Written Answers of 11 January 1995

ENVIRONMENT

  Strategic Development Scheme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each county and local authority the allocation of funding that has been made under the strategic development scheme and its predecessor schemes, including the urban programmes, rural initiatives, projects of national and regional importance and special projects, for each of the last four years and for 1994–95.

  Mr. Curry
  I assume that the hon. Member's question relates to the single regeneration budget, which brings together 20 Government initiatives, including the urban programme, directed at urban and other areas. As the SRB includes programmes and projects which operate across local authority areas, information is not available in the form sought. However, the Department's 1994 annual report included details for all the SRB component programmes of total expenditure in each of the last four years and planned expenditure for 1994–95. Details of all successful bids for new SRB funding were sent to the hon. Member on 5 December.

  Councillors' Allowances
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he intends to make to the system of councillors' remuneration allowances following the consultation exercise he undertook earlier in the year.

  Mr. Curry
  In the light of the comments that we received during the consultation, my right hon. Friend will bring forward amending regulations which will give local authorities in England and Wales much greater discretion to decide how much councillors should be paid in allowances.

  The current system of allowances is too prescriptive and places an unnecessary burden on local authorities. The changes to the system we propose to make will remove that burden and will encourage people with a wide range of skills to serve as councillors.

  The draft regulations will:

  (a) remove the overall limit on what may be spent by authorities on their allowances schemes;

  (b) remove the requirement on local authorities to pay a special responsibility allowance or allowances and, where they decide they will pay such allowances, remove the upper limit on the level of allowances which can be paid to individual councillors; where special responsibility allowances are paid, the requirement that at least one member of a minority group on each authority should receive a special responsibility allowance will continue;

  (c) require the payment of a basic allowance to all councillors—but will not specify the level of allowance to be paid;

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  (d) permit the payment of attendance allowances and specify a range of single member duties which will be eligible for the payment of attendance allowances—these will be limited to statutory duties which councillors must perform but for which, currently, they are not able to claim attendance allowances if they perform them alone—including visits to children's homes, other social services residential establishments and special schools; and

  (e) require local authorities to publish details of the allowances schemes they make and to publish an annual report of the payments made to individual councillors under the scheme in order to ensure accountability.

  My right hon. Friend will shortly consult local government about draft regulations which will implement the new system. The new allowances system will be in place from 1 April 1995.

  Vacant Dwellings
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress local authorities are making in reducing the numbers of vacant dwellings which they own.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I am pleased to announce that, in response to the Government's encouragement, local authorities have maintained the progress made in recent years. For the ninth successive year, there has been a drop in the number of empty homes.

  As at 1 April 1994, the total number of empty council homes stood at some 70,300, representing 1.9 per cent. of the stock. This is a 40 per cent. reduction since 1985, when the number stood at over 116,000.

  Within the overall total "management vacants"—those ready for occupation immediately or after minor works—stood at some 40,600. Management vacants provide an indication of the empty homes available to meet housing need. I am placing in the Library a list of local authorities ranked on the basis of the numbers of management vacants as at 1 April 1994.

  I want to see the best use of existing council stock. An empty home is a wasted resource which could provide a home for people who need it.

  I look to local authorities to sustain their efforts to keep their own empty dwellings to a minimum and to develop strategies which help to bring empty properties in all tenures back into use.

  Mineral Permissions
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make public the results of consultation responses on the document "Old Mineral Permissions 1948–1981", issued by his Department in March 1994.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Yes. I have today placed copies of a list of all those who responded to the consultation together with a summary of their views in the Libraries of the House. A copy of any individual response can be inspected in the library of my Department.

  Local Government Commission
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the representations he has received on the recommendations of the Local Government Commission; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Curry
  We intend that when we lay implementation orders for each area where the Local Government Commission recommends change to the structure of local government, we will place in the Library a summary of the representations we have received about the recommendations. We will also, on request, make available the individual representations where the writers have indicated that their letters may be published; where necessary, we will ask public bodies who make representations whether they are willing for us to release those representations. Where individual members of the public write to Ministers in the expectation that their views will be treated in confidence, we believe that expectation should be respected. We will therefore regard those representations as not intended for publication unless there is a clear indication to the contrary.

TRANSPORT

  Railways
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish, as soon as is practicable after the publication of each twice-yearly national railway timetable, details of changes involving disadvantage to the public travelling on any route of railway which is:(a) a reduction in the quality or extent of the service and (b) a change in the general or particular level of each category of fares changed, including that of concessionary or travel card arrangements.

  Mr. Watts
  This is a matter for British Rail at present. In the future, franchise agreements will include provisions to limit the extent to which service levels and, where appropriate, fares may be changed. Within those limits changes will be a matter for franchisees.

  Automatic Train Protection
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revision he has made, or is considering, or what proposals he has received from the Health and Safety Executive concerning a revision to the acceptance by Her Majesty's Government of the recommendations of the Hidden inquiry into the Clapham rail accident for the installation of a system of automatic train protection on all lines now the responsibility of Railtrack.

  Mr. Watts
  My right hon. Friend has recently received advice from the Health and Safety Commission on the report on automatic train protection which British Rail submitted last year. Copies of the BR report are available in the Library of the House.

  We expect to receive Railtrack's comments on the report soon. We will consider the views of the Health and Safety Commission and Railtrack carefully, and respond as soon as possible.

  Highway Inquiries
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the effect of the revised rules governing highway inquiries.

  Mr. Watts
  Revised Highways (Inquiries Procedure) Rules and Compulsory Purchase by Ministers (Inquiries Procedure) Rules were laid before the House by my right 136
  hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor on 20 December 1994.

  The consultation document prompted over 80 responses. The proposals to update the inquiry rules governing highway inquiries were widely welcomed. The main changes in the new rules are:

  —pre-inquiry meetings will have a formal standing;

  —inspectors will be allowed to set a timetable for the inquiry;

  —specific time targets can be set to ensure that the inquiry is held as quickly and as efficiently as possible;

  —written proofs of evidence will be submitted before the inquiry with summaries if the main proofs are long;

  —only these summaries will usually be read out at the inquiry;

  —inspectors will have the right to refuse irrelevant or repetitious evidence.

  The new rules, which came into force on 10 January, eliminate bureaucratic procedures without affecting people's rights to object to road schemes.

  In future transcripts will be taken at all inquiries expected to sit for more than 16 days.

  A summary of responses to the consultation document which lists the main points arising from the consultation process, and gives the Government's response, has been placed in the Library.

WALES

  GP Fundholding Steering Committee
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the GP fundholding steering committee concerning the participation of GP fundholders in the achievement of "The Health of the Nation" objectives.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. "The Health of the Nation" does not apply in Wales.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposes to make to the European regional development fund and local authority capital cash limits for his Department for the current financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  The European regional development fund cash limit—WO/ERDF—will be reduced by £7,000,000 from £55,000,000 to £48,000,000. The local authority capital limit—WO/LACAP—will be increased by £7,000,000 from £483,215,000 to £490,215,000.

  The reduction in the WO/ERDF cash limit results from a lower than expected take-up of ERDF provision during the year.

  The increase in WO/LACAP provides for additional housing supplementary credit approvals for mandatory renovation and disabled facilities grants.

  Neither of these proposed changes will add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Four Motors Programme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how Wales is represented in material publicising the Four Motors programme; and if he will make a statement about Wales's role in the programme.

  Mr. Redwood
  Wales is not a member of the Four Motor grouping. However, given progress to date in
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  bilateral relations with the group members, Wales is being invited to participate in what are otherwise Four Motor initiatives and events. Where Wales does participate, the host region ensures that Wales is included in the promotional material. When Four Motor events occur in Wales, such as the environmental impacts seminar held in Swansea in November 1993, Wales deals with any publicity for the event.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Boards of Visitors
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department in informing people seeking to be members of boards of visitors in prisons in England and Wales of the reasons for any delay that may occur in the consideration of their appointment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am aware that there have been too many delays in appointments in the past and I have asked for the system to be streamlined. However, some delays will continue to occur because of the need to obtain security clearance.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated internal cost of each market testing exercise within his Department since 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Up to 30 September 1994, the estimated internal costs of conducting the market tests in the non-prisons programmes and the resulting estimated annual savings in delivery of these services were as follows:

  Market test

  Cost £

  Annual savings £

  Statistics data collection

  236,009

  182,962

  Central training services

  126,720

  245,355

  Central typing services

  99,749

  1,186,125

  Reprographic and design and illustration services

  140,086

  1,016,444

  Departmental computer services

  1,196,881

  4,785,333

  Immigration and nationality department security guards

  107,940

  304,973

  Internal audit

  163,735

  245,355

  Record storage and retrieval

  105,251

  186,442

  Immigration and nationality department typing services

  102,619

  n/a

  n/a = Information not yet available

  Information on individual Prison Service market tests is not available, but the overall estimated internal cost of managing the Prison Service "Competing for Quality" programme, which includes strategic contracting out, from April 1992 to September 1994 was £3,134,000. The estimated annual savings are £15,062,854.
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  Police Authorities
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many names of people from ethnic minorities were included in the lists of suggested independent members of police authorities forwarded to him by the selection panels of these authorities.

  Mr. Maclean
  A total of 808 people were nominated by the local selection panels for appointment as independent members of the 41 new police authorities; 57 were from ethnic minorities.

  Reconvictions
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current reconviction rates for persons commencing probation orders and community service orders and for persons discharged from custodial sentences.

  Mr. Howard
  The information is as follows:

  Percentage of offenders reconvicted 1 within a two-year period following commencement of an order in 1987–90 or discharged in 1987–90 from a custodial sentence

  Percentage

  Probation order

  54

  Community service order

  56

  Custodial sentence

  54

  1 Reconvicted of a serious offence as defined by the standard list in appendix 4 of Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1993.

  Comparisons between different types of sentence are affected by differences in the age, sex, previous convictions and other characteristics of the offenders receiving the sentences, as described in the forthcoming Home Office Research Study, "Explaining reconviction rates: a critical analysis".

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male and female asylum seekers have since the beginning of the war in former Yugoslavia(a) been sent back by British officials at a United Kingdom port of entry to a safe third country, listing the countries (b) been refused visas at any British embassy or consulate in the former Yugoslavia, Austria, Hungary or Poland and (c) been deported from the United Kingdom to any part of the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The table gives the available information on the number of removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants from the former Yugoslavia for 1992, 1993 and 1994.

  Removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants from the former Yugoslavia, excluding dependents, 1992 to 1994

  Number of persons

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Port cases

  120

  126

  66

  Illegal entry and deportation cases

  3

  3

  7

  Information on the destination of those nationals of the former Yugoslavia removed or voluntarily departed is only available for the period 26 July 1993 to 31 December 1994, and is given in the following table.
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  Destination of former Yugoslav asylum applicants, removed or voluntarily departed, 26 July 1993–31 December 1994

  Number of persons

  Destination

  Country other than the former Yugoslavia

  Former Yugoslavia

  Port cases

  62

  51

  Illegal entry and deportation cases

  5

  6

  Total1

  67

  57

  1 The 67 former Yugoslavs removed or voluntarily departed to a country other than the former Yugoslavia comprised 50 males and 17 females; the 57 removed or voluntarily departed to the former Yugoslavia comprised 41 males and 16 females.

  Of the 62 former Yugoslav port cases. 45 male and 17 female, who were removed or voluntarily departed to a country other than the former Yugoslavia, the countries they were removed or voluntary departed to were:

  Male

  Female

  11 France

  5 France

  7 Bulgaria

  2 Bulgaria

  6 Germany

  2 Italy

  5 Sweden

  2 Sweden

  2 Turkey

  1 Hungary

  2 Hungary

  1 Norway

  2 Norway

  1 Germany

  2 Italy

  1 Czechoslovakia

  2 Spain

  1 Turkey

  1 Saudi Arabia

  1 United States of America

  1 Albania

  1 United States of America

  1 Switzerland

  1 Austria

  1 Holland

  No nationals of the former Yugoslavia are being removed to war zones.

  Information on the number of former Yugoslavs refused visas at British embassies of consulates in the former Yugoslavia, Austria, Poland or Hungary is not available.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what powers he has appointed his advisory committee for the Metropolitan police; how many of its members he has appointed directly, how many after the advice of the committee chairman and how many he has asked the chairman to appoint personally; how often he plans to meet the committee personally; how often he expects the committee to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; and if the agenda and minutes of the committee will be published.

  Mr. Maclean
  All the members of the Metropolitan Police Committee will be appointed by the Home Secretary, in consultation with the chairman. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to meet members of the committee personally from time to time, and for the committee to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis or his representatives regularly. The committee's advice to Ministers will be confidential and it will be for the new committee to consider, once it is established, what reports it should make publicly 140
  available. My right hon. and learned Friend requires no specific power to appoint advisers.

PRIME MINISTER

  Electronic Mail
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to be able to receive and respond to communications via electronic mail.

  The Prime Minister
  My office is currently studying options which would provide electronic mail access to Downing street. A decision on the feasibility of such a service will be made as soon as possible.

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the plans of his Department to make information available on Internet and the documents which he intends to be made available on Internet over the next year which will be accessible via the world wide web server "open.gov.UK" or any specific departmental server.

  The Prime Minister
  My office is about to begin trials of a system that will connect Downing street to the Internet. The trial will examine the possibility of offering a World Wide Web service to Downing street. The trial will also examine ways of allowing users to electronically retrieve documents which would normally be available through more traditional sources. Any system chosen would not replace any of these normal distributions methods.

TREASURY

  Inland Revenue Executive Offices
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the organisation of the executive offices in the Inland Revenue.

  Sir George Young
  The Inland Revenue has announced a further move towards a smaller number of executive offices.

  With effect from 1 April 1995, the two regional executive offices—Inland Revenue Greater Manchester and Inland Revenue North West—will merge. The new headquarters will be in Bootle. The headquarters office in Stockport will close. From the same date, two executive offices which provide mainly internal services within the Inland Revenue—the financial services offices and the financial and management accounting systems office—will also merge.

  Civil Service (Delegations)
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what delegations have been made in 1994 under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992; to whom those delegations were made; and what were the main conditions that were attached to them.

  Sir George Young
  The table lists delegations made under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act
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  1992 since the last report to Parliament, Official Report, 13 January 1994, column 246. In some cases, for staff appointed by statutory office holders, Ministers were statutorily required to give consent to terms and conditions of service. For such staff, delegation has been

  List of Delegations made in 1994 under the civil service (management functions) Act 1992

  Delegation

  Nature of delegation

  Recipients

  Main conditions

  1. Boarding school allowance.

  Authority to determine the eligibility for and amounts of assistance that may be paid to members of the home civil service who are posted overseas and incur fees to educate a child in the UK as a result.

  Ministers in charge of departments and statutory and certain other office holders1.

  Schooling allowance will be payable only:(i) when the officer has sole parental responsibility for the child, or is accompanied on the overseas posting at public expenses by a spouse who either has sole parental responsibility or joint responsibility with the officer; and

  (ii) if the department is satisfied that the nature, place, timing and duration of the officer's overseas posting make boarding school or other education in the UK desirable; and

  (iii) if the department accepts that the officer incurs the expenditure solely because of the overseas posting; and

  (iv) on proof of actual fees by an educational institution in the UK at which the child (while under the age of nineteen) pursues full time academic or vocational studies; and

  (v) when the costs of exercising this delegation can be met from within existing running costs and cash limits.

  2. Terms and conditions of service of industrial employees.

  Authority to set the terms and conditions of service of industrial employees in their respective departments.

  Ministers in charge of departments and statutory office holders, as appropriate for the following departments1

  Departments and Agencies must: (i) continue to comply with certain sections of the civil service management code.

  FCO

  (ii) ensure that any changes made to the terms and conditions specified must provide value for money and be made in a way which does not jeopardise essential public expenditure safeguards.

  HO

  DTI

  DTp

  MOD

  MAFF

  DNH

  DOE

  PSA

  WO

  DSS

  SO

  NIO

  DoH

  First Crown Estates Commissioner

  3. Recruitment and retention allowance

  Authority to determine for home civil servants in their respective departments and working in the UK eligibility for and amount of new recruitment and retention allowance.

  Ministers in charge of departments and statutory and certain other office holders1.

  (i) The new recruitment and retention allowance may be paid only to meet locational, posting, discipline related or other recruitment and retention problems;

  (ii) Departments and agencies must ensure that use of the RRA represents value for money and does not jeopardise essential public expenditure safeguards;

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  effected by waiving that requirement, subject to the conditions attached to the delegation.

  The delegation of terms and conditions of service applies generally across the civil service except where the answer makes it clear that this is not the case.
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  List of Delegations made in 1994 under the civil service (management functions) Act 1992

  Delegation

  Nature of delegation

  Recipients

  Main conditions

  (iii) the allowance must not exceed £3,000 a year and must not be paid above grade 4 level;

  (iv) Departments and agencies may decide to make it pensionable, non-pensionable or part pensionable to reflect different types of recruitment and retention problems;

  (v) Departments and agencies must take the cost of pensionability into account in considering whether the RRA should be pensionable or not;

  (vi) details of the RRA arrangements, including pensionability provision, must be given to all staff and made clear to new staff in letters of appointment.

  4. Recruitment and retention allowance for staff overseas.

  as above

  Ministers in charge of departments and statutory and certain office holders.

  as above

  5. Delegation of pay and certain conditions of service.

  Authority to determine pay and certain pay-related conditions of service of civil servants below the senior open structure (with the exception of retirement and redundancy, the reinstatement and re-employment of persons in the service and the re-deployment of staff between departments). Agency chief executives are also excluded from the scope of the delegations.

  Ministers in charge of departments and statutory officeholders1, as appropriate, for the following organisations:

  (i) The recipient must continue to comply with certain sections of the civil service management code.

  Agricultural Development and Advisory Service

  (ii) Changes made to terms and conditions must provide value for money and be made in a way which does not jeopardise essential public expenditure safeguards.

  Social Security Benefits Agency

  Social Security Contributions Agency

  HM Customs and Excise

  Defence Research Agency

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  Driving Standards Agency

  HM Stationery Office

  HM Prison Service

  Health and Safety Executive

  Social Security Information Technology Service Agency

  Meteorological Office

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  Royal Mint

  Scottish Prison Service

  Vehicle Inspectorate.

  1. Statutory and Certain Other Office Holders

  First Parliamentary Counsel

  Government Actuary

  Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies

  National Debt Commissioners/National Public Works Loan Commissioners

  Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce

  Board of the Inland Revenue(i)

  Commissioners for Customs and Excise(i)

  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Wales(ii)

  The Franchising Director, Office of Passenger Rail Franchising(ii)

  The Rail Regulator(ii)

  Director General of the National Lottery(ii)

  (i) Recruitment and retention allowance delegation does not apply to departments which have delegated authority over pay and pay-related functions on 1 April 1994.

  (ii) Also received in 1994 delegation of minimum recruitment criteria made originally to Ministers in charge of departments and certain other office holders in 1993.

  Staff of Bodies Covered by Statutory Provisions

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  Crown Estate Office (CEO)

  Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)

  Office of Fair Trading (OFT)

  Office of Gas Supply (OFGAS)

  Office of Electricity Regulation (Offer)

  Office of Her Majesty's chief Inspector of Schools, Wales(i)

  Office of the National Lottery (Oflot)(i)

  Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)

  Office of Telecommunications (Oftel)

  Office of Water Services (Ofwat)

  Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (OPRAF)(i)

  Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR)(i)

  Procurator Fiscal Service (PFS)

  Serious Fraud Office (SFO)

  (i) Also received in 1994 delegations on travel, overseas accountable entertainment allowance, United Kingdom relocation expenses and rents for key staff occupying government-owned residential properties made originally to Ministers in charge of departments and certain other office holders in 1993.

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HEALTH

  Severe Arthritis and Emphysema
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will advise health authorities and NHS trusts that the use of normal X-ray film is unsuitable for the detection or assessment of severe arthritis and emphysema.

  Mr. Sackville
  These are technical and clinical issues for which the Department looks to the relevant professional bodies to provide guidance.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government to trace those who may be at risk of having been infected with hepatitis C as a result of blood transfusions.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government have accepted the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation that a look back exercise should be undertaken with a view to tracing, counselling and treating those who may have inadvertently been infected with hepatitis C through blood transfusions given in this country. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has directed that this exercise should be undertaken as quickly as possible and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are making similar arrangements to ensure a co-ordinated United Kingdom approach.

  The Chairman of the Advisory Committee has been asked to bring together without delay an ad hoc working party of experts to draw up guidance on the procedures for undertaking the look back exercise and for counselling those identified as being at risk as well as guidance on the treatment options available.

  The blood service in the United Kingdom continues to be one of the safest in the world and donors and patients should have the highest confidence that the standard of the service will he upheld.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Exclusion Orders
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many exclusion orders have been(a) imposed, (b) revoked, (c) reimposed at the expiry of a previous order and (d) allowed to lapse in the last 12 months.

  Sir John Wheeler
  In the period 1 January to 31 December 1994, one exclusion order was imposed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. No orders were revoked, reimposed or allowed to lapse by my Department.

  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to revoke all exclusion orders made under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The continuing need for all security measures necessitated by terrorism, including exclusion orders, is kept under close review. The Government do not intend to maintain the emergency legislation any longer than is necessary and looks forward to a day when 146
  the need for emergency legislation, including the exclusion powers, will be redundant. It would be wrong, however, to lower our guard prematurely.

  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many exclusion orders made under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts are currently in force.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Ten orders made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and a further 59 orders made by the Home Secretary are currently in force.

  Railways
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conclusions he has reached on the findings of the study carried out on the scope for introducing a private element into the management and operation of Northern Ireland Railways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  This study was commissioned as a result of a commitment given in the citizens charter for Northern Ireland. The consultants' preferred option for introducing a private element into Northern Ireland Railways was the establishment of a single vertically integrated franchise for passenger and infrastructure operations. The consultants advised, however, that any franchising programme in Northern Ireland should follow rather than lead franchising in Great Britain. The consultants also made recommendations concerning the sale of non-core businesses, such as freight and travel agency operations, and the market testing of other activities.

  In view of the consultants' reservations about timing, and bearing in mind that railways services in Northern Ireland are on a relatively small scale compared to those in Great Britain, I have decided to defer a decision on the franchising of railway services for the time being. I would propose, however, to implement the consultants' proposals about the sale of NIR's non-core businesses and the market testing of other activities. I have also asked NIR to examine the scope for involving private sector finance in their capital programme.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a further allocation of funds to the discretionary social fund budget in the current. financial year.

  Mr. Moss
  I am very pleased to announce that the Northern Ireland social fund discretionary budget for 1994–95 will be increased by a total of £400,000 as a result of better than expected loan recoveries by the Social Security Agency.

  The budget for loans will be increased by £303,600 while the budget for grants will be increased by £96,400 increasing the original allocation to £20,463,600 and £9,736,400 respectively.

  This increase in the social fund budget will ensure that more people receive help and that the fund continues to play an important role in targeting resources on those most in need.

  Details of the revised budget have been placed in the Library.
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  Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details of the three visits made outside the United Kingdom by the independent commissioner for the holding centres in his official capacity since his appointment, listing the countries visited, the purpose and the total cost to public funds of each visit.

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Since his appointment in December 1992, the independent commissioner made three visits in that capacity outside the United Kingdom.

  From 3 to 7 June 1994, the commissioner visited the United States of America where he met officials of the British embassy in Washington DC, the head of the North European Bureau of the United States State Department, Congressional officials, facilitated by the director of United States congressional human rights caucus, a senior representative and members of Amnesty International, lawyers from New Jersey with a particular interest in Northern Ireland affairs, representatives from Human Rights Watch (New York), the executive director and members of the United States Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (New York), representatives of non-governmental organisations concerned with prisoner's rights, and a senior representative of the New York Bar Association's council for international affairs.

  On 21 July 1994 the commissioner visited Dublin where he met Mr. Dick Spring, the Tanaiste, a senior Garda officer and officials from the departments of Health and Justice.

  From 11 to 20 September 1994 the commissioner returned to the United States of America to attend, at the invitation of their president, the annual conference in Florida of the International Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, where he also met members of the United States Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (New York), members of the New York Bar Association, Human Rights Watch (New York) and some press/media representatives from New York and District.

  The total cost to public funds in respect of each visit was as follows:

  3–7 June 1994: £1,200

  21 July 1994: £300

  11–20 September 1994: £3,000

  Stevens Report
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the chief constable of Northumbria made his report to the Director of Public Prosecutions of Northern Ireland and the chief constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; what plans he has to publish it; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The original report by Mr. Stevens was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions and a copy made available to the Secretary of State. A summary of the report was published on 17 May 1990 and a copy was placed in the House of Commons Library.
  148
  Supplementary reports by Mr. Stevens were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions on 25 April 1994 and 18 October 1994, respectively, for consideration. The DPP has conferred with Mr. Stevens and certain further inquiries are to be carried out.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Management Information Systems
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) which Departments which do not yet have a fully developed MINIS-type management information system; and what are the target dates for the introduction of such a system in each case;

  (2) which Departments have in place a fully developed MINIS-type management information system; and on what date each system was introduced.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  A number of Departments have developed management information systems similar to MINIS since the launch of the financial management initiative in 1982. The main responsibility for developing such systems rests with Departments. A multi-departmental efficiency scrutiny is currently examining management information and planning systems and is expected to report in the spring. The work of the scrutiny team shows that the Department of Environment, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Export Credits Guarantee Department, and the Government Offices for the Regions each have a management information system called MINIS although they are not identical. These were introduced in 1980, 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively. The management information systems in other Government Departments have different names.

  The aim of the current scrutiny is to ensure that these systems reflect the new structure of central Government and best practice developed in the public and private sectors over the last decade.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Projects (Prime Ministerial Scrutiny)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the ministerial correspondence relating to the Ankara metro project under the aid and trade provision scheme was copied to No. 10 for prime ministerial approval; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  In view of the size and importance of the Ankara Metro project, the ministerial correspondence on it was copied to No. 10 for the information—rather than the approval—of the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what projects under the ATP programme the papers were sent to No. 10 Downing street for the views of the Prime Minister between 1980 and 1992; at whose request; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 10 January 1995:]: No records are held centrally of the information requested and gathering such information could be done only at disproportionate cost.
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SOCIAL SECURITY

  Incomes
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the change in average annual income at constant 1994 prices between 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available of the poorest 10th and richest 10th of households comprising(a) a single adult, (b) a couple no children, (c) a couple with child aged three years, (d) a couple with child aged 16 years, (e) a couple with children aged three and eight years, (f) a couple with children aged three, eight and 11 years and (g) a couple with children aged 11, 16 and 17 years.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the form requested. This Department does not produce statistics on the distribution of annual incomes. Estimates of income distribution provided relate to current income at the time a survey respondent is interviewed.

  Reliable estimates of changes in the average income of the family groups requested are not available for the lowest and highest tenth of the income distribution as the sample sizes are too small.

  Figures giving the change in real income of the bottom fifth of the income distribution for particular family types are in table A4 of "Households Below Average Income 1979–1991–92", a copy of which is in the Library. Corresponding information for the top fifth is given in the table.

  Changes in real income for family type, 1979–1991–92

  Real percentage changes in median income (top quintile)

  Family type groups

  Before housing costs

  After housing costs

  Pensioner couple

  35 to 77

  47 to 92

  Single pensioner

  33 to 63

  45 to 78

  Couple with children

  56

  54

  Couple without children

  51

  56

  Single with children

  8 to 43

  1 to 39

  Single without children

  45

  45

  Notes:

  1. Income change estimates relate to the median income in each quintile; income is net equivalised household income before or after housing costs. Range estimates are given where the range in which the true change lies exeeds 20 percentage points. This is more likely at the top of the income distribution (top quintile) of each family type.

  2. Range estimates show the range in which the true change will lie, 95 times out of 100.

  3.Results have not been checked for sensitivity to the use of different equivalence scales.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the calculations leading to the increase from 23 November in the social fund loans budget for the South Gwent and Islwyn district office of the Benefits Agency.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr Paul Flynn, dated 10 January 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the calculations leading
  150
  to the recent increase in the Social Fund loans budget for the South Gwent and Islwyn District Office.
  The principles underlying allocations to the Social Fund in April 1994 and November 1994 were placed in the Library at the time of the allocations.
  The South Gwent and Islwyn District Office Social Fund annual loans budget was £1,290,652 from April 1994. Ministers approved an increase of 4% to the budget with effect from 23 November 1994, subject to any adjustment within a limit of plus or minus 0.8% to cover local factors considered appropriate by the Benefits Agency's Area Director for Wales.
  Taking local circumstances into account, in particular the fact that flooding in the District was likely to lead to an increase in claims, the Area Director recommended that the proposed 4% additional allocation of £51,626 should be further increased to 4.8% giving an overall increase of £61,951.
  As a result, the current 1994–95 Social Fund loans budget for the South Gwent and Islwyn District Office is £1,352,603.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give his Department's estimate of the number of absent parents who currently(a) are liable for assessment for paying maintenance for children under the Child Support Act 1991, (b) have been sent assessment forms by the Child Support Agency, (c) have had their assessment completed by the agency and (d) are regularly paying maintenance under the terms of the agency's assessment; and if he will estimate how long it will be until all those who are liable for assessment currently will have had their assessment completed.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 11 January 1995:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the numbers of absent parents who are awaiting assessment, have been assessed and are paying regular maintenance.
  As at the end of October, the Agency had received just over 1,100,000 applications for child maintenance from parents with care (PWC), involving around 1.2 million Absent Parents (APs). Maintenance enquiry forms have been issued to 637,000 of these APs, and maintenance assessments have been completed in 380,000 cases.
  Some of these assessments will have resulted in maintenance being paid direct between the AP and the PWC. In 161,000 cases accounts have been set up for the collection of maintenance by the Agency. In 24,000 of these the AP had paid all the maintenance due, and in a further 44,000 cases the AP had partially paid it.
  You also asked how long it would be until all those liable for assessment had their assessment completed. Ministers have recently announced measures intended help the Agency increase the speed with which cases are processed and to reduce the number of cases awaiting assessment. At this stage it is not possible to say when the arrears will be cleared. However I can assure you that we are taking all possible steps to deal with the outstanding cases as quickly as possible whilst giving a high priority to improving accuracy, customer service and increasing the amount of maintenance arranged and collected.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the criteria used by the Child Support Agency for deciding the order in which absent parents are assessed by the agency.
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  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 11 January 1995:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency's take on strategy.
  Our criteria for taking on cases to assess child maintenance have been widely published. From April 1993 parents with care who apply for Income Support, Family Credit, or Disability Working Allowance are asked to authorise the CSA to seek maintenance on their behalf. Parents with care who make renewal claims for Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance will also usually be asked to give that authorisation.
  New cases involving both benefit and non-benefit clients are the Agency's first priority. This takes into account the fact that no new court orders for child maintenance are being made, and the likelihood that no maintenance will have been paid before in these cases.
  The Agency recently announced that it would temporarily defer taking on cases where parents with care have been on Income Support continuously since before April 1993 and have not already asked the Agency to take them on. However, the Agency will continue to give sympathetic consideration to those parents who do ask us to pursue their application.
  Once we take on cases we do not categorise any group of absent parents or parents with care as having a higher priority than any other. We simply work through all of them as soon as we can although the varying circumstances and complexities of individual cases mean that, inevitably, some will be concluded quicker than others.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Oil and Gas Reserves
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how long present British oil and gas reserves will last at current levels of consumption.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Total British reserves of oil and gas in all known discoveries could, at 1993 rates of consumption, last respectively for 25 and 36 years. If the full potential from all possible future discoveries were to be included these would increase to some 58 years for oil and 57 years for gas.

  Advice Service
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to support the provision of advice services through voluntary organisations funded by his Department.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  My Department already indirectly supports the provision of advice services through its funding of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux which provides support services to local citizens advice bureaux.

  Sizewell Nuclear Reactor
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on progress with the Sizewell pressurised water reactor.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Sizewell B reactor is now close to achieving full temperature. Initial criticality is expected to be achieved in the course of this month 152
  following which Nuclear Electric will progressively bring the reactor up to full power.

  Business Link Initiative
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with his business link initiative.

  Mr. Heseltine
  There are currently 66 business links operational and we have given approval for a further 122. We are on target for achieving a national network of around 200 outlets giving every firm in England access to a business link by the end of 1995.

  National Grid
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to ensure that customers benefit from the disposal of the National Grid.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Customers are already benefiting from the Government's privatisation programme and they will continue to do so.

  It is not yet clear if or on what terms a disposal of NGC will proceed. Discussions with Government are at an early stage.

  Arms Sales (Public Subsidy)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated annual public subsidy toward the sale of armaments.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Defence sales and civil capital goods business insured by ECGD are eligible for interest support under ECGD's fixed rate finance scheme, where credit terms of two years or more are involved. A sectoral breakdown of this support along the lines requested is not collected and is not readily obtainable.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what positive steps his Department is pursuing to assist the aerospace industry in Britain over the next 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  My department is working to help the aerospace industry to improve its competitiveness, which must be the foundation of its future success. DTI supports the industry in forging international partnerships and pursuing major export opportunities. We are also funding research through the CARAD scheme and have provided launch aid for a number of major aerospace projects.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the levels of gas prices and the powers of the regulator.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since privatisation in 1986, gas prices excluding VAT for domestic customers have fallen in real terms by over 20 per cent., taking account of the recent price increase. The Director General of Gas Supply has played an important role in securing these benefits through the operation and re-setting of the price formula.
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  Post Office
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on industrial relations in the Post Office.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Industrial relations in the Post Office are a matter for the Post Office board and management.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for introducing greater commercial freedom to the Post Office.

  Mr. Stott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to grant greater commercial freedom for the Post Office in the public sector.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Post Office operates several businesses.

  We are actively engaged in widening the opportunities for Post Office Counters and are helping to automate their services.

  We will announce any plans to change the present arrangements governing the remainder of Post Office activities as appropriate.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the post and parcel delivery services.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government are committed to maintaining a nationwide letter and parcel service, with daily delivery to every address in the country at a uniform and affordable structure of prices.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received during the current Session about the provision of counter services in post offices throughout the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade regularly receives representations on a wide range of matters relating to the Post Office, including the provision of counter services.

  Volvo Factory (Workington)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress his Department has made in finding an occupant for the Volvo factory in Workington.

  Mr. Eggar
  Primary responsibility for finding a new occupant for the factory falls to the company and its agents. However, the local development organisations, together with Inward, the regional development organisation, and the Government office for the north-west are fully aware of the opportunities the site has to offer. They continue to promote the site at every suitable opportunity.

  British Coal Enterprise
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government and British Coal are continuing to consider options for the full range of services provided by British Coal Enterprise. No final decisions have been taken about its future.
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  British Coal (Privatisation)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss privatisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  I meet the chairman regularly to discuss a range of issues. The privatisation of British Coal's mining activities was successfully completed at the end of last year.

  Gas Industry (Regulation)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he is next meeting the director general of Ofgas to discuss the regulation of the gas industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  I frequently meet the Director General of Gas Supply to discuss the regulatory framework of the gas industry, and in particular the Government's plans for legislation this session to increase competition in the industry.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet the President of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I, and other DTI Ministers, regularly meet the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry. The latest CBI monthly trends inquiry reported that manufacturers' order books were at their highest level since January 1989 and that the recent strong growth in manufacturing output was expected to continue.

  Capital Equipment (Exports)
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will indicate the current trend in the level of exports of capital equipment.

  Mr. Needham
  United Kingdom exports of capital equipment continue to increase strongly: in the third quarter of 1994, their volume was 17 per cent. higher than a year earlier.

  House of Fraser Takeover
  Mr. Madden
  To aks the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received asking him to withdraw or modify the inspector's report into the House of Fraser takeover.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Since publication of the House of Fraser report in March 1990, no such representations have been received by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Inward Investment (North-West)
  Mr. Brandreth
  To aks the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to further encourage inward investment in the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Government are fully aware of the benefits to the United Kingdom of inward investment and takes great pains to promote this country overseas. However, the choice of the precise location within the UK is entirely a matter for the commercial judgment of the investor.
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  British Telecom
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what telecommunications services BT is able and willing to provide but is prevented from doing so by the regulatory regime.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  BT can offer any telecommunications service to non-residential customers and any non-broadcast services to residential customers. Broadcast entertainment services can only be provided by the holder of the relevant local franchise. BT has the same opportunities as other companies to obtain these local franchises, and the Command Paper on Broadband Communications published last November encouraged BT to apply for new franchises when these are advertised by the Independent Television Commission. If successful, BT could use its existing infrastructure for all services within the franchise area.

  Utilities (Charges)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are his powers in relation to promoting competition, controlling profits and dividends and ensuring fair charges in those utilities in respect of business in private ownership; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The duties and powers of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade are set down in the relevant legislation. The Government have established independent regulators for the utilities, with duties to promote competition and to protect the interests of consumers, including in respect of prices charged.

  EU Regional Policy
  Ms Quin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet his EU counterparts to discuss EU regional policy.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  One of my hon. Friends will attend the informal meeting of regional policy and planning Ministers in Strasbourg on 30–31 March.

  New Business (Leicestershire)
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recent creation of new business in Leicestershire.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In 1992 and 1993, the latest available figures, approximately 3,000 new businesses were created in Leicestershire each year, based on VAT registrations.

  Motor Vehicles
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value of imports and exports of motor vehicle components in 1992, 1993 and this year to date, together with his estimate of the import content of cars produced or assembled in the United Kingdom in 1973 and 1993.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer that I gave him on 12 December 1994,Official Report, column 510–11. Figures for world trade for 1992 are published in "Business Monitor" MA 20. For 1993 and for 1994 to date, figures for extra-EC trade are published in "Business Monitor" MM 20 whereas figures
  156
  for intra-EC trade are published in "Business Monitor" MQ 20.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the change in the deficit on trade with the EEC in (i) cars and (ii) commercial vehicles in 1992, 1993 and 1994 to date and the contribution that it has made to growth.

  Mr. Needham
  No assessment is made of contribution to growth. The crude trade balances were as follows:

  Crude Trade Balance

  £ Million

  Year

  Cars

  Commercial Vehicles

  1991

  -1,089.0

  218.2

  1992

  -1,693.3

  202.3

  1993

  -3,309.6

  33.7

  1993 (January-September)

  -2,625.0

  70.9

  1994 (January-September)

  -3,487.7

  -458.6

  Non-Metallic Machinery and Equipment
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer to a supplementary question on 23 November 1994,Official Report, column 583, if he will list the periods since 1964 in which output of other non-metallic machinery and equipment remained 10 per cent. below its previous peak for five years or more.

  Mr. Needham
  No. There is no readily available data on non-metallic machinery and equipment.

  Foreign Firms (Public Money)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November 1994,Official Report, column 583, how much public money in current prices was given to foreign firms to establish or increase output in the United Kingdom since 1973.

  Mr. Needham
  This question goes wider than my Department's responsibility and the information requested is not collated.

  Manufacturing Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will show the change in exports of finished manufactures in the latest three months to the EEC and to the rest of the world compared with 1992;

  (2) what is his estimate of the increase in relative unit values for United Kingdom exports of manufacturers to EEC and non-EEC countries since the third quarter of 1992;

  (3) what was the volume of imports and exports of finished manufactures from and to (a) the EEC and (b) non-EEC countries in the three months to August 1994;

  (4) what is his estimate of the increase in relative unit values for United Kingdom exports of manufactures to European Economic Community and non-European Economic Community countries since the third quarter of 1992.
  157
  Mr. Needham
  The information can be obtained from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will show the balance of trade in manufactures as a percentage of GDP in(a) 1970, (b) 1977, (c) 1979 and (d) 1993, together with the corresponding change since the second half of 1973 in (i) the terms of trade finished manufactures and (ii) relative unit values for exports of manufactures.

  Mr. Needham
  The balance of trade in manufactures was(a) 6 per cent. of GDP in 1970, (b) 5 per cent. in 1977, (c) 2 per cent. in 1979 and (d) minus 1 per cent.—a trade deficit—in 1993.

  From 1973 to 1993, the terms of trade index for finished manufactures increased by 45 per cent. Relative unit values for exports are not available on a consistent basis prior to 1975. However, the latest data available show that, from 1975 to the third quarter of 1993, (i) the terms of trade index for finished manufactures increased by 29 per cent. and (ii) the relative unit value for exports of manufactures increased by 10 per cent.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the change between the latest quarter for which figures are available and the corresponding quarter of 1992 in the volume of exports and manufactures in(a) Germany, (b) the United States of America, (c) France, (d) Italy, (e) Spain, (f) the Netherlands and (g) the United Kingdom in relation to (i) EEC and (ii) non-EEC countries.

  Mr. Needham
  The information relating to the UK is regularly published by the Central Statistical Office in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Corresponding figures for Germany, the United Stales of America, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average United Kingdom share of the volume of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries since 1986; and what was the average from 1970 to 1977.

  Mr. Needham
  The average of the UK's share by volume of Main Manufacturing Countries' exports of manufactures for 1986 to 1991, the latest year for which data are available, was 8.2 per cent.; the corresponding figure for 1970 to 1977 was 9.9 per cent.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what effect the increase in United Kingdom relative import and export values since February 1993 has had on the volume of imports of finished manufactures since 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on relative import unit values is not available, so the effect cannot be assessed.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the relative profitability of the import-competing and export industries and other manufacturing industries since 1977.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer given to him on 20 December,Official Report, columns 1034–35.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will show the average annual 158
  increase in manufacturing productivity in the 21 years since 1973 in the United Kingdom and each EEC country.

  Mr. Needham
  The information, where available, is given in the table. Comparable information for other EU countries could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

  Annual average increase in manufacturing labour productivity 1 1973—1993

  per cent. per annum

  France

  2.1

  Germany

  1.7

  Italy

  2.3

  United Kingdom

  3.0

  Nederlands

  3.2

  Ireland

  6.3

  Greece

  1.2

  Note:

  1 Manufacturing production dividend by manufacturing employment.

  Source:

  OECD Main Economic Indicators

  Central Statistical Office.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the change in imports of finished manufactures from the EEC in June to August 1994 compared with 1992 and the corresponding change in the terms of trade for trade with the EEC in finished manufactures.

  Mr. Needham
  The information can be obtained from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which years since 1970 the United Kingdom share of exports by the main manufacturing countries, by value, has been lower than in 1992; and if he will provide corresponding figures by volume.

  Mr. Needham
  During the 23 years since 1970 the United Kingdom share by value of exports by the main manufacturing countries has been lower than in 1992 in the years 1974, 1986 and 1993. Comparable figures by volume are not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Computers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of imports and exports of computers in 1993, together with his estimate of the value added in the United Kingdom to the total value of the computers exported.

  Mr Needham
  Information on imports and exports of computers is regularly published in Business Monitors MM20 and MQ20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United kingdom", copies which are available in the Library of the House. Information is not available on the value added in the United Kingdom to the total value of computers exported.

  Biological and Chemical Warfare
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the changes to controlled items for export introduced since 1984 as a result of concerns about biological and chemical weapons and materials; which items were listed; and under what statutory authority.
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  Mr. Heseltine
  A chronological list of the items controlled and relevant changes since 1984 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Items currently controlled because of concerns about chemical and biological weapons proliferation include any chemical warfare agent or biological agent which has been adapted for use in war, certain specific chemical precursors, biological agents, toxins, vaccines and certain chemical and biological dual-use equipment. These are listed under headings ML7, 1C350–354, 1C992 and 2B350–352 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994. In addition, under schedule 1 part II of the order, any other goods are subject to control if the exporter knows or suspects they are intended or likely to be used for CBW purposes.

  The order, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, was made under the statutory authority of the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 as amended by the Import and Export Control Act 1990.

  Arms Exports (Iraq)
  Mr. Cousins
  To aks the President of the board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 653, if the export of Cymbeline artillery locating radar to Iraq complied with stated export guidelines and UN arms embargoes.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As my earlier answer stated, all current export licences for Cymbeline radar were withdrawn by, and returned to, my department when UN sanctions on Iraq were imposed in August 1990. Whether the export of Cymbeline to Iraq complied with stated export guidelines is a matter subject to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what locus the World Trade Organisation will have in respect of competition policy; what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on this; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The WTO has been given no locus in respect of competition policy. Suggestions have been made about the possibility of negotiating multilateral rules in this area, but discussions on this are still at a very preliminary stage.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make statement about the outcome of the meeting of the Internal Market Council held in Brussels on 8 December 1994.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I attended the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 8 December.

  The Council adopted a directive amending for the thirteenth time directive 76/79/EEC on the marketing and use of dangerous substances. Germany, Denmark and Netherlands voted against.

  In the Internal Market Council, an agreement was reached as "A" point on a directive on food additives other than colours and sweeteners and a common position on a proposed directive on the burning behaviour of material used in interior construction of certain categories of motor vehicles.
  160
  The Council debated the functioning of the Single Market; the take up of single market rules by central and eastern European countries; deregulation; the information society; ratification of the community patent agreement; measuring instruments; and the local dimension of the single market. The Council also discussed proposals for a system of notification of national measures derogating from the principle of free circulation of goods; transparency and efficiency of cross border payments; fees for European Medicines Evaluation Agency; and new foods and food ingredients.

  The next meeting of the Council is planned for 6 June 1995.

  Coal Industry (Safety)
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Coal Authority and the Health and Safety Executive have reached an agreement on safety matters as required by the Coal Industry Act 1994.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Yes. I have today laid a copy of the "Memorandum of Agreement" before both Houses of Parliament, pursuant to section 4(2) of the Coal Industry Act 1994.

  Nuclear Review
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultants he has commissioned in connection with the nuclear review; what are their terms of reference; when they were appointed; and when he expects their final report.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Three firms of consultants have been appointed in connection with the nuclear review: BZW to examine issues related to the feasibility of privatisation and the introduction of private finance into the nuclear industry; KPMG to examine liabilities management issues; and NERA to examine diversity issues. Full details of the terms of reference have been placed in the Library of the House. BZW and KPMG were appointed in August 1994 and NERA in September 1994. I expect to have received final reports from all three consultants shortly.

DEFENCE

  Farnborough Airfield
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of Farnborough airfield; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Farnborough airfield will become surplus to MOD requirements from 1 April 1995. However, arrangements have been put in place to make it available for the international air show at least until the end of the century. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport indicated on 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1091–92 the Government believe it important to retain capacity for business aviation at Farnborough. The MOD has recently appointed Schroders to advise on the options for the longer term future of the Farnborough site, in particular its viability as a centre for business aviation and for the air show. Schroders will report in the spring of this year.
  161

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total amount of national lottery proceeds which has actually been disbursed to(a) charities, (b) sports organisations and (c) arts organisations as at 6 January 1995.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Of the £96 million currently in the national lottery distribution fund, over£19 million is available to each of the five sectors which will benefit from the national lottery, including the arts, sport and charitable sectors. Applications for grants are now being invited by the Arts and Sports Councils and the National Lottery Charities Board will invite applications later in the year. The Arts and Sports Councils expect to make their first grant payments in the spring.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total sum of national lottery entry proceeds which, as at 6 January 1995, had been retained by Camelot.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is an operational matter for Camelot Group plc. I have therefore asked Peter Davis, the Director-General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the lottery, to write to the hon. Member and to place copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Olive Oil and Durum Wheat
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps were taken after 1974 to introduce more effective and economical support arrangements for(a) olive oil and (b) durum wheat; and how much was spent directly and indirectly on support in each case in (i) 1974 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available together with figures for EEC production, imports, exports and consumption.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is as follows.

  (a) Olive oil:

  1. In order to ensure more effective control, requirements were introduced in 1975 to establish a register of olive groves and in 1984 to set up control agencies. A maximum guaranteed quality (MGQ) was introduced in 1987 so that the rate of aid is reduced proportionately if production of olive oil exceeds the MGQ. The regime is due for reform in the near future.

  2. The total net cost of the regime to the EC budget in 1974, with two producing member states, was 135.8 million units of account, £69 million using a conversion rate of 1.9615 units of account =£1, and the cost for 1994, with five producing member states, is estimated at 1819 mecu,£1,405 million using a conversion rate of 1.2945 ecu =£1.

  3. The table shows estimated production, consumption, imports and exports of olive oil in the EC.

  162

  1974 (000 tonnes)

  1992–93 Marketing year November-October (000 tonnes)

  Production

  1477.0

  21,379

  Imports

  1216.5

  257

  Exports

  119.4

  2146

  Consumption3

  674.1

  1,290

  1 Source: Food and Agriculture Organisation. Figures for EC9

  2 Source: European Commission figures. Figures for EC 12

  3 Consumption=production+imports-exports (i.e excluding stock changes)

  b) Durum wheat:

  4. During the late 1980s EC policies were adopted moving the emphasis away from price support in the form of intervention, export refunds and import levies towards payments in the form of an area-based production aid, restricted to producers in 'traditional' durum growing areas. The 1992 CAP reform measures continued these changes through the introduction of a single set of institutional prices for all cereals set at the lower common wheat level, and a phased three year cut in those prices to be compensated for by producer payments under the arable area payments schemes. Because the introduction of single institutional price level meant a bigger drop in support for durum than for other cereals certain durum growers continue to receive a special production aid.

  5. The total cost of durum wheat support to the EC budget in 1974 was 82 units of account (£42 million at a conversion rate of£1=1.9615 units of account) and the provisional cost for 1994 is 568 mecu (£ 439 million at conversion rate of£1= 1.2945ecu). These figures exclude intervention support costs (including export refunds) in 1974 and Arable area payments in 1994, neither of which are separately identifiable from the total cereals expenditure.

  6. The figures for EU production, imports, exports and consumption are as follows:

  Durum wheat

  1974–75 (July–June)1('000 tonnes)

  1993–94 (July–June)2('000 tonnes)

  Production

  3,388

  7,034

  Imports

  1,498

  183

  Exports

  320

  2,297

  Total domestic usage

  4,111

  6,328

  1 Euro stat Supply Balance Sheet covering nine member states.

  2 Commission balance sheet 23 June 1994 covering 12 member states.

  Dairy Products
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to paragraph 9 of Cmnd. 6003—"Membership of the European Community-Report on Renegotiation"—what steps have been taken to relate the price of dairy products to the need of efficient producers; and if he will publish (i) the average or representative price paid per gallon in the
  163
  market place for milk production quotas each year since quotas were introduced, (ii) the current price and (iii) the average production of milk per cow.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government have consistently pressed for reductions in CAP support prices for dairy products. Since 1988 the intervention prices for butter and skimmed milk powder have been reduced by 13 per cent. and 2 per cent. respectively.

  The Department does not collect information on milk quota prices. That information may be obtained from the agricultural trade press and quota agents.

  The average annual milk yield per cow in the United Kingdom since quotas were introduced is as follows:

  Year

  Production Litres

  1984

  4,748

  1985

  4,881

  1986

  4,974

  1987

  4,896

  1988

  4,975

  1989

  4,996

  1990

  5,160

  1991

  5,139

  1992

  5,251

  1993 (provisional)

  5,034

  Source:

  Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Environmental Damage
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates his Department has made of the environmental damage caused in each of the three counties of Yorkshire and for Humberside through(a) over-grazing and (b) other practices involving livestock for which premiums are being paid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  No overall estimate has been made of environmental damage caused by such practices in the counties specified but the Ministry's north-eastern regional service centre has under review 10 sites in North Yorkshire and two in West Yorkshire. None is currently under review in South Yorkshire or Humberside. Our objective is to secure necessary changes in farming practices by agreement with the graziers concerned who will be given every opportunity to bring about improvements before sanctions are applied. Premiums will be withheld only as a last resort.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the net cost to the United Kingdom balance of payments and the retail prices index of adopting the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Jack
  Given the large number of assumptions which would have to be made as to what the balance of payments and the RPI would have been in the absence of the common agricultural policy, it is not possible to answer such a hypothetical question.
  164

EDUCATION

  Reading Recovery Schemes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she intends to take to ensure the long-term financial future of the national co-ordinating mechanism for reading recovery schemes.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The institute of education, university of London has been funded to provide advice and support to local education authorities during the final two years of the national pilot of reading recovery. My right hon. Friend has no plans to fund the institute beyond the end of the pilot programme.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools have had their funding reduced as a result of overstated claims for pupils taking school meals; and if she will provide a list of the schools and, in each case, the adjustment made to their budget.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The determination of grant for GM schools is now a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Teachers
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the total number of teachers in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table below shows the full-time equivalent number of teachers in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector, including self-governing schools, in England as at January of each year.

  19931

  19942

  Nursery, primary and secondary

  389,091 (396,332)

  390,430

  Special

  16,647

  16,292

  Education other than at school

  2,578

  2,578

  Total

  408,316 (415,557)

  409,300

  1 The bracketed figures for 1993 include teachers in sixth form colleges.

  2 As from April 1993 sixth form colleges became part of the further education sector, therefore the 1994 figures exclude teachers in these colleges.

  Schools (Access)
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the likely effect of parental choice on the speed at which schools become accessible to disabled children.

  Mr. Forth
  Parental preference will be one of the factors that will influence the speed at which the trend continues towards more pupils with special needs being educated in mainstream schools. It is for local education authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools to secure sufficient places for pupils with special needs in the light of demand. However, parents take differing views on the
  165
  suitability of schools and it is not possible to predict the future effect with any accuracy.

  School Construction
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) new schools are planned for construction within the next 10 years and (b) existing schools plan the construction of major extensions within the next 10 years, by education authority area.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education with whom she is consulting in the drawing up of upgraded constructional standards, referred to in her answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 218; and when schools will be subject to those upgraded constructional standards.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department will be consulting shortly with local education authorities, disability organisations and other interested parties. We currently envisage that the revised standards will apply to new construction at schools from September 1995.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many draft directives have been rejected on the grounds that they violate the principle of subsidiarity set out in the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. David Davis
  Eleven proposals for legislation have been withdrawn since 1993 on subsidiarity grounds. A number of others have been amended. It is impossible to quantify the number of proposals which are not coming forward at all because they have been ruled out on subsidiarity grounds—but this is perhaps the most significant consequence of the introduction of the principle of subsidiarity at Maastricht.

  Management Information Systems
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for delaying the introduction of a full management information system for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until April 1996; and if he will ensure that speedier progress is made.

  Mr. Baldry
  For operational reasons, the FCO's financial management and accounting system can only be introduced at the start of a financial year. The complex project to procure, configure, test and implement the system began in February 1994. Completing it by April 1995 carried unacceptable risks. April 1996 remains the target.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the financial management accounting system to be introduced in 1996 will be based on the MINIS-type model operated by home civil service departments.

  Mr. Baldry
  The FCO's financial and management accounting system is a fully integrated accounting system which will enable more precise costing of support and 166
  frontline functions and the targeting of funding to activities and objectives. It is therefore not based on the MINIS-type model but, as it includes a planning and budgetary module and as it will support the introduction of resource accounting, it will be capable of producing similar information.

  Turkey
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what time was spent by Her Majesty's ambassador in Ankara on bilateral/lateral relations, assisting British exports, aid to British citizens, United Kingdom immigration, aid and domestic policies, in the last financial year.

  Mr. David Davis
  Her Majesty's ambassador in Ankara in the last financial year spent approximately 15 per cent. of his time on bilateral affairs, 30 per cent. on promoting British exports, 20 per cent. on following domestic Turkish politics, 20 per cent. on Turkish external policy, three per cent. on consular affairs, two per cent. on immigration work and ten per cent. on management of the embassy. The breakdown of time spent for the rest of the embassy is of course different. He has minimal personal involvement in the small amount of aid activity in Turkey.

  Sudan
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about bilateral relations with Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As was announced at the FCO news conference earlier today, a new ambassador will arrive in the Republic of Sudan in March to take up his appointment following the official retirement date of the preceding ambassador, who was expelled at the end of 1993. Our bilateral concerns about the civil war, human rights, and the distribution of humanitarian relief supplies, can be better pursued with the Sudanese Government if we have an ambassador in Khartoum.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of arms sales to Lebanon.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are willing to consider applications for the sale of arms to the Lebanese Government. All applications for the sale of arms will be considered on a case by case basis in the light of the international guidelines to which we are committed. These include whether a proposed transfer would be likely to increase tension in the region or contribute to regional instability. Applications by individuals will be considered for arms for sporting or leisure use only.

SCOTLAND

  Electronic Mail
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to receive and respond to communications via electronic mail.
  167
  Mr. Lang
  Electronic mail is now part of my Department's internal communication system and links with other Government Departments will shortly become operational. I have no plans at present to use it for other external communications, but my Department is keeping the matter under review.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South may expect a reply from the chief executive of the Western General Hospitals NHS trust to his letters of 4 October 1994 and 9 November 1994 requesting information about the start-up grant awarded to the trust by the national health service management executive and for an indication as to how this money was spent;

  (2) when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South may expect a reply from the chief executive of the Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust to his letters of 4 October 1994 and 9 November 1994 requesting information about the start-up grant awarded to the trust by the national health service management executive and for an indication as to how this money was spent.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The hon. Member should have received replies from both these NHS trusts as letters were sent by them on 25 November and 22 December 1994 respectively. Both have apologised for the delay.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take in response to recommendation 1235 (1994) of the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe relating to psychiatry and human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on psychiatry and human rights has yet to be adopted formally by the Council.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the policy of each health board in Scotland with regard to the provision of infertility treatment for patients in the respective health board area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  It is for individual health boards to decide on the pattern and extent of infertility services they wish to purchase, in the light of their assessment of local needs.

  I understand that all health boards in Scotland purchase levels I and II infertility services.

  Level III services are available at four centres in Scotland. These are located in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow and are based on, or have links with, the university medical departments of obsterics and gynaecology. Most health boards purchase specialist level III treatment, including in vitro fertilisation. I understand that the exceptions are Grampian, Lothian, Orkney and Shetland health boards. These boards are currently reviewing their arrangements for purchasing infertility services.

  Hospitals (Children)
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board all hospitals with 168
  children's wards giving (a) the total number of beds, (b) the total number and percentage of beds available for overnight parental accommodation and (c) the average annual number of overnight stays by parents.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [Holding answer 20 December 1994]: Information on beds in children's wards in all hospitals in Scotland is shown in the table. Information on overnight stays by parents is not held centrally.

  National health service hospitals in Scotland average available staffed beds in children's wards1: by health board area of treatment and hospital year ending 30 September 1994

  Beds

  SCOTLAND

  858

  Argyll and Clyde

  30

  Inverclyde Royal hospital

  12

  Royal Alexandra hospital

  18

  Ayrshire and Arran

  37

  Crosshouse hospital

  20

  The Ayr hospital

  17

  Borders

  13

  Borders general hospital

  13

  Dumfries and Galloway

  17

  Dumfries and Galloway Royal infirmary

  17

  Fife

  29

  Victoria hospital, Kirkcaldy

  29

  Forth Valley

  19

  Falkirk and district Royal infirmary

  9

  Stirling Royal infirmary

  10

  Grampian

  121

  Royal Aberdeen children's hospital

  121

  Greater Glasgow

  283

  RHSC, Glasgow

  283

  Highland

  33

  Raigmore hospital

  33

  Lanarkshire

  246

  Law hospital

  22

  Monklands district general hospital

  23

  Lothian

  167

  RHSC, Edinburgh

  150

  St. John's hospital at Howden

  17

  Tayside

  63

  Ninewells hospital

  46

  Perth Royal infirmary

  12

  Stracathro hospital

  4

  1 Comprises all beds in children's hospitals (Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, RHSC Glasgow and RHSC Edinburgh) and paediatric surgery and paediatric medicine beds in all other hospitals in Scotland. Not shown are those hospitals which recorded less than 0.5 average available staffed beds.

  2 Health board totals may not compute with individual hospital figures due to the effects of rounding.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board all children's hospitals giving(a) the total number of beds, (b) the total number and percentage of beds available for overnight parental accommodation and (c) the average annual number of overnight stays by parents.
  169
  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 20 December 1994]: Information on beds in children's hospitals is shown in the table. Information on overnight stays by parents is not held centrally.

  National health service hospitals in Scotland average available staffed beds in children's hospitals: by health board area of treatment and hospital year ending 30 September 1994

  Scotland

  554

  Grampian, Royal Aberdeen children's hospital

  121

  Greater Glasgow, RHSC, Glasgow

  283

  Lothian, RHSC, Edinburgh

  150

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner practices had become fundholders at the end of 1994 in each health board area in Scotland; what percentage of total practices this represents; and what plans he has in respect of practices which have decided not to opt for fundholding status.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Health board

  Operational fundholders

  Percentage of total practices

  Argyll and Clyde

  5

  4.6

  Ayrshire and Arran

  4

  6.0

  Borders

  2

  8.3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  2.7

  Fife

  4

  6.5

  Forth Valley

  4

  7.1

  Grampian

  31

  33.3

  Greater Glasgow

  11

  4.8

  Highland

  3

  3.9

  Lanarkshire

  15

  16.3

  Lothian

  18

  12.7

  Orkney

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  Tayside

  9

  10.6

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  Total

  107

  9.6

  The GP fundholding scheme is a voluntary scheme which is currently open to practices with 6,000 or more patients or which can group together to achieve this figure.

  Under proposals announced on 25 November by my noble Friend the Minister of State it is intended to expand and develop the GP fundholding scheme to allow GP practices a range of options, to participate directly in purchasing health services for the benefit of their patients. This will be subject to parliamentary approval for amendments to the regulations. It will include an expanded standard fundholding scheme from 1 April 1996, including a reduction in the minimum list size requirement to 4,000 patients, and a new primary care purchasing initiative which, subject to successful piloting, it is hoped can be made available to all GP practices in Scotland irrespective of list size. Interest is also being canvassed, amongst experienced GP fundholding practices in Scotland, to participate in up to six pilot projects to evaluate the possible benefits of fundholding
  170
  practices having the option of purchasing all hospital and community health services on behalf of their patients.

  These new arrangements are intended to facilitate the process whereby GP practices enter the fund holding scheme in a more flexible way. The resultant participation by increased numbers of practices will assist health boards to ensure that their purchasing of health services for patients is led by primary care priorities. Health boards also have the responsibility to make effective arrangements for consultation with all their GP practices about their purchasing plans, and such arrangements will include also inputs from GP practices which are not directly involved in the fundholding scheme.

  Emergency Services
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what system of communications with emergency vehicles the police force, ambulance service and fire brigade have in each region of Scotland; what studies or discussions have been undertaken to make systems compatible with each other in each region; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: All Scottish police forces and fire brigades operate mobile radio systems to common technical standards and the two services occupy adjacent bands of radio spectrum managed by the Scottish Office directorate of telecommunications. These systems are estimated to provide coverage to more than 95 per cent. of all class A and B roads, in addition to urban areas. The ambulance service is currently in the process of re-engineering its mobile radio network to the same coverage standards, with a new system currently fully operational in Grampian and Highlands and Islands.

  Operationally, all normal inter-service communication takes place via the control rooms of the services involved. However, a common inter-agency radio channel has been agreed between all three services for local use where circumstances indicate that this would be advantageous.

  Publication(Cost)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of printing, publishing and distributing the publication, "Scotland—Getting Better".

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The cost of printing, publishing and distributing "Scotland-Getting Better" is £10,200.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of publications for each health board and health trust in Scotland for each year since 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Professional Medical Staff
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the turnover of professional medical staff in each health trust in 1994.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Information on the turnover of medical staff is not held centrally.

  OLD MINERAL PERMISSIONS: RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION
  Lord Brougham and Vaux
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  When they will make public the results of consultation responses on the document "Old Mineral Permissions 1948–1981" issued by the Department of the Environment in March 1994.

  The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)
  I have today placed copies of a list of all those who responded to the consultation together with a summary of their views in the Libraries of the House. A copy of any individual WA 28
  response can be inspected in the Library of my department.

  SUDAN: BILATERAL RELATIONS
  Lord Skelmersdale
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the current status of bilateral relations with Sudan.

  The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)
  A new ambassador will arrive in the Republic of Sudan in March to take up his appointment following the official retirement date of the preceding ambassador, who was expelled at the end of 1993. Our bilateral concerns about the civil war, human rights, and the distribution of humanitarian relief supplies can be better pursued with the Sudanese government if we have an ambassador in Khartoum.