteria to be employed; the compensation to be payable; the relationship with the system for determining land planning applications; and a number of subsidiary issues.

  Views on the issues and options set out in the consultative document, and any others relevant to this review, are requested to reach my Department by 31 July 1995.
  795

  Insurance
  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on progress towards the implementation of the third Council directive on non-life insurance, 92/49/EEC and the third Council directive on life assurance, 92/96/EEC by the other states of the European Economic Area.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  According to information currently available Finland, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden have still to complete their implementation of the directives. To the extent that these states have not fully or substantially implemented the directives, the provisions of regulation 71 of the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance Directives) Regulations 1994 or regulation 15 of the Insurance Companies (Amendment) Regulations 1994 will apply to any insurance company whose head office is in one of these states. Such companies will continue to require authorisation under the Insurance Companies Act 1982 to carry on direct insurance business in the United Kingdom. They will also still be required to submit returns to the Department, in accordance with the Insurance Companies (Accounts and Statements) Regulations 1983, in respect of their UK business.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions during the last five years when his Department or its agencies has taken legal action against a consultancy firm; and what were the reasons in each case.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: No central records are kept, but as far as I can ascertain, on

  Table A—Expenditure on SRB programmes nationally

  £ million

  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 outturn

  1992–93 outturn

  1993–94 outturn

  1994–95 estimated outturn

  Single Regeneration Budget (SRB)

  UDCs and Docklands Light Railway

  607.2

  601.8

  515.0

  371.2

  296.6

  English Partnership1 (URA)

  117.4

  97.4

  151.5

  152.9

  193.0

  Housing Action Trusts—

  10.1

  26.5

  78.1

  90.7

  Other SRB

  Estate Action

  180.0

  267.5

  348.0

  357.4

  372.6

  City Challenge2

  —

  —

  52.1

  206.6

  212.7

  Urban Programme

  225.8

  237.5

  236.2

  166.5

  77.2

  Task Forces

  20.9

  20.5

  23.6

  18.0

  16.0

  Business Start-Up Scheme3

  *113.1

  *90.1

  62.1

  82.9

  70.1

  Local Initiative Fund

  9.9

  48.2

  49.7

  47.7

  28.6

  Compacts

  5.8

  5.5

  5.4

  5.7

  5.7

  Teacher Placement Service

  —

  3.7

  3.4

  3.3

  3.3

  Education Business Partnerships

  0.7

  3.2

  2.0

  1.7

  1.4

  TEC Challenge

  —

  —

  —

  9.1

  4.3

  Programme Development Fund3

  *2.1

  1.9

  3.5

  2.9

  3.3

  Regional Enterprise Grants

  8.4

  7.3

  5.8

  8.2

  11.7

  Section 11 programme (part)

  74.1

  61.8

  70.9

  74.8

  60.5

  Ethnic Minorities Grant

  —

  —

  4.0

  5.4

  5.7

  Safer Cities

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.0

  Ethnic Minority Business Initiative

  0.4

  0.4

  0.3

  0.6

  0.6

  GEST 19

  —

  —

  3.3

  6.1

  4.3

  City Action Terms

  7.7

  8.4

  4.6

  3.4

  0.4

  Total SRB

  1,373.5

  1,465.3

  1,567.9

  1,602.5

  1,460.7

  Notes:

  1 English Partnerships figures include English Estates, City Grant and Derelict Land Grant.

  2 City Challenge—an additional £19 million per year is provided from Housing Corporation provision.

  3 *=pro rata expenditure on related programmes.
  796
  no occasion during the last five years has my Department or its agencies taken legal action against a firm providing consultancy services to the Department.

ENVIRONMENT

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the expected expenditure under the single regeneration budget in 1995–96 and what was the annual expenditure in each of the last five years for each of the schemes that have been incorporated into the single regeneration budget(a) nationally and (b) in Birmingham; and what proportion of those budgets has been spent and will be spent on housing investment.

  Mr. Curry
  Planned single regeneration budget expenditure in 1995–96 is £1,331.5 million. Expenditure nationally and in Birmingham in each of the last five years for each of the programmes brought together in the SRB is set out in tables A and B.

  The proportion spent each year on the specific housing programmes—estate action and housing action trusts—which are now part of the SRB is set out in table C. Housing investment is also achieved through the urban development corporations, city challenge, English Partnerships and from 1995–96 new SRB partnership schemes, although the proportions of these programmes' total budgets spent on housing investment cannot easily be separated out.

  The whole purpose of the SRB is to promote an integrated approach to development with the local parties defining their priorities.
  797

  Table B—Expenditure on SRB programmes in Birmingham

  £ million

  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 outturn

  1992–93 outturn

  1993–94 outturn

  1994–95 estimated outturn

  Single Regeneration Budget (SRB)

  UDCs

  —

  —

  5.412

  10.191

  7.000

  English Partnerships1 (URA)

  6.467

  4.934

  4.507

  2.673

  2.600

  Housing Action Trusts

  —

  —

  —

  2,000

  6.000

  Other SRB

  Estate Action

  8.074

  15.476

  15.780

  19.100

  26.404

  City Challenge

  —

  —

  —

  6.921

  7.823

  Urban Programme

  21.808

  21.955

  21.819

  13.829

  6.966

  Task Forces

  0.782

  1.089

  1.532

  1.449

  1.238

  Business Start-Up Scheme

  20.356

  3.866

  4.062

  2.282

  1.172

  Local Initiative Fund

  20.122

  1.232

  0.472

  0.661

  0.431

  Compacts

  20.005

  0.109

  0.100

  0.059

  0.050

  Teacher Placement Service

  —

  0.032

  0.054

  0.052

  0.052

  Education Business Partnerships

  —

  0.030

  0.020

  0.024

  0.025

  TEC Challenge

  —

  —

  —

  0.286

  0.105

  Programme Development Fund

  0.063

  0.033

  0.150

  0.155

  0.098

  Regional Enterprise Grants

  —

  —

  0.007

  0.065

  0.425

  Section II programme (part)

  6.539

  7.660

  7.446

  7.991

  5.714

  Ethnic Minorities Grant

  —

  —

  0.050

  0.052

  0.017

  Safer Cities

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ethnic Minority Business Initiative

  0.030

  0.053

  0.044

  0.076

  0.055

  GEST 19

  —

  —

  0.162

  0.238

  0.408

  City Action Teams

  0.790

  0.940

  0.500

  0.413

  —

  Total

  45.036

  57.409

  62.117

  68.517

  66.583

  Notes:

  1English Partnerships figures include City Grant and Derelict Land Grant but exclude English Estates.

  2 Figures for 1990–91 for BSUS, LIF and Compacts relate only to expenditure from October 1990, the date at which Birmingham TEC became operational.

  Table C—Proportion spent on Estate Action and Housing Action Trusts

  Percentages

  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 outturn

  1992–93 outturn

  1993–94 outturn

  1994–95 estimated outturn

  1995–96 plans

  Nationally

  13.1

  18.9

  23.9

  27.2

  31.7

  30.3

  Birmingham

  17.9

  27.0

  25.4

  30.8

  48.7

  51.2

  Rural Development Commission
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the Rural Development Commission advised on bids made under the single regeneration budget.

  Mr. Curry
  Government offices for the regions were responsible for making recommendations to Ministers on SRB bids taking account of comments from the Rural Development Commission as appropriate. Where, for example, the Rural Development Commission was a party to the bid, it was not consulted.

  Construction Industry Board
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the conclusions of the meeting with the standing strategic group for construction on 7 February on legislation to enact the Latham report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State and I agreed with representatives of the construction industry and their clients on 7 February to set up a construction industry board. The first task of 798
  the board—which will be chaired by Sir Michael Latham—will be to take forward proposals of the Latham report for restructuring the construction process.

  We have noted the extent of industry support for legislation, on the basis of which we intend to move to the next stage of full public consultation on detailed proposals. The board will provide a channel to Government for industry and client comment on any legislation proposals.

  Local Plan, Plymouth
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his planning inspector's report from the public inquiry into the City of Plymouth local plan first alteration 1992 will be published.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The inspector's report on objections to the Plymouth city council local plan—first alteration—was issued to the council on 30 December 1994. I understand that the council is currently considering when to publish the report. I have asked the Planning Inspectorate's chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  799
  Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Gary Streeter, dated 14 February 1995.
  The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked me to reply to your question about the Inspector's report from the public inquiry into the City of Plymouth local plan first alteration 1992.
  The report was issued to the Council on 30 December 1994 and I understand that the Council is currently considering when to publish it.

  Housing
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many households currently on social housing waiting lists have been waiting for more than(a) six months, (b) a year, (c) two years, (d) three years, (e) five years and (f) 10 years in each region of England;

  (2) what is the total number of households currently on social housing waiting lists in each region of England.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Local authorities in England report the number of households on their council housing waiting lists in their annual housing investment programme returns.

  Figures for each region, as at 1 April 1994, can be found in section B of the "1994 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Information on the length of time households have been on waiting lists is not collected centrally.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much of the 1994–95 approved development programme funding was allocated to(a) each region and (b) each housing authority area in England and Wales; and what is the allocation for 1995–96;

  (2) how much of the 1994–95 housing investment programme funding was allocated to (a) each region and (b) each housing authority area in England and Wales; and what is the allocation for 1995–96.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information requested for England is in the Library. For information about Wales I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the Government's total 1994–95 housing budget was allocated to(a) each region and (b) each housing authority area in England and Wales; and what is the allocation for 1995–96.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  For housing investment programme and approved development programme allocations in England, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to her questions earlier today. Housing investment programme allocations comprise local authority credit approvals and resources for private sector renewal.

  The Department is providing additional credit approvals in 1994–95 for the housing partnership fund, £30 million, the cash incentive scheme, £30 million, and the flats-over-shops scheme, £10 million. I have placed in the Library copies of the Department's press notices which announced allocations by English local authority area for these schemes for 1994–95. In 1995–96 the housing partnership fund will again provide £30 million and the cash incentive scheme will provide £60 million. Individual allocations have not yet been made for 1995— 96.
  800
  The estimated cost of housing revenue account subsidy for England in 1994–95 is £4.1 billion. Final claims for the year will not be received by the Department until early in 1996, but I have placed in the Library a list of the latest provisional claim figures for each authority and region. all of these are still subject to validation.

  The estimated cost of housing revenue account subsidy in 1995–96 is £4.2 billion. No claims have yet been received from authorities.

  The remainder of the Government's housing resources for England is allocated through a wide range of smaller programmes, and further information can be found in chapter A6 of the Department's "Annual Report 1994", published in March 1994, and in its "Annual Report 1995" which will be published shortly.

  Housing in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mrs Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in respect of how many social housing units work was started during the last 12 months for which figures are available in(a) each region and (b) each housing authority area in England and Wales.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The publication "Local Housing Statistics" shows estimates of housebuilding starts for each region and each local authority area in England and Wales. It shows starts by sector, including activity by housing associations and by local authorities. Figures for 1993 and provisional figures for the first quarter of 1994 are in issue No. 110, March quarter 1994.

  A copy of this publication is in the Library.

  North Yorkshire County Council
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he requested an estimate from North Yorkshire county council of the cost to it changing the name of the county council prior to his announcement on 1 February; and what estimate he has now made.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has concluded that the county's name should not be changed.

  Homelessness
  Mrs Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households were found to be homeless during the most recent 12 months for which figures are available in(a) each region and (b) each housing authority area in England and Wales.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I have today placed in the Library a table giving the numbers reported by each local authority in England of homeless households for which they had accepted responsibility to secure permanent accommodation in the year ending September 1994, under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act. The table includes grossed regional totals which include estimates for missing data.

  For information about Wales I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mrs Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of homelessness and living in temporary accommodation on children's education.
  801
  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  HM inspectors published "A Survey of the Education of Children Living in Temporary Accommodation" in 1990. It considered the effect of homelessness on the educational attainment of a sample of individual children and the response of the schools and local education authorities to their educational needs. It identified ways in which the educational arrangements for pupils who lived in temporary accommodation could be improved and noted that the national curriculum should ensure greater continuity and progression.

  Woodspring District Council
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of Woodspring district council under the draft Avon (Structural Change) Order; if it will have the functions currently exercised by(a) county or (b) district councils; how it will be treated for ceremonial purposes; and what assessment he has made as to the effect of the proposed changes on public understanding of local government arrangements.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Under the Avon (Structural Change) Order, Woodspring district council will be a continuing district council on its existing boundaries, but will be renamed North West Somerset district council and will have both county and district functions. The order makes no provision for ceremonial functions in north-west Somerset but the Government's intention is that the area of north-west Somerset will be deemed to be part of Somerset for ceremonial purposes. I believe the creation of a unitary local authority will improve the accountability of local government in the area.

  North West Somerset
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for a county council covering north-west Somerset.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None.

  Avon (Structural Change) Order
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers are to be given under article 20 of the draft Avon (Structural Change) Order to Bristol city council and Woodspring district council additional to those available to Northavon, Kingswood, Bath or Wansdyke district councils or Avon county council before the preliminary period.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None.

  Debt
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by local authority(a) the total level of debt and (b) the level of debt expressed in pounds per head of the local population.

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

  Council Houses
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been built in 802
  each local authority in the northern region in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Revenue Support Grant
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average amount of revenue support grant for 1995–96 per dwelling for(a) Bedfordshire county council and (b) each of the four Bedfordshire district councils.

  Mr. Curry
  The average amount of revenue support grant for 1995–96 per chargeable dwelling is as follows:

  £

  (a) Bedfordshire County Council

  757

  (b) Bedford

  114

  Luton

  164

  Mid Bedfordshire

  56

  South Bedfordshire

  81

  The amounts are determined by the relative needs, taxable capacity, and population of each authority, as measured by each authority's standard spending assessment, RSG council tax base, and resident population as at 30 June 1993, respectively.

  Review Bodies
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will estimate the cost to local authorities' self-financed expenditure in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of(a) the School Teachers' Review Body, (b) the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration and (c) the Review Body on Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors, and Professions Allied to Medicine, assuming no changes in staff numbers;

  (2) if he will estimate the cost to his Department's budget in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of (a) the School Teachers' Review Body, (b) the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration and (c) the Review Body on Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors, and Professions Allied to Medicine, assuming no change in staff numbers; and how much of the cost would be borne by (i) direct expenditure by his Department and (ii) grants and loans to local authorities.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The School Teachers' Review Body has recommended an increase of 2.7 per cent. in teachers' pay for 1995–96. The cost of this to local authorities in England is likely to be in the order of £275 million. The recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration and the Review Body on Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine will not directly affect local authorities' budgets. There will be no direct cost to my Department's other programmes.

  The Government took account of a range of possible pay settlements for all local authority employees, including teachers, in deciding the overall level of the local government settlement.
  803

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the amount of government support to county councils in England in the local government financial settlements for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 compared with the rate of inflation in each year.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Under the local government finance system in operation prior to 1 April 1993 both revenue support grant and non-domestic rates for an area were paid into the collection funds administered by the charging authorities in that area. It is therefore not possible to provide a figure for the amount of RSG and NDR for county councils for 1992–93.

  The total of RSG and NDR entitlements for county councils in England was £13,287.431 million in 1993–94 rising to £13,641.681 million in 1994–95, an increase of 2.7 per cent.

  The GDP deflator is a general measure of domestically-generated inflation in the economy. In 1994–95 it is estimated to be 2 per cent. higher than in 1993–94.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what increase took place in the amount of government grant offered to Surrey in the local government financial settlement for 1995–96 as a result of representations received during the consultation period, and for what specific reasons the increase was made.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Surrey county council, in common with a number of other local authorities, made representations that the number of pupils involved in the calculations in the consultation paper was inaccurate. In each case we have incorporated the new figures where they were notified prior to the settlement being laid before the House.

  The effect on Surrey was to increase the revenue support grant by £2.934 million.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 910–11, if he will set out by council the value of the bid for redundancy and new building costs.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: The bids for redundancy and staff compensation and for accommodation costs, which may include new building costs, are as follows:

  Redundancy and compensation costs £000s

  Accommodation £000s

  Isle of Wight

  Isle of Wight Council

  500

  960

  Avon

  Avon County Council

  2,625

  *Nil

  Bath City Council

  1,020

  *Nil

  Bristol City Council

  2,000

  125

  Northavon District Council

  461

  *Nil

  Kingswood Borough Council

  430

  *Nil

  Wansdyke District Council

  632

  *Nil

  Woodspring District Council

  275

  1,162

  804

  Redundancy and compensation costs £000s

  Accommodation £000s

  Cleveland

  Cleveland County Council

  2,140

  *Nil

  Hartlepool Borough Council

  294

  931

  Langbaurgh on Tees Borough Council

  628

  8,936

  Middlesbrough Borough Council

  600

  250

  Stockton on Tees Borough Council

  544

  3,165

  North Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire County Council

  1,000

  *Nil

  Ryedale District Council

  100

  *Nil

  Selby District Council

  213

  *Nil

  City of York Council

  330

  *Nil

  Humberside

  Humberside County Council

  8,960

  *Nil

  Beverley Borough Council

  583

  *Nil

  Boothferry Borough Council

  600

  *Nil

  Cleethorpes Borough Council

  300

  *Nil

  East Yorkshire Borough Council

  959

  *Nil

  Glanford Borough Council

  500

  *Nil

  Great Grimsby Borough Council

  762

  *Nil

  Holderness Borough Council

  333

  *Nil

  Hull City Council

  Nil

  600

  Scunthorpe Borough Council

  477

  *Nil

  Note:

  A *Nil entry indicates an authority that is to be abolished and that is therefore ineligible under the transitional costs scheme to bid for accommodation costs.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what bids he received from local authorities in the Isle of Wight, Avon, Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Humberside for supplementary credit approvals for 1995–96; and what allocation by service block had been made for each authority.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: The bids to which the hon. Member refers are set out in the answer I gave on 3 February, Official Report, columns 910–11. The allocations—which I shall announce very shortly—are not hypothecated to specific services.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the usable capital receipts as at 31 March 1994, for each local authority, and in total for England.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 9 February 1995]: The total of usable capital receipts held by English local authorities at 31 March 1994 was £2.1 billion. The information for each local authority has been placed in the Library of the House. It is open to authorities to spend these receipts or to use them to repay debt. The gross debt of English authorities at 31 March 1994 was £38 billion.
  805

  Century House
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1994,Official Report, column 249, what has been the cost of maintenance of Century house, Westminster Bridge road since 24 November, and what progress has been made in negotiations over the short-term and long-term future of the building.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The cost of maintenance at Century house since 24 November 1994 amounts to £13,000 plus fees and VAT. The majority of expenditure relates to security cover.

  Property Holdings arranged with the landlord for the building to be offered for use as a winter shelter in 1994–95 as part of the Government's rough sleeper's initiative in central London. The planning application was refused by London borough of Lambeth and the proposal did not proceed. The interest in re-use by a Government Department is no longer current and a marketing campaign is being produced. As an interim measure short-term car parking lettings are under consideration.

  Discussions with the landlord and freeholder about the future of the building are continuing. Progress is hampered by the substantial negative value of the Secretary of State's lease.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources he will make available to authorities that are to be reorganised on 1 April 1995 or 1996 for reorganisation costs incurred by them in 1995–96, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I announced on 2 December 1994,Official Report, column 921, that I was inviting authorities in the county areas of Avon, Cleveland, Humberside, North Yorkshire and the Isle of Wight to submit estimates of the amount of expenditure they expect to incur on reorganisation in 1995–96. On the basis, inter alia, of the information provided by the authorities, I have decided the maximum amounts that it would be appropriate to allocate at this stage towards eligible costs incurred in 1995–96.

  I propose to make further allocations during the course of 1995–96 to shadow authorities when they are elected; to all eligible authorities in the light of revised estimates to be submitted at the end of September, especially in respect of redundancy and staff compensation costs; and to some authorities who are being asked to look again at certain expenditures that they are proposing to incur, especially on accommodation. Authorities for whom reorganisation orders are made under section 17 of the Local Government Act 1992 during the course of 1995–96 may also qualify under the scheme. I propose to hold back £27 million out of the total provision of £50 million for these purposes. The balance of £23 million will be allocated to authorities as set out. Authorities will be notified within the next few days of their maximum amount and of the considerations underlying my decision. The amounts are as follows:

  Authority

  Maximum amount £ thousand rounded

  Avon

  Avon County Council

  500

  Bristol City Council

  2,800

  806

  Authority

  Maximum amount £ thousand rounded

  Woodspring District Council

  2,500

  Bath City Council

  250

  Wansdyke District Council

  240

  Kingswood Borough Council

  250

  Northavon District Council

  250

  Cleveland

  Cleveland County Council

  500

  Hartlepool Borough Council

  2,750

  Langbaurgh on Tees Borough Council

  1,850

  Middlesbrough Borough Council

  1,160

  Stockton on Tees Borough Council

  2,280

  Humberside

  Humberside County Council

  500

  Hull City Council

  2,800

  Beverley Borough Council

  250

  Boothferry Borough Council

  300

  East Yorkshire Borough Council

  250

  Holderness Borough Council

  250

  Glanford Borough Council

  250

  Scunthorpe Borough Council

  250

  Cleesthorpes Borough Council

  250

  Great Grimsby Borough Council

  250

  North Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire County Council

  500

  Ryedale District Council

  60

  Selby District Council

  60

  City of York Council

  250

  Isle of Wight

  Isle of Wight Council

  1,450

  Total

  23,000

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what provisions a local authority which is due to change its name may use powers assigned to the authority under the new name before the date of the change.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: Where a local authority's name is changed, this does not affect the authority's legal status and provisions apply to that authority regardless of its name.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the estimates he has received from the Local Government Commission for transitional costs connected with proposed reorganisation in the Isle of Wight, Avon, Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: The Local Government Commission's estimates of transitional costs of reorganisation are:

  Transitional costs £ million

  Isle of Wight

  4–5

  Avon

  13–18

  Cleveland

  13–18

  North Yorkshire

  3–4

  Note:

  They did not publish a separate estimate for Humberside.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that no further
  807
  orders will be laid before Parliament under section 17 of the Local Government Act 1992 until he has responded to the letter dated 26 January from the chair of the Association of County Council's regarding the disqualification of new unitary authorities.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 15 February 1995]: I replied to this letter yesterday.

  Tyre Dumping
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has undertaken of the dumping of tyres, with particular reference to(a) their environmental impact and (b) the means to combat the practice.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 13 February 19951: The Government are aware that a large number of used tyres need to be disposed of each year and that without proper disposal they can create environmental problems. Used tyres are controlled waste and as such are subject to stringent controls under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section 34 of the Act places a duty of care on everyone with a responsibility for waste to ensure that it is properly managed from production to disposal.

  In addition to these controls on the handling and disposal of controlled waste, the Government are supporting a number of initiatives designed to reduce the quantity of used tyres requiring disposal. These have the potential significantly to reduce the problem of scrap tyres in the future.

  A consultation draft of "A Waste Strategy for England and Wales" was published by the Department of the Environment and Welsh Office in January this year. The issue of used tyres is discussed in greater detail in this document. A copy is being sent to the hon. Member.

  Gas Safety Regulations
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue clear and detailed guidelines on the responsibility for costs to private landlords in the implementation of the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 in both cases where gas appliances were bought and installed by the landlord or bought and installed by the tenant.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I have been asked to reply.

  No. However, the Government and the Health and Safety Commission considered the costs to landlords of the specific duties placed upon them by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994, and concluded that these would not be significant, and were justified by the benefits that the duties were designed to secure in reduced incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning from dangerous gas appliances. These specific duties do not apply to tenants.

  New Forest Committee
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the 1994–95 budget of the New Forest committee; and how it is funded.

  Mr. Atkins
  The New Forest committee budget for 1994–95 is £114.500, of which £20,000 is provided by the Department of the Environment and a contribution of up to £18,900 is paid by each of the Forestry Commission,808
  English Nature, the Countryside Commission, New Forest district council and Hampshire county council.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the actual expenditure of the New Forest committee in 1993–94.

  Mr. Atkins
  A total of £109,300.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the boundaries of the proposed New Forest heritage area have now been decided; and if he will place definitive maps in the Library.

  Mr. Atkins
  The boundary of the proposed wider New Forest heritage area will emerge from the preparation and adoption of local plans. Proposals to define the boundary are being carried forward in four local plans in the New Forest district—the Avon valley, the Forest and Downlands villages and the New Forest, east—together with the Salisbury district plan and the Test valley borough plan.

  Copies of the local plans will be deposited in the Department of the Environment's library.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will define the duties of(a) the New Forest committee and (b) the New Forest consultative panel.

  Mr. Atkins
  The New Forest committee's terms of reference include the promotion of the conservation of the traditional character of the New Forest heritage area; the review of action to maintain the balance of natural and socio-economic forces which determine its character; and the preparation and promotion of a strategy for co-ordinated management of the area.

  The New forest consultative panel has a membership of 71 organisations to include representatives from the whole of the wider New forest heritage area. It is administered by the New Forest Committee, and contributes to the committee's task of ensuring that its members are working together to promote the conservation of the traditional character of the forest. It encourages monitoring of the practical effects of policies or initiatives carried out in the forest.

HEALTH

  NHS Appointees (Payments)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by health authority and NHS trust for 1993 payments made(a) to chairmen, (b) to chief executives and (c) to directors.

  Mr. Malone
  Information will be placed in the Library on the remuneration of members of the boards of individual regional and district health authorities and national health service trusts, as extracted from their annual accounts for 1993–94. The figures need to be treated with caution. The payments listed represent remuneration in respect of the total gross salary, bonus payments, monetary value of benefits in kind, taxable expenses allowances and compensation payments in relation to the offices described—rather than to an individual. Thus, payments listed for chairmen and chief executives could well refer to more than one individual.
  809

  Private Patients
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage change in the number of finished consultant episodes on private patients on NHS premises between 1990–91 and the latest period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Oldham, Central and Royton (Mr. Davies) on 14 February, column 640.

  Embryos
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what evaluation she has conducted on the research into the effects of freezing the human embryo on its DNA and the molecular interactions within its cells;

  (2) what contact her Department has had with its French counterparts to study the long-term effects of freezing human embryos in the last two years;

  (3) what research has been undertaken by her Department into the long-term effects of freezing human embryos following test tube baby treatments in the last two years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Recent research at Cambridge on embryo freezing has been reported in a paper entitled "Birth characteristics and perinatal outcome of babies conceived from cryopreserved embryos" by I. Wada et al, published in Human Reproduction Vol.9 No.3, pages

  Total Fundholding - All Regions

  Region

  Pilot Site

  Number of Practices

  Population covered

  South and West6

  Romsey

  3

  29,062

  Plymouth and Torbay

  7

  73,000

  Trowbridge, Bath and Frome

  4

  59,257

  Dorset

  1

  17,105

  North and Mid Hants (Winchester)

  1

  20,000

  Saltash

  1

  17,200

  Trent8

  High Peak Consortia

  5

  39;700

  Keyworth

  1

  11,500

  Belper (South Derby)

  2

  21,930

  Melton Mowbray

  1

  33,132

  Rotherham

  1

  14,668

  North Lincolnshire (Market Rasen)

  4

  29,500

  South Derbyshire (Long Eaton)

  6

  45,664

  Sheffield South

  12

  61,445

  West Midlands6

  Coventry Health

  3

  20,107

  Bromsgrove1

  4

  40,000

  Bridgnorth

  1

  15,024

  Worcester

  1

  12,300

  Bewdley

  1

  12,943

  Solihull

  1

  18,944

  South Thames6

  Kingston and Richmond

  4

  45,000

  West Sussex (East Grinstead)

  3

  32,746

  East Sussex (Bexhill)

  5

  42,000

  Merlon, Sutton and Wandsworth

  8

  80,800

  West Surrey (Byfleet)

  3

  30,000

  East Surrey (Epsom)

  3

  22,800

  North Thames7

  Brent and Harrow

  3

  32,000

  Enfield and Haringey

  5

  59,870

  Essex

  4

  44,300

  Hillingdon

  4

  39,204

  Herts (St. Albans)

  14

  85,018

  Herts (Hemel Hempstead)

  11

  95,839

  Hertford

  7

  35,466

  810
  543–546. A research project entitled "Outcome in children from cryopreserved embryos" at Manchester university has been completed and publication is expected soon. Research under way at the university of York includes consideration of whether biochemical changes accompany human embryo freezing.

  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority keeps developments in research and treatment under review, including reports of work undertaken in other countries. The authority set up a working group on embryo freezing in 1993 to consider the social and ethical issues in this field. The outcome of its work was reported in the authority's 1994 annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.

  GP Fundholding
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many total purchasing general practitioner fundholding practices have been given the ability to purchase residential nursing home care.

  Mr. Malone
  There are four existing national total purchasing pilots, in which general practitioner fundholders purchase all hospital and community health services for their patients. A further 49 sites are now to join the national evaluation programme. The pilot sites are listed below. Fundholders and health authorities working in partnership are demonstrating what can be achieved, and have made clear their commitment to this important project.
  811

  Total Fundholding - All Regions

  Region

  Pilot Site

  Number of Practices

  Population covered

  Anglia and Oxford5

  Berkshire Integrated Purchasing Project1

  6

  65,000

  Bucks

  4

  55,423

  Thatcham

  1

  25,000

  North West Anglia (Kings Lynn) Attleborough

  1 1

  18,086 13,900

  Northern and Yorkshire7

  Wakefield

  5

  54,000

  Newcastle

  2

  25,300

  North Bradford Health Gain Consortium

  3

  30,000

  Durham

  3

  46,053

  Worth Valley1

  8

  60,000

  North Yorks (York)

  1

  21,027

  Tynedale

  12

  55,700

  North West8

  Runcorn1

  1

  12,000

  Ellesmere Port

  7

  67,000

  Newton Le Willows (St. Helens)

  8

  45,664

  Liverpool Neighbourhood

  8

  48,600

  Clitheroe and Whalley

  3

  31,600

  South Lancs (South Bank)

  5

  24,000

  South Cheshire

  3

  20,000

  Wilmslow

  4

  35,000

  1 Existing Projects

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the north of England are registered with fundholding general practitioners.

  Mr. Malone
  Some 34 per cent. of the population in the north of England as defined by the area covered by the Northern, and Yorkshire, and North West regional health authorities and Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield family health services authorities, are served by a fundholding general practitioner.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the research her Department has done or commissioned in each of the last eight years, on fundholding.

  Mr. Malone
  Research on fundholding has been carried out by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, King's Fund Institute and individual researchers. No research has been carried out internally.

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on women resident in each district health authority and each regional health authority in England and Wales in 1993; and of these operations, how many were performed in NHS hospitals, and how many in private clinics under agency arrangements.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be published in April 1995 in the Office of Population Censuses surveys monitor AB 95/2, copies of which will be placed in the Library.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS abortions were performed under 13 weeks on women resident in each district health authority and each regional health authority in England and Wales in 1993; and of these operations, how many involved admission and discharge on the same day.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not yet available.

  Regional Health Authority Finance
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the outturn figures for each regional health 812
  authority of the revenue and capital expenditure for each year since 1992; and what were the revenue and capital allocations.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be placed in the Library.

  Waiting Lists
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were removed from hospital waiting lists in each regional health authority in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Malone
  The available information is shown in the table. Removals are patients removed from a waiting list for in-patient or day-case treatment for any reason other than admission for treatment from that list. They include patients who have been admitted for treatment as emergencies for the same condition or at hospitals other than those on whose waiting lists they were originally placed.

  Removals from in-patient and day case waiting lists

  Region

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Northern

  9,299

  11,890

  18,049

  Yorkshire

  23,383

  24,667

  34,353

  Trent

  19,415

  24,050

  29,446

  East Anglia

  15,277

  17,033

  16,084

  North West Thames

  30,920

  40,941

  34,504

  North East Thames

  44,574

  43,247

  36,007

  South East Thames

  43,242

  52,482

  54,052

  South West Thames

  19,858

  24,716

  21,473

  Wessex

  21,188

  18,033

  20,568

  Oxford

  13,735

  20,291

  18,861

  South Western

  25,359

  26,470

  24,767

  West Midlands

  35,039

  44,942

  50,520

  Mersey

  22,641

  22,870

  31,523

  North Western

  24,275

  34,279

  42,255

  Childhood Leukaemia
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of childhood leukaemia were
  813
  treated as in-patients at Birmingham children's hospital in each of the last five available years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Bryan Stoten, chairman of South Birmingham health authority for details.

  Junior Doctor Ratios
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the ratio of junior doctors, defined as house officer, senior house officer, registrar and senior registrar to consultant posts in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Malone
  The ratio of junior doctors to consultants in England at 30 September each year is as follows:

  1991: 1.53:1

  1992: 1.52:1

  1993: 1.53:1

  Note:The figures above are based on numbers

  Minimally Invasive Treatment
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the surgical procedures now carried out by minimally invasive treatment; and what was the average length of hospital stay for patients undergoing these procedures in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  HIV/AIDS London
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the incidence of AIDS and HIV per 1,000 population in the London boroughs of(a) Southwark, (b) Hammersmith, (c) Wandsworth, (d) Haringey, (e) Sutton, (f) Kingston, (g) Waltham Forest and (h) Ealing in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the incidence of HIV and AIDS per 1,000 population is not collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service. Currently the PHLS does not make public numbers of cases of HIV and AIDS below regional health authority level to protect the confidentiality of individuals with HIV/AIDS and in order not to deter people from coming forward for testing.

  Transaction Costs
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total budget allocated to health authorities for transaction costs rather than the clinical treatment and care for each year since 1991; and what proportion of health authority spending these costs represented.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is no specific allocation to health authorities for transaction costs and the proportion of health authority spending which these costs represent is not available centrally.

  Pregnancy (Screening Tests)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (1) what guidance her Department has on the provision of the triple test as a screening test for abnormalities in pregnant women;

  (2) if she will indicate the percentage of purchasers and hospitals who are providing the triple test for abnormalities in pregnancy.
  814
  Mr. Sackville
  A report by a working party of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists into maternal serum screening for the detection of fetal Down's Syndrome, including the triple test, was published in 1993 to assist those in the national health service who are considering the introduction of such a screening programme, or who are already running one.

  Information about the percentage of purchasers and hospitals providing the triple test is not available centrally. The provision of ante-natal screening for abnormalities remains a matter for individual health authorities, which decide what tests are offered as part of antenatal care in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Patients Charter
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the organisations with whom she consulted about the new patients charter before its publication; what were the methods of consultation with these organisations; what account was taken of their views in the final document; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  Consultation on the new patients charter has taken place since spring 1994. Organisations we consulted on the draft patients charter are as shown in the table. These consultations were both written and oral and all comments were carefully considered in finalising the text.

  Action for Sick Children

  Action for Blind People

  Action for Victims of Medical Accidents

  Age Concern

  Alzheimer's Disease Society

  Arthritis and Rheumatism Council

  Arthritis Care

  Association of Optometrists

  Association for Management, Education and Development

  Association of Community Trusts and Foundations

  Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales

  Barnado's

  Bereavement Support Services

  Birthright

  Blind Association

  Bobath Centre

  Bridges

  British Diabetic Association

  British Health Care Association

  British Epilepsy Association

  British Heart Foundation

  British Cardiac Society

  British Association for the Hard of Hearing

  British College of Optometrists

  British Dietetics Association

  British Red Cross Society

  British Medical Association

  British Lung Foundation

  British Dental Association

  Campaign for Freedom of Information

  Cancer Care Society

  Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund

  Cancerlink

  Carers National Association

  Caring for Children in the Health Service

  Centre for Health Service Management

  CHAMP

  Co-operative Technical Panel

  College of Health

  815

  Company Chemists Association

  Consumers Association

  Contact a Family

  CRUSE

  Disabled Living Foundation

  Disablement Information and Advice Lines

  Disability Alliance

  District Nursing Association UK

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  Family Planning Association

  Federation of Independent British Optometrists

  Federation of Opthalmic and Dispensing Opticians

  General Medical Services Committee

  General Dental Council

  General Optical Council

  Greater London Association of Community Health Councils

  Health Rights

  Health Visitors Association

  Health Service Commissioner

  Health Services Management Services

  Health Service Management Unit

  Help for Health

  Help the Aged

  Home from Hospital: Continuing Care

  Hospital Caterers Association

  Institute of Health Service Management

  Institute for Health Policy Studies

  Institute for Health Studies

  International Voluntary Health Association

  Joint Consultants Committee

  Kings Fund College

  Lifeline

  Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance

  MENCAP

  Mental Health Foundation

  MIND

  National Childbirth Trust

  National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations

  National Association for Health Care Security

  National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts

  National Consumer Council

  National Association of Fundholding Practices

  National Eczema Society

  NHS Trust Federation

  NHS Health Advisory Service

  Nuffield Institute for Health Services Studies

  Parkinson's Disease Society

  Patient's Association

  Royal College of Midwives

  Royal College of General Practitioners

  Royal College of Nursing

  Royal College of Physicians

  Royal College of Surgeons

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  Royal National Institute for Deaf People

  Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults

  Scottish Consumer Council

  Special Hospitals Service Authority

  Stroke Association

  Stroke Support Group

  The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee

  The National Pharmaceutical Association

  The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

  United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  York Health Economics Consortium

  816

  Private Finance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those NHS projects involving private finance initiative which(a) have been completed and (b) are in progress.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 3 November 1994, column 1269, for the latest information available.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those projects that Newchurch has advised her Department are suitable for private investment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Newchurch and Co. does not advise the Department on the suitability of projects for private investment.

  It was engaged to set up and operate a database and inquiry point. This database provides market intelligence on both new and existing private finance experience in the national health service.

  Colchester General Hospital
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many geriatric beds and psychiatric beds were available in the district health authority area containing Colchester general hospital in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Bowis
  The number of geriatric beds and mental illness beds in the North Essex district health authority area is shown in the table:

  Average available beds, wards open night and day

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  1989–90

  876

  698

  1990–91

  708

  643

  1991–92

  666

  598

  1992–93

  668

  580

  1993–94

  626

  532

  Note:

  For 1991–92 and earlier years, figures are for three district health authorities Mid Essex, North East Essex and West Essex. In 1992–93 Essex Rivers Healthcare trust was formed 1993–94 figures are for Mid Essex Hospital Services trust, Essex Rivers Healthcare trust, Essex and Herts health services, and Mid-Essex mental health services.

  Source:

  KHO3 returns.

  Bed numbers have declined because of the move from secondary care to care in the community, through for example nursing home contracts and general practitioner managed beds.

  Mixed Wards
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on mixed wards containing acute medical, geriatric and psychiatric patients; and what guidance she issues on the mix of such patients.

  Mr. Bowis
  Hospital doctors are responsible for making decisions about the appropriate placement of individual patients, based on what is best for the patient's condition and in the light of available beds.

  General Practitioner Savings
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the advertisement placed
  817
  in the East Anglian Daily Times on 4 February by the Brett-Stour non-fundholding consortium in respect of savings it claims to have achieved for public funds.

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Drug Addiction
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will indicate what percentage of general practitioners provide a comprehensive service for patients with drug addiction problems.

  Mr. Bowis
  General practitioners are contracted to provide general medical services to all their patients, including those with drug addiction problems.

  Core Values
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on care values in the NHS.

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand the question refers to core values. The core purpose of the national health service is to secure through the resources available the greatest possible improvement in the physical and mental health of the people of England by promoting health, preventing ill health, diagnosing and treating injury and disease and caring for those with long-term illness and disability.

  Hospital and Community Health Services
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the cash allocations for hospital and community health services in total and for each district health authority and health commission purchase trust and special health services authority for(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96 and (c) subsequent financial years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1994–95 initial revenue cash allocations for each district health authority and in total will be placed in the Library. From 1994–95, the postgraduate special health authorities acquire the status of provider, and we no longer make allocations to them, beyond the specific funding for research and development. The 1994–95 initial revenue cash allocations for the remaining special health authorities are:

  National Blood Authority—£5,185,000

  UK Transplant Support Services Authority—£3,706,000

  Information for 1995–96 has not been collected yet and for subsequent years decisions have not been taken.

  Trusts and health commissions receive no direct allocations: trusts because they must earn all their income; and health commissions because they exist only as a managerial arrangement for some district health authorities and family health services authorities, arid are not statutory bodies.

  Pay Awards
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the cost to her Department's budget in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors, and Professions Allied to Medicine, assuming no changes in staff numbers; and how much of the cost would be borne by(a) direct expenditure by her Department, (b) national health service trusts and (c) grants and loans to local authorities.

  Mr. Malone
  The cost in England of implementing in full the recommendations of the Review Body for Nursing 818
  Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors, and Professions Allied to Medicine amounts to between £105 million and £211 million for national health service trusts and health authorities, of which between £800,000 and £1.6 million is direct expenditure by the Department. The costs represent the upper and lower levels of the range of improvements expected by the review body. Information is not available centrally in respect of grants and loans to local authorities.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the cost to her Department's budget in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, assuming no changes in staff numbers; and how much of the cost would be borne by(a) direct expenditure by her Department, (b) national health service trusts and (c) grants and loans to local authorities.

  Mr. Malone
  The cost in England of implementing in full the national recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration amounts to £120 million for national health service trusts and health authorities of which £160,000 is direct expenditure by the Department. Information is not available centrally in respect of grants and loans to local authorities.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will review her policy on local authorities making top-up payments towards the cost of residential or nursing home care for residents with preserved entitlements to Department of Social Security benefits; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have no plans to bring forward legislation to amend local authorities' current powers to provide financial support for people with preserved rights to the higher levels of income support. Levels of benefits to which preserved rights apply are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Residential Child Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will establish a formal inquiry into residential child care provision run by Buckinghamshire county council social services department; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what reports she has received from the social services inspectorate with regard to child care provision in Buckinghamshire; what action has been taken as a consequence; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  I have not received any reports from the social services inspectorate with regard to child care provision in Buckinghamshire. I have received a copy of a letter from Buckinghamshire social services to the editor of The Independent in response to newspaper stories in that paper, which I understand has been copied to the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett).

  The social services inspectorate will be carrying out one of its regular inspections in Buckinghamshire in the next few months and will, no doubt, report back to me if it has any concerns.

  If the hon. Gentleman has any evidence of which he thinks it or I should be aware, I should be grateful if he would forward this to me without delay.
  819

  Generic Prescribing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 874, if she will give the aggregate cost of (a) generic and (b) brand named prescriptions for each year for each family health service authority, broken down by fundholders and non-fundholders.

  Mr. Malone
  The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total surpluses and deficits made by trusts in each region in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is shown in the table.

  Total Surpluses and Deficits made by Trusts in each Regional Health Authority in 1993–94

  Regional health authority1

  Total surpluses £000s

  Total deficits £000s

  East Anglia

  8,740

  0

  Oxford

  7,161

  332

  Mersey

  10,256

  2,144

  North Western

  6,697

  0

  North East Thames

  27,771

  2,713

  North West Thames

  28,585

  5,078

  Northern

  10,656

  0

  Yorkshire

  10,490

  447

  South East Thames

  12,494

  0

  South West Thames

  9,142

  1,538

  South Western

  24,196

  437

  Wessex

  7,740

  1,441

  Trent

  17,806

  0

  West Midlands

  21,107

  3,259

  Total

  202,842

  17,389

  Source:

  1993–94 NHS Trust Published Accounts.

  Note:

  1 Regional Health Authority boundaries as existed in the financial year 1993–94.

TRANSPORT

  Security Services
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what precise proportion of the posts identified in the efficiency savings exercise for security services provided by Transec is currently engaged on inspectorial and investigatory duties.

  Mr. Norris
  Forty three per cent. The reduction in posts is part of my Department's general drive for increased efficiency, and will be achieved through a combination of more efficient working practices and the fact that several projects are nearing completion. It is the responsibility of industry to provide front-line security staff and equipment, the level of which will not be affected by these changes.

  Tyre Pressure Gauges
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring he is carrying out of the accuracy of tyre pressure gauges at garages and service stations.
  820
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I have been asked to reply.

  None. Under Council directive 86/217/EEC on tyre pressure gauges, some garage forecourts may be equipped with gauges carrying the mark of EEC initial verification, in which case their performance would be monitored by trading standards officers.

DEFENCE

  Tendering Process
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to give greater weight to the assessment of the quality of bids during the tendering process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We would expect tenderers to present their proposals in the format requested in the invitation to tender, and to a standard commensurate with a professional organisation. Tender evaluation takes into account all relevant factors and the quality or standard of a tender would be one such factor. In a close competition in which bidders' proposals were evenly matched, the quality of a proposal could offer an indication of the commitment and management capabilities of the competitors and assist in final selection.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking so that tendering procedures are improved by allowing greater flexibility in the choice of procurement route; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  To secure the best value for money, taking account of quality, performance, delivery, risk and cost, it has been our practice with market testing exercises positively to encourage tenderers to submit solutions which, through a reasonable relaxation of the terms of the invitation to tender, or the adoption of an alternative approach to meeting the essential requirement, might prove cost effective. We are now extending that approach to equipment procurement to ensure contractors are aware of our willingness to consider innovative bids in this area also.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to streamline tendering procedures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  A number of initiatives from a comprehensive review of contractual policy and procedures carried out in 1992, and more recently the defence costs study, are in the course of implementation. These include the use of pre-qualification procedures to reduce the number of tenderers to those best qualified to meet the requirement; providing greater visibility of tender evaluation criteria; and making increased usage of the "Possible Future Purchases" section in the "Defence Contracts Bulletin".

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to improve the standard of specifications in tendering procedures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We recognise the importance of stating our requirements in clear and unambiguous terms and will continue to work to improve the quality of specifications and related material such as acceptance criteria and configuration control arrangements, supported by taut contractual terms. This can include consultation with
  821
  industry on draft specifications to encourage innovation and optimise possible trade-offs between performance and price. We have also taken steps to improve training for staff in the preparation of specifications.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to restrict tender lists to no more than three companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Our aim in producing tender lists is to select a field that is likely to lead to the keenest competition between firms which are considered capable of meeting all the obligations set out in the invitation to tender. To achieve this aim, and reduce the cost of the competitive process to both the Department and industry, we would normally develop tender lists of around six bidders for each competition. We consider that this approach, which was agreed in consultation with industry, strikes the right balance.

  Rhine Forces (Returning Personnel)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what arrangements are being made in respect of married quarters in the United Kingdom for service personnel formerly serving in the Rhine forces and posted to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) how many married families will return to Britain from the Rhine forces in the next 12 months.

  Mr. Soames
  An estimated 7,500 Army families will return from Germany this year, and around 1,400 RAF families are expected to return between 1 April 1995 and 31 March 1996. There are at present no significant numbers of naval personnel serving in Germany.

  A number of accommodation options are open to service personnel returning to the United Kingdom on posting from Germany. They may either move into their own homes or seek to purchase their own property; move into vacant service families accommodation at or near their place of duty; or, if no suitable vacant SFA is available, they may claim excess rent allowance which will allow them to rent a property in the private sector. A number of SFA properties have been held vacant to accommodate returning families.

  Three Para
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the mock-up from of the Vauxhall Astra car involved in the incident for which Private Lee Clegg was jailed was on display in the mess of Three Para; why it was removed; what disciplinary action was taken against(a) the soldiers who made it and (b) the officers who allowed it to be displayed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The mock-up of the Vauxhall Astra was put up in the cookhouse shortly before the battalion's Christmas lunch. It was noticed by officers in the battalion during the lunch and it was immediately ordered to be removed. No disciplinary action was taken against the soldiers involved in making it, but the officer who should have taken steps to prevent the mock-up from being displayed was not permitted to convert his short service commission to become a regular officer.
  822

  Nuclear Programme
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work is carried out by(a) the Sandia National Laboratories, (b) the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories and (c) the Los Alamos National Laboratories on behalf of the United Kingdom Government.

  Mr. Freeman
  The United Kingdom defence nuclear programme benefits from some of the work carried out in these laboratories by virtue of technology exchanges under the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement.

  Agreement
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the exchange of information and visit reports that have occurred in the last five years as part of the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement, the Polaris sales agreement and the Trident sales agreement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are stationed in the United States as part of(a) the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement, (b) the Polaris sales agreement and (c) the trident sales agreement; and where they are located.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of British personnel stationed in the United States as part of the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement is five; they are located in the United Kingdom embassy, Washington DC. There are 20 British personnel stationed in the United States as part of the Polaris sales agreement, as amended for Trident; they are located as follows:

  Number of Personnel

  Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  —1

  Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia

  —15

  King's Bay, Georgia

  —1

  New London, Connecticut

  —1

  Laurel, Maryland

  —1

  Dahlgren, Virginia

  —1

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were employed in the renegotiation of the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement; and what was the total cost of the renegotiation.

  Mr. Freeman
  A number of officials were involved in the amendment to the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement. It is not possible to identify separately the costs of this work.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the joint working groups that are at present operating as part of the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement, the Polaris sales agreement and the Trident sales agreement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The joint working groups are the means for technical exchanges under the 1958, United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement. Full details of their activities are classified, but I can confirm that the current programme of exchanges includes the following subject areas:
  823

  Neutron Sources

  Irradiation Effects on Materials and Components

  High Explosives for Nuclear Weapons

  Chemistry and Compatibility of Materials

  Test Diagnostics

  Test Monitoring

  Metallurgy of Weapons Materials

  Non-Nuclear Components

  Underground Effects Testing

  Non-Metallic Materials

  Weapons Material Management

  Nuclear Weapons Engineering

  Physics Design

  Weapons Hydrodynamics

  Computational Technology

  Penetration Aid Technology

  Aircraft Hardening

  Nuclear Weapons Physics

  Nuclear Forces and Counter Proliferation Studies

  Manufacturing Technology

  Experimental Activities

  Nuclear Warhead Accident Response Technology

  Nuclear Weapon Computer Code Development

  Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects

  There are separate arrangements for exchanges under the Polaris sales agreement, as amended for Trident.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have visited(a) the Pantex plant in America, (b) the Sandia national laboratories, (c) the Los Alamos national laboratories, (d) the Lawrence Livermore national laboratories, (e) the Nevada test site and (f) the Rocky Flats plant on behalf of the United Kingdom Government in each of the last five years as part of the 1958 United States/United Kingdom Mutual Defence Agreement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Atomic Co-ordinating Offices
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed in the atomic co-ordinating offices in London and Washington; and what are their civil service grades.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table below:

  Grade

  Number

  Atomic control office (London)—(6 staff)

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Administrative Officer

  2

  Administrative Assistant

  1

  Atomic co-ordinating office (Washington)—(5 staff)

  Unified Grade 6

  1

  Unified Grade 7

  1

  Executive Office

  1

  Administrative Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  It should be noted that all staff employed in the atomic control office, London have additional duties as members of the assistant chief scientific adviser, nuclear's organisation.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the annual running costs of the atomic 824
  co-ordinating offices in London and Washington; and out of which budget they are taken.

  Mr. Freeman
  Running costs of the atomic co-ordinating office, Washington, are £300,000, under the budget of the vice-chief of the defence staff. Running costs of the atomic control office, London, fall within the assistant chief scientific adviser, nuclear's intermediate higher level budget, and are not separately identified.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role and function of the atomic co-ordinating offices in London and Washington.

  Mr. Freeman
  The staff of ACO(L) and the administrative staff of ACO(W) are responsible for the transmission of information, documents and material, arrangements of visits and submission of clearances as required by the 1958 United States/United Kingdom mutual defence agreement. Professional staff of ACO(W) represent UK interests in technical and procurement matters pertaining to the UK defence nuclear programme by liaison with the United States Department of Defence, Department of Energy, and their contractors.

  Defence Export Service Organisation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which(a) foreign Governments and (b) British companies were the source of the DESO administrative receipts shown in the supply estimates for 1993–94 under the headings vote 1, section ABC, vote 2 subhead A2 and vote 2 subhead H4 and H2(1).

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no DESO receipts shown in the supply estimates 1993–94 under the headings quoted. DESO receipts are shown in table 2.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the administrative expenses of the DESO shown in the supply estimates for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are a net figure; and what was the expenditure on an expenses and receipts basis.

  Mr. Freeman
  The administrative expenses shown in the supply estimates for 1986–87 and 1987–88 gross expenditure figures. The DESO receipts are included within paragraph 6 of table 4.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the receipts in respect of administrative expenses for the DESO were generated in 1994–95.

  Mr. Freeman
  The receipts for administrative expenses shown in table 2 of the supply estimates 1994–95 are generated by fees paid by overseas customers to cover project management work undertaken on their behalf.

  C-130J Programme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what export licences in respect of 130J purchases have been granted by the United States of America.

  Mr. Freeman
  The United States Department of State has granted Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Co. an exception to the 1994 export licence suspension in respect of the C-130J programme.

  Dispersal Programme, Glasgow
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost to public funds of the dispersal programme to Glasgow between 1982 and 1989,
  825
  inclusive of redundancy, early retirement and relocation costs.

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

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers and grades of civil servants relocated to Ministry of Defence, Glasgow during the dispersal programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  Some 1,400 posts relocated to Glasgow as part of the dispersal programme by 1987, of which over 1,000 were filled by local recruitment. Records of the numbers and grades of staff relocated are not kept centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost to public funds of the current proposals to relocate existing Ministry of Defence jobs in Glasgow, away from the city.

  Mr. Freeman
  Plans to collocate support staff throughout the United Kingdom where it is most sensible and cost-effective to do so are an integral part of the defence costs study. Among other things, present plans include moves of posts into as well as out of Glasgow. Although final costs are not yet known, they are expected to be outweighed significantly by the savings in running costs which will accrue.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers and grades of posts in the Glasgow headquarters buildings, after the establishment of the Army personnel centre.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers and grades of posts at present in Glasgow headquarters is set out below. The exact staffing of the Army personnel centre requires further work before it is finalised and it would not be possible at this time to say how the expected substantial increase in staff will affect these figures.

  Number of non-industrial posts in Glasgow as at 31 December 1994

  Grade

  Numbers

  5

  2

  Naval Regional Officer

  1

  6

  4

  7

  15

  SEO

  55

  HEO

  127

  EO

  200

  Retired Officer 2

  10

  AO

  403

  AA

  171

  Typing Manager

  4

  PS

  7

  Typist

  47

  Librarian

  1

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  Support Manager 2

  1

  Support Manager 3

  7

  Support Grade Band 1

  27

  Support Grade Band 2

  65

  CO3

  1

  CO4

  4

  Technical Grade 1

  1

  Total

  1,154

  Note: Administration Grade numbers include Technical equivalents.
  826

  Departmental Employees, Scotland
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of his Department are located in Scotland; and what that figure will be when the full effect of the defence costs study is implemented.

  Mr. Freeman
  As at 1 January 1995, more than 10,900 of my Department's 117,450 UK-based civilian staff were located in Scotland. Although these figures can be expected to reduce as a result of the defence costs study, the implementation of the study is not complete and its full effects cannot be judged at this stage.

  Courts Martial
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an inquiry into the courts martial system of justice.

  Mr. Soames
  No. The system of discipline in the armed forces, including courts martial, is provided for in the Service Discipline Acts approved by Parliament. The quinquennial Armed Forces Bills are an opportunity to review the Service Discipline Acts. The next such Bill is due to be introduced in the 1995–96 Session.

  Chemical Warfare Agents, RAF Llandwrog
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 562, what was the chemical composition of the chemical warfare agents which were stored at RAF Llandwrog.

  Mr. Soames
  The chemical warfare agent stored at RAF Llandwrog was the nerve agent Tabun. The chemical composition of this agent is Ethyl N, N—Dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate.

  Helicopter Accident, Llanberis Lake
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the progress that has been made on the inquiry into the fatal accident involving a helicopter which crashed into Llanberis lake in August 1993; what changes in safety regulations have been made following the inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The board of inquiry process into the accident is continuing. RAF boards of inquiry are necessarily comprehensive and exhaustive to ensure all circumstances are investigated. The board has been protracted by the complex nature of the technical investigation carried out by the air accident investigation branch. In the meantime, a number of precautionary engineering inspections have been introduced. As explained in the letter from the then Under-Secretary of State for Defence of 13 August 1993, an advance copy of the military aircraft accident summary will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

  Pay Awards
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to his Department's budget in 1995–96 of implementing in full the recommendations of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay, assuming no changes in staff numbers.

  Mr. Soames
  We estimate that the cost of implementing in full the recommendations of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay will be some £140,000,000.
  827

  Service Accommodation
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 10 February to the right hon. Member for Fareham (Sir. P. Lloyd),Official Report, columns 465–67, if he will publish in the Official Report, the full list of residences where significant failures of budgetary control were found; and if he will make a statement on the two occasions when wrong information was provided to Parliament.

  Mr. Soames
  The relevant information on residences where significant failures of budgetary control were found are contained in paragraphs 5 and 11 to16 of the paper on official service residences, which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  The two occasions on which the House was provided with incorrect information on this subject were in the answers given by the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces, first to the hon. Member on 9 February 1994, Official Report, columns 362–63, which put the figure at some £250,000 and, subsequently to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 29 March, Official Report, column 732, which gave a figure of around £260,000. In his answer to the hon. Member for Dorset, West (Sir J. Spicer) on 4 July 1994, Official Report, column 85, the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces provided the revised figure of £387,000 and expressed his regret that an incorrect figure had been given in the preceding answer.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Fareham (Sir P. Lloyd) of 10 February,Official Report, columns 465–67, if he will provide a full breakdown of expenditure at the official residence known as Air house, Rheindahlen in Germany during the financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Soames
  The figures are as follows:

  £000s

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Maintenance

  34

  17

  Improvement

  6

  8

  Furnishings and Equipment

  33

  3

  Security

  115

  38

  Utilities

  17

  18

  Total

  205

  84

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the reasons that led him not to publish the full text of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into service accommodation for senior officers;

  (2) pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Fareham, (Sir P. Lloyd), Official Report, columns 465–67, if he will specify the name of those people who were shown an advance copy of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into service accommodation; and what assurances of confidentiality were made to them;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the legal implications in relation to the publication in full of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into official accommodation for senior officers; and if he will make a statement.
  828
  Mr. Soames
  The report by KPMG Peat Marwick on the outcome of its investigation into expenditure at Haymes Garth is a confidential report that was prepared for the use of senior management and Ministers, not for publication. That was the clear basis on which, as I explained in my reply of 27 January,Official Report, columns 445–46, those named in it were shown in confidence draft extracts to enable them to comment on the passages that dealt with their involvement. I have no intention either of naming the individuals concerned or of publishing the full report. The question of legal implications does not therefore arise.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if Mr. David Hart was shown an advance copy of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into service accommodation for senior officers; and what undertakings he was required to give in respect of the report;

  (2) on what occasions Mr. David Hart briefed journalists on the KPMG Peat Marwick report into service accommodation for senior personnel.

  Mr. Soames
  Mr. David Hart was not shown a copy of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into Haymes Garth, and he has not briefed journalists on it.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Sir Peter Cazelet will be provided with an unedited copy of the KPMG Peat Marwick report into official accommodation for senior personnel.

  Mr. Soames
  Sir Peter Cazalet has been provided with a copy of the Ministry of Defence paper on the maintenance of official service residences which was issued last week. The terms of his study, which cover the requirement to entertain and how this entertainment is to be carried out, do not require him to have further detailed knowledge of the KPMG Peat Marwick report.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the report by Sir Peter Cazelet has cost to date; and what is the estimated total cost of the report.

  Mr. Soames
  Sir Peter Cazalet is generously undertaking his study into representational entertainment in the armed forces without reimbursement. Costs for travel and accommodation during the study for Sir Peter and for MoD officials accompanying him, amount to some £3,000.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to hold investigations into expenditure at official residences of senior officers which were not part of the audited sample in the KPMG Peat Marwick report.

  Mr. Soames
  Twelve residences, accounting for some 40 per cent. of expenditure in the relevant period, have been audited to evaluate systems and control. A comprehensive programme of measures to improve control over expenditure on official service residencies has been set in motion, but there are at present no plans for further audit work.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Mr. David Hart will be providing advice for the report by Sir Peter Cazelet.

  Mr. Soames
  Sir Peter Cazalet has not consulted Mr. David Hart during the preparation on his report.
  829
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department's attention was brought to the allegations concerning expenditure at the official residence known at(a) Haymes Garth and (b) Air house, Rheindallen.

  Mr. Soames
  The question of expenditure at Haymes Garth was raised in the summer of 1993—after completion of most of the work. The extent of the problem only became clear, however, when the results of an internal audit investigation started to become available in the spring of 1994. KPMG Peat Marwick was then commissioned to undertake a high-level independent external investigation. In parallel, a separate audit of expenditure on other official service residences was set in hand, and Air house was one of a sample of residences chosen for examination. The results of both investigations were reported to Parliament on 10 February 1995.

  Mr David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which consultants are being used on the report by Sir Peter Cazelet; and what is the total cost of these services.

  Mr. Soames
  No consultants have been employed on Sir Peter Cazalet's report into representational entertainment in the armed forces.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Fareham, (Sir P. Lloyd) of 10 February,Official Report columns 465–67, if he will specify the exact date on which he received the KPMG Peat Marwick report into service accommodation for senior officers.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I first received the report by KPMG Peat Marwick on the results of its investigation into expenditure at Haymes Garth on 16 December 1994.

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Andrew Wilson
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the full terms and conditions of the early retirement settlement for Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Wilson; and what is the total cost of the settlement including pension rights.

  Mr. Soames
  In accordance with standard regulations, precise details of individual pension benefits are. confidential between my Department and the recipient. He will, however, receive the normal benefits of an officer of his rank who seeks voluntary retirement.

  The scale of retired pay for an Air Chief Marshal currently runs from £41,875 at 30 years' service to a maximum of £46,099 at 34 years' service. The terminal grant is three times the annual rate of retired pay.

  Land Mines
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will urgently make an assessment of the report, "The Military Utility of Landmines: Implications for Arms Control", published by the United States Department of Defence; and if he will publish his findings;
  830
  (2) for what reasons he has not made an assessment of the report published by the United States Department of Defence in June 1994 entitled the "Military Utility of Landmines: Implications for Arms Control".

  Mr. Freeman
  We have noted that the basic conclusion of this report—which was carried out by the Institute for Defence Analyses—is that issues of military utility need not preclude further consideration of any form of land mine arms control. That is the United Kingdom's position: we are at the forefront of international efforts to introduce tighter restrictions on the use and export of anti-personnel land mines.

  My Department intends to assess the report later in the year as part of its continuing review of our military requirements for land mines. Following completion of this review, I will consider what information might be published.

  Millbay Docks
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police have been deployed at Millbay docks recently during protests against live animal exports; and what cost; and for what purpose.

  Mr. Soames
  Up to 14 Ministry of Defence policemen have been deployed in the vicinity of Millbay docks during recent protests against live animal exports. Their purpose was to assist Devon and Cornwall police with particular regard to the protection of adjacent Ministry of Defence property. Provision for this was made from existing resources and no additional costs were incurred.

  Drug Offences
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update the figures referred to in his answer of 5 February 1993,Official Report, columns 371–72, for the number of service personnel who have been discharged for drugs-related offences.

  Mr. Soames
  In 1992, 229 personnel were dismissed from the services following court martial, summary proceedings or civilian court conviction for importing, supplying or possessing drugs. Figures for 1993 and 1994 are not yet available. Updated figures for Army and Royal Air Force personnel discharged administratively for drug offences are as follows:

  1992–93: 333

  1993–94: 200

  1994–95: 122 (to date)

  Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland's operational headquarters based at the Maritime Headquarters, Pitreavie.
  831
  Mr. Freeman
  A consultative document was issued on 21 October 1994 setting out proposals to transfer the operational headquarters of Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland from Pitreavie to Faslane. Having given careful consideration to all the views expressed on these proposals during the consultation period, I have decided to proceed with the relocation of FOSNNI's operational headquarters to Faslane by April 1996. This measure will save some £22 million over the next 10 years. Of the service and civilian posts affected some 70 service and 52 civilian posts will no longer be required. We will continue to consult with staff and the trade unions about the detailed implementation of the measure and its implications. The 832
  move of FOSNNI's operational headquarters will entail the closure of the maritime headquarters at Pitreavie which is expected to become surplus to defence requirements. My officials have been in close contact with the Scottish Office and Fife Enterprise concerning the future development of the site, and I am pleased to be able to announce that the opportunity has arisen for MOD to make available to Fife Enterprise a 5.5 acre site to the south of the Pitreavie estate that is needed by the BSkyB company in connection with its inward investment project on an adjacent site. This area can be released in advance of the remainder of the Pitreavie site which will also be sold to Fife Enterprise, at open market rates, when MOD finally withdraws from Pitreavie in 1996.

  Mr. Kevin Taylor: Legal Aid
  Mr. Kevin Taylor: Legal Aid
  NHS Trusts: Public Accountability
  NHS Trusts: Public Accountability
  Structural Funds: Disbursement Monitoring Committee Membership
  Structural Funds: Disbursement Monitoring Committee Membership
  Fishing Vessels: Decommissioning
  Fishing Vessels: Decommissioning
  Fishing Vessel and Crew Numbers
  Fishing Vessel and Crew Numbers
  City of London: Police Checkpoints
  City of London: Police Checkpoints
  Secure Training Centres
  Secure Training Centres
  Prison Population
  Prison Population
  Crown Dependencies: Human Rights Protection
  Crown Dependencies: Human Rights Protection
  EU/Israel Draft Association Agreement
  EU/Israel Draft Association Agreement
  Turkey: Prison Conditions
  Turkey: Prison Conditions
  Turkey: Destruction of Newspaper Offices
  Turkey: Destruction of Newspaper Offices
  Hiroshima: Casualties
  Hiroshima: Casualties
  Council of Ministers: Background Information on Members
  Council of Ministers: Background Information on Members
  International Organisations: Cost of UK Participation
  International Organisations: Cost of UK Participation
  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Burma: Attacks on the Karen People
  Burma: Attacks on the Karen People
  UN Security Council Resolution 706: Escrow Account Payments
  UN Security Council Resolution 706: Escrow Account Payments
  UN Security Council Resolution 706: Turkey's Diesel Imports
  UN Security Council Resolution 706: Turkey's Diesel Imports