Written Answers of 13 January 1995

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Divorce Law Reform
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish a White Paper on divorce law reform.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is considering the case for legislation in the light of the Government's consultation on divorce reform. He therefore has no immediate plans for publication of a White Paper.

  Domestic Violence Bill
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish the family home and domestic violence Bill.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Soon.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Commissioners
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many European Commissioners there were in January 1972; and how many there will be following the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden; what additional functions the Commission has been given since 1 January 1972; what was the cost of the Commissioners and their cabinets in 1972; and what it will be in 1995.

  Mr. Baldry
  There were nine members of the European Commission in January 1972. When Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the Union on 1 January this year, the number of Commissioners became 20. The 1986 Single European Act and the 1993 Maastricht treaty extended the areas of Community activity in which the Commission has functions to perform. These areas include the environment, research, education and health. There is no separate line in the EC budget covering the basic salaries of the Commissioners and their cabinets. We could provide these figures only at disproportionate cost.

  Somalia (Family Reunions)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration underlay the decision to appoint only one extra entry clearance officer for Somali family reunion cases to reduce the waiting period for interview; what action he will take to ensure that the waiting period is reduced to a period of two to three months; and what was the reason for the time taken to identify and deal with the delay in Addis Ababa.
  214
  Mr. Baldry
  Lack of office accommodation has meant that it has been possible to deploy only one extra ECO in Addis Ababa for the time being. New accommodation should be available by mid-1995. We would then hope to be able to deploy additional staff, resources permitting.

ENVIRONMENT

  Air Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites for recording air pollution in Staffordshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of the Environment, in co-operation with local authorities, operates two national monitoring networks measuring the levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide, on a daily basis, and the levels of nitrogen dioxide using passive diffusion tube samplers.

  The monitoring sites in Staffordshire are as follows:

  (a) smoke and sulphur dioxide

  Cannock, Rugeley, Burton upon Trent, Biddulph, Cheadle and Stoke on Trent.

  (b) nitrogen dioxide

  Burton upon Trent, Codsall, Leek, Stafford and Tamworth.

  There are four diffusion tube sites in each area.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what pollutants are included in the collection of air samples at his Department's monitoring stations.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 December 1994 to the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien),Official Report, columns 1108–9.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how factors of deprivation are taken into account in allocation of the single regeneration budget.

  Mr. Curry
  Paragraph 35 of the SRB "Bidding Guidance" issued in April 1994, copies of which are in the Library of the House, explains how factors of deprivation have been taken into account in assessing SRB bids in round 1. Copies of the "Index of Local Conditions", which is referred to in paragraph 35 of the "Bidding Guidance", have also been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those councils which employed consultants to assist them with their bids for single regeneration budget and the names of the consultants they employed.

  Mr. Curry
  This information is a matter for local authorities and is not held centrally.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the estimated cost of work done by councils in submitting unsuccessful bids for the single regeneration budget(a) in England and (b) in the east midlands;

  (2) what is the estimated cost of the work done by councils in submitting bids for the single regeneration budget (a) in England, (b) in Nottinghamshire and (c) in Nottingham.

  Mr. Curry
  This information is a matter for local authorities and is not held centrally.
  215

  Sustainability
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference for the United Kingdom sustainability round table; who are the participant bodies; by what criteria they are chosen; how wide was the invitation; and whether he will ensure that proper regard is given to the requirements of the manufacturing and construction sectors in evaluating the outcome of the round table.

  Mr. Atkins
  We issued a consultation paper in October 1994. We have considered responses to it, and will be making our conclusions known shortly.

  Land Use Planning
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals for EU involvement in land use planning were discussed by Ministers in Leipzig on 22 September; and what proposals his Department will be supporting for EU involvement in housing and planning at the Council of Ministers' meeting to be held on 30 to 31 March.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  No proposals for EU involvement in land use planning were discussed by Ministers in Leipzig on 22 September. Further, it is not expected that proposals for EU involvement in housing and planning will be discussed at the informal Council of Ministers meeting on 30 to 31 March.

  Greenways Landfill
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) for what purposes his Department's officials or legal representatives have met with Greenways Landfill or its legal representatives since his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what were the reasons for his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction. landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit submitted by Greenways Landfill; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) who are the representatives of Greenways Landfill that his officials have met since his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) on what occasions his Department's officials, or legal representatives, have met with Greenways Landfill or its legal representatives since his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) for what purposes his Department's officials or legal representatives have corresponded with Greenways Landfill or its legal representatives since his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) if any circumstances have arisen subsequent to his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit that would cause him to reconsider his decision; and if he will make a statement;
  216
  (7) on what occasion his Department's officials or legal representatives have corresponded with Greenways Landfill or its legal representatives since his decision to refuse planning permission for development of clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The decision of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to refuse planning permission for clay extraction, landfilling and restoration at Aveley No. 3 pit has been quashed by the High Court following a challenge by the applicants, Greenways Landfill. There has been no contact between my officials and Greenways Landfill since the decision was announced in August 1994, although there has been some discussion between the Treasury Solicitor and Greenways' legal representatives over the handling of the High Court challenge. The application must now be redetermined, and we will be writing to interested parties, including the hon. Member for Thurrock, about the next steps. All material considerations, including any changed circumstances and new representations from the parties, will be taken into account.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many grants under the home energy efficiency scheme were made in the last financial year; and what was the sum of money granted in each case.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: A total of 270,000 grants were made during 199394, with an average value of £153. Before 9 December 1993, a contribution from the householder, to a maximum of £16, was required in each case. Since then, 100 per cent. grants have been available.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for grants under the home energy efficiency scheme were made in the last financial year; and how many of those applications were turned down.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Grant in all but a handful of cases—where applicants carry out the work themselves—is paid not to clients but to network installers who have carried out work under the scheme. Inquiries to network installers which do not result in a grant application for work done are not recorded centrally.

TREASURY

  Telephone Dialling Codes
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made as to the additional costs which will be incurred by his Departments as a result of the changes in national telephone dialling codes next year; and how much this change will cost his Departments in additional expenditure.

  Mr. Nelson
  The additional costs to the Treasury and Customs and Excise that will be incurred as a result of the changes to the national dialling codes next year are expected to be negligible.

  The Inland Revenue estimates the costs for reprogramming its telephone systems and amending its

  217
  major information technology systems to be £38,000 and £332,000 respectively.

  Government Administration
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 10 January,Official Report, column 9, if he will list the principal components of the changing split between administrative costs and programme spending; and if he will specify in which year they were accounted for, for the first time in the annual statistics.

  Sir George Young
  Departmental running costs were first accounted for separately in 1986–87. The main components are:

  Civil service pay, travel and subsistence, training etc;

  current expenditure on accommodation, including rent, rates, utilities (eg water and electricity) and maintenance;

  office services including stationery, postage, telecommunications, computer maintenance, etc;

  comparable contracted out services (net of refundable VAT on qualifying service contracts).

EDUCATION

  Training
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what measures his Department is taking to encourage the education and training of the long-term unemployed for re-entry into the workplace; and what programmes are available to them;

  (2) what measures her Department is taking to encourage the education and training of women for re-entry into the workplace; and what programmes are available to them;

  (3) what measures her Department is taking to encourage the education and training of 16 to 25-year-olds for entry into the workplace; and what programmes are available to them.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government's policy is to increase participation in further education and attainment at all levels. Within that overall aim, colleges have a high degree of autonomy, and have the freedom to determine how best to meet the needs of their own local communities.

  The Further Education Funding Council has devised a funding formula for colleges which enables the provision of free tuition to various low-income groups, including unemployed people.

  The participation rate for women in full-time and part-time further education is higher than that for men in all age groups except 18 and 19-year-olds. The council is introducing further measures to improve the access to further education of people with low incomes who have child care responsibilities.

  General national vocation qualifications provide vocational education which prepares young people for employment in a range of occupations or for higher education, and which develops a range of core skills. Nearly 250,000 students have registered for GNVQs since the first pilot courses began in 1992.
  218

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish the names of the 20 further education colleges described by the Further Education Funding Council as being in financial jeopardy and the 105 where significant adverse variances might limit their ability to deliver their strategic plan and remain financially viable.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Further Education Funding Council is required to monitor the financial position of the institutions it funds. The council has recently completed a general survey of college strategic plans for the period 1994–97 and published its conclusions on 22 December 1994; I am arranging to place a copy in the Library. Some of the colleges are in better financial health than others. Because the information may be commercially sensitive and its disclosure damage the colleges concerned, the council does not publish its assessment of individual colleges. I am asking the council's chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current salary of each principal at each incorporated college of further education in England.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected by the Department. Further Education Funding Council guidelines on accounting policies recommend that colleges should disclose the emoluments of the principal and other senior postholders in their accounts, which are publicly available.

  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent students are registered on roll at each incorporated college of further education in England; and how many full-time equivalent students were registered on roll at each college of further education in England at 31 March 1993.

  Mr. Boswell
  Information on the number of students enrolled in academic year 1992–93 at each college in the further education sector is available in issue No. 2 of "The Statistical Bulletin", titled "Information on Early Student Enrolment Statistics" published by the Further Education Funding Council. A copy is available in the Library. Figures for the current academic year are not yet available.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list in descending order the 50 independent schools which received most money from her Department in the financial year 1993–94 through the operation of the assisted places scheme; the amounts which they received; the numbers of pupils at each school; the number of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme at each school; the proportion of the school roll covered by the assisted places scheme; and the fees charged by each of these schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested, as collected for the academic year 1993–94, is given in the following table:
  219

  Assisted places scheme 1993–94 academic year

  School name

  Amount £000s

  Number of pupils on roll1

  Number of assisted pupils

  Percentage of APs

  Fee charged for assisted place holders

  Dulwich College

  1,288

  1,390

  269

  19.35

  5,832

  Wisbech Grammar

  1,199

  635

  333

  52.44

  4,124

  St. Edward's College

  1,131

  993

  398

  40.08

  3,192

  Emanuel, London SW11

  1,117

  752

  295

  39.23

  4,237

  Alleyn's, Dulwich

  940

  1,085

  205

  18.89

  5,351

  Latymer Upper

  928

  1,057

  278

  26.3

  4,338

  Royal Grammar, Worcester

  883

  912

  283

  31.03

  4,035

  Hereford Cathedral

  821

  594

  234

  39.39

  4,080

  Newcastle Under Lyme

  817

  1,295

  377

  29.11

  3,098

  Bristol Grammar

  814

  1,221

  280

  22.93

  3,492

  Queen's Elizabeth's, Blackburn

  803

  1,194

  261

  21.86

  3,477

  Bolton School (Boys)

  798

  1,012

  263

  25.99

  3,960

  Wolverhampton Grammar

  793

  652

  255

  39.11

  4,020

  Manchester Grammar

  771

  1,436

  261

  18.18

  3,592

  Haberdashers' Aske's (Boys)

  770

  1,310

  234

  17.86

  4,899

  Bolton School (Girls)

  765

  1,164

  256

  21.99

  3,960

  Wellington, Somerset

  749

  795

  237

  29.81

  3,907

  St. Mary's College, Crosby

  734

  836

  251

  30.02

  3,339

  King Edward VI Southampton

  732

  939

  236

  25.13

  4,005

  Plymouth College

  727

  881

  208

  23.61

  3,840

  St. Bede's College

  726

  1,115

  220

  19.73

  3,543

  James Allen's (Girls)

  723

  1,059

  174

  16.43

  5,106

  King's, Worcester

  698

  946

  179

  18.92

  4,684

  King Edward's Birmingham

  689

  873

  259

  29.67

  4,023

  Godolphin and Latymer

  677

  705

  168

  23.83

  5,055

  William Hulme's Grammar

  665

  788

  220

  27.92

  3,717

  Liverpool College

  664

  970

  183

  18.87

  3,767

  Bradford Grammar

  659

  1,106

  230

  20.80

  3,516

  Batley Grammar

  639

  579

  257

  44.39

  3,078

  Brighton College

  631

  467

  115

  24.63

  6,171

  Colfe's

  623

  924

  194

  21.00

  4,111

  Merchant Taylors', Liverpool

  614

  818

  226

  27.63

  3,307

  Birkenhead High GPDST

  613

  1,008

  243

  24.11

  3,294

  Malvern College

  610

  827

  97

  11.73

  7,140

  City of London

  607

  872

  139

  15.94

  5,234

  Hampton

  606

  918

  198

  21.57

  4,127

  Denstone College

  601

  298

  113

  37.92

  5,970

  Edgehill College

  601

  561

  141

  25.13

  4,594

  Bury Grammar (Girls)

  591

  1,098

  251

  22.86

  3,105

  St. John's College, Southsea

  576

  824

  204

  24.76

  3,224

  Kingston Grammar

  575

  594

  171

  28.79

  4,380

  Stockport Grammar

  575

  1,280

  236

  18.44

  3,591

  Pocklington

  562

  726

  149

  20.52

  4,267

  Old Palace, Croydon

  558

  778

  223

  28.66

  3,570

  Merchant Taylors' (Girls)

  554

  922

  192

  20.82

  3,309

  King's Macclesfield

  553

  1,168

  173

  14.81

  3,831

  Trent College

  549

  655

  131

  20.00

  5,314

  Trinity-of John Whitgift

  549

  852

  147

  17.25

  4,672

  Churcher's College

  545

  687

  140

  20.38

  4,545

  Carmel College

  539

  219

  82

  37.44

  7,237

  1 As at January 1994

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much her Department spent on the operation of the assisted places scheme; how many pupils were covered by the scheme; and by how much the assisted places scheme overspent its budget in the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There were 29,291 pupils covered by the scheme in September 1993. The final outturn expenditure of £92.3 million for the financial year 1993–94 fell within the estimate provision.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list in descending order for the 220
  financial year 1993–94 the 50 independent schools with the highest proportions of their school rolls covered by the assisted places scheme; the proportion of pupils on the school's roll and number of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme; and the fees charged by each of these schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested, as collected for the academic year 1993–94, is given in the following table:
  221

  Assisted places scheme 1993–94 academic year

  School name

  Number of pupils on roll

  Number of assisted pupils

  Percentage of APs to total

  Fee charged for APs

  Wisbech Grammar

  635

  333

  52.44

  4,124

  Batley Grammar

  579

  257

  44.39

  3,078

  St. Edward's College

  993

  398

  40.08

  3,192

  Hereford Cathedral

  594

  234

  39.39

  4,080

  Emanuel, London SW11

  752

  295

  39.23

  4,237

  Wolverhampton Grammar

  652

  255

  39.11

  4,020

  King Edward VII Lytham

  575

  221

  38.43

  3,024

  Denstone College

  298

  113

  37.92

  5,970

  Carmel College

  219

  82

  37.44

  7,237

  Queen Mary, Lytham

  643

  231

  35.93

  3,024

  Queen Elizabeth's Hospital

  518

  178

  34.36

  3,653

  Ursuline High, Ilford

  377

  128

  33.95

  3,804

  Colston's Girls

  519

  174

  33.53

  3,273

  St. Joseph's Convent, Reading

  392

  130

  33.16

  3,511

  La Sagesse Convent

  475

  155

  32.63

  3,481

  Royal Grammar, Worcester

  912

  283

  31.03

  4,035

  Farnborough Hill

  535

  163

  30.47

  3,903

  St. Mary's College, Crosby

  836

  251

  30.02

  3,339

  Hulme Grammar Girls

  628

  188

  29.94

  3,315

  Red Maids, Bristol

  568

  170

  29.93

  3,543

  Friends, Saffron Walden

  291

  87

  29.90

  5,580

  Wellington, Somerset

  795

  237

  29.81

  3,907

  Maynards

  549

  163

  29.69

  3,555

  King Edward's Birmingham

  873

  259

  29.67

  4,023

  Bristol Cathedral

  482

  142

  29.46

  3,702

  Newcastle Under Lyme

  1,295

  377

  29.11

  3,098

  Old Palace, Croydon

  778

  224

  28.79

  3,570

  Kingston Grammar

  594

  171

  28.79

  4,380

  Upton Hall Convent

  591

  168

  28.43

  2,541

  Streatham Hill/Clapham High

  572

  162

  28.32

  3,714

  Dame Allan's Girls

  460

  129

  28.04

  3,189

  William Hulme's Grammar

  788

  220

  27.92

  3,717

  Merchant Taylors' Liverpool

  818

  226

  27.63

  3,307

  Belvedere GPDST

  630

  173

  27.46

  3,294

  Latymer Upper

  1,057

  278

  26.30

  4,338

  Hulme Grammar Boys

  815

  213

  26.13

  3,315

  Bolton School Boys

  1,012

  263

  25.99

  3,960

  Bury Grammar Boys

  805

  204

  25.34

  3,105

  Talbot Heath

  541

  137

  25.32

  3,991

  Edgehill College

  561

  141

  25.13

  4,594

  King Edward VI Southampton

  939

  236

  25.13

  4,005

  Dame Allan's Boys

  476

  119

  25.00

  3,189

  King's High Girls, Warwick

  548

  137

  25.00

  3,416

  King Edward VI High

  545

  136

  24.95

  3,645

  St. Bees

  290

  72

  24.83

  6,009

  St. John's College, Southsea

  824

  204

  24.76

  3,224

  Brighton College

  467

  115

  24.63

  6,171

  Magdalen College

  496

  121

  24.40

  4,177

  Birkenhead High GPDST

  1,008

  243

  24.11

  3,294

  Godolphin and Latymer

  705

  168

  23.83

  5,055

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement indicating the number of independent schools receiving under the assisted places scheme from her Department, more than(a) £1 million, (b) over £750,000, (c) over £500,000 and (d) over £250,000 in payments.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of schools in each category is(a) 4, (b) 16, (c) 66 and (d)

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the impact of the operation of the assisted places scheme in ensuring the continued operation of the independent schools sector.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The assisted places scheme is designed to provide an excellent education for able pupils from less well-off families, not to subsidise independent schools, many of which would fill their places without the 222
  aid of the scheme. It is outstandingly successful in meeting its objective, achieves excellent results, and is more popular than ever with parents.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the numbers of foreign-based students covered by the assisted places scheme for each financial year since 1981–82 and the total amounts paid to foreign-based students under the operation of the assisted places scheme in each financial year during this period.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Figures for the numbers of foreign based students covered by the assisted places scheme are not collected centrally. To be eligible for an assisted place, all pupils must satisfy the conditions as to residence in the British islands or European Community laid down in the Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1989.
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  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment her Department has made of the average household income of the pupils applying for assistance under the assisted places scheme; and what is the average household income of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information about the household income of pupils applying for assisted places is not collected centrally. Such information is collected only in respect of pupils actually holding assisted places. Parental income for the purposes of the assisted places scheme is assessed on total family income from all sources, gross of all allowances. For school year 1993–94, the latest for which information is available, over 11,800—40 per cent. —assisted pupils were entitled to a completely free place because their families' income fell below the threshold of £9,225 per annum. The average household income of assisted pupils was £10,854. Over 80 per cent. of parents in the scheme have total family income below the national average household income.

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of independent schools operating in England for each financial year since 1975.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information available is given in the following table for January of each calendar year:

  Year

  Number of independent schools

  1975

  2,477

  1976

  2,437

  1977

  2,400

  1978

  2,379

  1979

  2,361

  1980

  2,348

  1981

  2,339

  1982

  2,338

  1983

  2,344

  1984

  2,331

  1985

  2,311

  1986

  2,285

  1987

  2,276

  1988

  2,273

  1989

  2,269

  1990

  2,283

  1991

  2,287

  1992

  2,269

  1993

  2,261

  Note:

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

  Education component of Standard Spending Assessment per pupil, in sub-blocks 5 to 10 and 11 to 15

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  City of London

  2,264

  3,306

  3,015

  4,382

  3,133

  4,392

  2,901

  9,069

  Camden

  2,522

  3,696

  2,724

  3,966

  2,744

  3,850

  2,900

  3,653

  Greenwich

  2,377

  3,480

  2,424

  3,524

  2,583

  3,621

  2,711

  3,595

  Hackney

  2,918

  4,283

  3,126

  4,558

  2,976

  4,180

  3,076

  4,366

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,593

  3,802

  2,815

  4,101

  2,716

  3,811

  2,904

  3,783

  Islington

  2,701

  3,961

  2,824

  4,114

  2,861

  4,017

  2,888

  3,969

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2,611

  3,828

  2,755

  4,011

  2,645

  3,710

  2,852

  4,077

  224

  Higher Education Courses
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the ratio of students to lecturers in each higher education subject category and in total for each year since 1988.

  Mr. Boswell
  Information for the former University Funding Council-funded United Kingdom universities is contained in the publication "University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK" published by the universities statistical record. Statistics for the higher education institutions formerly funded by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council for England have been published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in "Student Staff Ratios in polytechnics and colleges". Copies of both publications are in the House library.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the education component of standard spending assessments per pupil, net of specific grants, in sub-blocks five to 10 and 11 to 15 in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95 and (d) 1995–96 in each local education authority and on average; and what was the percentage change in each local education authority and on average from 1992–93 to the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is set out in the table. The figures for 1995–96 and hence the percentage changes are provisional since education standard spending assessments for that year have yet to be finalised.

  Education SSAs do not equate to spending on schools since they notionally include spending on heads of expenditure which are not delegated to schools, such as transport, special education and related support services.

  Variations between LEAs reflect the different costs of providing a common standard of service across the country, taking account of the relative costs of educating children in different circumstances: in sparsely populated areas; in London and the south-east region where labour costs are higher; and in areas of socio-economic disadvantage or with a high proportion of non-English speaking children.

  The figures are in cash terms. Variations between years will be influenced by changes in local authorities' functions and changes in the SSA methodology.

  The balance of funding between the five to 10 and 11 to 15 sub-blocks reflects the latest available data on local authority spending on primary and secondary education and is annually updated to reflect changes in spending patterns.
  225

  Education component of Standard Spending Assessment per pupil, in sub-blocks 5 to 10 and 11 to 15

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  Lambeth

  2,950

  4,331

  3,084

  4,497

  2,886

  4,052

  3,066

  4,470

  Lewisham

  2,537

  3,718

  2,637

  3,837

  2,685

  3,766

  2,777

  3,787

  Southwark

  2,695

  3,953

  2,789

  4,062

  2,805

  3,937

  2,947

  4,097

  Tower Hamlets

  2,986

  4,385

  3,035

  4,425

  2,975

  4,178

  3,035

  4,041

  Wandsworth

  2,562

  3,756

  2,674

  3,892

  2,549

  3,572

  2,683

  3,624

  Westminster

  2,593

  3,802

  2,741

  3,991

  2,622

  3,677

  2,750

  3,643

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,074

  3,034

  2,095

  3,042

  2,219

  3,107

  2,231

  2,955

  Barnet

  2,069

  3,027

  2,130

  3,094

  2,161

  3,024

  2,197

  2,887

  Bexley

  1,908

  2,787

  1,972

  2,861

  2,068

  2,893

  2,064

  2,739

  Brent

  2,458

  3,604

  2,542

  3,701

  2,454

  3,441

  2,500

  3,454

  Bromley

  1,883

  2,750

  1,938

  2,811

  2,039

  2,851

  2,013

  2,682

  Croydon

  2,097

  3,068

  2,143

  3,112

  2,202

  3,083

  2,243

  3,055

  Ealing

  2,294

  3,360

  2,398

  3,488

  2,356

  3,302

  2,350

  3,229

  Enfield

  2,088

  3,054

  2,126

  3,088

  2,208

  3,091

  2,234

  2,945

  Haringey

  2,576

  3,778

  2,670

  3,889

  2,618

  3,674

  2,589

  3,588

  Harrow

  1,995

  2,916

  2,019

  2,930

  2,110

  2,952

  2,147

  2,933

  Havering

  1,828

  2,668

  1,878

  2,722

  2,057

  2,877

  2,023

  2,691

  Hillingdon

  1,923

  2,809

  1,983

  2,878

  2.120

  2,967

  2,133

  2,843

  Hounslow

  2,134

  3,122

  2,165

  3,145

  2,233

  3,128

  2,260

  2,954

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,917

  2,801

  1,957

  2,839

  2,052

  2,870

  2,064

  2,724

  Merton

  2,056

  3,007

  2,121

  3,080

  2,163

  3,028

  2,184

  2,909

  Newham

  2,529

  3,709

  2,586

  3,766

  2,603

  3,653

  2,581

  3,444

  Redbridge

  2,008

  2,936

  2,093

  3,038

  2,172

  3,040

  2,164

  2,892

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,932

  2,823

  1,982

  2,875

  2,001

  2,797

  2,015

  2,639

  Sutton

  1,902

  2,779

  1,972

  2,860

  2,085

  2,916

  2,093

  2,727

  Waltham Forest

  2,316

  3,393

  2,404

  3,498

  2,440

  3,421

  2,434

  3,266

  Birmingham

  2,072

  3,037

  2,131

  3,101

  2,093

  2,934

  2,083

  2,802

  Coventry

  1,892

  2,769

  1,909

  2,773

  1,948

  2,728

  1,984

  2,652

  Dudley

  1,700

  2,484

  1,722

  2,498

  1,802

  2,521

  1,813

  2,412

  Sandwell

  1,910

  2,796

  1,960

  2,849

  1,976

  2,768

  1,986

  2,646

  Solihull

  1,721

  2,514

  1,752

  2,542

  1,808

  2,527

  1,798

  2,380

  Walsall

  1,813

  2,652

  1,829

  2,656

  1,881

  2,633

  1,894

  2,505

  Wolverhampton

  2,003

  2,934

  2,030

  2,952

  1,997

  2,798

  1,995

  2,695

  Knowsley

  2,050

  3,003

  2,084

  3,032

  2,201

  3,087

  2,186

  2,991

  Liverpool

  2,061

  3,019

  2,113

  3,075

  2,141

  3,002

  2,110

  2,825

  St. Helens

  1,729

  2,527

  1,750

  2,539

  1,851

  2,590

  1,845

  2,471

  Sefton

  1,769

  2,586

  1,788

  2,596

  1,879

  2,630

  1,875

  2,496

  Wirral

  1,869

  2,735

  1,891

  2,746

  1,959

  2,744

  1,948

  2,611

  Bolton

  1,815

  2,654

  1,863

  2,705

  1,869

  2,616

  1,866

  2,492

  Bury

  1,681

  2,456

  1,699

  2,464

  1,786

  2,498

  1,813

  2,409

  Manchester

  2,150

  3,153

  2,206

  3,211

  2,214

  3,107

  2,258

  3,077

  Oldham

  1,877

  2,746

  1,866

  2,709

  1,910

  2,674

  1,919

  2,534

  Rochdale

  1,805

  2,639

  1,863

  2,706

  1,917

  2,684

  1,932

  2,613

  Salford

  1,853

  2,711

  1,919

  2,788

  1,971

  2,762

  1,975

  2,656

  Stockport

  1,669

  2,437

  1,689

  2,449

  1,776

  2,484

  1,775

  2,379

  Tameside

  1,779

  2,601

  1,785

  2,590

  1,827

  2,556

  1,831

  2,432

  Trafford

  1,745

  2,550

  1,758

  2,551

  1,798

  2,515

  1,830

  2,424

  Wigan

  1,687

  2,464

  1,727

  2,505

  1,814

  2,537

  1,809

  2,395

  Barnsley

  1,765

  2,580

  1,793

  2,602

  1,854

  2,594

  1,869

  2,493

  Doncaster

  1,861

  2,720

  1,905

  2,765

  1,943

  2,717

  1,934

  2,576

  Rotherham

  1,796

  2,625

  1,819

  2,640

  1,856

  2,596

  1,871

  2,466

  Sheffield

  1,815

  2,655

  1,874

  2,722

  1,936

  2,711

  1,922

  2,570

  Bradford

  1,971

  2,885

  2,022

  2,940

  1,993

  2,791

  1,986

  2,683

  Calderdale

  1,808

  2,643

  1,869

  2,714

  1,905

  2,665

  1,896

  2,527

  Kirklees

  1,853

  2,710

  1,914

  2,779

  1,912

  2,675

  1,900

  2,543

  Leeds

  1,813

  2,652

  1,846

  2,680

  1,868

  2,613

  1,864

  2,484

  Wakefield

  1,761

  2,574

  1,771

  2,569

  1,816

  2,539

  1,825

  2,425

  Gateshead

  1,828

  2,673

  1,886

  2,739

  1,952

  2,733

  1,937

  2,605

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1,908

  2,792

  1,949

  2,832

  2,012

  2,820

  2,045

  2,722

  North Tyneside

  1,797

  2,628

  1,779

  2,582

  1,828

  2,557

  1,845

  2,486

  South Tyneside

  1,836

  2,685

  1,825

  2,649

  1,923

  2,692

  1,932

  2,592

  Sunderland

  1,805

  2,640

  1,833

  2,661

  1,925

  2,695

  1,919

  2,553

  Isles of Scilly

  3,155

  4,601

  3,140

  4,545

  3,281

  4,570

  3,347

  4,331

  Avon

  1,728

  2,524

  1,779

  2,582

  1,835

  2,566

  1,838

  2,464

  Bedfordshire

  1,896

  2,772

  1,976

  2,867

  2,011

  2,812

  1,995

  2,668

  Berkshire

  1,855

  2,709

  1,906

  2,764

  1,953

  2,730

  1,988

  2,668

  Buckinghamshire

  1,826

  2,666

  1,890

  2,740

  1,962

  2,741

  1,966

  2,634

  Cambridgeshire

  1,764

  2,576

  1,802

  2,613

  1,847

  2,580

  1,876

  2,512

  Cheshire

  1,703

  2,487

  1,746

  2,532

  1,818

  2,542

  1,817

  2,413

  Cleveland

  1,894

  2,772

  1,908

  2,772

  1,942

  2,719

  1,940

  2,593

  Cornwall

  1,799

  2,627

  1,831

  2,654

  1,878

  2,622

  1,893

  2,525

  Cumbria

  1,763

  2,575

  1,820

  2,639

  1,862

  2,600

  1,856

  2,474

  226 227

  Education component of Standard Spending Assessment per pupil, in sub-blocks 5 to 10 and 11 to 15

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  Derbyshire

  1,706

  2,491

  1,739

  2,522

  1,801

  2,516

  1,812

  2,419

  Devon

  1,762

  2,574

  1,817

  2,635

  1,865

  2,605

  1,879

  2,510

  Dorset

  1,714

  2,502

  1,771

  2,569

  1,828

  2,554

  1,833

  2,445

  Durham

  1,787

  2,611

  1,805

  2,618

  1,879

  2,627

  1,884

  2,516

  East Sussex

  1,825

  2,666

  1,941

  2,816

  1,986

  2,776

  2,000

  2,677

  Essex

  1,815

  2,650

  1,882

  2,729

  1,972

  2,756

  1,989

  2,646

  Gloucestershire

  1,731

  2,528

  1,772

  2,569

  1,819

  2,541

  1,836

  2,439

  Hampshire

  1,788

  2,611

  1,867

  2,707

  1,929

  2,696

  1,930

  2,586

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,712

  2,500

  1,734

  2,513

  1,798

  2,511

  1,827

  2,442

  Hertfordshire

  1,842

  2,689

  1,884

  2,732

  1,970

  2,754

  2,010

  2,667

  Humberside

  1,817

  2,656

  1,849

  2,684

  1,891

  2,644

  1,891

  2,512

  Isle of Wight Council

  1,875

  2,739

  1,940

  2,813

  2,018

  2,819

  2,016

  2,700

  Kent

  1,807

  2,638

  1,886

  2,734

  1,960

  2,740

  1,968

  2,625

  Lancashire

  1,805

  2,639

  1,822

  2,644

  1,867

  2,611

  1,877

  2,506

  Leicestershire

  1,785

  2,608

  1,821

  2,642

  1,855

  2,593

  1,864

  2,487

  Lincolnshire

  1,809

  2,642

  1,850

  2,682

  1,874

  2,616

  1,873

  2,487

  Norfolk

  1,789

  2,612

  1,815

  2,632

  1,863

  2,601

  1,881

  2,512

  North Yorkshire

  1,738

  2,537

  1,756

  2,544

  1,805

  2,518

  1,827

  2,426

  Northamptonshire

  1,759

  2,569

  1,796

  2,604

  1,823

  2,547

  1,836

  2,458

  Northumberland

  1,743

  2,544

  1,784

  2,587

  1,838

  2,566

  1,825

  2,425

  Nottinghamshire

  1,821

  2,662

  1,851

  2,687

  1,872

  2,618

  1,883

  2,512

  Oxfordshire

  1,798

  2,624

  1,872

  2,714

  1,934

  2,700

  1,934

  2,579

  Shropshire

  1,774

  2,589

  1,811

  2,625

  1,850

  2,583

  1,862

  2,482

  Somerset

  1,745

  2,547

  1,781

  2,582

  1,833

  2,558

  1,846

  2,493

  Staffordshire

  1,704

  2,489

  1,744

  2,528

  1,792

  2,504

  1,805

  2,401

  Suffolk

  1,726

  2,520

  1,762

  2,553

  1,807

  2,522

  1,820

  2,434

  Surrey

  1,828

  2,667

  1,857

  2,691

  1,921

  2,684

  1,998

  2,693

  Warwickshire

  1,723

  2,516

  1,754

  2,543

  1,801

  2,516

  1,822

  2,436

  West Sussex

  1,766

  2,578

  1,813

  2,628

  1,918

  2,679

  1,932

  2,575

  Wiltshire

  1,750

  2,555

  1,787

  2,590

  1,824

  2,546

  1,835

  2,455

  England

  1,873

  2,724

  1,921

  2,775

  1,968

  2,741

  1,981

  2,635

  Percentage change in unit allowances for Education SSA between 1992–93 and 1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  City of London

  28.12

  174.34

  Camden

  14.98

  -1.16

  Greenwich

  14.04

  3.28

  Hackney

  5.43

  1.93

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  11.99

  -0.50

  Islington

  6.94

  0.20

  Kensington and Chelsea

  9.23

  6.51

  Lambeth

  3.95

  3.20

  Lewisham

  9.48

  1.85

  Southwark

  9.36

  3.65

  Tower Hamlets

  1.63

  -7.86

  Wandsworth

  4.71

  -3.51

  Westminster

  6.06

  -4.18

  Barking and Dagenham

  7.58

  -2.59

  Barnet

  6.15

  4.62

  Bexley

  8.16

  -1.73

  Brent

  1.68

  -4.17

  Bromley

  6.89

  -2.47

  Croydon

  6.96

  -0.43

  Ealing

  2.42

  -3.90

  Enfield

  7.03

  -3.56

  Haringey

  0.50

  -5.03

  Harrow

  7.66

  -0.44

  Havering

  10.86

  0.85

  Hillingdon

  10.93

  1.18

  Hounslow

  5.94

  -5.06

  Kingston upon Thames

  7.66

  -2.74

  Merton

  6.21

  -3.28

  Newham

  2.06

  -7.15

  Redbridge

  7.76

  -1.51

  Richmond upon Thames

  4.30

  -6.54

  Sutton

  10.00

  -1.87

  Waltham Forest

  5.12

  -3.74

  228

  Percentage change in unit allowances for Education SSA between 1992–93 and 1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  Birmingham

  0 50

  -7 72

  Coventry

  4.83

  -4.23

  Dudley

  6.62

  -2.92

  Sandwell

  3.94

  -5.39

  Solihull

  4.44

  -5.34

  Walsall

  4.48

  -5.51

  Wolverhampton

  -0.42

  -8.12

  Knowsley

  6.62

  -0.41

  Liverpool

  2.37

  -6.43

  St. Helens

  6.67

  -2.24

  Sefton

  6.00

  -3.48

  Wirral

  4.21

  4.56

  Bolton

  2.85

  -6.12

  Bury

  7.84

  -1.91

  Manchester

  4.99

  -2.41

  Oldham

  2.25

  -7.71

  Rochdale

  7.08

  -1.01

  Salford

  6.55

  -2.04

  Stockport

  6.36

  -2.40

  Tameside

  2.29

  -6.49

  Trafford

  4.90

  -4.95

  Wigan

  7.26

  -2.81

  Barnsley

  5.90

  -3.39

  Doncaster

  3.95

  -5.29

  Rotherham

  4.21

  -6.07

  Sheffield

  5.86

  -3.20

  Bradford

  0.79

  -7.01

  Calderdale

  4.86

  -4.39

  Kirklees

  2.57

  -6.14

  Leeds

  2.78

  -6.34

  Wakefield

  3.64

  -5.81

  Gateshead

  5.96

  -2.54

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  7.20

  -2.53

  229

  Percentage change in unit allowances for Education SSA between 1992–93 and 1995–96

  5 to 10

  11 to 15

  North Tyneside

  2.67

  -5.40

  South Tyneside

  5.23

  -3.46

  Sunderland

  6.30

  -3.27

  Isles of Scilly

  6.10

  -5.86

  Avon

  6.38

  -2.35

  Bedfordshire

  5.20

  -3.72

  Berkshire

  7.19

  -1.51

  Buckinghamshire

  7.67

  -1.21

  Cambridgeshire

  6.33

  -2.49

  Cheshire

  6.69

  -2.99

  Cleveland

  2.42

  -6.45

  Cornwall

  5.26

  -3.85

  Cumbria

  5.23

  -3.89

  Derbyshire

  6.23

  -2.89

  Devon

  6.62

  -2.46

  Dorset

  6.96

  -2.28

  Durham

  5.44

  -3.64

  East Sussex

  9.59

  0.39

  Essex

  9.56

  -0.17

  Gloucestershire

  6.07

  -3.50

  Hampshire

  7.91

  -0.95

  Hereford and Worcester

  6.68

  -2.28

  Hertfordshire

  9.10

  -0.83

  Humberside

  4.06

  -5.42

  Isle of Wight Council

  7.53

  -1.42

  Kent

  8.95

  -0.51

  Lancashire

  3.99

  -5.04

  Leicestershire

  4.43

  -4.67

  Lincolnshire

  3.51

  -5.86

  Norfolk

  5.14

  -3.81

  North Yorkshire

  5.13

  -4.36

  Northamptonshire

  4.38

  -4.33

  Northumberland

  4.70

  -4.67

  Nottinghamshire

  3.39

  -5.66

  Oxfordshire

  7.55

  -1.73

  Shropshire

  5.01

  -4.13

  Somerset

  5.76

  -2.12

  Staffordshire

  5.92

  -3.51

  Suffolk

  5.42

  -3.40

  Surrey

  9.30

  0.96

  Warwickshire

  5.73

  -3.17

  West Sussex

  9.41

  -0.12

  Wiltshire

  4.82

  -3.92

  England

  5.80

  -3.27

TRANSPORT

  New Driving Test
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he plans to give to those bodies concerned with the design of vocational training material on the structure and content of the planned theory test associated with the new driving test which will help them in their planning.

  Mr. Norris
  Last year, the Driving Standards Agency produced guidance about learning to drive lorries for test candidates and their instructors published in the handbook "Your Large Goods Vehicle Driving Test". A companion book for bus and coach drivers will be published in March. The agency will revise this guidance when details of the new theory test have been decided.
  230

  M11 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a detailed breakdown of amounts paid, estimated and contracted to be paid to all the contractors involved with the M11 link road; if he will list all the contractors and the amounts applicable to each of them; and if he will give a summary of the various purposes to which the amounts relate.

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 13 January 1995]:

  Mr. Steven Norris has asked me to write in reply to your Parliamentary Question about payments to contractors for the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road since these are operational matters for the Highways Agency.

  To date, contracts have been entered into in respect of only one of the four main civil engineering contracts and two of the principal subsidiary contracts.

  The details are as follows:

  Contract No. 4

  Purpose: Construction of Link Road from Eastern Avenue to Green Man.

  Contractors: Norwest Hoist

  Tender price £37.081m

  Paid to date £12.000m

  Estimated final cost £51.135m

  Contract No. 1A

  Purpose: Construction of Bridge over railway at Temple Mills, Leyton.

  Contractor: Christiani and Neilsen

  Tender price £2.291m

  Paid to date £3.1 18m

  Estimated final cost £3.397m

  Contract No. 2B

  Purpose: Advance drainage works.

  Contractor: J Murphy & Sons Ltd

  Tender price £4.141m

  Paid to date £89,061m

  Estimated final cost £8.323m

  In addition, we have reimbursed London Underground, British Rail and statutory undertakers their costs, including those of employing contractors, for work on or diversion of their services made necessary by the Link Road.

  These details are as follows:

  Contract No. 2A

  Purpose: Work to Railway Bridge No 230 at Dyers Hall Road.

  SUs British Rail and London Underground.

  Estimate £2.3m

  Paid £2.69m

  Estimated final cost £3.354m

  We have paid £2.060m of a total estimate of £8.065m to London Underground and British Rail in respect of other works to their installations, and the other statutory undertakes (the providers of gas, water, electricity and telephone services) have received £4.947rn of a total estimate of current work of £15.454m in connection with all the Link Road works except main contracts numbers 1 and 3.

  A one-off contract was let to an completed by John Lelliott (E) Ltd for the refurbishment of accommodation in Leytonstone House Hospital so that patients could be relocated within the site, away from that part affected by the Link Road. The estimate for these works was £550.000 which is also the sum now paid.

  We have three contractors who are paid at agreed rates for various works done such as demolition and securing property. £1.94m has been paid to date.
  231
  Lastly, we have spent £774,000 through various agents including local authorities on insulation of houses against traffic noise, that is the installation of secondary glazing of properties which qualify under the Noise Insulation Regulations.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all current contracts placed by his Department with public relations companies and, in each case, state the aspect of the Department's work to which it relates, the company concerned and the estimated expenditure.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  Aspect

  Company

  Estimated expenditure

  Assistance in development of a PR Strategy for the Highways Agency

  Biss Lancaster

  £33,000

  Public Transport
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of supplementary credit

  1990–91(£m)

  1991–92(£m)

  1992–93(£m)

  1993–94(£m)

  1994–95(£m)

  Annual capital guidelines

  England: Total

  411.29

  416.95

  389.81

  327.14

  433.03

  Public transport

  59.10

  54.85

  55.76

  48.25

  56.80

  Nottinghamshire: Total

  3.99

  6.59

  3.62

  3.58

  4.39

  Public transport

  -

  -

  -

  -

  -

  Supplementary credit approvals

  England: Total

  69.13

  120.70

  207.16

  376.94

  199.04

  Public transport

  21.00

  32.50

  33.78

  73.78

  47.74

  Nottinghamshire: Total

  0.16

  1.03

  2.33

  3.98

  6.39

  Public transport

  0.16

  0.20

  0.43

  0.32

  4.49

  Section 56 grant (public transport only)

  England: Total

  30.93

  18.30

  21.08

  18.42

  13.35

  Nottinghamshire

  -

  -

  -

  -

  12.55

  1 Estimated.

  Leeds City Station (Information Board)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the electronic information board at Leeds City station went out of action; and when it will be repaired.

  Mr. Watts
  This is a matter for the station operator, Railtrack.

  Agricultural Vehicles (Accidents)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each year since 1989(a) the number of accidents involving a tractor or other agricultural machinery on public roads that were not licensed to travel on public roads and (b) the number of fatalities resulting from such accidents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  232
  approval for local transport was apportioned to public transport in (a) England and Wales (b) Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years;

  (2) what proportion of transport supplementary grant has been apportioned in (a) England and Wales and (b) Nottinghamshire to public transport in each of the last five years;

  (3) what proportion of the annual capital guidelines for public transport was apportioned to public transport in (a) England and Wales and (b) Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend allocates local transport resources for England only. The relevant figures for annual capital guidelines and supplementary credit approvals are as follows.

  Transport supplementary grant is payable only on local authority expenditure in connection with highways or the regulation of traffic and not for public transport. Public transport expenditure is eligible for grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968, and figures for this are also given.

  Resources for public transport expenditure are allocated in response to bids submitted by local authorities for particular investment schemes, and the allocation to individual authorities will vary from year to year depending on the bids submitted.

  Traffic Forecasting
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to revise his forecasting method in respect of the national traffic forecasts.

  Mr. Watts
  There are no immediate plans to revise the method, but it is kept under review.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the division of responsibilities and relationship between his departmental Ministers and agencies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The respective responsibilities of Ministers and agency chief executives and the relationship between Ministers and agencies are set out in the framework document published for each of the Department's agencies.
  233

  Parliamentary Questions
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions he has referred to next steps agencies in each year since 1992.

  Mr. Norris
  The information is as follows:

  1992–93 session — 4

  1993–94 session — 130

  1994–95 session — 55 (up to 12 January 1995).

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what minimum requirements in environmental matters have been imposed on bidders in the channel tunnel rail link competition.

  Mr. Watts
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a document setting out the environmental minimum requirements for the design and construction of the channel tunnel rail link.

  Road Accidents (Alcohol)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for transport how many deaths in road traffic accidents were caused by alcohol in each of the last five years; and what breakdown by age is available.

  Mr. Norris
  The estimated number of fatalities in alcohol related road traffic accidents in the last five years is as follows:

  1989 814

  1990 758

  1991 662

  1992 662

  1993 546 (provisional)

  Information on the age of drivers and riders killed is given in table 11 of "Road Accidents Great Britain 1993", which is in the Library.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the cost to the NHS of treating injuries caused by road traffic accidents which in turn have been caused by alcohol.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport highways economics note No. 1—September 1994, which is in the Library, provides the average medical and ambulance costs of road accident casualties, separately for fatalities, serious and slight injuries.

  Large Vehicles (Accidents)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment is made by his Department of road accidents involving lorries or other articulated vehicles, with a view to improving safety on roads; what proposals he has to promote greater safety in construction and use regulations as they apply to lorries and other articulated vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department monitors closely available data on all accidents, including those involving lorries or articulated vehicles. We would be prepared to take action to change the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 should it become apparent that changes are needed. We have no such plans at present.
  234

  Second Severn Crossing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest expected completion date of the second Severn crossing; and what new delays he has been informed of.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: I understand that the Severn River Crossing and its contractor are reviewing the programme for completion of the second crossing in spring 1996, following construction difficulties last year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Disused Coal Mines
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who will own mineral property and other rights in disused coal mines after privatisation; and who will authorise the opening.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The property in all the coal and coal mines in Great Britain previously owned by the British Coal Corporation is now vested in the Coal Authority. Anyone wishing to carry out coal mining operations will need a licence from the Coal Authority, which confers a statutory right to mine; together with a lease of, or other property interest in, the relevant coal. They will also need to obtain other rights and consents which are necessary for the carrying on of coal mining operations, such as planning permission, environmental consents and rights over surface land.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures his Department is taking to encourage the education and training of women for re-entry into the workplace; and what programmes are available to them.

  Mr. Paice
  Woman who wish to return to work can enter training for work, without having to be registered as unemployed for six months. They can train on a part-time basis and get child care support.

  The Department is promoting training and employment opportunities for women through its fair play initiative.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures his Department is taking to encourage the education and training of 16 to 25-year-olds for entry into the workplace; and what programmes are available to them.

  Mr. Paice
  A wide range of measures is currently available to encourage the education and training of 16 to 25-year-olds for entry into the work place. These include the development of new vocational qualifications such as national vocational qualifications and general national vocational qualifications, training programmes such as youth training and training for work, and measures to enhance the vocational relevance of education, such as the enterprise in higher education initiative and the technical and vocational education initiative.
  235
  The "Competitiveness" White Paper published in May 1994 sets out additional measures which are being developed. These include modern apprenticeships and accelerated modern apprenticeships, improvements in independent careers advice for young people from the age of 13, the strengthening of education business links, and the creation of the competitiveness fund which is aimed at creating specialist education and training provision in further education colleges in key occupational areas.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Stormont (Fire)
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) who is responsible for fire protection measures at Parliament buildings, Belfast;

  (2) if he will order an independent and thorough inquiry into the fire at Parliament buildings, Belfast, on Monday 2 January and the relevant events surrounding it; and if he will open the inquiry to the public and release the findings

  (3) what fire sprinkler system was installed and operating in Parliament buildings, Belfast prior to Monday 2 January;

  (4) what means were being relied upon to give early warning of a fire at Parliament buildings, Belfast on the morning of Monday 2 January;

  (5) what assessment he has made of the suitability for the use or purpose for which they are provided of all Crown buildings which are his responsibility taking account of the means of escape in case of fire, the means of fighting fire and the means of providing warning in case of fire;

  (6) what staff were present and at what times within Parliament buildings, Belfast over the Christmas 1994 and new year 1995 holidays;

  (7) when Parliament buildings, Belfast was last evacuated as part of a fire drill;

  (8) if he will review the Fire Service Northern Ireland Order 1984 with respect to Crown buildings to require them to apply for a fire certificate;

  (9) what heat detection system was installed and operating in Parliament buildings, Belfast prior to Monday 2 January;

  (10) if any early warning fire detection system incorporated in the refurbishment tender includes a link to a post outside Parliament buildings, Belfast, to cover times when the building is vacant;

  (11) if there was a fire log book held for Parliament buildings, Belfast as required for certified buildings under the Fire Services Northern Ireland Order 1984;

  (12) when engineers last tested the capacity of the water supply to meet demand for fire emergencies at Parliament buildings, Belfast;

  (13) if he will order an independent and thorough inquiry into the operation of the fire section of the Department responsible for the safety of public buildings in Northern Ireland and if he will open such an inquiry to the public and release the findings;
  236
  (14) what smoke detection system was installed and operating in Parliament buildings, Belfast prior to Monday 2 January;

  (15) what early fire warning device is to be installed in Parliament buildings, Belfast under the present renovations; and when his element was included in the contract;

  (16) if there is a current fire certificate with respect to Parliament buildings, Belfast;

  (17) when the last Fire Brigade trial run at Parliament buildings, Belfast was made to familiarise fire crews of the layout of the building and to ascertain what hazards might be encountered;

  (18) if he expects an application to be submitted for a fire certificate as referred to in the Fire Service Northern Ireland Order 1984 in respect of Parliament buildings, Belfast, after the present renovations and repairs are completed.

  Mr. Moss
  My right hon. and learned Friend has already announced that he has asked Sir Reginald Doyle, a former HM chief inspector of fire services in Great Britain to conduct an inquiry into the fire at Parliament buildings on 2 January 1995.

  Sir Reginald will examine the fire safety precautions and the fire fighting arrangements for Parliament buildings and make recommendations to the Secretary of State, both in relation to Parliament buildings itself and any consequential implications for other Crown buildings in Northern Ireland. It is intended to publish the report in due course. The matters referred to will be considered by Sir Reginald as part of his inquiry.

  Water Consent Decisions
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the application for water consent at a waste disposal site by Mr. W. Ross of 11 Ballybeen road, Moneyreagh, Castlereagh was received; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement about the time being taken to issue water consent decisions.

  Mr. Moss
  An application for consent under the Water Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 was received by the Department of the Environment from Mr. W. Ross on 20 September 1994. Mr. Ross was asked to submit a location plan in support of his application and this was received on 24 November. Mr. Ross has not, however, forwarded proof that he has advertised the application as required by section 9(3) of the Water Act. As soon as this proof is received, the Department will make every effort to determine Mr. Ross's application as soon as possible.

  NHS Contracts
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total value of NHS contracts with non-NHS providers in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Moss
  In Northern Ireland integrated health and personal social services are supplied by health boards, trusts, general practitioner fund holders and the Central
  237
  Services Agency for the Health and Personal Social Services. Their total expenditure on the purchase of health and personal social services from non-NHS/HPSS providers was as follows:

  £

  1992–93

  5,777,349

  1993–94

  4,554,933

  (Note: these figures are still subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General).

  The accounts of the health and social services boards were revised in 1992–93 to take account of the separation of the purchaser-provider functions. Consequently, the financial information given is not readily available prior to this date.

  Health and social services trusts and general practitioner fund-holders were established in Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 1993, and therefore the figures for 1992–93 relate exclusively to health boards' expenditure.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the value of NHS contracts placed with non-NHS providers(a) in total, (b) by health board area, (c) by fundholding general practice and (d) by trust.

  Mr. Moss
  In Northern Ireland integrated health and personal social services are purchased by health boards, trusts, general practitioner fund-holders and the Central Services Agency for the health and personal social services. Their expenditure on the purchase of health and personal social services from non-NHS/HPSS providers was as follows:

  1992–93£

  1993–94 £

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  377,056

  279,013

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  159,871

  172,350

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  4,876,322

  3,177,081

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  364,100

  820,278

  Health and Social Services Trusts

  —

  Nil

  General Practitioner Fundholders

  —

  106,211

  Total

  5,777,349

  4,554,933

  Note:

  The first general practitioner fund-holders and the first health and social services trusts were established in Northern Ireland on 1 April 1993.

  Health Education Authority
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to change the funding structure or remit of the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Moss
  None. This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. However, I am presently in the process of reviewing health promotion arrangements in Northern Ireland. The review is examining the respective roles and responsibilities of the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland, health and social services boards and trusts and will aim to set in place the most effective structures for delivering health promotion in Northern Ireland. I hope to receive the report of the review in the near future.
  238

  Private Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many private in-patients and out-patients were treated in NHS hospitals; and what was the total income earned from private patients in each of the last five years, and by health authority.

  Mr. Moss
  I refer the right hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 25 November 1994,Official Report, columns 405–6.

  NHS Beds
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many NHS beds were available in each year since 1978, and for each area of Northern Ireland, in total and by specialty of(a) acute, (b) intensive care, (c) long-term care or geriatric, (d) maternity, (e) paediatric, (f) psychiatric and (g) casualty.

  Mr. Moss
  Information is not readily available for the period asked nor in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Available information is given in the table.

  Year

  Acute

  Non-acute

  Total

  1983

  7,040

  9,936

  16,976

  1984

  6,934

  9,781

  16,715

  1985

  6,960

  9,635

  16,595

  1986

  6,479

  9,483

  15,962

  1987

  6,223

  9,188

  15,411

  1988–89

  5,931

  8,755

  14,686

  1989–90

  5,678

  8,476

  14,154

  1990–91

  5,463

  8,025

  13,488

  1991–92

  5,268

  7,332

  12,600

  1992–93

  5,112

  6,600

  11,712

  1993–94

  4,872

  6,018

  10,890

  Intensive care, paediatrics, and casualty beds are included in the acute bed numbers. Non-acute comprise geriatrics (geriatric medicine and old age psychiatry, maternity (obstetrics, GP maternity, sick babies and well babies specialties), psychiatric (mental illness, child and adolescent psychiatric, psychotherapy and forensic psychiatry) and mental handicap beds.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients were waiting for hospital treatment in January 1995; and how many were waiting in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Moss
  Information about the total number of patients waiting for treatment in January 1995 is not yet available. The latest available information is for September 1994 and the table shows the number waiting then and at the end of September in each of the previous four years.

  Date

  Ordinary admissions

  Day cases

  September 1994

  22,728

  12,076

  September 1993

  25,420

  not available

  September 1992

  25,977

  not available

  September 1991

  27,481

  not available

  September 1990

  26,707

  not available

  239

  Health Services (Privatisation)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what NHS services have been privatised and which have been market tested since April 1991.

  Mr. Moss
  None of the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland have been privatised. Since April 1991, in addition to the main "hotel" services of catering, domestic and laundry, which have been market tested throughout the HPSS, a range of other support services have been market tested within a number of boards and trusts. These were: window cleaning, pest control, grounds maintenance, security, courier, printing, office systems, transport and vehicle maintenance.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Ostriches
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 12 December,Official Report, column 521, what regulations allow the slaughter of ostriches on farms; if these regulations allow for slaughter for commercial sale; and what method of slaughter of ostriches on farms are permitted.

  Mrs. Browning
  The slaughter of ostriches on farms is permitted by the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1994. These regulations provide for premises slaughtering less than 10,000 birds a year to be exempt from the licensing and detailed hygiene and inspection requirements. Meat produced under this exemption can be sold for human consumption subject to certain restrictions on distance and end-user. The on-farm operation remains subject to the terms of the Food Safety Act and general food hygiene legislation made thereunder.

  Current animal welfare legislation does not stipulate slaughter methods for ostriches on farms. The EC legislation to be implemented this year will permit stunning of animals, including birds, by means of a captive bolt, concussion stunner or electronarcosis to be followed as soon as possible by bleeding.

WALES

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of independent schools operating in Wales for each financial year since 1975.

  Mr. Richards
  The number of independent schools in Wales for each year since 1975 are given as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1994

  64

  1993

  65

  1992

  68

  1991

  71

  1990

  67

  1989

  66

  1988

  67

  240

  Year

  Number

  1987

  69

  1986

  69

  1985

  67

  1984

  70

  1983

  73

  1982

  71

  1981

  72

  1980

  68

  1979

  68

  1978

  64

  1977

  67

  1976

  68

  1975

  67

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the operation of the assisted places scheme in ensuring the continued operation of the independent schools sector.

  Mr. Richards
  None. The scheme is intended to widen parental choice when selecting appropriate education for their children.

  There are some 10,788 pupils in independent schools in Wales, of whom approximately 6.6 per cent.—714— were in the assisted places scheme, as at September 1994.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment his Department has made of the average household income of the pupils applying for assistance under the assisted places scheme; and what is the average household income of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Richards
  Incomes of households are variable and we have made no direct and separate assessment of the average household income of the pupils applying for assistance under the scheme in Wales. Some 714 pupils are currently receiving education at one of the participating schools in Wales; approximately 41 per cent. of parents pay no contribution to fees.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently employed by each of the Welsh training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested by the hon. Member is shown in the following table. The figures are taken from the 1993–94 published annual accounts of the Welsh training and enterprise councils.

  Name of TEC

  Number of employees

  Gwent

  69

  Mid Glamorgan

  94

  North East Wales

  110

  Targed

  68

  Powys

  23

  South Glamorgan

  60

  West Wales

  124

  Total

  548

  241

  NHS Services (Privatisation)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what NHS services have been privatised and which have been market tested since April 1991.

  Mr. Richards
  No NHS services have been privatised within Wales.

  A list covering the range of NHS services which have been market tested since April 1991 is as follows:

  NHS Wales services market tested since April 1991

  Service

  Service

  Agency Staffing

  Medical Gases

  Audit

  Medical Records

  Banking Services

  Non-Emergency Patient Transport

  Blood Culture Management

  Non-Emergency Transport— other

  Building Maintenance

  Painting

  Car Parks

  Pathology

  Catering

  Patient Activity Monitoring

  Cervical Cytology Laboratory Tests

  Patient Hair Dressing Service

  Computer Maintenance

  Patient Shop

  Courier/Delivery Services

  Payroll Services

  Data Processing

  Personnel Records

  Dental Services

  Pest Control

  Design Services

  Pharmacy

  Domestic Cleaning

  Portable Appliance Testing

  Engineering Maintenance

  Portering

  Equipment Maintenance

  Public Relations

  Estates Management

  Recruitment

  Grounds and Gardens

  Removal and Storage of Furniture

  Health and Safety Statutory Compliance

  Secretarial/Clerical Services

  Heat and Power

  Security

  Hotel Services

  Staff Residential Accommodation

  Housekeeping

  Sterile Supplies

  Hygiene Services

  Steriliser Testing

  Insurance

  Telephone Systems

  Laundry and Linen Services

  Theatre Services

  Legal Services

  Training

  Lift Maintenance

  Transport Hire

  Lithotripsy

  Transport Maintenance

  Management Consultancy

  Waste Disposal: Clinical, General

  Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance

  Window Cleaning

  Acorns Nurseries
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 January,Official Report, column 50, if he will list the breaches of contract by Acorns Nurseries with respect to (a) staffing, (b) quality of child care, (c) health and hygiene, (d) financial management and (e) nursery equipment.

  Mr. Redwood
  Because legal proceedings are being considered I cannot add to my answer of 10 January.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were waiting for hospital treatment in each of the last five years.
  242
  Mr. Richards
  The number of patients waiting for in-patient or day case treatment at hospitals in Wales, at 30 September in each of the last five years, was as follows:

  Waiting for in-patient treatment

  Waiting for day case treatment

  Total

  1990

  49,235

  7,441

  56,676

  1991

  52,461

  10,970

  63,431

  1992

  44,014

  12,741

  56,755

  1993

  40,316

  13,358

  53,674

  19941

  42,774

  16,640

  59,414

  1Provisional

  NHS Contracts
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the value of NHS contracts placed with non-NHS providers(a) in total, (b) by health authority, (c) by each general practitioner fund holding practice and (d) by each trust.

  Mr. Richards
  Information about the value of NHS contracts placed with non-NHS providers is not available centrally. However, the amount spent in 1993–94 on health care purchases from non-NHS providers by health authorities, general practitioner fund-holding practices—on an aggregated basis—and by NHS trusts, is shown in the following table.

  Health authority

  1993–94 £000

  Clwyd

  944

  East Dyfed

  611

  Gwent

  5,444

  Gwynedd

  819

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,695

  Pembrokeshire

  207

  Powys

  173

  South Glamorgan

  1,225

  West Glamorgan

  143

  General practitioner fundholding practice aggregate (by Family Health Services Authority)

  Clwyd

  71

  Dyfed

  18

  Gwent

  233

  Gwynedd

  0

  Mid Glamorgan

  139

  Powys

  52

  South Glamorgan

  2

  West Glamorgan

  142

  NHS Trust

  Bridgend and District

  0

  Carmarthen and District

  20

  Ceredigion and Mid Wales

  0

  Clwydian

  798

  Glan Clwyd

  0

  Glan Hafren

  5

  Gwent Community Health

  751

  Llandough Hospital

  0

  Llanelli Dinefwr

  1,085

  Pembrokeshire

  29

  Powys Healthcare

  0

  243

  Health authority

  1993–94 £000

  South East Wales Ambulance Trust

  0

  Swansea

  0

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  Total

  14,606

  Source:

  Health authorities and GP fund-holding accounts, NHS trust financial returns.

  Notes:

  (i) 1993–94 figures are provisional.

  (ii) Information is not held centrally in respect of individual GP fund-holding practices but is shown on an aggregated basis in the annual accounts of family health services authorities. This expenditure represents GP fund-holders purchases of hospital services paid by the family health services authorities on behalf of GP fund-holders.

  Health Education Authority
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans she has to change the funding structure or remit of the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Richards
  The funding structure and remit of the Health Education Authority are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. I am however currently undertaking a review of health promotion in Wales which includes the role of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  NHS Beds
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospital NHS beds in each year since 1978, and for each area of Wales, were available in(a) total (b) acute patients, (c) intensive care, (d) long-term care (geriatric), (e) maternity (f) paediatric, (g) psychiatric and (h) casualty.

  Mr. Richards
  In view of the volume of data requested I will write to the hon. Lady and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Nursery, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 January Official Report, column 50, if he will specify the essential remedial work requiring to be carried out at the Welsh Office/civil service nursery, Gabalfa, Cardiff before the reopening of the nursery.

  Mr. Redwood
  Necessary remedial work specified in an environmental health officer's report is: replacement of kitchen equipment including freezer, sink unit and associated cupboards and work surfaces; upgrading of ventilation system and cooker hood; safe and secure storage of cleaning fluids; safe and secure storage of medicines; thorough cleaning of equipment in particular the kitchen equipment, milk preparation areas, seating areas and floors.

  Countryside Council for Wales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the finance, management and policy review his Department undertook of the Countryside Council for Wales in 1994.
  244
  Mr. Redwood
  The financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales has been overtaken by the review of the council's functions which I announced in response to the question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Conwy (Sir W. Roberts) on 3 November,Official Report, column 1329. I am pursuing this in discussions with the Countryside Council for Wales and I will publish my conclusions in due course.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  NHS Institutions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the estimated time scale for the report of the study commissioned from English Heritage reviewing the listing of NHS institutions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The work on the study is due to be completed in the summer of this year. English Heritage's recommendations will be considered by the historic hospitals working group and then submitted to the Department of National Heritage.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make available in the Library the guidance for national health service managers in respect of listed buildings.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health will place a copy of the guidance in the Library when it is published.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Escapes
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners serving sentences have been unlawfully at large, in each month in the last five years having(a) escaped from prisons, (b) escaped from escort and (c) failed to return from authorised temporary release.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. A. J. Beith, dated 13 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about prisoners serving sentences who have been, or who still are, unlawfully at large.

  I am afraid that the information requested is not readily available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The current information system used by the Prison Service Intelligence and Incident Support Unit only dates back to June 1988 and became fully operational in October 1990. It records information on all incidents in which prisoners became unlawfully at large.
  245
  These include escapes from establishments or escorts, home leave or temporary release failures and absconds. Details of recaptures are also recorded, although it is not always recorded whether the return to custody was voluntary, or whether the prisoner was reapprehended by the police or other agencies of the law.

  The system does not link, however, the recapture with the type of escape, abscond or failure to return. Such information would have to be obtained manually and would involve checking a large number of records entered since the system became operational.

  A new information system is being developed, which is expected to be operational by the summer of next year. It will not, however, be able to provide the retrospective data you request.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of prisoners were serving sentences for violent offences at

  Table 1: Percentage of prisoners under sentence for violent offences1 at Doncaster, The Wolds, New Hall and Durham (female): 30 November 1994

  Percentage2 under sentence for violent offences

  Prison establishment

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Robbery

  Total3

  Doncaster

  19

  5

  9

  34

  The Wolds

  21

  8

  11

  39

  New Hall

  44

  —

  8

  52

  Durham (female)

  61

  —

  10

  71

  1 Violent offences covers offences of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery.

  2 Prisoners for whom an offence is not recorded and fine defaulters are excluded from the calculation.

  3 Components may not add to totals as they have been rounded independently.

  Table 2: Percentage of prisoners under sentence for violent offences1 in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales: 30 November 1994.

  Percentage2 under sentence for violent offences

  Prison establishment

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Robbery

  Total

  Male

  24

  10

  16

  50

  Female

  24

  1

  8

  33

  1 Violent offences covers offences of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery.

  2 Prisoners for whom an offence is not recorded and fine defaulters are excluded from the calculation.

  Percentage of prisoners under sentence for violent offences1: 30 November 1994

  Prison establishment

  Percentage2 under sentence for violent offences

  Doncaster

  34

  The Wolds

  39

  New Hall

  52

  Durham (female)

  71

  1 Violent offences covers offences of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery.

  2 Prisoners for whom an offence is not recorded and fine defaulters are excluded from the calculation.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of(a) remand and (b) sentenced prisoners held at (i) Doncaster prison, (ii) The Wolds prison, (iii) New Hall, Wakefield and (iv) the
  246
  the latest available date at (a) Doncaster prison, (b) The Wolds prison (c) New Hall, Wakefield prison and (d) the female wing at Durham prison.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. A. J. Beith, dated 13 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for the proportion of prisoners serving sentences for violent offences at Doncaster, the Wolds, New Hall, and the female wing at Durham prison.

  The most recent information is in the attached tables. The national information for males and females is also shown. New Hall and Durham (female) hold relatively high proportions of prisoners with long sentences associated with violent offences.

  female wing of Durham prison were aged (1) 16 years and under, (2) 17 to 21 years inclusive, (3) 22 to 24 years inclusive and (4) over 24 years at the latest available date.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dared 13 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a percentage breakdown by age of the remand and sentenced populations at the prisons: Doncaster, the Wolds, New Hall and Durham female prison.

  The most recent information is in the attached table.

  247

  Percentage of prisoners by age: 30 November 1994 (a) Remand prisoners

  Prison establishment

  Percentage in age band 16 and under

  17 to 211

  22 to 24

  Over 24

  Doncaster

  5

  53

  12

  30

  The Wolds

  0

  7

  28

  65

  New Hall

  0

  26

  17

  57

  Durham (female)

  0

  10

  27

  64

  (b) Sentenced prisoners

  as Percentage in age band

  Prison establishment

  16 and under

  17 to 211

  22 to 24

  Over 24

  Doncaster

  3

  43

  12

  42

  The Wolds

  0

  6

  24

  70

  New Hall

  4

  23

  13

  60

  Durham (female)

  0

  16

  10

  74

  1 Includes some adult prisoners aged 21.

  Note:

  The percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding.

  The higher percentage of 17 to 21 year olds at Doncaster reflects the function of the establishment in holding young remand prisoners and young offenders awaiting allocation.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being detained and what was the total capacity of each prison in the north-west at the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 12 January 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Robert Parry, dated 13 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners being detained and the total capacity of each prison in the north west at the latest available date.

  The information as at 30 December 1994 is as below:

  Establishment

  Operational capacity

  Population

  Garth

  512

  511

  Haverigg

  394

  335

  Hindley

  319

  224

  Kirkham

  644

  402

  Lancaster

  246

  230

  Lancaster Farms

  364

  317

  Liverpool

  1,267

  1,203

  Manchester

  969

  881

  Preston

  536

  469

  Risley

  753

  728

  Styal

  280

  243

  Thorn Cross

  209

  121

  Wymott

  432

  425

  Total

  6,925

  6,089

  Operational capacity is the total number of prisoners which an establishment can hold without serious risk to good order, security and the proper running of the planned regime.

  Immigration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether the complexity of the applications for leave to remain made 248
  to his Department over the past year has increased in comparison with applications made in the preceding year.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I have no reason to believe that, within any individual immigration category, applications for leave to remain have become more complex.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage increase of numbers of applications for leave to remain to his Department excluding asylum applications from 1990 to 1991, 1991 to 1992, 1992 to 1993 and 1993 to 1994.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The figures which are available on applications include some dependants who cannot be separately identified at that stage and are therefore not consistent from year to year. The percentage changes of decisions taken on principal applicants are given in the table.

  Decisions on applications for leave to remain excluding asylum applications

  Year of decision

  percentage change

  1990–1991

  +4.0

  1991–1992

  -0 3

  1992–1993

  +0.3

  1993–19941

  -0.1

  1 Provisionals

  Demonstrations, Shoreham
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Sussex as to the identifiability of the uniformed police officers at the demonstrations at Shoreham; and what complaint has been made by Mrs. Baker-Smith about police conduct at the demonstration.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I understand that in accordance with force policy, all officers displayed their identification number on their uniforms during the demonstrations at Shoreham. At the outset of the demonstration concerns were expressed that the fluorescent jackets which officers were wearing for safety reasons could, in some cases, have the effect of obscuring their identification numbers. Officers were, therefore, briefed to ensure that epaulettes showing their numbers were attached to the fluorescent jackets.

  Neither I nor the chief constable of Sussex police is aware of any complaint made by Mrs. Baker-Smith.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the Inter-agency Committee on Domestic Violence.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The ministerial group on domestic violence has no plans to publish a report, but intends to issue, early this year, an inter-agency circular which will encourage local statutory and voluntary agencies to work in concert to provide help and support to those suffering domestic violence and to develop preventative strategies.
  249

  National Lottery
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a definite date for the appointment of a chief executive of the National Lotteries Board; when charities will be given the opportunity to apply for funds; and what process will be used to decide on distribution.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  These are all matters for the National Lottery Charities Board. The board announced on 20 December the appointment, as its chief executive, of Mr. Timothy Hornsby, currently chief executive of the royal borough of Kingston upon Thames.

  I understand that he will be taking up post at the end of March.

  Prison Security
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent directions he has given to the Director General of Her Majesty's Prison Service concerning security in the north-west; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the security situation in prisons in the north-west.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 12 January 1995]: The Secretary of State and the Director General of the Prison Service have made it clear that security in all prisons is of the utmost importance and that security instructions must be assiduously followed. These instructions apply to prisons in the north-west as they do elsewhere in the prison system.

  The Secretary of State has accepted the recommendations of the report of Sir John Woodcock into the escape of prisoners from Whitemoor and these will be implemented, where appropriate, throughout England and Wales.

  The results of the internal inquiry into the escapes from Parkhurst will be carefully studied by General Sir John Learnmont, whom the Secretary of State has asked to review security and security procedures in the Prison Service.

  Prison Staff
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent negotiations he has had with the Prison Officers Association concerning staffing levels in Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 12 January 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Robert Parry, dated 13 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about negotiations with the Prison Officers' Association on staffing levels.

  The Home Secretary has had no negotiations with the Prison Officers' Association on staffing levels in Her Majesty's Prisons. The utilisation of staff resources within the Service is a matter for me.

  In practice, the staffing requirements of individual prisons are determined by governors in consultation with local trade unions including, in the case of prison officer grades, the local Branch of the Prison Officers' Association. Such consultations take place
  250
  whenever there are proposals to change staffing numbers or grades. Across the Service as a whole these consultations are frequent and a normal feature of industrial relations.

  Where there is a failure to agree on these local issues the Industrial Relations Procedural Agreement with the POA comes into operation to assist in the resolution of this matter.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those local authorities which have submitted applications for financial assistance under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for the year 1995–96 and the total value of each application submitted; if he will list applications which were excluded because they were received out of time; what is the total amount of grant available for distribution under section 11; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The authorities listed in the table have submitted applications, in the main for two or three years, indicating a requirement in relation to 1995–96 for the level of section 11 grant shown. To date, no such application has been excluded as out of time. following the announcement by my right hon. and learned Friend on 22 November, Official Report, column 64 that the amount of funding on offer was being doubled, it is expected that grant allocations of around £30 million will be made to authorities and other eligible bodies in respect of 1995–96.

  Authority

  Numbers of projects applied for

  Amount of funding sought (£)

  Avon

  4

  584,488

  Barking and Dagenham

  2

  265,750

  Barnet

  4

  221,000

  Bedfordshire

  4

  93,200

  Berkshire

  2

  19,500

  Bexley

  4

  49,261

  Birmingham

  6

  487,636

  Bolton

  11

  217,411

  Bradford

  8

  3,723,014

  Brent

  19

  775,500

  Bromley

  2

  37,800

  Buckinghamshire

  5

  1,138,021

  Burnley

  3

  50,603

  Bury

  3

  35,940

  Calderdale

  l

  74,250

  Cambridgeshire

  8

  185,000

  Camden

  17

  1,506,763

  Cardiff

  3

  24,093

  Cleveland

  6

  180,056

  Clwyd

  1

  139,968

  Coventry

  2

  165,355

  Crewe and Nantwich

  1

  35,627

  Croydon

  4

  427,174

  Derbyshire

  7

  347,176

  Devon

  1

  83,000

  Doncaster

  4

  54,654

  Dorset

  1

  45,700

  Dudley

  3

  811,318

  Ealing

  16

  1,242,773

  East Sussex

  5

  88,480

  Enfield

  13

  561,647

  Essex

  3

  113,716

  Gateshead

  1

  27,000

  Gloucester

  1

  49,160

  Gloucestershire

  4

  83,608

  Greenwich

  5

  1,043,000

  Gwent

  2

  184,000

  251

  Authority

  Numbers of projects applied for

  Amount of funding sought (£)

  Hackney

  7

  531,692

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  7

  488,876

  Hampshire

  1

  66,750

  Haringey

  7

  357,258

  Harrow

  1

  26,989

  Havering

  1

  35,484

  Hereford and Worcester

  2

  175,500

  Hertfordshire

  1

  29,000

  Hillingdon

  10

  205,650

  Hounslow

  11

  653,700

  Humberside

  3

  127,480

  Hyndburn

  2

  30,500

  Islington

  9

  1,590,701

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1

  175,370

  Kent

  1

  172,600

  Kingston

  3

  53,604

  Kirklees

  11

  2,207,312

  Lambeth

  5

  1,649,969

  Lancashire

  13

  1,214,630

  Leeds

  24

  880,686

  Leicester

  7

  148,420

  Leicestershire

  6

  234,083

  Lewi sham

  9

  1,527,759

  Lincolnshire

  1

  18,437

  Liverpool

  3

  163,855

  London Boroughs Grants Committee

  1

  22,210

  Luton

  4

  136,004

  Manchester

  4

  240,970

  Merton

  4

  147,570

  Middlesbrough

  6

  74,829

  Milton Keynes

  4

  52,725

  Newcastle

  2

  19,670

  Newham

  17

  624,605

  Norfolk

  4

  217,051

  Northamptonshire

  8

  293,846

  North Tyneside

  4

  33,513

  Nottingham

  4

  80,000

  Nottinghamshire

  11

  729,500

  Oldham

  6

  207,500

  Oxford

  1

  14,856

  Oxfordshire

  4

  174,000

  Peterborough

  2

  18,488

  Portsmouth

  7

  93,830

  Preston

  2

  23,902

  Reading

  5

  25,704

  Redbridge

  13

  323,000

  Redditch

  3

  13,536

  Richmond

  3

  25,200

  Rochdale

  3

  97,000

  Rotherham

  4

  393,384

  St. Albans

  1

  27,770

  St. Helens

  1

  20,064

  Salford

  1

  99,110

  Sandwell

  11

  494,395

  Scunthorpe

  1

  19,750

  Sefton

  1

  24,165

  Sheffield

  19

  763,500

  Shropshire

  4

  124,884

  Somerset

  1

  34,273

  Southampton

  3

  47,110

  South Glamorgan

  3

  91,943

  South Tyneside

  4

  168,000

  South Yorkshire FCDA

  1

  12,194

  Southwark

  10

  939,453

  Staffordshire

  6

  320,000

  Suffolk

  3

  40,100

  Sunderland

  1

  52,920

  Surrey

  2

  47,985

  Sutton

  3

  126,343

  Tameside

  8

  160,481

  Tower Hamlets

  12

  1,198,519

  252

  Authority

  Numbers of projects applied for

  Amount of funding sought (£)

  Trafford

  3

  61,959

  Wakefield

  4

  265,000

  Walsall

  15

  1,462,469

  Waltham Forest

  6

  290,749

  Wandsworth

  8

  220,536

  Warwickshire

  3

  863,500

  West Glamorgan

  1

  237,244

  West Midlands FCDA

  1

  53,250

  Westminster

  6

  270,821

  West Sussex

  1

  Not stated

  West Yorkshire FCDA

  1

  50,586

  Wigan

  1

  80,000

  Wiltshire

  3

  67,600

  Wirral

  1

  54,300

  Woking

  6

  35,513

  Wolverhampton

  8

  1,323,600

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Annual Upratings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will resume the practice of publishing full details of annual upratings in the Official Report.

  Mr. Hague
  Extensive tabular material is not normally printed in the Official Report, but is instead placed in the Library. We were informed by the Official Report at the time of the uprating that it was not possible to print the uprating schedule. I have, however, now been advised that in future the material referred to by the hon. Member will be printed in the Official Report.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which HIV-AIDS organisations were specifically invited to participate in the consultation on Government measures to tackle discrimination against disabled people.

  Mr. Hague
  Over 100,000 copies of the consultation document "Disability on the Agenda" were distributed, in various formats. In addition, a meeting was held with the Terrence Higgins Trust to discuss the consultation document.

  A total of 1,100 responses were received, including one from the Terrence Higgins Trust; and a number from other HIV-AIDS organisations such as the UK Forum on HIV and Human Rights; National Network of Body Positive Groups; the AIDS and Housing Project; Scottish AIDS Monitor and the Cambridge AIDS helpline.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parliamentary questions he has referred to chief executives of next steps agencies in each year since 1992.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.
  253

  Parliamentary questions referred to chief executives

  Year1

  Total questions received

  Number answered by chief executives

  1992–93

  3,781

  58

  1993–94

  2,691

  423

  1994–952

  609

  73

  Notes:

  1Figures are for parliamentary sessions.

  2Figures are shown as at 11 January 1995.

  Source:

  DSS Private Office Database.

HEALTH

  GPs' Lists
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been removed from general practitioners' lists in each of the last three years in(a) Nottinghamshire and (b) Nottingham.

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is available only by family health services authority area and is included in the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 3 November 1994,Official Report, column 1269.

  Salaries
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the salary of(a) the chairman of the Health Commission, (b) the chairman of the family health services authority and (c) the chairman of the district health authority in Sunderland.

  Mr. Malone
  Chairmen of district health authorities are remunerated annually within the range of £15,125 to £19,285 according to the authority's revenue budget. Chairmen of family health services authorities are remunerated annually within the range £10,845 to £12,605 according to population size.

  A commissioning agency is not a separate legal entity and exists only as a managerial arrangement on the part of the statutory authorities concerned. The chairman of Sunderland district health authority acts as chairman of the commissioning agency.

  Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals and trusts hold their meetings in private in the Northern region; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  National health service trusts are required to hold at least one public meeting each year and many arrange other public meetings.

  St. Bartholomew's Hospital
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cards advertising the St. Bartholomew's hospital walk-in minor injuries unit have been produced by the Royal Hospitals NHS trust; in which areas of London, by postal district, they are being distributed to households; and what is the total cost of production and distribution of the cards.
  254
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Derek Boorman, chairman of the Royal Hospitals national health service trust, for details.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters she has received in the last two years against closure or partial closure of St. Bartholomew's hospital; and how many letters she received in favour of closure.

  Mr. Malone
  Figures are not available.

  Psychiatric Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average daily cost of treating a patient with a psychiatric illness(a) in an NHS bed and (b) in a private bed.

  Mr. Bowis
  The provisional average daily cost per patient for psychiatric specialities in the national health service in 1993–94" was £119.95. NHS returns do not separately identify expenditure incurred specifically on the purchase of care outside the NHS.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients were treated for psychiatric illnesses in(a) NHS and (b) private hospitals in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Bowis
  The number of finished national health service consultant episodes in the psychiatric specialities during the last five years is published in the Department of Health statistical bulletin "NHS hospital activity statistics: England 1983 to 1993–94", copies of which are available in the Library. Information on numbers of patients in private hospitals is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of stay of a patient with a psychiatric illness(a) in a NHS bed and (b) in a private bed.

  Mr. Bowis
  The average length of stay in the national health service in England in the psychiatric specialties was 95 days in 1992–93. Information is not available centrally on cases treated in beds specifically designated as private.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric beds there were in NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is in the Department of Health statistical bulletins, "NHS Hospital Activity Statistics: England 1983 to 1993–94" and "NHS Hospital Activity Statistics: England 1982 to 1992–93", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Prescription Charges
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to raise prescription charges.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin) on 16 December 1994,Official Report, column 1144.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of prescriptions costs the NHS less than(a) £5.25, (b) £5 and (c) £4.75.

  Mr. Malone
  The latest information is shown in the table.
  255

  Percentage of total prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors, and prescription items personally administered by prescribing doctors, in England in 1993 which had a total cost of less than £5.25,£5.00 and £4.75.

  Total cost1 per prescription item

  Percentage of total prescription items2 per cent.

  under £5.25

  57

  under £5.00

  55

  under £4.75

  54

  1 Total cost = the net ingredient cost of drugs and appliances, less discount, plus dispensing fees, container cost, oncost allowance, oxygen payments and value added tax.

  2 Total prescriptions items includes items dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors in England on prescriptions written by general medical practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists and armed services doctors and dentists in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Items dispensed in hospitals are not included.

  Market Testing
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many functions of the NHS executive and Department of Health, London, have been market tested; how many have already been privatised; and how many will be privatised.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health and its agencies have market tested 30 activities under the Government's "Competing for Quality" programme. There have been no privatisations to date. Following a review of the NHS Estates agency, it is the intention now to conduct an enabling study beginning April 1996 with a view to completing privatisation of that part of its work that does not need to be kept in the public sector by the end of that financial year.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS services have been market tested since April 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  The range of services market tested up to 31 March 1993, the latest date for which information is available, or were planned to be market tested in 1993–94 is shown in the table under main service headings.

  Service

  Service

  Service

  Administration, Information and Financial

  Personnel Services

  Advertising and recruitment

  Banking

  Legal

  Consultancy

  Insurance

  Clerical and secretarial

  Management services

  Payroll

  Agency staffing

  Computer services

  Audit

  Education and training

  Micro-filming

  Accounts and bookkeeping

  Press and public relations

  Printing and stationery

  Estates, Building and Engineering

  Estates management

  Building and works maintenance

  Engineering

  Energy Management

  Flooring

  Fire Systems

  Grounds and garden

  Glazing

  Gas Supply

  Car parks

  Painting

  Electrical

  256

  Service

  Service

  Service

  Supplies

  Design Equipment systems maintenance

  Water and sewerage Waste disposal

  Hotel and Non-Clinical Support Services

  Hotel services

  Catering

  Crèche

  Facilities management

  Domestic services

  Leisure services

  Environmental

  Laundry and linen

  Photography

  Health management

  Ward housekeeping

  Portering

  Funeral services

  Switchboard/Reception

  Transport Security

  Pest control Courier services

  Clinical and Clinical Support

  Anaesthetics

  Bio-Engineering

  Chiropody

  Clinical coding

  CSSD*

  Continuing Care services (elderly)

  Haematology

  HSDU*

  Infection control

  IVF Services*

  Lithotripsy

  Medical physics

  Medical photography

  Mobility provision

  Magnetic Resonance Imaging

  Nuclear medicine

  Opthalmology

  Occupational health

  Occupational therapy

  Orthoptics

  Oxygen Therapy Units

  Patient appliances

  Pharmacy

  Laboratory services

  Speech therapy

  Incontinence services

  Physiotherapy

  Home renal dialysis

  Radiology

  Termination of pregnancy

  1. There is no standard definition of services or list of services within the NHS and those listed above relate to health authority provider units' interpretation.

  2. The services listed are those recorded from either health authority and NHS trust returns (already tested) or annual reports (plans to test).

  3. Service headings such as "Hotel Services" and "Facilities Management" include a wide and varying range of individual services e.g. catering, portering, security car parking. Again there is no set pattern of which services make up hotel services etc., but relates to individual provider units' interpretation.

  * CSSD = central sterile supply department, HSDU = hospital sterilizing and disinfecting unit, IVF = in-vitro fertilisation.

  GR Fundholders
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the ratio between the administrative cost borne by family health services authorities in relation to non-fundholding practices and fundholding practices; and what administrative duties are performed by the FHSAs for non-fundholding practices which are not performed for fundholding practices.

  Mr. Malone
  Family health services authority administrative costs are not disaggregated between non-fundholding and fundholding practices. In relation to the provision of general medical services, FHSAs perform the same administrative duties for all general practitioners, non-fundholders and fundholders alike.

  District health authorities perform fewer duties for fundholding practices, because those practices purchase for themselves some health services hitherto purchased entirely by DHAs for all GPs.
  257

  Health Service Demand
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections her Department has for the demand for health services, as a percentage of gross net product, by the year 2000.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department is not aware of any well-founded and comprehensive projections.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the underspend on the NHS in each year from 1989 to 1994; and what is the projected underspend for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  During this period, the only year in which Government spending on the national health service in England was less than originally planned was 1993–94. In that year, expenditure of £28,965 million, was £69 million or 0.2 per cent. below the original plan. We do not anticipate that spending will be less than planned provision for the NHS in 1994–95.

  Smoking-related Illnesses
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of smoking-related illnesses in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Treatment costs to the national health service are not available on a year-by-year basis. The Health Education Authority's 1993 report, "The Smoking Epidemic—A prescription for Change", provides the most recent estimate. Copies are available in the Library.

  Burns
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS for treating burns in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available in the form and for the years requested.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of burns are caused by smoking.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Alcohol-related Illnesses
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of treating alcohol-related illnesses in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  However, "Health Update 3," published by the Health Education Authority in 1993, copies of which are available in the Library, estimated the costs to the national health service of alcohol misuse at £149.35 million at 1990 prices.

  Alcohol-related Accidents
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by the NHS, in each of the last five years, for injuries caused by road traffic accidents caused by alcohol.
  258
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available from national health service records. Estimates of casualties as a result of accidents involving illegal alcohol levels is contained in table 1 m of "Road Accidents Great Britain 1993" copies of which are available in the Library.

  Drug Prescriptions
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give any figures she has on the potential annual savings to the national health service on the general practitioner drug budget if 50, 60, 70 and 80 per cent. of drugs were prescribed generically.

  Mr. Malone
  A total of 51 per cent. of all items prescribed by general practitioners are already prescribed in their generic form. No reliable estimate can be made of the savings which higher levels of generic prescribing might realise as savings depend on the differentials between the prices of branded and generic products which vary from item to item.

  Calman Report
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of the Calman report.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 27 October 1994,Official Report, column 821. Since then, further substantial progress has been made with the medical profession through several working groups. The report of the unified training grade working party will be issued for consultation on 17 January. The reports of the working groups on the implications of the Calman report on general practice, overseas doctors and academic and research medicine will be issued for consultation soon, together with details of our proposals for the necessary legislative changes. The first meeting of the new advisory group on medical education, training and staffing was held on 7 December.

  NHS Executive
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were relocated from London to NHS executive headquarters in Leeds in the past three years; and what was the total cost of relocation expenses paid.

  Mr. Sackville
  A total of 482 staff in the national health service executive and 40 in the NHS Estates agency relocated to Leeds on permanent transfer terms. £11.76 million was paid in relocation expenses.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the 200 staff to be made redundant at the NHSE headquarters in Leeds were relocated to Leeds in the previous three years; and what are the estimate severance and redundancy payments to these staff.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is the intention to reduce staff in the national health service executive by around 200 by 1 April 1997. We hope to avoid any compulsory redundancies, through early retirement and natural wastage. I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 29 November 1994,Official Report, column 586.
  259

  NHS Targets
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets she has set in the last three years which have not been achieved.

  Mr. Sackville
  Reports on progress against the Secretary of State's priorities and key challenges are published yearly in the Department of Health and in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys's departmental report. Reports on 1992–93 are contained in Cm 2212 published in February 1993; reports on 1993–94 are contained in Cm 2512 published in March 1994; and reports on 1994–95 will be contained in the departmental report to be published around March.

  Progress against objectives made by the Department's agencies is set out in the agencies' own annual reports.

  Reports on the targets in the patients charter were contained in the national health service performance tables published on 29 June 1994. There will be a new set this summer. Information on NHS performance is also contained in the NHS annual reports for 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  A report on progress since the White Paper, "The Health of the Nation", Cm 1986, was published and issued in November 1993. A further report will be published in due course. The published documents are available in the Library.

  Corporate Affairs Intelligence Unit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the number of staff in whole-time equivalents working for the corporate affairs intelligence unit for each of the last four years and the projected number for the next two years;

  (2) what was the hospitality budget for the corporate affairs intelligence unit for each of the last four years and the projected budget for the next two years;

  (3) what was the budget for the corporate affairs intelligence unit in each of the last four years; and what is the projected budget for the next two years.

  Mr. Sackville
  On 1 January 1995 there was a total of 46 staff in the unit. In the current financial year, the unit has a manpower budget of just over £1 million and a hospitality budget of £1,200 to cover refreshments at meetings attended by external participants. Both budget and staffing have remained broadly the same since the unit was formed in September 1991. Estimates for 1995–96 are in the course of preparation.

  Dental Health
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information areas she has on the extent to which dental health varies according to geographical causes or socio-economic groups; and how the variance has changed in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  Information about dental health is contained in surveys carried out every five years by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and every four years by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. Copies of the surveys are available in the Library.
  260

  Patients Charter
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected cost of(a) the national launch, (b) the national advertising campaign and (c) copies of the charter for the planned expanded patients charter launch in January.

  Mr. Malone
  The estimated costs for the national launch of the patients charter is £140,000; for the national advertising campaign £160,000; and for the production of copies of the new patients charter, including a reserve stock for fulfilment of future requests £210,000.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of trust hospitals failed to see patients within five minutes of attendance at casualty in the last year for which figures are available;

  (2) what percentage of patients were not seen immediately and their treatment need assessed in each year since April 1991.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available in the form requested as data were not collected before the patients charter was introduced in April 1992.

  The percentage of patients not assessed immediately in accident and emergency departments fell from 26 per cent. in the quarter ended 31 March 1993 to 13 per cent. in the quarter ended 31 March 1994 and, in the quarter ended 30 September 1994, the last date for which information is available, stands at 10 per cent.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed by the national health service; and what estimate she has made of the cost of them receiving the patients charter.

  Mr. Malone
  There are just under 1 million directly employed national health service staff. In addition, there are a number of agency and contracted staff working for the NHS, making an estimated total of 1.2 million staff. The estimated cost of distributing the patients charter to them is £158,000.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what previous occasions all members of staff of the NHS have received copies of the patients charter; and what was the cost on each occasion.

  Mr. Malone
  The original patients charter was not distributed to all national health service staff.

  Junior Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has on the minimum period of sleep for junior doctors each day and the minimum for each week.

  Mr. Malone
  There is no guidance on the daily or weekly minimum periods of sleep for junior doctors.

  NHS Charges
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representation her Department has received regarding charges for national health service care.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received numerous representations over the years. The national health service has no power to charge unless there is a specific statutory power to charge for a specific service.
  261

  Prostatic Cancer
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were due to, and new cases were diagnosed of, prostatic cancer in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Deaths and registrations of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer (ICD1 185) in England and Wales. 1989 is the latest year for which registration statistics are available.

  Deaths

  Registrations of new cases

  1985

  6,628

  9,513

  1986

  6,910

  10,180

  1987

  7,166

  10,837

  1988

  7,458

  12,496

  1989

  7,861

  12,518

  1990

  8,098

  —

  1991

  8,570

  —

  1992

  8,735

  —

  1International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of what amount was spent on screening for in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information centrally.

  Amenity Beds
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence her Department has on the increase in revenue collected from use of amenity beds in trust hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The amount of income raised from amenity beds is a matter for trusts. Income raised from the use of amenity beds is used to improve services for national health service patients.

  Children's Wards
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children's wards were closed in each of the last 10 years; and in which hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. It is for local health authorities to ensure that an appropriate level of service is provided for children in their district.

  Table: General Dental Services, number of courses of treatment1 per head of population by family health services authority for the financial years 1990–91 to 1993–94

  Family health services authority

  1990–91 number of courses per head of population

  1991–92 number of courses per head of population

  1992–93 number of courses per head of population

  1993–94 number of courses per head of population

  England

  0.61

  0.65

  0.67

  0.66

  Cleveland

  0.60

  0.66

  0.69

  0.72

  Cumbria

  0.65

  0.71

  0.72

  0.68

  Durham

  0.50

  0.55

  0.57

  0.58

  Northumberland

  0.52

  0.58

  0.62

  0.62

  Gateshead

  0.49

  0.56

  0.60

  0.63

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0.55

  0.58

  0.60

  0.60

  North Tyneside

  0.58

  0.63

  0.68

  0.70

  South Tyneside

  0.44

  0.51

  0.54

  0.57

  Sunderland

  0.45

  0.51

  0.56

  0.58

  262

  NHS Dentists
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of national health service dentists in 1990–91,1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Malone
  The available information is in the tables.

  Table 1: Hospital and community health service dental staff England—as at 30 September each year (whole-time equivalent)

  Number of dental staff

  1990

  2,256

  1991

  2,166

  1992

  2,191

  1993

  2,218

  Note:

  These figures exclude hospital practitioners and clinical assistants who also work as general dental practitioners.

  Table 2: General dental services, number of dentists 1 2 England—as at 30 September

  Number of dentists

  1990

  15,480

  1991

  15,451

  1992

  15,411

  1993

  15,773

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board.

  Notes:

  1 Includes principals, assistants and vocational trainees.

  2 Some dentists may have contracts with more than one family health service authority.

  These dentists have been counted only once.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients were registered with national health service dentists in each year since 1990–91 by family health service authorities or smallest available area. per head of population;

  (2) how many patients were registered for NHS dental care in 1990–91,1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Malone
  Information on registration with dental practitioners for 1990–91 will be placed in the Library. Information for subsequent years is in the Dental Practice Board publication, "Registrations: GDS Quarterly Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dental treatments took place in each year since 1990–91 in each family health service authority or smallest available area per head of population.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table.
  263

  Table: General Dental Services, number of courses of treatment1 per head of population by family health services authority for the financial years 1990–91 to 1993–94

  Family health services authority

  1990–91 number of population

  1991–92 number of courses per head of courses per head of population

  1992–93 number of courses per head of population

  1993–94 number of courses per head of population

  Humberside

  0.57

  0.62

  0.64

  0.64

  North Yorkshire

  0.69

  0.76

  0.77

  0.76

  Bradford

  0.64

  0.70

  0.73

  0.74

  Calderdale

  0.63

  0.75

  0.77

  0.77

  Kirklees

  0.60

  0.64

  0.69

  0.69

  Leeds

  0.70

  0.75

  0.77

  0.76

  Wakefield

  0.53

  0.58

  0.68

  0.72

  Derbyshire

  0.57

  0.61

  0.63

  0.63

  Leicestershire

  0.64

  0.69

  0.70

  0.71

  Lincolnshire

  0.62

  0.69

  0.70

  0.72

  Nottinghamshire

  0.62

  0.68

  0.72

  0.73

  Barnsley

  0.48

  0.51

  0.56

  0.58

  Doncaster

  0.55

  0.60

  0.66

  0.69

  Rotherham

  0.47

  0.52

  0.56

  0.57

  Sheffield

  0.63

  0.67

  0.71

  0.72

  Cambridgeshire

  0.68

  0.71

  0.72

  0.70

  Norfolk

  0.70

  0.75

  0.77

  0.73

  Suffolk

  0.78

  0.84

  0.87

  0.88

  Bedfordshire

  0.47

  0.52

  0.54

  0.55

  Hertfordshire

  0.65

  0.67

  0.70

  0.70

  Barnet

  0.50

  0.41

  0.43

  0.41

  Brent and Harrow

  0.54

  0.52

  0.55

  0.57

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  0.46

  0.48

  0.51

  0.50

  Hillingdon

  0.59

  0.62

  0.65

  0.65

  Kensington, Westminster and Chelsea

  0.56

  0.41

  0.43

  0.42

  Essex

  0.54

  0.56

  0.58

  0.58

  Barking and Havering

  0.47

  0.51

  0.54

  0.54

  Camden and Islington

  0.56

  0.54

  0.58

  0.56

  City and East London

  0.43

  0.43

  0.46

  0.45

  Enfield and Haringey

  0.49

  0.46

  0.49

  0.48

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  0.46

  0.49

  0.52

  0.54

  East Sussex

  0.69

  0.74

  0.76

  0.75

  Kent

  0.60

  0.63

  0.61

  0.53

  Greenwich and Bexley

  0.54

  0.56

  0.59

  0.55

  Bromley

  0.51

  0.41

  0.40

  0.35

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  0.52

  0.53

  0.55

  0.54

  Surrey

  0.70

  0.67

  0.69

  0.64

  West Sussex

  0.76

  0.79

  0.80

  0.78

  Croydon

  0.59

  0.64

  0.66

  0.64

  Kingston and Richmond

  0.51

  0.43

  0.46

  0.46

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  0.50

  0.48

  0.50

  0.50

  Dorset

  0.79

  0.87

  0.88

  0.86

  Hampshire

  0.74

  0.78

  0.79

  0.77

  Wiltshire

  0.67

  0.70

  0.72

  0.71

  Isle of Wight

  0.78

  0.86

  0.86

  0.81

  Berkshire

  0.61

  0.59

  0.61

  0.58

  Buckinghamshire

  0.60

  0.63

  0.62

  0.56

  Northamptonshire

  0.59

  0.63

  0.66

  0.68

  Oxfordshire

  0.64

  0.64

  0.63

  0.53

  Avon

  0.76

  0.81

  0.83

  0.82

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  0.64

  0.71

  0.72

  0.67

  Devon

  0.71

  0.77

  0.78

  0.74

  Gloucestershire

  0.78

  0.85

  0.82

  0.61

  Somerset

  0.77

  0.85

  0.88

  0.90

  Hereford and Worcester

  0.68

  0.74

  0.76

  0.78

  Shropshire

  0.67

  0.76

  0.78

  0.76

  Staffordshire

  0.55

  0.62

  0.63

  0.63

  Warwickshire

  0.66

  0.71

  0.72

  0.70

  Birmingham

  0.59

  0.64

  0.66

  0.67

  Coventry

  0.56

  0.60

  0.60

  0.60

  Dudley

  0.58

  0.65

  0.67

  0.68

  Sandwell

  0.53

  0.59

  0.63

  0.64

  Solihull

  0.54

  0.61

  0.64

  0.62

  Walsall

  0.44

  0.51

  0.53

  0.57

  Wolverhampton

  0.60

  0.65

  0.69

  0.71

  Cheshire

  0.66

  0.73

  0.75

  0.76

  Liverpool

  0.53

  0.56

  0.60

  0.62

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  0.48

  0.55

  0.59

  0.61

  Sefton

  0.60

  0.69

  0.73

  0.75

  Wirral

  0.63

  0.70

  0.72

  0.73

  264 265

  Table: General Dental Services, number of courses of treatment1 per head of population by family health services authority for the financial years 1990–91 to 1993–94

  Family health services authority

  1990–91 number of courses per head of population

  1991–92 number of courses per head of population

  1992–93 number of courses per head of population

  1993–94 number of courses per head of population

  Lancashire

  0.58

  0.65

  0.66

  0.65

  Bolton

  0.60

  0.68

  0.71

  0.73

  Bury

  0.62

  0.68

  0.69

  0.70

  Manchester

  0.58

  0.66

  0.71

  0.73

  Oldham

  0.55

  0.63

  0.68

  0.71

  Rochdale

  0.54

  0.60

  0.65

  0.66

  Salford

  0.53

  0.59

  0.62

  0.64

  Stockport

  0.79

  0.86

  0.89

  0.90

  Tameside

  0.53

  0.60

  0.62

  0.63

  Trafford

  0.75

  0.82

  0.85

  0.89

  Wigan

  0.52

  0.59

  0.64

  0.67

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Notes:

  1 Dentists may treat patients who are not resident within their FHSA. Courses of treatment will not therefore be confined to the population of the FHSA.

  1. OPCS mid year estimates of population.

  2. The table shows data for adults only. Children are excluded because, since October 1990, dental treatment for children is carried out under capitation arrangements and information on courses of treatment are not identifiable separately.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will break down the number of NHS dentists by family health service authority or smallest available area in each year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Malone
  The information will be placed in the Library.

  Discharged Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were discharged from hospital in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available in the form requested. Information for regional health authorities, district health authorities, special health authorities and national health service trusts, relating to discharges and deaths for the years 1984 to 1988–89, and for finished consultant episodes for the years 1988–89 to 1993–94, is published in "Ordinary and day case admissions for England" for the years 1992–93 and 1993–94, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Paediatric Beds
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many paediatric beds there were in each year since 1989;

  (2) what percentage of children were admitted to adult beds in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on numbers of paediatric beds is available in "Bed Availability for England, Financial Years 1991–92 and 1993–94", copies of which are available in the Library. Information on the number of children admitted to adult beds is not available centrally.

  Out-patients (Waiting Time)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence her Department has of(a) the longest waiting time, (b) the shortest waiting time and (c) the average waiting time, for an out-patient appointment.
  266
  Mr. Malone
  Information on the waiting time for first out-patient appointments will be published shortly.

  Hospital Beds
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) acute, (b) intensive care, (c) long-term care (geriatric), (d) maternity, (e), paediatric, (f) psychiatric, (g) casualty and (h) total hospital beds were available in the national health service, in each year since 1978 and for each region of England.

  Mr. Sackville
  For the financial years 1988–89 to 1993–94 the information requested on numbers of acute., intensive care, geriatric, maternity, paediatric, mental illness and total beds by region has been published in "Bed availability for England". The volume for the financial year 1991–92 covers the years 1988–89,1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92, and the subsequent volumes cover the two later years. Copies of the volumes are available in the Library.

  For the period 1978 to 1987, data were not collected on the same basis. National information on bed numbers was published in the statistical bulletins, "NHS Hospital Activity Statistics for England 1974–1984" and "NHS Hospital Activity Analysis for England 1979–1988–89", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Information on numbers of accidents and emergency beds is not available centrally.

  Heart Bypass Surgery
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the national standard waiting time for coronary artery bypass surgery where a patient's life is under threat.

  Mr. Malone
  It is not appropriate to have a waiting time standard for coronary bypass surgery where a patient's life is under threat. All such patients are treated as emergencies.

  Patients are placed on a waiting list only if, in the opinion of a clinician at the time of assessment, their condition is judged to be stable.
  267
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of patients die while on the waiting list for coronary artery bypass surgery;

  (2) what information her Department has of the number of people dying while waiting for hospital heart bypass operations.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Health gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 19 May 1994,Official Report, column 559.

  Dental Services
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental examinations have occurred in England in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table.

  Estimated number of national for adult patients for the financial years 1987–88 to 1993–94.

  England Year ending

  Thousands examination

  1987–88

  19,889

  1988–89

  20,904

  1989–90

  19,402

  1990–91

  18,951

  1991–92

  19,548

  1992–93

  20,000

  1993–94

  19,488

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board.

  Note:

  1. The table shows data for adults only. Children are excluded because, since October 1990, dental examinations for children are carried out under capitation arrangements and are not identifiable separately. The data are for examinations carried out in the general dental service only.

  Hospital Wards
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of wards were single sex in each year since 1989; and how many beds there were in them.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ambulance Service
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of ambulance services failed to meet their patients charter attendance record in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  Latest information is for the year 1993–94. Of the 40 English ambulance services, as constituted in that year, 10 to 25 per cent. did not meet the patients charter requirement. For an ambulance responding to an emergency call, the patients charter standard requirement is to arrive at the scene of an incident, in 95 per cent. of cases, within 14 minutes in the case of urban services and within 19 minutes in the case of rural services.

  Private Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total income from private patients in 1993–94 by trust, health authority area and regional health authority area.
  268
  Mr. Sackville
  Information on income from private patients in 1993–94 will be placed in the Library.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patients were treated in NHS hospitals, by district health authority, trust and regional health authority area, in the latest available year.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on private patient out-patient attendances is contained in "1993–94 Outpatients and Ward Attenders England" and on private patient finished consultant episodes in 1992–93, "Hospital Episodes Statistics". Both publications are available in the Library.

  Health Education Authority
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the reasons for the changes proposed to the funding of the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Deva) on 19 December 1994 at columns 989–90.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the budget for the Health Education Authority in each of the last five years; and what is the projected budget for the next three years.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Doncaster, North (Mr. Hughes) on 10 January,Official Report, columns 126–27. Total funding for 1990–91 was £29,025,000.

  Hospital Facilities
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures she has on the standard of catering services, security and cleanliness in hospitals in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The most recent statistical information available centrally derives from the 1994 National Audit Office report on hospital catering and the 1994 Audit Commission report, "Ensuring Probity in the NHS", copies of which are available in the Library. The specification and monitoring of standards for local catering, security and cleaning services are operational matters which are the responsibility of local management in the NHS.

  Hospital Activity Statistics
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the activity figures for each of the last 10 years for all hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available on an individual hospital basis. The available information relates to regional health authorities, district health authorities, special health authorities and national health service trusts. It is published in "Ordinary and day case admissions for England" for the years 1992–93 and 1993–94, and "Outpatients and ward attenders for England" for the years 1992–93 and 1993–94, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Operations (Cancellations)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled in each year since April 1991.
  269
  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally. Information on cancelled operating sessions is published annually in "NHS operating theatres, availability and use: England" copies of which are available in the Library.

  Privatisation
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what national health service services, including pathology, have been privatised since 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  District Health Authorities
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total administrative budget of district health authorities in 1991–92,1992–93,1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Malone
  The available information is shown in the table.

  Total district health authority administration costs 1991–92 to 1993–94

  £000s

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  327,037

  387,387

  477,798

  Source:

  Annual accounts of district health authorities.

  Notes:

  1 The above figures represent the total revenue expenditure on the pay and accommodation costs of staff of all disciplines and their support staff employed in district health authorities. They exclude administrative support in hospital departments and at other local levels which is regarded as operational expenditure.

  2 The costs are those reported in the accounts as "Authority administration and purchasing expenses". These figures include capital charges.

  3 The figures for 1993–94 are provisional.

  Housing
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence her Department has of a correlation between cold and damp housing and demand for national health service services.

  Mr. Bowis
  Very little and what there is is conflicting.

  Waiting Times
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each region waited more than two years for treatment after the consultant had put them on the waiting list in each year since April 1991.

  Mr. Malone
  The number of patients who have been waiting for more than two years for admission for in-patient or day-case treatment are shown in the table.

  Region

  As at 31 March 1992

  As at 31 March 1993

  As at 31 March 1994

  Northern

  1

  0

  0

  Yorkshire

  15

  0

  0

  Trent

  4

  0

  0

  East Anglia

  35

  0

  1

  North West Thames

  9

  0

  0

  North East Thames

  785

  0

  0

  270

  Region

  As at 31 March 1992

  As at 31 March 1993

  As at 31 March 1994

  South East Thames

  104

  0

  0

  South West Thames

  0

  0

  0

  Wessex

  0

  0

  0

  Oxford

  0

  0

  0

  South Western

  10

  0

  0

  West Midlands

  158

  0

  0

  Mersey

  0

  0

  0

  North Western

  3

  0

  0

  Patients waiting at the special health authorities are not included in the above.

DEFENCE

  Fox Hunting
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses owned by his Department have been killed as a result of participation in fox hunting in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Soames
  None.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances members of the armed forces are permitted to participate in fox hunting activities during duty hours.

  Mr. Soames
  Members of the armed forces participate in fox hunting by invitation only; such activity is permitted only at the discretion of the commanding officer, and is never pursued to the detriment of military or ceremonial duties.

  Veterinary Officer, Melton Mowbray
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the post of Officer Commanding Veterinary Establishment, Melton Mowbray, is a full-time post.

  Mr. Soames
  The Defence Animal Centre is a Defence agency, and has a full-time chief executive.

  Trident
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total(a) original planned cost and (b) final cost in the Trident works programme for consultancy work carried out on that programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  As recorded in the National Audit Office's report "MOD: Management of the Trident Works Programme", published in July last year, the cost of consultancy work was initially estimated in 1984 at £78 million, equivalent to £122 million at 1994 prices, while the latest estimate is £360 million. As some contracts remain to be settled, a final figure is not yet available.

  Faslane
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department became aware of a number of earthquakes taking place in the Faslane area between 1985 and 1991; and what were the dates and sizes of the earthquakes on the Richter scale.

  Mr. Freeman
  There was a seismic event at Dunoon, some 10 miles from Faslane, in September 1985 which
  271
  measured locally 3.3 on the Richter scale. There was a second event near Ardentinny on the west side of Loch Long in June 1991, which measured locally 2.0 on the Richter scale. My Department became aware of both events shortly after they occurred.

  Airwork Services
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the contract awarded to British Aerospace for the repair of F3 Tornado aircraft damaged while undergoing overhaul by Airwork Services at RAF St. Athan, with respect to the advertising of the contract for competitive tender, the value of the contract relative to the estimate and the length of time to be taken for completion; what other contracts have been or will be awarded with respect to F3 Tornados damaged by Airwork Services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Subject to the agreement of satisfactory terms and conditions, we expect to award shortly a contract to British Aerospace for the repair of these aircraft. Details of the price quoted and the potential value of the contract are commercially confidential between my Department and BAe. We expect the first of the 16 aircraft concerned to be repaired and returned to RAF service by the autumn of this year, with the remainder following over the subsequent 18 months. At this stage, we do not expect to award any other contracts with respect to the Tornado F3s damaged by airwork.

  Owing to the complexity of the repair task, we concluded that the work would have to be carried out by the United Kingdom design contractor, British Aerospace; the contract was not therefore advertised for competitive tender.

  Desert Fever Syndrome
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the number of current and ex-service men thought to be suffering from desert fever syndrome.

  Mr. Soames
  We have no scientific evidence to date that any current or ex-members of the British armed forces are suffering from the alleged desert fever syndrome, nor is there any medical or scientific evidence of its existence as a separate medical condition. My Department has established a medical assessment programme for any Gulf veteran who is concerned about his or her health as a result of service in the Gulf conflict. Around 200 have already come forward and none of those so far examined has been found to be suffering from a medical condition peculiar to their Gulf service. For their own reassurance I would urge any concerned individuals who have not already done so to come forward for examination as soon as possible.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an independent inquiry into the syndrome known as desert fever syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Soames
  There remain no scientific or medical evidence that members of the British armed forces who served in the Gulf conflict are suffering from any unexplained symptoms that would call for such an inquiry. We do, however, keep this matter under continuous review.
  272
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has had from individuals and organisations concerning desert fever syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Approximately 90 representations have been received from individuals and seven from interested organisations relating to the alleged desert storm syndrome. Most have expressed concern about media reports of a mystery illness affecting United Kingdom Gulf veterans. In responding to them, my Department has taken the opportunity to present the known scientific and medical facts—which show no evidence of a medical condition peculiar to service in the Gulf—to provide reassurance of our concern for the health of all United Kingdom service personnel, and to offer individual medical assessment to veterans concerned that their health may have been affected by service in the Gulf.

  Royal Navy Armament Depots
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce efficiency measures at the Royal Navy armament depots following the defence costs study; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  As part of "Front Line First" proposals to introduce a range of management efficiencies in Royal Navy, armament depots were detailed in consultation documents issued on 19 August. Having given full and careful consideration to the representations made during consultation, I have decided to proceed with the implementation of efficiencies in the Royal Navy armament depots at Gosport, Ernesettle, Beith and Coulport district, which includes the NATO armament depot at Glen Douglas and the module repair and calibration facility at Faslane. In addition, the conventional ammunition task in the west of Scotland will be rationalised and concentrated in future at the NATO armament depot, Glen Douglas. We will continue to consult with staff and the trades unions about the detailed implementation of these measures.

  Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the types of offences committed for which prisoners at the military corrective training centre at Colchester were convicted.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 10 December 1994]: My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence has written to the hon. Member and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, locations, numbers, types and nationalities of aircraft, and nature of the breach, for each of the confirmed, breaches of flying regulations other than low flying regulations during 1993.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: In addition to the 47 breaches of low flying regulations specified in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 1 December 1994, Official Report, column 906, RAF police

  273
  flying complaints flight investigations confirmed two incidents during 1993 in which aircraft generated sonic booms over land in contravention of military flying regulations:
  274

  Date

  Location

  Nationality

  21 July

  Lowestoft, Suffolk

  One Norwegian F16

  11 August

  St Andrews, Fife

  OneUSAFF15E