Written Answers of 18 January 1995

HEALTH

  Cheviot and Wansbeck Hospital
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many jobs have been lost in the last two years in the Cheviot and Wansbeck hospital and trusts; and what were the financial savings;

  (2) how many litigation cases Cheviot and Wansbeck trust has been involved in over the last two years;

  Number of ordinary admissions and outpatient attendances, forensic psychiatry specialty, England and Regional Health Authority areas, 1988–89 to 1993–94

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Ordinary admissions (finished consultant episodes)

  Northern

  88

  75

  25

  128

  151

  72

  Yorkshire

  135

  148

  161

  234

  144

  108

  Trent

  72

  82

  124

  100

  106

  138

  East Anglian

  35

  64

  109

  93

  79

  75

  North West Thames

  108

  154

  70

  71

  136

  314

  North East Thames

  31

  40

  14

  98

  112

  81

  South East Thames

  74

  112

  90

  76

  68

  42

  South West Thames

  27

  1

  7

  8

  22

  26

  Wessex

  16

  48

  46

  42

  41

  15

  Oxford

  0

  18

  28

  52

  36

  27

  South Western

  26

  53

  105

  140

  176

  156

  West Midlands

  62

  62

  95

  98

  98

  98

  Mersey

  50

  28

  68

  79

  91

  91

  North Western

  107

  104

  136

  161

  210

  224

  Special Health Authorities

  102

  31

  28

  78

  64

  70

  England

  933

  1,020

  1,106

  1,458

  1,534

  1,537

  Total outpatient attendances

  Northern

  459

  505

  1410

  485

  531

  530

  Yorkshire

  2,894

  2,067

  2,037

  2,299

  3,094

  3,174

  Trent

  1,533

  819

  724

  537

  389

  385

  East Anglian

  190

  285

  472

  557

  400

  394

  North West Thames

  0

  0

  0

  166

  188

  22,289

  North East Thames

  2,788

  2,617

  2,082

  801

  338

  329

  South East Thames

  412

  926

  1,547

  813

  725

  1,204

  South West Thames

  109

  83

  122

  95

  67

  61

  Wessex

  0

  195

  355

  90

  329

  60

  Oxford

  5

  58

  106

  291

  415

  542

  South Western

  452

  297

  231

  567

  632

  273

  West Midlands

  996

  1,475

  1,317

  1,415

  1,127

  1,058

  Mersey

  874

  918

  930

  970

  1,223

  987

  North Western

  48

  913

  1,096

  1,015

  1,658

  3,621

  Special Health Authorities

  0

  0

  1,246

  1,617

  1,253

  1,424

  England

  10,760

  11,158

  112,675

  11,718

  12,369

  16,331

  Source:

  DH Forms KP70 and KH09.

  1 Revised.

  2 In previous years forensic psychiatry data were included in the mental illness specialty and cannot be separately identified.
  478
  (3) how many staff of each grade of nurse and health care assistant work in the maternity unit at the Cheviot and Wansbeck hospital;

  (4) how many complaints were made by general practitioners about sub-standard care and inappropriately early discharges from the Cheviot and Wansbeck hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  These are matters for Cheviot and Wansbeck national health service trust, which was set: up on 1 April 1994. The hon. Member may wish to contact its chairman, Mr. Roger Baker, for details.

  Forensic Psychiatry Patients
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many forensic psychiatry patients have been treated in each regional health authority in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Bowis
  The tables show the number of admissions and number of out-patients for the forensic psychiatry specialty by regional health authority for the period 1988–89 to 1993–94.
  479

  Small Pharmacies
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received during the past three months concerning the need to maintain the professional allowance for small pharmacies dispensing between 1,000 and 1,500 prescriptions per month; and if she proposes to modify her intended policy in the light of such representations.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 19 December 1994,Official Report, column 983, since when there have been a further seven representations about the graduated transitional payment. We expect to discuss the matter with pharmacists' representatives in the forthcoming pay round.

  Midwives
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the ratio of patients to midwives in(a) the Northumberland health authority and (b) the Wansbeck and Cheviot maternity unit.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the vice chairman of Northumberland health authority, Mr. David Wright, and the chairman of the Cheviot and Wansbeck national health service trust, Mr. Roger Baker, for details.

  Community Care
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to monitor local authority spending in the independent sector in their provision of community care services.

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authorities are required to spend 85 per cent. of the Department of Social Security transfer element of their special transitional grant in the independent sector. Annual returns of this expenditure have to be agreed by the district auditor before being submitted to the Department of Health.

  Health Education Authority
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 10 January 1995,Official Report, column 126–27, what plans she has to put out to tender in the private sector the work now being carried out by the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 10 January,Official Report, column 126–27.

  Secure Accommodation
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places in secure accommodation are currently available for persons aged under 16 years in Northumberland; at what location; and what were the figures for the previous five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Bowis
  There are five places in secure accommodation approved for use by young people in Northumberland, located at Netherton Park children's home, Morpeth. This figure has not changed in the period requested, but there are plans to provide an additional seven places by mid-1996. The places are not restricted to those aged under 16.
  480

  Cot Mattresses
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has in respect of the effect of biodegradation of compounds of antimony used in flameproofing cot mattresses; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The hypothesis that toxic gases are released from the biodegradation of the flameproofing compounds in cot mattresses and covers was thoroughly investigated in 1990 by an expert working group chaired by Professor Paul Turner. The group found no evidence that there was a link between sudden infant death syndrome incidence, the presence of antimony and associated low levels of arsenic impurity, or phosphorus additives in cot mattresses and their covers, microbial contamination of those mattresses and covers and the generation of toxic volatile gases.

  Dr. Kenneth Calman, the chief medical officer, has recently set up an expert group to steer further work by the Department of Health on cot deaths. This group is chaired by Lady Limerick.

  The group's terms of reference are:
  To review the findings of the report on "Sudden Infant Death Syndromes (The "Turner Report", 1991) and any subsequent data on hypotheses linking antimony with unexplained deaths in infants; and to advise the CMO on what further studies should be undertaken to investigate postulated causal relationships between chemicals and cot deaths.

  The group has been asked to review the available material and to provide the Department with advice as quickly as possible.

  Guillain Barré Syndrome
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases known to her Department children vaccinated against measles and rubella in the last five years have developed symptoms of Guillain Barré syndrome; what research has been done by her Department or elsewhere into the causes of the syndrome; what action she will be taking or is considering; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Guillain Barré syndrome is a rare neurological condition that usually presents as acute flaccid paralysis. The condition is thought to have a post-infectious aetiology. In its detailed review of adverse effects of vaccines, the United States Institute of Medicine could find no evidence to support or reject a causal association between Guillain Barré syndrome and measles or rubella immunisation.

  Three cases of Guillain Barré syndrome after measles, mumps and rubella vaccine have been reported to the committee on the safety of medicines since 1988. The reporting of a temporal association with immunisation does not necessarily imply causality. One case of Guillain Barré syndrome has been reported in association with the measles and rubella immunisation campaign. Further investigations are being undertaken into this case.

  At the instigation of the Department of Health, the communicable disease surveillance centre of the public health laboratory service set up nationwide surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis—for which Guillain Barré syndrome is the commonest cause—between July 1991 and June 1994. The study is being analysed, but preliminary evaluation suggests that the number of cases reported in association with the measles and rubella

  481
  campaign are similar to those that could be expected in the absence of the campaign.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in her Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information about more junior staff is not held centrally. Since February 1993, there have been two reports of job offers from staff in grade 3 and above. So far, one of these has been followed by an application under the business appointments procedure.

  Ambulance Service

  1992–93 Number

  1992–93 percentage of all responses

  1993–94 Number

  1993–94 Percentage of all responses

  Rural Ambulance Services

  Cumbria

  1,341

  8.8

  1,277

  8.0

  Durham

  876

  2.9

  1,392

  4.5

  Northumbria

  782

  1.0

  880

  1.1

  Humberside

  342

  0.8

  708

  1.6

  North Yorkshire

  1,053

  4.6

  1,206

  5.6

  Derbyshire

  1,500

  4.3

  1,646

  4.2

  Leicestershire

  975

  3.0

  1,082

  3.0

  Lincolnshire

  844

  4.7

  893

  4.5

  Nottinghamshire

  1,248

  2.3

  1,450

  2.4

  Cambridgeshire

  1,105

  5.8

  886

  4.3

  Norfolk

  901

  3.3

  1,108

  3.6

  Suffolk

  939

  7.9

  652

  4.7

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  1,829

  3.1

  2,001

  3.2

  Essex

  896

  1.4

  1,711

  2.4

  East Sussex

  835

  2.3

  993

  2.4

  Kent

  2,093

  3.6

  2,755

  4.6

  West Sussex

  716

  2.7

  703

  2.2

  Dorset

  1,096

  3.9

  1,670

  5.3

  Hampshire

  1,229

  2.6

  1,205

  2.4

  Wiltshire

  618

  4.1

  800

  4.9

  Isle of Wight

  88

  2.1

  77

  1.5

  Berkshire

  284

  1.0

  736

  2.4

  Two Shires1

  989

  2.5

  1,116

  2.9

  Oxfordshire

  936

  5.8

  1,320

  7.5

  West Country2

  2,868

  4.3

  4,323

  5.9

  Gloucestershire

  433

  3.2

  581

  3.8

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  608

  2.9

  672

  2.9

  Shropshire

  508

  4.0

  452

  3.2

  Staffordshire

  1,862

  4.7

  1,845

  3.8

  Warwickshire

  683

  4.7

  640

  4.0

  Lancashire

  934

  1.3

  1,091

  1.4

  Urban Ambulance Service

  Cleveland

  725

  3.0

  967

  4.0

  West Yorkshire

  6,494

  6.0

  5,295

  4.4

  South Yorkshire

  5,678

  10.1

  6,526

  11.0

  Surrey

  2,272

  5.2

  3,089

  6.3

  London

  196,921

  41.5

  186,973

  37.8

  Avon

  3,691

  10.0

  5,085

  12.8

  West Midlands

  12,526

  8.9

  10,189

  6.7

  Mersey

  6,815

  4.6

  5,511

  3.4

  Manchester

  4,333

  2.6

  4,073

  2.3

  1 Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire Ambulance Services combined to form Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust on 1 April 1993. Figures for 1992–93 have been combined for ease of comparison.

  2 Cornwall, Devon and Somerset Ambulance Services combined to form West Country Ambulance Service NHS Trust on 1 April 1993. Figures for 1992–93 have been combined for ease of comparison.

  482

  Ambulance Service
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times an ambulance has not arrived within the national charter standard time by ambulance service in each year since April 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: The national patients charter standard provides that ambulances responding to an emergency call should arrive at the scene of an incident in 95 per cent. of cases, within 14 minutes for urban services and within 19 minutes for rural services.

  Information was not collected in sufficient detail in 1991–92 to provide the figures requested. Figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are shown in the table.
  483

  Budgets
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total budget of(a) fundholders and (b) district health authorities in 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  1994–95 £ million

  General Practitioner Fundholders

  400

  800

  1,800

  2,800

  District Health Authorities

  17,300

  18,200

  17,900

  18,200

  Notes:

  1. Allocations to district health authorities and general practitioner fundholders are made by regional health authorities who have provided the information in the table.

  2. Final district health authority cash limits for the years 1991–92, 1992–93, and 1993–94 include initial cash limits and adjustments in-year, and exclude general practitioner fundholder allocations. For 1994–95 the figures recorded are initial cash limits and exclude in-year adjustments. Some regions have included general practitioner fundholder budgets in these initial cash limits.

  Cot Deaths
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the budget for health promotional activities on cot death in each of the last five years; and what is the projected budget for the next two years.

  1991–92 £000s

  1992–93 £000s

  1993–94 £000s

  1994–95 £000s

  1995–96 £000s

  1996–97 £000s

  DH Expenditure

  Cot Death

  1,611

  —

  21

  30

  —

  —

  HEA Expenditure

  Teenage Smoking Campaign

  2,101

  2,650

  2,650

  1,362

  —

  —

  Smoking in Pregnancy

  500

  500

  500

  446

  —

  —

  Adult Smoking

  -

  5,438

  8,256

  8,052

  4,000

  4,000

  Birth to Five

  253

  21

  77

  1107

  —

  —

  Pregnancy Book

  326

  328

  151

  1196

  —

  —

  Total

  4,791

  9,147

  11,655

  10,193

  4,000

  4,000

  1 Provisional figures for the year to date. Further expenditure is planned to the end of the current financial year.

  The Department of Health budgets for 1995–96 and 1996–97 and most of those for the HEA have yet to be agreed.

  Departmental expenditure in 1991 went towards a press and television cot death campaign, as well as the production and distribution of a departmental leaflet, "Reducing the Risk of Cot Death", which has since been reprinted and almost 5 million copies distributed so far.

  The recently announced national anti-smoking campaign managed by the HEA over the next three financial years will be primarily aimed at adults, and especially parents of young children. This is particularly relevant to cot death because smoking is a major risk factor associated with it. The HEA's two major publications in this field, the "Pregnancy Book", given free to first-time mothers and "Birth to Five", given free to first-time parents, both contain advice on reducing the risk of cot death.

  Much health promotion work of this type is carried out by local health care units and health authorities. It is not possible to quantify this either in terms of time or cost. Health promotion activity aimed at pregnant women and new mothers is carried out in face-to-face contacts by individual midwives, health visitors, general practitioners, obstetricians and paediatricians during the course of routine care.
  484
  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: Details of budgets allocated to general practitioner fundholders and district health authorities are shown in the table. General practitioner fundholder data include allocations for drugs and staff in addition to the hospital and community health services that they can purchase.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: The table shows the amounts that the Department has spent on publicity aimed specifically at reducing the risk of cot death since the introduction of the "Back to Sleep" campaign in December 1991 and Health Education Authority initiatives aimed at reducing smoking prevalence in district groups.

  With the efforts of all those health professionals and the success of those initiatives, there has been a remarkable reduction in the number of cot deaths. In England and Wales over the period 1988–1993, we are pleased to say that the numbers have fallen by more than 70 per cent.

TRANSPORT

  Passenger Timetable
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding inaccuracies in the Great Britain passenger timetable; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  We have received a small number of representations about inaccuracies in the Great Britain passenger timetable. The timetable is published by BR, which is responsible for its accuracy.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February
  485
  1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Norris
  The rules on outside appointments do not require Departments to maintain records of job offers to their staff.

  Roads Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of United Kingdom roads expenditure, broken down to show the split between central and local government, for each of the following time periods expressed in 1993 prices(a) 1969 to 1974, (b) 1974 to 1979, (c) 1979 to 1984, (d) 1984 to 1989, (e) 1989 to 1994 and (f) 1994 to 1999 planned; and if he will provide the equivalent figures showing central and local government expenditures on the United Kingdom rail system.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Comparable figures for the split between national and local roads expenditure relate to England only and are not available before 1989. Figures for each of the years 1989–90 to 1993–94 and estimated outturns for 1994–95 are given in 1993–94 prices. Central Government rail figures represent the external finance limit for BR-Railtrack; local government rail figures represent support for services in the metropolitan areas.

  £ million

  Roads

  Rail

  National

  Local

  Central Government

  Local Government

  1989–90

  1,655

  623

  877

  125

  1990–91

  2,042

  724

  1,249

  128

  1991–92

  1,983

  838

  1,584

  139

  1992–93

  2,022

  923

  2,137

  144

  1993–94

  2,040

  1,039

  1,461

  143

  1994–95

  1,945

  851

  1,496

  359

  Table 1

  Heavy Goods Vehicles

  Public Service Vehicles

  Other Vehicle Types

  Month

  Planned

  Inspected

  Failed (Prohibitions)

  Planned

  Inspected

  Failed (Prohibitions)

  Planned

  Inspected

  Failed (Prohibitions}

  December 1993

  10,247

  8,130

  996

  2,266

  2,568

  183

  4,662

  4,246

  261

  January 1994

  "

  6,560

  933

  "

  1,601

  119

  "

  2,099

  112

  February 1994

  "

  10,956

  1,458

  "

  2,672

  205

  "

  3,740

  213

  March 1994

  "

  18,297

  2,720

  "

  5,577

  494

  "

  6,985

  398

  April 1994

  11,076

  11,505

  2,017

  2,443

  1,467

  171

  4,506

  2,490

  252

  May 1994

  "

  12,834

  2,132

  "

  2,140

  219

  "

  3,328

  291

  June 1994

  "

  10,578

  1,644

  "

  2,435

  295

  "

  3,362

  232

  July 1994

  "

  14,183

  2,483

  "

  3,701

  429

  "

  4,405

  269

  August 1994

  "

  10,982

  1,724

  "

  2,619

  250

  "

  4,143

  237

  September 1994

  "

  12,081

  2,024

  "

  2,651

  344

  "

  7,867

  308

  October 1994

  "

  11,986

  1,979

  "

  2,602

  285

  "

  4,893

  373

  November 1994

  "

  10,448

  1,566

  "

  2,752

  235

  "

  6,465

  588

  Notes:

  1. The number of planned inspections has been calculated from using the planned inspections for the year.

  2. In relation to roadworthiness enforcement inspections "failed" has been interpreted as being the number of occasions when it was found necessary to issue a roadworthiness prohibition notice.

  3. The inspections include all roadworthiness enforcement spot checks and exclude any conducted in connection with:

  a) accident or mechanical defect investigations and

  b) roadworthiness inspections done for operator licensing purposes.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to redirect reductions in the roads budget into expenditure on public transport.
  486
  Forward plans for 1995–96 to 1997–98 will be published in the transport report 1995.

  Vehicle Checks
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list vehicle spot checks planned and carried out in each of the last 12 months, stating in each case how many vehicles were tested, how many failed to meet roadworthiness standards, and how many planned checks were cancelled due to lack of police resources.

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

  Letter from Ron Oliver to Ms Joan Walley, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning vehicle spot checks planned and carried out in each of the last 12 months, stating in each case how many vehicles were tested, how many failed to meet roadworthiness standards, and how many planned checks were cancelled due to lack of police resources.

  The attached table shows the number of vehicle spot checks planned and carried out in each of the last 12 months, and the number failing to meet roadworthiness standards, to the extent that prohibition action was necessary.

  The number of planned checks cancelled due to lack of police support is not available. The information we do have is set out below and covers the period from 1 April 1994 to the end of September 1994. It shows the number of unproductive hours (attendance hours) resulting from the withdrawal of police support from organised checks in progress.

  Month

  Attendance Hours Lost

  Month

  Attendance Hours Lost

  April 1994

  310

  July 1994

  344

  May 1994

  316

  August 1994

  338

  June 1994

  310

  September 1994

  327

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The broad apportionment of my Department's budget was announced on 29 November. Details will be published in due course in the transport report 1995.
  487

  Mr. R. Howard
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to reply formally to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration's draft report on the care of Mr. R. Howard of Bexley.

  Mr. Watts
  The Department of Transport made its detailed response to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration last November, since when there has been further correspondence on factual and textual matters.

  Highway Code
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates his Department have made of the percentage of total motorists owning a current copy of the highway code.

  Mr. Norris
  On the basis of sales figures provided by HMSO, about 20 per cent. of motorists, some 6.8 million, have bought a copy of the current edition of the highway code.

  Motorists (Training)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department will announce plans for a scheme to offer further training for motorists who have already passed their test.

  Mr. Norris
  Soon.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's response to the proposal advanced by the Automobile Association for a graduated points threshold for new drivers.

  Mr. Norris
  We have considered carefully a number of proposals for improving the safety of new drivers, including those put forward by the Automobile Association. I am pleased to say that my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) has introduced the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Bill, which provides for the retesting of newly qualified drivers who commit certain traffic offences.

  Rolling Stock (Safety)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response British Rail made to recommendation 55 of the Hidden report on the Clapham junction railway accident in respect of mark 1 rolling stock including class 411, 413, 415 and 416 vehicles in use on Network South East's south-eastern division routes in Kent.

  Mr. Watts
  British Rail carried out its stated programme of research into the structural integrity of its rolling stock, which included an assessment of the structural changes necessary to strengthen mark 1 vehicles with an expected life span of eight years or more. BR completed the programme by April 1991 and then discussed the results with the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate. BR concluded that very few of the mark 1 vehicles in classes 411, 413, 415 and 416 were projected to remain in service for eight years or more, and that it would not be reasonably practicable to carry out structural changes to these vehicles or to the remainder of mark 1 vehicles. I understand that Her Majesty's railway inspectorate agreed with BR's conclusions.
  488

  Motorists (Sight)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates his Department have made of the percentage of total motorists with inadequate eyesight due to(a) an absence of glasses or contact lenses and (b) inappropriate glasses or contact lenses.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Safety Schemes, Derbyshire
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the allocations that have been made to Derbyshire county council under supplementary credit approval for local safety schemes over the last six years.

  Mr. Norris
  The allocations are:

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  300,000

  1992–93

  250,000

  1993–94

  330,000

  1994–95

  602,000

  1995–96

  642,000

  Supplementary credit approvals were allocated for 1994–95 and 1995–96. Before then, support was given as transport supplementary grant, 50 per cent., and annual capital guideline, 50 per cent. Specific allocations for local safety schemes were not given before 1991–92.

  Train Drivers' Radio Phones
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of ensuring that drivers' radio phones are effective at all points on the rail network through the installation of extra line side transmitter relay facilities;

  (2) what agreement he has reached with British Rail and its subsidiary companies to ensure that drivers' radio phones can be used effectively on all parts of the rail network;

  (3) what estimate he has made of the proportion of the rail network on which drivers' radio phones are ineffective because of reception blackspots;

  (4) if he will publish a map indicating those sections of the rail network on which drivers' radio phones are ineffective because of reception blackspots.

  Mr. Watts
  These are operational matters for British Rail and Railtrack. I understand that British Rail has fitted the major part of the network with a system known as the national radio network. The target coverage for the NRN is 98 per cent. The remaining 2 per cent. of the network consists of problem spots, mainly in cuttings or tunnels, where complete coverage is not reasonably practicable unless the cab secure radio system for communicating with train drivers is provided. There is no map of these problem spots. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate continues to monitor implementation of the cab radio programme by British Rail and Railtrack.

  Cost Benefit Analyses
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he uses to assess whether value for money is obtained from his Department's road programme.
  489
  Mr. Watts
  The Department employs cost-benefit analyses to appraise new road schemes at different stages of their preparation to ensure that they will provide value for money. The benefits measure is accident reductions and time and vehicle operating costs savings to road users. The analysis is complemented by wide-ranging appraisals of environmental impacts.

  When schemes are completed, the accuracy of the predicted traffic flows—the key input for both the cost-benefit analyses and the environmental appraisal—is monitored. In response to a recommendation of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment, research is being undertaken to enhance and extend "before and after" scheme monitoring.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what adjustments he intends to propose in respect of the fixed trip matrix assumption in COBA.

  Mr.Watts
  In response to the recent report of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment, the Department has issued guidance on the use of currently available techniques for variable trip matrix appraisal. These appraisals will be undertaken for all national road schemes in preparation, except where prior assessment shows that the trip matrix will not vary significantly as a result of the scheme.

  The Department has commissioned consultants to develop improved techniques for undertaking variable matrix economic appraisal, to complement the fixed matrix COBA program.

  Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the eighth annual report of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

  Mr Norris
  The report has been received by my right hon. Friend and copies have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Jury Service (Blind People)
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many blind people were turned down for jury service in the last year for which figures are available and in each of the previous four years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department does not collect data about the number of blind people who were either discharged or excused from jury service. Such information for the last five years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and its accuracy could not be guaranteed.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required 490
  under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Since February 1993, one offer of employment has been reported and was followed by an application to join the company.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Information about offers of employment from outside companies is not held centrally. Since February 1993, four applications to join an outside employer have been received.

  Internet
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to introduce measures to combat the spread of pornography on computer via the Internet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  CCTA, the Government centre for information systems, has established a collaborative open group to examine and discuss all the ethical issues relating to the use of the Internet, and to report to me with recommendations.

  All views and suggestions on such matters are most welcome, and should be sent either via Internet electronic mail to "ethics & ccta.gov.uk" or by post to:

  Internet Ethics COG

  Room WG6

  CCTA

  Rosebery Court

  St Andrews Business Park

  Norwich NR7 OHS

  Information Super-highway
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much public investment has been spent on research into the information super-highway by the Government for each of the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, and 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Most of the public investment in research into leading-edge communications networks, or information super-highways, has focused on the joint academic network known as SuperJANET. The Higher Education Funding Council contributed £5.35 million and £8.06 million in the respective financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 to the development of this multimedia broadband network for universities and other research institutions.
  491

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Great Clock
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, pursuant to his answer of 8 December,Official Report, column 327, when the modernised lighting behind the clock faces of the Great Clock will become fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  The new lighting will become fully operational at dusk on 19 January 1995 and it will save some £1,000 in electricity and £2,500 in maintenance costs each year. Thus, the installation cost of £20,000 will be recovered from savings in six years. The new fittings that have been installed are a special type of fluorescent bulb, which works on a high frequency induction principle. They have a lamp life of 60,000 hours which is about 13 years of normal use, and the output from each 55 watt bulb is equivalent to a 250 watt conventional incandescent lamp.

  Banqueting Rooms Events (Sponsors)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee for what reasons the names of hon. Members sponsoring events in the Banqueting Room A, B, C and D are no longer listed on the notice board in the Terrace Corridor.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: A new notice board was installed in the corridor outside the Terrace Dining Rooms during the Christmas recess. The lettering for this board has now been received, and I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that, for the convenience of those attending, the names of hon. Members hosting functions in Banqueting Rooms A, B, C and D are once again listed on the notice board in the terrace corridor.

PRIME MINISTER

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister how many staff in his Office have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of those reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  The Prime Minister
  Since February 1993, there have not been any applications for staff in my Office to join outside employers.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's view of the report by Lord Finsberg on Cyprus to be discussed at the Council of Europe meeting in Strasbourg on 2 February.

  The Prime Minister
  Lord Finsberg's report on the situation in Cyprus has been prepared in his capacity as rapporteur of the political committee of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe. As such, it would not be proper for Her Majesty's Government to comment on the judgments made in the report. We share Lord 492
  Finsberg's desire to see continuing efforts to resolve the Cyprus dispute on the basis of UN resolutions, most recently UN Security Council resolution 939 of 29 July 1994.

  Brendan Smyth
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he made to Ministers or officials of the then Irish Government over delays in the extradition from the Irish Republic of Brendan Smyth.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Modbury Team Ministry
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the reasons for the delay in Privy Council approval for the Modbury team ministry within the Exeter diocese; and when a decision will be reached.

  Mr. Alison
  I have been asked to reply.

  The matter is not yet with the Privy Council. The position is that the Church Commissioners have recently considered three representations against a draft Pastoral Scheme providing, inter alia, for the creation of the Modbury team ministry. The Commissioners' conclusions have now been shared with the Diocesan Bishop and their decision is expected to be announced shortly.

TREASURY

  Inflation Forecasts
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of Her Majesty's Treasury panel of independent forecasters were, in their latest estimates, forecasting an inflation rates of less than 2.5 per cent. in 1996.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The inflation requested can be found in table B7 of the panel's latest report. A copy of the report is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Taxation
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of the personal allowance as a percentage of average manual earnings in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95 and (d) 1995–96 for taxpayers who were (i) a single person, (ii) a married man with no children, (iii) a married man with two children and (iv) a married man with four children.

  Sir George Young
  Using the illustrative assumptions for the growth in earnings and prices given in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1995–96, real take-home pay for a married man on average earnings for all occupations will rise by £3.50 a week between 1992–93 and 1995–96 and for a single man by £7.50 a week.

  Estimates of the income tax threshold as a percentage of average male manual earnings based on illustrative assumptions for earnings growth in 1994–95 and 1995–96 are in the table. A married person's tax threshold is unaffected by the number of children.

  Since the introduction of the lower rate band in 1992–93 taxpayers with income just above the threshold pay tax at a rate of only 20 per cent.
  493

  Tax threshold

  Tax threshold as a percentage of average male manual earnings

  Single person £

  Married man1 £

  Single person

  Married man1

  1992–93

  3445

  5165

  24.4

  36.5

  1993–94

  3445

  5165

  23.8

  35.7

  1994–95

  3445

  5165

  223.0

  234.5

  1995–96

  3525

  4815

  222.5

  230.7

  1 Assumes that the married man receives a full married couple's allowance.

  2 Provisional. Assumes average male manual earnings increase by 3.5 per cent in 1994–95 and 4.5 per cent in 1995–96 in line with the assumptions for growth in average earnings given in the financial statement and budget Report 1995–96.

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

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury already sends out information electronically. Its Internet service was launched on 15 November 1994.

  Material is provided on the Teasury's own Internet server on the world wide web. In addition to the world wide web, the same information can be obtained by electronic mail or by file transfer.

  Users can also obtain help about the service using electronic mail. My Department has replied to all queries it has received to date.

  As the service expands the Treasury hopes to be able to respond to more communications.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the lowest rate of exchange between the pound sterling and the deutschmark in February 1993; and what has been the change in the rate of the pound sterling against(a) the deutschmark (b) the ecu and (c) the dollar since then;

  (2) what part, a desire to protect the value of the pound sterling fully against other EEC currencies played in the uneven interest rates this year;

  (3) if (a) pound sterling and (b) the dollar are overvalued; and how over valuation is to be measured;

  (4) what was the percentage reduction in the value of the pound sterling against the ecu and against non-ecu currencies included in the Bank of England index since August 1992;

  (5) what conclusion he has drawn from Britain's membership of the ERM of the EMS.

  (6) if he will publish an assessment of the effects of Britain's membership of the ERM on (a) jobs, (b) growth, (c) manufacturing and (d) the balance of payments.

  Mr. Nelson
  Movements in the exchange rate are considered as part of the general assessment of monetary conditions in setting monetary policy. The Government recognise the value of a stable exchange rate, but we do not set target rates. The valuation of any currency is determined by transactions in the foreign exchange markets.
  494
  The United Kingdom's membership of the ERM demonstrated that, for currency mechanisms to achieve greater exchange rate stability, broader economic convergence between member states is required.

  Levels of employment, growth, manufacturing output and the balance of payments are affected by a wide range of factors; it is not possible to isolate the effects of any single factor.

  Sterling's exchange rates against ecu and non-ecu currencies are published in table 7.1A of the Central Statistical Office's "Financial Statistics".

  EU Price Index
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU harmonised price index is due to be introduced; how it will be constructed; and what plans there are to use it to update or replace the current retail prices index.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Statistical Office of the European Communities—Eurostat—has drawn up a Council regulation that prescribes that harmonised consumer price indices be developed from spring 1996. The methodology for constructing these indices is currently under discussion between groups of experts from EU member states and Eurostat. The harmonised consumer price index will be produced in addition to the retail prices index.

  Central Statistical Office
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget of the Central Statistical Office was for each year from 1979; and what the projected budget is for the years 1994 to 1999 in current year prices.

  Mr. Nelson
  The table shows the net expenditure of the Central Statistical Office. The CSO's first full financial year as a separate Department with its own accounts was 1990–91, but also shown are figures from 1986–87, which have been published in the departmental report for information purposes. No figures are available prior to 1986–87. Figures from 1995–96 reflect planned expenditure. All figures are calculated in current year prices.

  Year

  Net Expenditure £ million

  1986–87

  21.9

  1987–88

  21.5

  1988–89

  25.5

  1989–90

  24.6

  1990–91

  32.0

  1991–92

  36.2

  1992–93

  41.6

  1993–94

  44.0

  1994–95

  48.1

  1995–96

  47.3

  1996–97

  44.4

  1997–98

  43.2

  1998–99

  42.3

  495

  Income Tax
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income tax revenue was paid by the lowest(a) 5 per cent., (b) 10 per cent., (c) 20 per cent. and (d) 30 per cent. of earners in each year from 1978–79 inclusive; and what are his future projections.

  Sir George Young
  The information requested is given in the table. The bottom 5 per cent. of income tax payers have accounted for less than one half of 1 per cent. of the total income tax liabilities for each year since 1978–79. Estimates for 1993–94 onwards are based on projections from the 1992–93 survey of personal incomes.

  Shares of total tax liability1

  Groups of taxpayers (percentage)

  Bottom 30 per cent.

  Bottom 20 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent

  1978–79

  7

  3

  1

  1979–80

  7

  3

  1

  1980–81

  6

  3

  1

  1981–82

  7

  3

  1

  1982–83

  7

  3

  1

  1983–84

  6

  3

  1

  1984–85

  6

  3

  1

  1985–86

  7

  3

  1

  1986–87

  6

  3

  1

  1987–88

  6

  3

  1

  1988–89

  6

  3

  1

  1989–90

  6

  3

  1

  1990–91

  5

  2

  1

  1991–92

  5

  2

  1

  1992–93

  4

  2

  3—

  1993–942

  4

  2

  3—

  1994–952

  4

  2

  3—

  1995–962

  4

  2

  3—

  1 For years up to and including 1989–90, married couples are counted as one taxpayer and their incomes are combined. Following the introduction of independent taxation in 1990–91, husbands and wives are counted separately.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Less than 0.5 per cent.

  Retail Prices Index
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to update the basis upon which the retail prices index is calculated; and what amendments have been made to it since 1990.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Chancellor announced in answer to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 10 January,Official Report, column 9, his acceptance of the recommendations made by the retail prices index advisory committee in its reports, Cm 2717 and Cm 2716, on owner-occupiers' housing costs and cars respectively. The changes will be implemented in the RPI from February 1995. The recommendations of the advisory committee in its previous reports, Cm 2142 in January 1993 and Cm 2153 in February 1993, on council tax and holidays were implemented in the RPI for 1993 and, for United Kingdom holidays, 1994. Minor changes to the items included in the RPI are made each year to take account of changes in consumer spending patterns. Details of the 1993 and 1994 changes are given in the April 1993 and March 1994 issues of the publication "Retail Prices Index", CSO business monitor MM23. All the above publications are available in the House of Commons Library.
  496

  Civil Servant Travel
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which airlines have been granted preferred carrier status for civil servant travel to overseas destinations.

  Mr. Nelson
  The preferred carrier for any civil servant's travel will depend on the circumstances of the journey concerned, including value for money. For regular requirements the Treasury has entered into arrangements with British Airways and British Midland.

  VAT on Fuel
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised from value added tax on gas and electricity standing charges since its introduction.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Standing charges on gas and electricity supply from 1 April to the end of December 1994 will give rise to £100 million of VAT.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimation he has made of the proportion in value added tax as a percentage of the total bill paid in(a) standing charge and (b) actual energy consumption by (i) low-income households and (ii) high-income households.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The answers will depend on the particular energy company and factors such as whether an economy rate is used, severity of weather, level of insulation and so on. The Government have made available a substantial package of help for those on low incomes.

  Civil Aviation Authority (VAT)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the status of the Civil Aviation Authority for VAT purposes in respect of en route air navigation services now; what it will be after 1 April; who took the decision to change its status; what will be the implications of its changed status; what are the revenue implications; and who will benefit from them.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 14 December 1994,Official Report, column 651.

  Tax Office, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets Doncaster tax office(a) achieved and (b) failed to achieve during the last financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  Both tax offices in Doncaster—Doncaster 1 and Doncaster 2—achieved all key assessment and customer service targets in the year to April 1994, as shown in table. With the exception of one target in each office, all key compliance targets were also met. Doncaster collection office also achieved all except one of its key operating targets in the year, as the table shows.
  497

  Doncaster 1

  Doncaster 2 Target per cent.

  Target per cent.

  Achieved per cent.

  Target per cent.

  Achieved per cent.

  Schedule D Assessments.

  98

  99.7

  98

  98.85

  Schedule E open cases 1992–93 1991–92 and earlier

  90

  99.3

  90.5

  98.95

  larger and complex cases

  98.5

  99.55

  95

  99.68

  other cases

  98.5

  99.98

  98.5

  99.96

  CT assessing reduction in assessment made late

  5

  86

  10

  62

  Return forms examined by October 1993

  99

  100

  99

  100

  EOY returns cleared by October 1993

  99

  99.8

  99.4

  99.84

  P11Ds examined by December 1993

  98

  100

  99

  100

  Correspondence dealt with within 28 days of receipt

  94

  99.98

  94

  99.9

  Callers without an appointment dealt with within 15 minutes

  —

  —

  95

  96.15

  Compliance

  Corporation Tax

  Settlements per unit

  15

  17.65

  15

  12.77

  Average Case points

  10.7

  12.13

  9.7

  11.75

  Total settlements

  6

  6

  5

  6

  Income Tax

  Settlement per unit

  25

  27.15

  25

  36.59

  Average case points

  8.6

  9.1

  7.86

  8.34

  Total settlements

  95

  82

  105

  146

  Doncaster collection

  Target Per cent.

  Achieved Per cent.

  Assessed taxes

  63.6

  69.5

  PAYE—All cases

  86

  85.4

  PAYE—Returns

  92

  97.8

  PAYE—Underpayment

  69

  85.4

  PAYE—Band 1

  93

  97.7

  Band 2

  92

  93.9

  Miscellaneous work arrears

  60

  80.2

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  The Attorney-General
  Since 1 February 1993, one offer of employment has been reported by a member of staff in the Crown Prosecution Service. No such offers have been reported in the legal secretariat to the law officers, the Treasury Solicitor's department or the Serious Fraud Office.

  Brendan Smyth
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General how many times between April 1993 and February 1994 his advice was sought by(a) British Ministers, (b) British Government officials, (c) Irish Republic Ministers, (d) the
  498
  Irish Attorney-General or (e) his officials about his view on the effect of lapse of time clause in the Extradition Act 1987 on the extradition of Brendan Smyth.

  The Attorney-General
  It is a well-established convention that the law officers do not normally disclose whether they have been asked to advise or the nature of their advice. The hon. Gentleman will however also note that the Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987 is not a United Kingdom statute but an Act of the Dail.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Drug Trafficking
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the use of death penalty for British citizens found guilty of drug trafficking abroad.

  Mr. Baldry
  The use of the death penalty for persons found guilty of drug trafficking abroad is a matter for those countries concerned, provided that respect is shown for the provisions on the death penalty of international human rights law. Once a British national has been sentenced to death, and all local appeals for clemency have been exhausted, we consider whether, and at what level, any further appeal should be made. Intervention is considered on a case-by-case basis.

  Child Labour, India
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of India about the employment of children in Tirupur to make garments for supply to United Kingdom high street retailers.
  499
  Mr. Baldry
  We have urged all United Nations member states to abide by the programme of action for the elimination of the exploitation of child labour, which was agreed in 1993 by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, of which India is a member.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had from Esmat Abdel Maguid on the issue of Libya's position in relation to the Lockerbie case.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Dr. Meguid handed a copy of the Arab League's resolution concerning the Lockerbie bombing to Her Majesty's ambassador in Cairo on 31 March 1994. I discussed the Lockerbie issue with Dr. Meguid in November 1994.

  East Timor
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to support the latest resolution of the European Parliament concerning the illegal occupation of East Timor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There is no obligation on EU member states to implement the recommendations on this resolution. The measures it proposes would not, in our view, bring about a change in the circumstances of East Timor. We believe that the continuing dialogue between Indonesia and Portugal, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, offers the best prospect for securing agreement on a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable settlement on the future of the territory.

  United Kingdom Nationals (Expulsions)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom nationals have been expelled from other countries, and from which countries, in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Goodlad
  FCO staff have reported 27 offers of employment from outside employers since February 1993; 24 were followed up by an application.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to a role for the Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe, formerly CSCE, in resolving the conflict in Chechnya.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has an important role to play in 500
  the search for a settlement to the conflict in Chechnya, in particular in ensuring respect for human rights, the restoration of constitutional order and the preparation as soon as possible of elections.

  The United Kingdom fully supports the efforts being undertaken by the OSCE chairman-in-office to maintain close contact with the Russian Government and welcomes Russia's willingness to involve the OSCE in the wider search for a long-term solution to the conflict.

  Foreign Nationals (Expulsions)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many foreign nationals have been expelled from the United Kingdom in each year since 1979; and if he will list their nationalities.

  Mr. Baldry
  The number of foreign nationals—that is, diplomats officially accredited to missions in London—expelled from the United Kingdom since 1979 is as follows:

  Nationality

  Number

  1979

  nil

  —

  1980

  Libya

  3

  1981

  Soviet Union

  1

  1982

  nil

  —

  1983

  Czechoslovakia

  2

  1984

  Czechoslovakia

  2

  Libya

  2

  Soviet Union

  1

  1985

  Soviet Union

  2

  1986

  nil

  —

  1987

  Bulgaria

  1

  Soviet Union

  1

  1988

  Soviet Union

  1

  Cuba

  2

  Vietnam

  1

  Czechoslovakia

  3

  Iraq

  4

  1989

  Czechoslovakia

  4

  South Africa

  3

  Soviet Union

  8

  1990

  Iraq

  11

  1991

  Iraq

  9

  1992

  Iran

  1

  1993

  nil

  —

  1994

  Iran

  1

  Sudan

  1

  UN Human Rights Commission
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues will be discussed at the UN Human Rights commission in Geneva on 30 January.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During its annual meeting—30 January to 10 March 1995—the UN Commission on Human Rights will as usual discuss a wide range of subjects. It is likely to pass over 100 resolutions on thematic issues and on human rights in individual countries. A copy of the annotated agenda will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Copenhagen Summit
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent Her
  501
  Majesty's Government at the United Nations summit for social development in Copenhagen in March.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A final decision on attendance at the summit will be made nearer the date.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues Her Majesty's Government intend to raise as matters of priority at the United Nations summit for social development in Copenhagen in March.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our principal priorities are to raise the level and improve the focus of the international debate around the issues of development.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Sustainable Tourism
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received from the English regional tourist boards regarding the future of sustainable tourism projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have received no such representations, but I hope that the regional tourists boards will continue to support and participate in sustainable tourism projects. Their past efforts, and those of their project partners, will form the basis of a guide to good visitor management practice, to be published later this year by my Department, in collaboration with the Countryside and Rural Development Commissions and the English tourist board. I believe that this guide will prove helpful to the tourism industry in further developing sustainable tourism in this country.

  Mr. McWilliam
  To aks the Secretary of State for National Heritage what resources have been directed to sustainable tourism initiatives drawn up by the English regional tourist boards in the last three years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Since December 1991 the English tourist board has committed, out of grant in aid from my Department, a total of £257,500 to six local sustainable tourism initiatives in which the regional tourist boards have been involved.

  Community Television Channels
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the number of holders of cable television licences which are currently providing community television channels; if he will identify those companies and the areas in which community channels are operating; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Independent Television Commission has awarded 95 licensable programme services licences, of which 35 are operational and providing local programming. Local programming is produced in Telewest's south London and Avon franchises, Devanha group's Coventry and Aberdeen franchises, Telecential's Swindon franchise, the Cable Corporation's Windsor franchise, the Comcast-managed Birmingham franchise, LCL Cable Communications' Leicester franchise, IVS Cable Holdings in Andover and in Videotron's London holdings.
  502
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what requirements are imposed on holders of cable television licences to provide community television channels.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under broadcasting legislation, there are no requirements on holders of cable television franchises to provide a community service channel.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he is taking to ensure that the provision of local community television channels by holders of cable television licences do not become subject to the monopoly control or influence of existing news providers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The cross-media ownership restrictions in the Broadcasting Act 1990 prevent local newspapers, local radio and regional Channel 3 companies from controlling cable franchises if there is a significant overlap in the areas served.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he is taking to ensure that all holders of cable television licences fulfil their requirement to provide a community television channel.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under broadcasting legislation, there are no requirements on holders of cable television franchises to provide a community service channel.

  Cable Television
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what guidance has been issued on access to community television channels provided by cable television companies under the terms of their licence.

  Mr. Dorrell
  If community television channels are provided by cable television companies, it is for individuals to decide whether they wish to subscribe to them.

  Cross-media Ownership
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans his Department has for encouraging a European Commission resolution on pluralism arid cross-media ownership.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will consider my response once the European Commission launches its consultation exercise and provides details of its proposals.

ENVIRONMENT

  Edwardes Committee
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made following the Edwardes committee report on the development of national parks.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Part III of the Environment Bill, which is being considered in another place, includes provisions which take forward our commitments to primary legislation for the national parks. These commitments are set out in our 1992 policy statement, "Fit for the Future", which we issued in response to the report of the Edwardes committee.
  503

  Local Government Review (Shropshire)
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recommendation of the local government review affecting Shropshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Local Government Commission published its final report on Shropshire last Wednesday. Following publication, there is a six-week period during which interested parties can make representations to us before we take any decisions on the commission's recommendations.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he foresees the development of compulsory competitive tendering on housing management.

  Mr. Curry
  We have put in place the legislative framework extending compulsory competitive tendering to housing management. The first contracts are due to be in operation from April 1996. I am pleased to say that local authorities are making good progress with their preparations.

  Latham Report
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about progress in implementing the Latham Report.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The review implementation forum, which is chaired by Sir Michael Latham, reported to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 19 December, with recommendations for taking forward the proposals in the Latham report. The report will be discussed at a meeting of the construction industry's standing strategic group, which is chaired by my right hon. Friend, on 7 February.

  Conservation Sites
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the designation of conservation sites under the European habitats directive.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Work is well advanced on a draft list of possible sites which will be published shortly for public consultation in preparation for the submission of a list of candidate special areas of conservation. Formal designation of sites will take place only after agreement has been reached between the Government and the Commission and after the list of those sites has been adopted in accordance with the directive.

  Landfill Tax
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed landfill tax on the operation of waste landfill sites in residential areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  The proposed landfill tax is not expected to raise issues which are specific to landfill sites in residential areas. However, we will issue a consultation paper shortly on the detailed operation of the tax, which will provide an opportunity for representations to be made. I will place a copy in the Library in due course.
  504

  Air Pollution (London)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about air pollution in London.

  Mr. Atkins
  Ambient concentrations of sulphur dioxide and lead in London have been declining for many years. Levels of traffic-related pollutants are also expected to decline significantly as catalyst-equipped cars replace older more polluting models in the vehicle parc.

  Repossessions
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate of the number of households likely to lose their home through repossession for mortgage arrears in the next 12 months.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr. Khabra) on 30 November 1994,Official Report, column 731.

  Building and Construction Industry
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current assessment of the prospects for the building and construction industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Construction output began to increase last year after three and a half years of decline. New orders are increasing and growth is expected to continue.

  The latest state of the construction industry report is currently being produced jointly by the Department of the Environment and representatives of the construction industry. Copies will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in environmental protection over the last year.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A full account will be given in this year's annual report on "This Common Inheritance", which we will publish in the spring. It will report progress during 1994 both on the commitments in the environment White Paper series and on those in the sustainable development strategy published in January 1994.

  Retail Development
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect on consumer choice and price competition of encouraging new retail development in the centre of our towns and cities.

  Mr. Gummer
  Locating new retail developments in or on the edge of town centres ensures that they are accessible to the largest number of people. This enables comparison shopping to be made, thereby increasing choice for all consumers and price competition.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what visits he has recently received from eastern European water Ministers.
  505
  Sir Paul Beresford
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent visits from any eastern European water ministers, nor from any eastern European environment ministers with responsibility for water interests.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Ssecretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for a second round of bidding for the single regeneration budget.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend announced on 5 December 1994 that a second bidding round of the single regeneration budget will be launched later this year, under which £40 million will be available in 1996–97 for early funding of approved bids and £200 million in 1997–98.

  Air Pollution (Eastern Europe)
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution the United Kingdom Government are making to improving air pollution in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Atkins
  The United Kingdom is a signatory, along with other states including those from Eastern Europe, of the United National Economic Commission for Europe convention on long range transboundary air pollution and plays an active part in the convention's various subsidiary bodies. Protocols under the convention control a range of air pollutants from sources within eastern and western Europe. The United Kingdom has made voluntary contributions to a UNECE trust fund to facilitate the participation of Eastern European countries in relevant meetings and in the convention.

  In addition to its contribution to multilateral programmes of assistance to central and eastern Europe, the United Kingdom has also established the environmental know-how fund, which includes projects to combat air pollution in central and eastern Europe. Help is also being given for the restructurirg of the energy sector in central and eastern European countries, with benefits to the environment, under the main know-how fund.

  Legislation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new items of legislation affecting the work of his Department have been introduced as Government Bills since 1979.

  Mr. Gummer
  Since 1979, there have been 79 Acts of Parliament on subjects for which the Department of the Environment is currently responsible. Of these, 64 were Government Bills, including 12 consolidation Bills. The remainder were introduced as private Member's Bills.

  River Thames
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to put the River Thames to better use for residents and tourists.

  Mr. Gummer
  I shall shortly publish the report of the study of the Thames that I announced last year. This will be followed in the spring by draft strategic planning guidance for the Thames, on which I shall consult widely. The report and guidance will give encouragement to 506
  maximising the use of the river and the valuable resources it offers for resident and tourist alike.

  Merseyside Development Corporation
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of Merseyside development corporation.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Merseyside development corporation is to be wound up on 31 March 1998. The corporation is discussing succession arrangements with local partners.

  Negative Equity
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 November 1994,Official Report, column 726, if he will now update the table on negative equity with the latest figures available.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The estimates in the answer given on 30 November were in respect of the third quarter of 1994. Estimates based on Department of the Environment house price data for the fourth quarter will be available in February.

  Leisure plc
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to require Leisure plc to conform to the requirements of the Audit Commission Publication of Information (Standards of Performance) direction 1994.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The requirements of the Publication of Information (Standards of Performance) direction, issued by the Audit Commission, apply to the local authority irrespective of whether the services are provided by the council or are contracted out to the private sector. We have no plans to review these arrangements.

  Private Landlords
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to require private landlords to meet the same standards as local authorities are required to meet under the Audit Commission Publication of Information (Standards of Performance) direction 1994.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None. It would not be appropriate to apply to private landlords the publication requirements imposed on public sector bodies.

  Transitional Relief
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what level of transitional relief in(a) actual and (b) real terms Nottingham city council has received compared to the average district council;

  (2) what level of transitional relief in (a) actual (b) real and (c) percentage terms Nottingham county council has received in each of the last five years; and what level was received in each case by the average shire county.
  507
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The table shows the amounts of community charge transitional relief grant paid to each billing authority in Nottinhamshire in respect of 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93, the amounts of council tax transitional relief grant claimed by each billing authority

  Amounts of community charge and council tax transitional relief grant paid to each billing authority in Nottinghamshire

  1990–9 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–941 £

  11994–95 £

  Ashfield

  384,194

  3,673,827

  3,604,396

  162,276

  37,659

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (0.1 per cent.)

  (0.1 per cent.)

  Bassetlaw

  519,195

  4,266,115

  4,157,831

  523,009

  157,305

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (0.1 per cent.)

  (0.1 percent.)

  Broxtowe

  736,134

  2,767,579

  2,697,999

  400,197

  99,545

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.1 per cent.)

  (0.1 per cent.)

  Gedling

  591,515

  2,546,494

  2,545,633

  472,552

  123,235

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.1 percent.)

  (0.1 percent.)

  Mansfield

  595,775

  5,007,145

  4,846,980

  327,347

  126,214

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.5 per cent.)

  (0.5 per cent.)

  (0.1 percent.)

  (0.1 percent.)

  Newark and Sherwood

  727,530

  3,808,439

  3,699,602

  810,254

  288,362

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.4 per cent)

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  Nottingham

  1,025,521

  11,360,503

  10,744,316

  692,040

  224,148

  (0.4 per cent.)

  (1.1 percent.)

  (1.1 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  Rushcliffe

  376,559

  1,578,363

  1,523,778

  1,011,437

  300,128

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.2 per cent.)

  (0.3 per cent.)

  (0.3 per cent.)

  Average claim per billing authority

  642,076

  2,803,279

  2,721,311

  1,038,251

  327,869

  1 90 per cent, of an authority's estimated claim for council tax transitional relief grant is paid during the relevant financial year, with any outstanding amounts paid in the following financial year.

  Aquifers
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the annual rate of replenishment of chalk, limestone and sandstone aquifers in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1990;

  (2) what assessment he has made of run-off from the land as a proportion of the annual rainfall in England and Wales and by water authority for the year 1964, 1970, 1980 and 1990.

  Mr. Atkins
  The available data, which are not in precisely the form sought, are published annually in "Hydrological Data UK" by the Institute of Hydrology and the British Geological Survey.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations underlay his decision to increase capping limits for county councils for 1995–96 by less than the predicted rate of inflation.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The considerations were set out in my right hon. Friend's statement on the local finance settlement on 1 December,Official Report, column 1333.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the level of local government expenditure in Blyth Valley in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is as follows:

  Blyth Valley expenditure1

  £ 000

  1988–89

  6,375 (outturn)

  1989–90

  7,077 (outturn)

  1990–91

  8,153 (outturn)

  1991–92

  8,533 (outturn)

  1992–93

  8,570 (outturn)

  508
  in respect of 1993–94 and 1994–95, and the percentage of the total grant paid in England for each year which each claim represents. Grant is paid to billing authorities; no grant is paid to county councils.

  Blyth Valley expenditure1

  £ 000

  1993–94

  8,169 (outturn)

  1994–95

  8,304 (budget)

  1 Total Expenditure 1988–89 to 1989–90. Net Revenue Expenditure 1990–91 to 1994–95.

  Rented Housing
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average level of public, private and housing association rents for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The available information is given in the table:

  Average rents in England, 1979–80 to 1993–94

  Financial year

  Local authority rents

  Calendar year

  Housing association rents1

  Private sector rents1

  1979–80

  6.49

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  1980–81

  8.19

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  1981–82

  11.53

  1981

  n/a

  n/a

  1982–83

  13.58

  1982

  n/a

  n/a

  1983–84

  14.03

  1983

  n/a

  n/a

  1984–85

  14.79

  1984

  n/a

  n/a

  1985–86

  15.63

  1985

  n/a

  n/a

  1986–87

  16.48

  1986

  20

  24

  1987–88

  17.40

  1987

  24

  26

  1988–89

  19.01

  1988

  23

  29

  1989–90

  20.86

  1989

  22

  31

  1990–91

  23.92

  1990

  27

  43

  1991–92

  27.59

  1991

  30

  51

  1992–93

  30.84

  1992

  37

  55

  1993–94

  33.70

  1993

  38

  63

  1 These figures are from the Family Expenditure Survey and are subject to sampling error.

  509

  Tyne and Wear
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what impact the work of the Tyne and Wear development corporation has had on employment levels in the shipbuilding, ship repair, heavy engineering, offshore and mining industries in Tyne and Wear.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Since its inception, the Tyne and Wear development corporation has made strenuous efforts to assist the shipbuilding, ship repair, heavy engineering, offshore and mining sectors. It has given support worth £3.1 million to companies and initiatives that have created or safeguarded 3,300 jobs in these sectors.

  Water
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of removing sediment and treating discoloured water in reservoirs in(a) the uplands and (b) the lowlands of England and Wales (a) in total and (b) by water authority in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Atkins
  This information is not held centrally.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the absenteeism rate for his Department in each year since 1991.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The table shows for each year the number of days lost through sick absence per member of staff and the percentage of the working days in the year which the days of absence represent.

  Year

  Average days of lost per member of staff

  Percentage working days lost

  1991

  9.3

  4.1

  1992

  9.5

  4.2

  1993

  10.2

  4.5

  1994

  9.0

  4.0

  The table excludes the staff of the Building Research Establishment, The Buying Agency, the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and the Security Facilities Executive. The figures relate only to staff currently employed by the Department: information for staff who left the Department during the period is not readily available.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the absenteeism rate for the Buying Agency in each year since 1991.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The information available is:

  Year

  Percentage of working days lost through sick absences Year (Self Certified and Certified)

  1991

  3.0

  1992

  3.6

  1993

  4.2

  1994

  3.4

  Tenant Deposits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many tenants under the age of 21 years were unable to recover deposits from their former landlords in 1993 and 1994;
  510
  (2) how many students in full-time education were unable to recover tenant deposits in 1993 and 1994;

  (3) how many took legal action against former landlords for non-repayment of tenant deposits in 1993 and 1994;

  (4) how many landlords refused to return tenant deposits in 1993 and 1994;

  (5) what assessment has been made of the number of tenant deposits that were not returned in 1993 and 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The arrangements for holding and return of deposits for private tenancies are for negotiation between the landlord and tenant at the outset of the tenancy. Although we are aware that problems with the return of deposits sometimes arise, we have no figures on the number of cases where deposits have been withheld or action has been taken.

  Dioxins and Furans
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the contamination by(a) dioxins and (b) furans in each local government area in England and Wales; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. Atkins
  No assessment has been made by local government area, as this would be prohibitively expensive. However, a general assessment has been made of contamination, including dioxins and furans, in soil across England and Wales on a 50 km grid basis. This was published in November 1989 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. A programme was also started in 1991 measuring various micropollutants in air, which includes dioxins and furans, in five towns and cities.

  Private Rented Housing
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the demand of student rented housing on the availability of private rented housing for non-students.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  None. The composition of the private rented sector in any locality will be subject to the supply of property available and demand for it. As students comprise only 5 per cent. of households in privately rented accommodation, we have no reason to believe that demand for student housing is likely to make it more difficult for non-students to find accommodation except, perhaps, in a limited number of localities.

  Housing in Multiple Occupation
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils in England and Wales have introduced a registration scheme for houses in multiple occupation.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Since 30 April 1991, when local authorities were given powers to charge for registering houses in multiple occupation, 49 councils in England have introduced registration schemes. Registration schemes do not necessarily cover the whole of an authority's area, but may be for a specified district. Records for the period prior to 30 April 1991 are incomplete, but we believe that there are a further 19 councils in England operating registration schemes.
  511
  The figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Energy Saving Trust
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what estimate he has made of the income of the Energy Saving Trust in each year from 1994–95 to the year 2000, and for each year, the percentage of this income to be derived from each identifiable source;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the percentage of the income of the Energy Saving Trust to be derived from levies on consumers' fuel bills in each year from 1994–95 levies on consumers' fuel bills in each year from 1994–95 to the year 2000;

  (3) what estimate he has made of the expenditure of the Energy Saving Trust in each year from 1994–95 till the year 2000.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Energy Saving Trust is an independent company. The detailed financial implications of its contribution to the Government's climate change programme must properly be a matter for the trust.

  Rents
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average rent paid by tenants of private landlords; and what were the equivalent figures for 1978–79 in actual and real terms.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The only figure available for 1978–79 is for median rent, and this measure is used for both years. Estimated private rents in England were a median of £48.50 a week in 1993–94 and £4.75 a week in 1978–79, the latter being equivalent to £13 a week at 1993–94 prices.

  These estimates are from the 1993–94 survey of English housing and the 1978–79 private renters survey, and are subject to sampling error.

  Housing Association
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Housing Association properties have been built since 1979; how many of these have since been wholly sold to the tenant; how many are part-owned by the tenant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Housing associations built some 253,000 and rehabilitated 173,000 homes between 1979 and the end of June 1994. In the same period, associations sold some 81,500 properties outright to tenants, 28,400 on a shared-ownership basis, and 8,800 under the do-it-yourself shared ownership scheme. Some of these sales were of pre-1979 properties: separate figures for post-1979 properties are not available.

  Albert Dock
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who will own Albert dock after the Merseyside development corporation ceases to exist; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Merseyside development corporation is looking at a number of options for transferring the freehold. These include setting up a management company in which the freehold would be vested and management arrangements in which all long 512
  leaseholders, including the residents' association, would be involved.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed up by an application to join the company concerned.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information on offers of outside employment to staff below grade 3 is not recorded centrally in this Department. Since February 1993, no officer at grade 3 or above has reported such an offer, although three officers in these grades have applied under the business appointment rules to take up posts after retirement.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to promote further improvement in air quality.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am publishing a wide-ranging statement of the Government's strategic policies for improving air quality at 9 am tomorrow, when copies will be placed in the Vote Office and the Libraries of the House.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 15 and 16 December 1994.

  Mr. Gummer
  I attended the Environment Council in Brussels on 15 and 16 December with my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside. The Council reached a common position on the directive on polychlorinated biphenyls in a form acceptable to the United Kingdom. The Council decided by a qualified majority on a list of hazardous waste as required by directive 91/689. The UK and Italy voted against because the list contains wastes which, under certain circumstances, are not hazardous, and thereby contrary to the directive.

  Council conclusions were agreed on a Community strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which, inter alia, reflected the view reached at the European summit at Essen on the possibility of an optional carbon and energy tax. Council conclusions were also agreed on the preparation of an EU position for the first conference of the parties to the framework convention on climate change.

  During the discussion of the Commission's annual report on the implementation of Community law my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside emphasised the need to consider the effectiveness of existing Community legislation in the real world and suggested that there should be an assessment of each piece of environmental legislation to see how successful it had been in meeting its objectives.

  There were helpful discussions to prepare the EU position for the next meeting of the Commission for sustainable development and on the draft biocides

  513
  directive. Council conclusions were also agreed on transport and the environment following a useful debate during which I highlighted the very positive measures which the UK Government have already taken in this area.

  Regional Enterprise Grants
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what resources will be available for the regional enterprise grants scheme in 1995–96.

  Mr. Curry
  The regional enterprise grant scheme will continue to operate on the basis of existing criteria in 1995–96 as part of the single regeneration budget. A maximum of £13.7 million will be available for existing and new commitments during the year.

EDUCATION

  Pupil-to-teacher Ratios
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the pupil-to-teacher ratio as at January 1994 for each local education authority in(a) the primary sector, (b) the secondary sector and (c) overall.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Pupil:teacher ratios for maintained primary and secondary schools and overall in each local education authority in England—January 1994

  Pupil:teacher ratio within schools

  LEA

  Primary(including grant-maintained)1

  Secondary(including grant-maintained)1

  Over all pupil:teacher ratio2

  Corporation of London

  15.0

  N/A

  14.3

  Camden

  20.5

  15.3

  16.2

  Greenwich

  21.0

  16.4

  17.3

  Hackney

  19.9

  14.6

  16.3

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  18.9

  15.2

  15.6

  Islington

  20.3

  15.4

  14.0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  17.7

  12.5

  14.5

  Lambeth

  19.1

  14.8

  15.8

  Lewisham

  21.5

  16.2

  17.0

  Southwark

  22.4

  17.0

  18.0

  Tower Hamlets

  18.0

  14.2

  14.6

  Wandsworth

  19.8

  14.7

  15.9

  Westminster

  17.6

  15.5

  14.2

  Barking and Dagenham

  22.1

  17.1

  18.2

  Barnet

  21.0

  15.0

  16.2

  Bexley

  23.5

  16.5

  18.7

  Brent

  22.0

  15.9

  17.6

  Bromley

  24.4

  16.2

  18.1

  Croydon

  21.8

  16.9

  17.9

  Ealing

  21.3

  16.3

  18.2

  Enfield

  22.5

  16.6

  18.0

  Haringey

  20.4

  13.9

  16.4

  Harrow

  20.5

  15.7

  17.3

  Havering

  23.1

  16.5

  18.0

  Hillingdon

  22.1

  16.4

  18.3

  Hounslow

  21.1

  16.2

  17.5

  Kingston upon Thames

  23.5

  16.0

  16.9

  Merton

  20.2

  16.1

  17.2

  Newham

  24.3

  17.1

  20.0

  Redbridge

  22.9

  16.6

  17.9

  Richmond upon Thames

  20.6

  16.9

  17.3

  Sutton

  24.4

  16.9

  18.7

  Waltham Forest

  21.9

  15.9

  17.9

  Birmingham

  23.3

  16.3

  18.1

  Coventry

  22.7

  15.8

  17.5

  514

  Pupil:teacher ratios for maintained primary and secondary schools and overall in each local education authority in England—January 1994

  Pupil:teacher ratio within schools

  LEA

  Primary(including grant-maintained)1

  Secondary(including grant maintained)1

  Overall pupil:reacher ratio2

  Dudley

  22.5

  16.7

  18.3

  Sandwell

  22.5

  15.9

  17.2

  Solihull

  23.3

  16.4

  17.8

  Walsall

  22.4

  15.8

  17.5

  Wolverhampton

  21.3

  15.4

  16.6

  Knowsley

  23.5

  16.9

  19.7

  Liverpool

  23.4

  15.9

  19.1

  St. Helens

  22.0

  15.3

  17.5

  Sefton

  23.2

  16.4

  18.3

  Wirral

  22.6

  16.3

  18.0

  Bolton

  22.0

  16.1

  17.9

  Bury

  23.4

  17.1

  19.4

  Manchester

  22.3

  15.7

  18.6

  Oldham

  22.9

  15.6

  18.2

  Rochdale

  24.3

  16.9

  19.3

  Salford

  23.7

  16.6

  19.5

  Stockport

  23.6

  16.4

  19.2

  Tameside

  24.9

  17.4

  20.0

  Trafford

  24.4

  16.2

  19.4

  Wigan

  22.9

  15.8

  17.8

  Barnsley

  24.2

  17.1

  19.1

  Doncaster

  23.5

  16.3

  18.2

  Rotherham

  21.3

  15.8

  17.5

  Sheffield

  22.4

  16.5

  18.3

  Bradford

  21.3

  17.3

  16.6

  Calderdale

  23.7

  16.3

  17.9

  Kirklees

  22.1

  15.8

  17.7

  Leeds

  23.4

  16.0

  18.6

  Wakefield

  23.1

  16.3

  18.6

  Gateshead

  21.6

  15.7

  16.6

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  22.9

  16.5

  18.5

  North Tyneside

  23.1

  17.0

  18.1

  South Tyneside

  23.2

  17.0

  18.6

  Sunderland

  22.1

  16.1

  17.8

  Isles of Scilly

  14.0

  8.8

  10.7

  Avon

  23.1

  16.2

  18.0

  Bedfordshire

  22.0

  17.2

  18.1

  Berkshire

  22.9

  16.0

  17.6

  Buckinghamshire

  23.0

  16.8

  18.6

  Cambridgeshire

  23.3

  17.1

  18.1

  Cheshire

  23.9

  16.8

  19.1

  Cleveland

  23.8

  17.0

  18.5

  Cornwall

  23.3

  17.3

  19.1

  Cumbria

  22.5

  16.0

  18.0

  Derbyshire

  23.3

  15.7

  17.7

  Devon

  22.9

  16.4

  18.8

  Dorset

  23.4

  17.2

  19.6

  Durham

  22.9

  16.6

  18.2

  East Sussex

  22.3

  16.1

  17.7

  Essex

  22.8

  17.1

  18.8

  Gloucestershire

  22.5

  17.7

  18.4

  Hampshire

  22.4

  16.4

  18.8

  Hereford and Worcester

  22.2

  17.3

  18.3

  Hertfordshire

  22.2

  15.7

  17.7

  Humberside

  24.3

  17.5

  19.2

  Isle of Wight

  22.3

  17.6

  17.4

  Kent

  23.9

  16.7

  18.7

  Lancashire

  23.0

  16.1

  17.8

  Leicestershire

  22.5

  16.4

  17.7

  Lincolnshire

  23.3

  15.8

  17.9

  Norfolk

  21.9

  15.7

  17.7

  North Yorkshire

  22.9

  16.0

  17.4

  Northamptonshire

  22.6

  16.6

  17.7

  Northumberland

  24.3

  18.1

  18.8

  Nottinghamshire

  22.9

  15.8

  18.0

  Oxfordshire

  21.5

  16.8

  17.4

  Shropshire

  23.1

  16.1

  18.0

  Somerset

  22.6

  16.6

  17.6

  Staffordshire

  25.1

  17.5

  19.7

  Suffolk

  21.6

  16.2

  16.9

  515

  Pupil: teacher ratios for maintained primary and secondary schools and overall in each local education authority in England—January 1994

  Pupil:teacher ratio within schools

  LEA

  Primary(including grant-maintained)1

  Secondary(including grant-maintained)1

  Overall pupil: teacher ratio2

  Surrey

  21.8

  16.8

  18.9

  Warwickshire

  22.1

  16.1

  17.7

  West Sussex

  22.0

  16.5

  17.9

  Wiltshire

  22.9

  16.7

  17.9

  England

  22.7

  16.4

  18.13

  1 Excluding all unqualified teachers and teachers providing short term cover as well as teachers absent for a term or more but including the latter's qualified replacements, if any.

  2 The overall pupil:teacher ratio is measured across the three maintained school types—nursery, primary and secondary. The figures include all qualified teachers (including those not in schools and teachers providing short term cover), student teachers, instructors and licensed teachers employed by local education authorities.

  3 Includes an estimate of the full-time equivalent of teachers employed by Northamptonshire LEA.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her latest estimate of the number of surplus places in primary and secondary schools in(a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on Friday 9 December 1994,Official Report, columns 410–14.

  Book and Equipment Expenditure
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent by each local education authority on books and equipment in 1993–94 prices in(a) 1979–80 and (b) 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table sets out expenditure in 1993–94 prices by LEAs in England on books and equipment at LEA-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in 1979–80 and 1992–93, the latest year for which figures are available. These figures are drawn from LEAs' own returns of their expenditure to the Department of the Environment. Equivalent information is not available for grant-maintained schools.

  Expenditure on books and equipment in 1979–80 and 1992–93 by LEA (in 1993–94 prices)

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1979–80 £000s

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1992–93 £000s

  ILEA

  43,087

  —

  Corporation of London

  0

  24

  Camden

  0

  1,702

  Greenwich

  0

  1,526

  Hackney

  0

  808

  Hammersmith

  0

  847

  Islington

  0

  1,232

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  787

  Lambeth

  0

  331

  Lewisham

  0

  5,919

  Southwark

  0

  1,856

  516

  Expenditure on books and equipment in 1979–80 and 1992–93 by LEA (in 1993–94 prices)

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1979–80 £000s

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1992–93 £000s

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  3,942

  Wandsworth

  0

  1,251

  Westminster

  0

  4,252

  Barking

  1,102

  2,666

  Barnet

  2,431

  3,990

  Bexley

  2,446

  1,779

  Brent

  3,031

  2,087

  Bromley

  2,418

  1,919

  Croydon

  2,673

  2,832

  Ealing

  2,488

  1,626

  Enfield

  2,231

  1,239

  Haringey

  2,240

  365

  Harrow

  2,036

  2,835

  Havering

  2,288

  2,974

  Hillingdon

  2,171

  2,167

  Hounslow

  1,791

  2,970

  Kingston upon Thames

  920

  1,189

  Merton

  1,301

  2,166

  Newham

  2,623

  3,043

  Redbridge

  1,877

  3,377

  Richmond upon Thames

  897

  1,269

  Sutton

  1,412

  1,060

  Waltham Forest

  2,649

  1,904

  Birmingham

  7,449

  12,626

  Coventry

  2,961

  3,060

  Dudley

  1,579

  2,258

  Sandwell

  2,774

  2,689

  Solihull

  1,587

  3,169

  Walsall

  2,589

  3,525

  Wolverhampton

  2,437

  1,910

  Knowsley

  1,854

  1,995

  Liverpool

  4,618

  3,678

  St. Helens

  1,313

  2,453

  Sefton

  2,533

  3,227

  Wirral

  2,744

  3,030

  Bolton

  2,397

  4,104

  Bury

  1,676

  1,837

  Manchester

  6,040

  4,980

  Oldham

  2,042

  3,263

  Rochdale

  2,112

  1,641

  Salford

  2,305

  440

  Stockport

  2,474

  4,270

  Tameside

  1,847

  2,587

  Trafford

  1,374

  2,092

  Wigan

  2,882

  4,157

  Barnsley

  2,117

  2,945

  Doncaster

  3,034

  0

  Rotherham

  1,818

  2,612

  Sheffield

  5,141

  4,561

  Bradford

  3,633

  4,561

  Calderdale

  1,434

  2,346

  Kirklees

  2,492

  5,708

  Leeds

  4,689

  6,001

  Wakefield

  2,419

  3,238

  Gateshead

  1,934

  2,511

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,744

  2,492

  North Tyneside

  1,797

  36

  South Tyneside

  2,115

  1,797

  Sunderland

  3,005

  3,874

  Isle of Scilly

  13

  5

  Avon

  5,974

  14,342

  Bedfordshire

  5,450

  7,122

  Berkshire

  5,473

  9,936

  Buckinghamshire

  4,890

  7,700

  Cambridgeshire

  4,815

  8,698

  Cheshire

  6,857

  9,268

  Cleveland

  5,879

  6,754

  Cornwall

  3,366

  5,429

  517

  Expenditure on books and equipment in 1979–80 and 1992–93 by LEA (in 1993–94 prices)

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1979–80 £000s

  Nursery, primary and secondary 1992–93 £000s

  Cumbria

  3,500

  4,456

  Derbyshire

  7,425

  8,759

  Devon

  6,253

  12,447

  Dorset

  4,022

  5,544

  Durham

  4,121

  4,676

  East Sussex

  5,273

  7,784

  Essex

  12,136

  15,367

  Gloucestershire

  3,285

  5,096

  Hampshire

  9,142

  20,274

  Hereford and Worcester

  4,833

  7,919

  Hertfordshire

  8,672

  2,707

  Humberside

  7,847

  11,924

  Isle of Wight

  1,090

  1,420

  Kent

  13,196

  9,135

  Lancashire

  9,734

  20,806

  Leicestershire

  6,836

  15,985

  Lincolnshire

  3,797

  7,299

  Norfolk

  5,746

  5,752

  North Yorkshire

  5,389

  10,301

  Northamptonshire

  4,775

  7,352

  Northumberland

  2,902

  3,012

  Nottinghamshire

  8,477

  11,989

  Oxfordshire

  5,165

  6,560

  Shropshire

  2,782

  1,007

  Somerset

  3,025

  4,384

  Staffordshire

  10,261

  11,643

  Suffolk

  4,542

  16,827

  Surrey

  4,848

  5,917

  Warwickshire

  3,133

  6,230

  West Sussex

  5,476

  10,129

  Wiltshire

  4,242

  6,876

  Total

  406,716

  522,438

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many staff in her Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  Since February 1993, nine staff in this Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer, as required under the civil service management code. In each case, applications have been made to join the company concerned.

  Ministerial Visits, Bradford
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what is the purpose of her visit in March to Bradford city technology college; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will visit local authority schools when she visits Bradford in March;

  (3) how many invitations to visit maintained schools in Bradford she has received since her appointment from (a) the hon. Member for Bradford, West and (b) Bradford local education authority; and what has been her response to those invitations;
  518
  (4) how many of (a) her predecessors, (b) Ministers from her Department and (c) other Ministers have visited Bradford city technology college since it opened.

  Mr. Robin Squires
  My right hon. Friend will be visiting Dixons city technology college in Bradford on 1 March. She likes to visit schools when time permits and this will be her first visit to a CTC. A programme for the day has yet to be settled but my right hon. Friend very much looks forward to visiting local authority schools if this can be arranged.

  Between July and November last year, my right hon. Friend received three invitations from the hon. Member and three from the local authority to visit schools in Bradford. Other pressures ruled out an early visit to Bradford and many other parts of the country. My right hon. Friend did, however, meet the hon. Member and representatives of Bradford local education authority on 26 September in London and my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Forth) made a full day's vi sit to local authority schools in Bradford in November 1993.

  Dixons city technology college opened in September 1990 and has been visited by two previous Secretaries of State for Education, including for the occasion of Ihe official opening. It has also been visited by my right hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar).

  Voluntary-aided Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will update the table of underspending and overspending on grants to voluntary-aided schools published on 28 January 1994,Official Report, columns 413–14, to include the relevant figures for 1993–94; what changes have been made to her Department's approval, monitoring and in-year reallocation procedures; to what extent such changes have contributed to any reduction in 1993–94 underspending; and whether there are reasons to expect either underspending or overspending to be reported for 1994–95.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Details of aided school capital and repair grant budget provision, final outturn and percentage of underspend or overspend for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 are as follows:

  Year

  Budget £ million

  Outturn £ million

  Per cent. under/overspend

  Repairs:

  1990–91

  35

  41.8

  19 overspend

  1991–92

  47.5

  49.1

  3 overspend

  1992–93

  55

  36.8

  33 underspend

  1993–94

  48

  37

  23 underspend

  Capital:

  1990–91

  71

  64

  10 underspend

  1991–92

  84.2

  63.9

  24 underspend

  1992–93

  96.6

  81.3

  16 underspend

  1993–94

  841

  79.5

  13 underspend

  1 £2 million was transferred in year to GM schools capital budget to meet commitments for projects at voluntary aided schools which became grant-maintained during the year. The percentage rate of underspend shown is therefore based on a budget figure of £82 million.

  A number of detailed changes have been introduced to the Department's internal procedures and these are being reviewed further in preparation for the introduction of a new computer system in the course of the next financial

  519
  year. Administrative work relating to the approval of building projects has been moved from London to Darlington and integrated with the work of grant allocation and monitoring. A series of seminars has been held to improve LEA and voluntary bodies' understanding of the grants system and procedures that they must follow. The comments of seminar delegates on the existing system are being taken into account. Detailed written guidance setting out procedures will shortly be issued to schools, LEAs and voluntary bodies.

  In the current year the latest estimate is for a small overspend on the capital budget, balanced by a similar underspend on the repair budget, but my hon. Friend will be aware that a high proportion of grant falls to be paid near the end of the financial year.

  Allowing for the fact that the expenditure is responsive to demand, I believe that the procedural changes introduced over the last two years have made an important contribution to the reduced underspend in 1993–94 and to the improvement which is in prospect for the current year.

  Education Information
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to require privately operated schools(a) to provide and (b) to publish the same information as local authority schools are obliged to provide under the Publication of Information (Standards of Performance) direction 1994.

  Mr. Forth
  I am not aware of this direction. The proprietors of independent schools are required by the Education (School Performance Information) (England) Regulations 1994 to provide information identical to that provided by maintained schools for publication in the annual school and college performance tables.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) what is the offence for which each prisoner, at present being held in a special secure unit, was sentenced;

  (2) how long each prisoner who was held in a special secure unit in prisons in England and Wales on 10 January has been held in such a unit.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the offences for which each prisoner at present being held in a Special Secure Unit was sentenced and how long those prisoners had been held in such a unit.

  The information on the eight prisoners currently held in Special Secure Units is given below:

  Offences for which convicted

  Length of time in Special Secure Unit at 10 January 1995

  1. Attempted Murder and Robbery

  2 years

  2. Importation of Drugs

  1 year 5 months

  520

  Offences for which convicted

  Length of time in Special Secure Unit at 10 January 1995

  3. Attempted Murder and Conspiracy to Cause Explosions

  1 years 3 months

  4. Conspiracy to Cause Explosions and Possession of Firearms and Explosives

  3 years and 1 month

  5. Attempted Murder (2 counts) and Possession of Firearms

  1 year 9 months

  6. Possession of Explosives with Intent and Conspiracy to Cause Explosions

  2 months

  7. Armed Robbery (2 counts). Using a Firearm to Resist Arrest, Possession of a Firearm with Intent, and Assault with Intent to Resist Arrest

  9 months

  8. Possession of Firearms with Intent

  1 year 10 months

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) males and (b) females remanded in custody in 1994 spent (i) up to one week, (ii) one to two weeks, (iii) two to four weeks, (iv) four to eight weeks, (v) eight weeks to three months, (vi) three to six months, (vii) six months to 12 months and (viii) over 12 months in prison before their case was concluded; how many were found not guilty in each section; and what were the figures for each year since 1990.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) males and (b) females remanded in custody in 1994 spent (a) up to one week, (b) one to two weeks, (c) two to four weeks, (d) four to eight weeks, (e) eight weeks to three months, w three to six months, (g) six months to 12 months and (h) over 12 months in prison before their court case was concluded; how many were found guilty in each section; and what were the figures for each year since 1990.

  The readily available information is given in the attached tables, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. I regret that no information is available on the numbers found not guilty.

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1990: by length of time since first reception1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  8,750

  350

  Less than 1 week

  800

  50

  1 week

  —

  —

  More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

  2,000

  100

  More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

  2,650

  100

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  2,050

  100

  More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

  1,100

  50

  More than 12 months

  200

  —

  1 Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  521

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1991: by length of time since first reception1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  8,900

  400

  Less than 1 week

  1,000

  50

  1 week

  10

  —

  More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

  2,050

  100

  More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

  2,850

  100

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  1,800

  100

  More than 6 months and up to and including 12 months

  1,000

  50

  More than 12 months

  200

  —

  1 Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1992: by length of time since first reception1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  9,200

  350

  Less than 1 week

  800

  50

  1 week

  100

  —

  More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

  1,850

  50

  More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

  3,150

  100

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  2,000

  50

  More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

  1,150

  50

  More than 12 months

  200

  —

  1 Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1993: by length of time since first reception1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  10,250

  400

  Less than 1 week

  850

  50

  1 week

  150

  —

  More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

  2,100

  100

  More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

  3,250

  150

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  2,250

  100

  More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

  1,300

  40

  Over than 12 months

  400

  10

  1 Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  522

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1994: by length of time since first reception1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  12,150

  550

  Less than 1 week

  850

  50

  1 week

  150

  —

  More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

  2,150

  100

  More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

  3,800

  150

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  2,550

  100

  More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

  1,900

  100

  More than 12 months

  750

  50

  1 Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  AIDS Advisory Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the recommendations made by the Prison Service AIDS advisory committee; and when he expects to respond.

  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. Harry Cohen, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about publishing the recommendations made by the Prison Service AIDS Advisory Committee.

  The report of the Committee and its recommendations are extensive and require careful consideration. It is not yet possible to provide a response date.

  A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House once decisions on the recommendations have been reached.

  HM Prison, Everthorpe
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the recommended establishment of inmates that HM Prison, Everthorpe should hold; what it was when the prison was opened; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list by category the number of inmaies held at HM Prison, Everthorpe on 2 January; what the figures were for each year since 1990: and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Everthorpe prison.

  Everthorpe had previously held young offenders but was converted to hold 304 adult prisoners and re-opened in October 1991. In July 1994 a new education block was built and the original one converted into a hostel for up to 14 prisoners, bringing its

  523
  potential capacity to 318. Between 1991 and 1994 work to upgrade the accommodation, including installing toilets in cells, meant that on average about 75 per cent. of the cells were usable.

  On 2 January this year there were 229 category C and 32 category D prisoners at Everthorpe. It is not possible to distinguish between those categories for earlier years. On the same date in each of the five years to 1994 the number of prisoners at Everthorpe was 344, 252, 169, 222 and 216 respectively.

  The Home Secretary has already made a statement about Everthorpe prison in his speech of 10 January [Hansard Col. 31].

  Drug Addicts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each metropolitan borough council in south Yorkshire, how many children were identified as drug addicts in each year since 1988 by type of drug; and what assessment he has made of the incidence of drug addiction amongst children in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Under the Misuse of Drugs (Notification of and Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1973, doctors are required only to notify the Home Office if they attend persons they know, or have reasonable grounds to suspect, are addicted to cocaine or any of 13 opiate drugs. Since 1988, the Home Office has received only one such notification from south Yorkshire—Rotherham—for a child under the age of 16 which referred to an addiction to cocaine.

  Diamorphine
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many doctors currently prescribe diamorphine for drug addicts in each metropolitan borough council in south Yorkshire; and what were the figures for each year since 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Under the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs (Notification of and Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1973, as amended, doctors may be licensed to prescribe diamorphine in the treatment of addiction. Currently available records, from 1991 only, indicate that no applications have been received from doctors in any of the south Yorkshire metropolitan borough councils.

  Europol Database
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the legal status of the proposed Europol large database in The Hague; by whom and by what mechanism it is controlled; what transfers of United Kingdom information and data to Europol are proposed; what proposals there are for inaccurate data to be accessed, challenged and corrected; what legislation is required to facilitate United Kingdom involvement in the project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Europol drugs unit in The Hague is based on the ministerial agreement signed by Ministers of the interior and justice in Copenhagen in June 1993. It has no central database. Negotiations are continuing on the draft convention, which will establish the full Europol. A draft text was submitted for scrutiny on 17 November 1994.

  Prison Riots
  Mrs Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where and when riots have occurred in 524
  prisons, over the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what has been the cost of repairing damage caused and of relocating prisoners in each case.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the occurrence of riots in prisons over the last ten years and the cost of repairing damage caused and of relocating prisoners in each case.

  The number of disturbances since 1984 are shown in the table below:

  Year

  Number

  1984–851

  38

  1985–86

  38

  1986–87

  45

  1987–88

  42

  1988–89

  67

  1989–90

  67

  1990–91

  105

  1991–92

  149

  1992–93

  142

  1993–94

  146

  1994–13/1/95

  96

  1 For this year only the figures are for a 15 month period.

  The attached tables provide details of:

  (a) the more serious disturbances since 1988; and

  (b) the cost of building repair work

  We have been able to obtain detailed information on disturbances before June 1988.

  In some cases where serious damage was caused, the opportunity was taken to refurbish beyond merely repairing the damage caused by a disturbance. This might mean refurbishing a complete wing or, in the case of Manchester, refurbishment of the whole prison. Where this occurred, it is shown on the table.

  The cost involved in transferring prisoners to other establishments as a result of a serious disturbance is not available centrally.

  Prison

  Cost of damage£000

  Comments

  20 June 1988 to 31 March 1989

  Hindley

  0

  Haverigg

  217.8

  Lindholme

  100.8

  Northeye

  0

  Estimated cost £4.13m—prison closed

  Whatton

  0

  Canterbury

  0

  1April 1998 to 31 March 1990

  Spring Hill

  0.5

  Risley

  5,000

  Cost of replacing/refurbishing wing

  Brixton

  0

  Kirklevington

  10

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  Frankland

  0

  Blundeston

  3.2

  Manchester

  25,000

  Excludes full refurbishment costs

  Bristol

  2,600

  Cardiff

  27.4

  525

  Prison

  Cost of damage £000

  Comments

  Pucklechurch

  59.6

  Dartmoor

  185.6

  Glen Parva

  22.3

  Portland

  0.7

  Stoke Heath

  11.2

  Norwich

  0

  Full Sutton

  3.5

  Acklington

  11.4

  Kirklevington

  10

  Acklington

  1.5

  Full Sutton

  3

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  Full Sutton

  22

  Full Sutton

  3

  Norwich

  5

  Full Sutton

  0

  Frankland

  20

  Frankland

  3

  Lindholme

  15

  Moorland

  196.1

  Brinsford

  58

  Durham

  19.7

  Kirklevington

  20

  Haslar

  0

  Nottingham

  0

  Whitemoor

  0

  Wymott

  150

  1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993

  Durham

  5

  Full Sutton

  164.8

  Includes repairs from incident in 1991/92

  Frankland

  1

  Full Sutton

  1.3

  Lindholme

  3

  Holme House

  6.3

  Moorland

  22

  Dartmoor

  0

  Highpoint

  2.4

  Reading

  145

  Wolds

  5

  Whitemoor

  2.5

  Acklington

  5.2

  Parkhurst

  19.8

  Leeds

  75

  Full Sutton

  6

  1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994

  Wymott

  5,000

  Excludes costs of rebuilding wings

  Whitemoor

  17

  Wolds

  23

  Haverigg

  1

  Everthorpe

  0

  Styal

  1.3

  Acklington

  1

  Bullingdon

  1

  Whitemoor

  0.6

  Blakenhurst

  25

  Lindholme

  2

  1 April 1994 to 13 January 1995

  The Verne

  0

  Styal

  2.3

  Haslar

  0

  Highpoint

  1.5

  526

  Prison

  Cost of damage £000

  Comments

  Haslar

  0

  Guys Marsh

  0

  Everthorpe

  130

  Estimated

  Everthorpe

  Swaleside

  1

  Armed Response Units
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police authorities currently have armed response units;

  (2) how many non-fatal injuries have resulted from the deployment of armed response units in each police authority area in each of the past five years;

  (3) how many members of armed response units have been killed or injured in each police authority area in each of the last five years;

  (4) how many deaths have resulted from the deployment of armed response units in each police authority area in each of the past five years;

  (5) how many people have been killed or injured by police marksmen in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following information is available centrally. On 31 December 1993, 33 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales operated armed response vehicles. The number of people killed or injured as a result of shots fired by authorised police firearms officers, including armed response vehicle officers, in England and Wales between 1984 and 1993—figures for 1994 are riot yet available—was as follows:

  Killed

  Injured

  1984

  —

  5

  1985

  2

  2

  1986

  no deaths or injuries

  1987

  5

  6

  1988

  —

  3

  1989

  Metropolitan Police

  2

  —

  1990

  Metropolitan Police

  3

  —

  1991

  Cheshire

  1

  —

  Northumbria

  1

  1

  West Mercia

  1

  —

  Metropolitan Police

  —

  1

  1992

  Metropolitan Police

  1

  3

  West Yorkshire

  1

  —

  Suffolk

  1

  —

  Durham

  —

  1

  Surrey

  —

  1

  Sussex

  —

  1

  South Yorkshire

  —

  1

  527

  Killed

  Injured

  1993

  Kent

  —

  1

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  —

  Metropolitan Police

  2

  1

  The number of Metropolitan police armed response vehicle officers injured during the first three years the force operated these vehicles were one in 1991, none in 1992 and two in 1993. None was killed. Corresponding figures are not centrally available for the rest of England and Wales although statistics for notifiable offences in which a police officer on duty was injured by a firearm are set out in table 3A of the published criminal statistics for England and Wales 1993, Cmnd 2680.

  News International
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last two years immigration officials have visited or contacted the News International plant in Wapping; and what has been the outcome.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Details of contacts made with commercial organisations by the divisions and directorates in the immigration and nationality department of the Home Office are not collated centrally and the information requested is not, therefore available.

  Immigration
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend his policy on family reunion for people granted exceptional leave to remain; and what representations he has received on this subject.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Representations have been received from the Refugee Council, United Nations Association and representatives of religious organisation, but we have no plans to amend our policy.

  Police, Northumberland
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of police officers to(a) population and (b) crimes in the Northumberland police authority area.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary for 1993 gives a ratio of one police officer to every 399 persons in Northumbria.

  Taking recorded crime for the year to June 1994 and force establishment at 30 June 1994, there were 58 crimes per police officer in Northumbria.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides there were in prisons in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General for the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  528
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about suicides in prison.

  Table one below gives the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales for the years 1990 to 1994 inclusive, and 1995 to 12 January.

  Table One

  Year

  Number of deaths

  1990

  50

  1991

  42

  1992

  41

  1993

  47

  1994

  60

  1995

  3

  Table two gives the breakdown of these figures by the verdict of the Coroners' Courts.

  Table Two

  Year

  Suicide

  Misadventure

  Accidental death

  No verdict

  Open

  1990

  33

  2

  4

  —

  11

  1991

  33

  2

  2

  —

  5

  1992

  27

  5

  1

  —

  8

  1993

  35

  1

  —

  4

  7

  1994

  16

  4

  2

  35

  3

  1995

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Young Offenders, Northumberland
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) children aged eight to 15 years and (b) youths aged 16 to 20 years have been convicted of offences in south-east Northumberland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for the age groups 10 to 15 and 16 to 20 is given in the table. Children below the age of 10-the age of criminal—responsibility—may not be found guilty of an offence.

  Number of young persons found guilty in South East Northumberland1 magistrates' court and at the Crown Court by the committing South East Northumberland1 magistrates' court by age-group and type of offence 1989–1993

  Age-groups

  Year/Type of offence

  10–15

  16–20

  1989

  Indictable offences

  60

  335

  Summary non-motoring offences

  12

  286

  Summary motoring offences

  7

  279

  All offences

  79

  900

  1990

  Indictable offences

  39

  327

  Summary non-motoring offences

  11

  263

  Summary motoring offences

  2

  294

  All offences

  52

  884

  1991

  Indictable offences

  38

  323

  Summary non-motoring offences

  13

  204

  Summary motoring offences

  2

  307

  All offences

  53

  834

  529

  Number of young persons found guilty in South East Northumberland1 magistrates' court and at the Crown Court by the committing South East Northumberland1 magistrates' court by age-group and type of offence 1989–1993

  Age-groups

  Year/Type of offence

  10–15

  16–20

  1992

  Indictable offences

  49

  352

  Summary non-motoring offences

  14

  217

  Summary motoring offences

  1

  337

  All offences

  64

  906

  1993

  Indictable offences

  56

  268

  Summary non-motoring offences

  15

  162

  Summary motoring offences

  2

  216

  All offences

  73

  646

  1 From 1 April 1993 Blyth Valley, Morpeth Ward and Wansbeck Petty Sessional Divisions combined to form the South East Northumberland PSD. Data given for the years 1989 to 1992 and part 1993 is for the three PSDs combined.

  Family Reunion Applications
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have at present applied for family reunion; and how many of these applications are from people who(a) have applied for asylum, (b) have been given exceptional leave to remain and (c) have been given refugee status.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on the number of applications for family reunion from persons seeking asylum, persons recognised as refugees and persons refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain is not available.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for granting family reunion for people on exceptional leave to remain and be given refugee status; what is the average wait for an application for family reunification; and how many applications are currently outstanding.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Persons who have been recognised as refugees in the United Kingdom are eligible to be joined immediately by their spouses and minor children under the family reunion concession. Applications are considered under the immigration rules, but maintenance and accommodation requirements which are applied to other immigration cases, are waived for refugees.

  Applications for family reunion from the spouse and minor children of a person on exceptional leave will usually be granted after four years, subject to the general requirements of the immigration rules on the admission of spouses and dependants, including those relating to maintenance and accommodation. An application for family reunion may be granted earlier if there are compelling compassionate circumstances. Information on the average wait for an application for family reunification and the number of applications outstanding is not available.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain" for(a) 1993 and (b) 1994 will be published.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Command Paper "Statistics of Scientific Procedures performed on living animals,530
  Great Britain, 1993" is to be published on 26 January. The next similar Command Paper, containing information relating to scientific procedures started in 1994, is expected to be published towards the end of July 1995.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define the categories of experiments on living animals which would fall within the most severe classification; how many applications for licensed experiments for(a) medical and (b) non-medical were under the most severe classifications; and how many applications for experiments in each security category were made in 1993.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Scientific procedures are regarded as being of substantial severity if they result in a major departure from the animal's usual state of health or well-being. These are likely to include acute toxicity procedures where significant morbidity or death is the end point, some efficacy tests of antimicrobial agents and vaccines, some models of disease, and major surgery where significant post-operative suffering may result.

  In 1993, project licence applications in each severity category were submitted: mild, 614; moderate, 743; substantial, 21; unclassified, terminally anaesthetised or decerebrated animals, nine.

  Fourteen of the licences assessed as of overall substantial severity were relevant to human medicine, one to veterinary medicine and six to non-medical topics.

  Election Fraud
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to improve election processes to reduce the possibility of fraud.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  A review established after the 1992 general election has identified a number of detailed improvements in election procedures, including improvements aimed at reducing the possibility of fraud. As a result of this work, new absent voting application forms have been produced to reduce the risk of fraudulent proxy appointments. We have no proposals for further changes.

  Family Reunion Policies
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest developments regarding harmonisation of family reunion policies across the EU.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  EC immigration Ministers agreed the terms of a resolution on the harmonisation of family reunification policies in Copenhagen in June 1993. There have been no developments since then.

  Public Houses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licensed public houses there were in(a) North Yorkshire (b) South Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire, (d) Humberside and (e) the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The available information by county is given in the table. This information is collected only every three years for each licensing area in England and Wales. Figures are produced and published for each county for the year of collection along with a total for England and Wales for the previous year.
  531

  Public houses, etc1 licensed for the retail sale of intoxicating liquor, as at 30 June 1983 to 1992

  1982

  1983

  1985

  1986

  1988

  1989

  1991

  1992

  Humberside

  —

  941

  —

  1,020

  —

  1,105

  —

  1,143

  North Yorkshire

  —

  1,657

  —

  1,678

  —

  1,714

  —

  1,757

  South Yorkshire

  —

  1,472

  —

  1,462

  —

  1,508

  —

  1,505

  West Yorkshire

  —

  2.673

  —

  2,796

  —

  2,883

  —

  2,889

  England and Wales

  68,373

  69,136

  70,331

  71,200

  71,875

  72,712

  74,229

  74,053

  1 Includes public houses and hotels etc. (other than those licensed under Part IV of the Licensing Act 1964) having a justices' on-licence which authorises the sale of intoxicating liquor for consumption on or off the premises, unless a condition is attached to the licence prohibiting off-sales.

  Drugs, Blyth Valley
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what strategies he is currently promoting to tackle drug problems in Blyth valley; and if he will make it his policy to introduce further measures.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's overall strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing the supply of and demand for drugs throughout the United Kingdom. From 1 April, the area covered by the local drugs prevention team in Newcastle is being extended to the whole of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, including Blyth valley.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on access to travel documents for asylum seekers granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom; what representations he has received about access to travel documents; and what is the average wait to obtain such documents.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I am satisfied that the policy on access to travel documents for asylum seekers granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom, which was introduced on 1 January 1994, allows those who cannot obtain a passport from their own authorities to be issued with such documents. I receive a number of representations from hon. Members, representative organisations and individuals about particular cases. A wide variety of factors influences the time taken to issue travel documents. However, applications on which no further enquiries are necessary are generally completed within eight weeks of receipt in the immigration and nationality department.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements he has with the French authorities to return to France persons refused asylum in the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds;

  (2) what arrangements he has with the German authorities to return to Germany persons refused asylum in the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  There is close liaison with the French and German authorities over the return of persons refused asylum on safe third country grounds in accordance with the immigration rules.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations has been given by his Department and other interested Government Departments to the establishment of a national agency to 532
  manage the custody and supervision of persistent juvenile offenders as recommended in the sixth report of the Home Affairs Committee (HC 441) of Session 1992–93.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office is considering this recommendation against the background of charges to the law on juvenile offenders contained in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications have been lodged with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority since 1 April 1994;

  (2) what has been the administrative cost of considering all applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority since 1 April 1994;

  (3) how many awards have been made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority since 1 April 1994; and in which of the tariff bands those awards fell.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the period 1 April 1994 to 12 January 1995, 49,065 applications were registered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

  Total expenditure on administration of the compensation scheme in the period 1 April 1994 to 31 December 1994 was £11.1 million. It is not possible, at this time, to give a breakdown of that expenditure as between CICB, in respect of applications received before 1 April 1994 CICA, in respect of applications received on or after 1 April 1994 and the appeals panel.

  CICA offered the following awards in the period 1 April 1994 12 January 1995:

  Band

  Awards offered

  1

  320

  2

  67

  3

  330

  4

  23

  5

  131

  6

  43

  7

  190

  8

  39

  9

  20

  10

  22

  11

  15

  12

  69

  13

  4

  14

  1

  15

  2

  16

  11

  17

  3

  19

  1

  25

  1

  Total

  1,292

  533

  Director General of the Prison Service
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how performance-related pay bonuses for the Director General of the Prison Service are calculated; and by whom.

  Mr. Howard
  The performance of the Director General of the Prison Service is assessed on the basis of both qualitative and quantitative measures. They reflect the Prison Service's key targets, as set out in the agency's corporate and business plans, copies of which are in the Library. The details of the arrangements for assessing the performance of the Director General are personal to him and I have no plans to publish them. I decide what performance bonus the Director General should receive on advice from the Permanent-Secretary of the Department.

  Immigration Detainees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the Home Office in the financial year 1993–94 of detaining persons under Immigration Act powers; and if he will provide a breakdown of these costs.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The total cost to the immigration service of running its detention accommodation in the financial year 1993–94 was £7,466,352. This comprises:

  £

  Detention, escort and related costs paid to contractors

  5,132,900

  Running costs, including accommodation charges

  1,065,106

  IS staff costs

  912,454

  Capital expenditure

  355,892

  Information about the costs of immigration detention in police cells and Prison Service establishments is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers currently detained under Immigration Act powers by(a) nationality, (b) gender, (c) length of detention, (d) place of detention and (e) immigration status at the time of application.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  At 13 January 1995, a total of 572 people who had sought asylum were detained. This figure includes people awaiting the setting of directions for removal following refusal of the application, as well as those whose application was under consideration or subject to appeal. Of this figure, 138 had been in detention less than one month, 97 between one and two months, 237 between two and six months and 100 had been in detention longer than six months.

  Information on the gender, immigration status, nationality and location of detention is given in tables A B and C.

  Table A: Number of people detained on 13 January 1995, who had sought asylum, by immigration status and gender.

  Immigration status

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Port case

  285

  20

  305

  Illegal entrant case

  202

  8

  210

  Deportation case

  50

  7

  57

  Total

  537

  35

  572

  534

  Table B: Number of people detained as at 13 January 1995 who had sought asylum, by nationality

  Number detained

  Afghanistan

  1

  Albania

  7

  Algeria

  63

  Angola

  9

  Bangladesh

  16

  Cameroon

  3

  China

  19

  Colombia

  6

  Cyprus (TRNC)

  16

  Dominica

  1

  Ecuador

  2

  Egypt

  1

  Eritrea

  1

  Estonia

  1

  Ethiopia

  3

  Gambia

  3

  Georgia

  1

  Ghana

  60

  Guyana

  1

  India

  61

  Iran

  2

  Iraq

  2

  Ivory Coast

  9

  Jamaica

  4

  Kenya

  6

  Lebanon

  5

  Liberia

  4

  Libya

  4

  Malawi

  1

  Mauritius

  3

  Morocco

  7

  Mozambique

  1

  Niger

  2

  Nigeria

  119

  Pakistan

  32

  Peru

  1

  Poland

  1

  Romania

  10

  Russia

  3

  Sierra Leone

  10

  Somalia

  1

  South Africa

  5

  Sri Lanka

  9

  Sudan

  5

  Trinidad and Tobago

  1

  Tunisia

  1

  Turkey

  20

  Uganda

  2

  Former Yugoslavia

  7

  Zaire

  17

  Zimbabwe

  1

  Nationality doubtful

  2

  Total

  572

  Table C: Number of people detained as at 13 January 1995, who had sought asylum, by location of detention

  Number detained

  Immigration service establishment

  Campsfield House

  145

  Gatwick Beehive

  10

  Harmondsworth

  97

  Manchester airport detention suite

  1

  Queens building

  20

  Stansted

  6

  Newhaven

  2

  Dover Harbour Board

  7

  Holmhouse detention centre

  1

  535

  Table C: Number of people detained as at 13 January 1995, who had sought asylum, by location of detention

  Number detained

  Prison service establishment

  Armley

  6

  Belmarsh

  2

  Birmingham

  28

  Brinsford

  4

  Bristol

  2

  Brixton

  13

  Bullingdon

  2

  Cardiff

  1

  Chelmsford

  1

  Crumlin Road

  2

  Dorchester

  1

  Edinburgh

  1

  Elmley

  3

  Erlestoke House

  1

  Exeter

  2

  Feltham YC centre

  1

  Greenock

  4

  Haslar

  85

  Highdown

  3

  Hindley remand centre

  2

  Holloway

  1

  Leicester

  1

  Lewes

  2

  Maidstone

  1

  Manchester

  5

  Norwich

  3

  Pentonville

  2

  Risley

  1

  Rochester

  59

  Wandsworth

  3

  Winchester

  3

  Winson Green

  3

  Wolds remand prison

  2

  Wormwood scrubs

  7

  Police cells

  26

  Total

  572

  Date of escape

  Establishment

  Offence

  Length of time at large

  17 November 1989

  Feltham

  Burglary

  5 years 2 months

  2 February 1992

  Downview

  Importation of Drugs

  2 years 11 months

  8 November 1992

  Downview

  Importation of Drugs

  2 years 2 months

  4 September 1993

  Downview

  Importation of Drugs

  1 year 4 months

  23 October 1993

  Feltham

  Robbery

  1 year 3 months

  30 August 1994

  Downview

  Robbery

  4 months

  1 January 1995

  Wandsworth

  Burglary

  2 weeks

  Information on whether any of them had previously escaped is not recorded centrally.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Howard
  The information is not available in precisely the form requested. Details of the number of offers received by staff below grade 3 are not recorded centrally. Staff in these grades are required only to report any offers—and, in the case of procurement and contracts staff, any approaches—received from prospective employers to a senior member of staff at least two grades higher.
  536

  Prison Escapes
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many escaped prisoners are currently at large.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of escaped prisoners currently at large.

  This information has only been recorded centrally since 20 June 1988. From that date to 13 January this year (inclusive) 123 prisoners who escaped are still unlawfully at large.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many escaped prisoners from prisons in the Greater London regions are currently at large; how long each has been at large; what offences each has been convicted of; from which prison each escaped; and whether each has escaped before.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners who have escaped from prisons in the Greater London area and who are still currently at large; their offences; the prisons from which they escaped; the length of time they have been at large and whether those prisoners had escaped before.

  The information you request has only been recorded centrally since 20 June 1988. The table below gives the relevant details of the seven prisoners who escaped between 20 June 1988 and 13 January this year (inclusive) and who are still at large:

  Since February 1993, there have been 10 applications under the business appointment rules by Home Office staff for permission to take up offers of employment from outside employers on leaving Crown service. In the same period, three additional members of staff reported offers of employment which did not require an application under the rules. In each case, the report was followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Crime Victims (Compensation)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the totals of compensation paid to the victims of crime in each of the past 10 years; and what he expects it to be in each of the next three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The amounts of compensation paid under the criminal injuries compensation scheme in the
  537
  last 10 years, and the forecast expenditure in the next three years are as follows:

  Year

  Compensation paid/payable £ million

  1984–85

  35

  1985–86

  42

  1986–87

  48

  1987–88

  52

  1988–89

  69

  1989–90

  73

  1990–91

  109

  1991–92

  144

  1992–93

  152

  1993–94

  165

  1994–95

  178

  1995–96

  180

  1996–97

  142

  1997–98

  144

  It is expected that by the year 2000–01 the amount of compensation payable will exceed £200 million.

  Electric Shock Equipment
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Royal Ordnance possesses or has possessed a section 5 permit allowing it to hold electric shock weapons.

  Mr. Maclean
  Electric shock weapons are covered by section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, as amended, which prohibits the unauthorised possession of any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing. Royal Ordnance holds authority under section 5(1)(b) of the 1968 Act. The terms of this authority are currently under review.

  Justice and Home Affairs Council
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence),Official Report, 20 December, columns 1213–14, what was the voting record of each member state on items agreed at the meeting of the European Community's Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 30 November and 1 December; and if he will make it his practice to include details of all votes in future.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: The items agreed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council were adopted by unanimity, in accordance with the relevant provision of title VI of the treaty on European Union. Although there are possibilities under title VI for the Council to decide procedural matters and certain implementing measures by majority voting, substantive matters can be decided only by unanimity.

  Disturbance (Everthorpe)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the findings of the report on the disturbances at Everthorpe on 2 and 3 January; and if will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today placed in the Library a summary of the findings and the conclusions of the report 538
  together with a report of the action that is being taken in response.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, columns 265–66, what was the number and cost of (a) first-class tickets, (b) business-class tickets and (c) economy-class tickets for overseas flights paid for by the Overseas Development Administration in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The details for overseas flights in respect of ODA in 1993 and 1994 are:

  Class of travel

  Number

  Cost £

  1993

  First Class

  13

  45,400

  Business Class

  800

  717,291

  Economy Class

  57

  28,403

  1994 (January to October)

  First Class

  12

  28,661

  Business Class

  628

  576,375

  Economy Class

  41

  18,597

  For travel in 1992, it is not possible to provide a breakdown by class and mode of travel, nor is it possible to distinguish between overseas and domestic travel. Total expenditure on official travel by UK-based Ministers and officials in the ODA that year was £791,094.

  The proportion of business class flights reflects the long-distance nature of much of ODA's travel.

WALES

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

  Mr. Redwood
  I am responsible for Cadw and Welsh historic monuments and I have joint responsibility for the planning inspectorate and ADAS agencies, as set out in the published framework documents.

  Suckler Cow Premiums
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date the Welsh Office agriculture department released the first suckler cow premiums advance subsidy cheques to Welsh farmers.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  On 24 November 1994.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the reasons for the problems experienced by the Welsh Office Agriculture
  539
  Department in the payment of suckler cow premium during 1994 and the particularly long delays for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Delays in making payments for the 1993 scheme were due to the establishment of a new computer system, when the making of payments was transferred from the MAFF centre at Guildford to the Welsh Office.

  Payments under the 1994 scheme commenced in November 1994.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the likely increase in business rates in Wales arising from the five-year review announced in the Chancellor's Budget speech.

  Mr. Redwood
  The estimated average increase in 1995–96 rate bills for property on the local rating list is 4 per cent.

  VAT (Tourism)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement of the effect on jobs, rural energy and areas dependent on tourism of the extension of VAT to cover tourism activities and entrance fees to tourist sites.

  Mr. Redwood
  The application of VAT is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who announced on 29 November that services relating to entertainment or recreational activities and car parking at airports, which include passenger transport, will become wholly standard rated. The measure will affect a limited range of businesses in Wales.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 rules regarding transfer of council employees to reorganised local authorities apply to all county and district councils in Wales; what representations he has received on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Whether or not the TUPE regulations apply depends on the circumstances of each case. My hon. Friend and I have made it clear on a number of occasions that we will include in the staff transfer order staff whose contracts of employment are considered to be protected under TUPE, but that we do not believe that all local government staff will fall into this category.

  The staff commission for Wales wrote to me on 8 December suggesting that, in order to ensure equal treatment of employees of county and district councils, all staff who wish to transfer should be transferred. My hon. Friend and I have received a large number of representations from hon. Members, councils and others in support of the staff commission's letter.

  We hope to give our response shortly.

  "People and Prosperity: A Challenge to Wales"
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on measures taken to implement 540
  the proposals of the Welsh Office document "People and Prosperity: A Challenge to Wales".

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend will publish an action plan early this year to follow up "People and Prosperity". This will set out the action needed to raise standards, make faster progress towards the national targets for education and training and promote a culture of learning and enterprise.

  Departmental Creche Facilities
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new plans he has to provide creche facilities to staff in his Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 10 January 1995 Official Report, column 50.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Redwood
  Since February 1993, three staff in my Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer and each was followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1994,Official Report, column 367, if he will now publish information for 1993–94 on general practitioner fundholders savings.

  Mr. Richards
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: The amount retained for the financial year 1993–94 was £4,470,000. This will be used by general practitioner fundholders for the benefit of their patients.

  NHS Redundancy Payments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the cost of redundancy payments to NHS staff in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: The information requested is as follows:

  Gross redundancy payments to NHS staff

  £000

  1992–93

  1,496

  1991–92

  984

  1990–91

  254

  1989–90

  84

  1988–89

  108

  Source:

  Health authority financial returns. Pembrokeshire NHS Trust financial returns (1992–93 only)

  Note:

  1992–93 figures are latest available. As from 1993–94 the information is not held centrally.
  541

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Fraud
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount of money was recovered through investigations into social security fraud in the last financial year; and how many staff were employed on these duties.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 17 January 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the amount of money recovered through fraud investigations in the last financial year and the staff employed on these duties.

  Over 3,000 staff are involved in the investigation of benefit fraud.

  Estimated benefit savings, from fraud identified and stopped during 1993–94, were £654m. The value of overpaid benefit actually recouped, including fraud cases, totalled £80m. Information relating to the amount of benefit recovered directly as a result of anti-fraud work is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Fraud Allegations
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will total the number of instances where information from non-custodial parents alleging social security fraud by the parent with care has(a) been reported to the Child Support Agency and (b) been referred to the Benefits Agency for action; and what has been the outcome of these investigations, in respect of each three months of the CSA's existence.

  Mr. Burt
  It is not a business requirement of the Child Support Agency to keep statistics centrally on allegations of benefit fraud as any such allegation is referred to the Benefits Agency for investigation. Statistics provided by the BA on the numbers of cases referred by the CSA and those investigations which subsequently yielded a weekly benefit saving are as follows:

  April-June 1994

  July-September 1994

  October-November 19942

  Total April-November 1994

  Referrals1

  2,897

  2,664

  2,049

  7,610

  Cases yielding WBS

  1,131

  1,086

  748

  2,961

  Percentage

  39

  41

  37

  39

  1 No information is kept on the origins of an allegation eg: Absent Parent, Parent with Care or other.

  2 Two months only.

  Doncaster and Mexborough Benefit Offices
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many invalidity benefit awards have been(a) reviewed, (b) disallowed following review and (c) reinstated on appeal during the last 12 months in each of the Doncaster and Mexborough area Benefits Agency offices.
  542
  Mr. Hague
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 17 January 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Invalidity Benefit (IVB) awards in Doncaster and Mexborough.

  The Benefits Agency (BA) Doncaster District comprises Doncaster West District Office (DO) and Doncaster East Benefit Office (BO). Reviews of IVB cases appropriate to the Doncaster District are centralised at Doncaster West DO.

  Mexborough BO is part of the BA Rother and Dearne District which comprises Rotherham South DO and Goldthorpe, Mexborough and Rotherham North BO's. Reviews of IVB cases for customers dealt with by Mexborough BO are dealt with at that office.

  The information requested is provided in the following table:

  IVB awards reviewed between 1 January and 31 December 1994

  Office

  IVB awards reviewed and disallowed

  IVB awards reinstated on appeal

  Doncaster DO

  616

  126

  Mexborough BO

  260

  55

  Requests for review were received by the Adjudication Officer (AO) in 707 cases at Doncaster and 383 at Mexborough. Of those cases, the AO decided that in 91 cases at Doncaster and 123 at Mexborough the requirements for entitlement to IVB were still satisfied and IVB should not be reviewed. However, in the remaining cases the AO decided that the award of IVB should be reviewed and disallowed.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the full costs of the Government's current campaign on disability; and if he will break down the expenditure by category of advertisement and publication.

  Mr. Hague
  The total cost of the recent public awareness campaign was £1 million, broken down as follows:

  Break down of expenditure

  Advertising

  Posters

  £490,000

  Press

  £310,000

  Insertion appear in:

  Daily Star

  Daily Mirror

  Daily Express

  Daily Mail

  Today

  The Sun

  The Guardian

  The Independent

  Daily Telegraph

  The Times

  News of the World

  Sunday Mirror

  The People

  Sunday Express

  Mail on Sunday

  The Observer

  Sunday Telegraph

  Sunday Mail

  543

  Break down of expenditure

  Publications

  You and Disability leaflet

  £76,000

  Braille and audiotape

  £2,000

  Marketing/distribution

  £44,000

  Research

  £78,000

  Note:

  The Costs of individual press insertions are negotiated individually by our advertising agency and are commercial in confidence.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of disabled people in the United Kingdom; how that figure is arrived at; when it was last calculated and by what method; when he plans to update the figure; and what definition of disabled people is used for the calculation of these figures.

  Mr. Hague
  All the information is contained in the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys, surveys on disability in Great Britain published between September 1988 and July 1989, copies of which are held in the Library. No date has been set for a further survey.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of pensioners who are in receipt of(a) income support and (b) housing benefit.

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

  Number

  Income Support recipient with persioner premiums

  1,492,000

  Housing Benefit recipients With pensioner premiums

  1,977,000

  Notes:

  —some 900,000 Income Support recipients will also be in receipt of Housing Benefit.

  —Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

  —a case is defined as being a pensioner if in receipt of the pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium.

  Source:

  Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1993.

  Housing Benefit Management Information Statistics May 1993.

  Income Support
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances payments of income support are made to persons under 18 years of age; how many such recipients are currently recorded; and what is the average weekly payment to such persons.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Young people aged 16 and 17 can claim income support at any time if their circumstances exempt them from the availability for work rules. In addition those who have ceased compulsory education and of necessity have to live independently from their family because they are estranged can claim in the period that their parents would have received child benefit. The young person is required to register unemployed with the Employment Service and for work or training opportunities with the careers service.

  Outside the child benefit period, the temporarily sick with supporting medical evidence can claim until fit for
  544
  work or training, as can recently discharged offenders who are estranged from their family for up to eight weeks, provided they are registered for work and training.

  Further, the Secretary of State may direct that income support be paid to any registered young person who is not entitled under the above rules but who would be at risk of unavoidable severe hardship if benefit were withheld. Income support would normally be paid until a job or a Government training place is secured.

  The number of income support recipients aged under 18 is 36,000 and the average weekly amount paid is £36.79.

  Source: Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry February 1994 (sample survey of 1/20 cases). The figure is rounded to the nearest thousand.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance he will be issuing to local authorities on implementation of the new housing benefit provisions.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Details of the changes announced in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's uprating statement on 30 November 1994 were issued to all local authorities in mid-December. Officials are currently discussing the housing benefit proposals with the local authority associations before preparing regulations and detailed guidance, which will be issued to all authorities nearer to the October 1995 implementation date.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Hague
  Staff in the Department are required to report job offers to a senior officer at least two grades higher but no such records are kept centrally.

  Records that are kept relate to staff who have made an application to take up an outside business appointment. The total for the Department since February 1993 is six.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the actual expenditure total for his Department for the combined years from 1990–91 to 1995–96 in 1994 prices; and what is his estimate of total expenditure assuming that unemployment from 1990–91 to 1995–96 had remained constant at the average unemployment level of 1990–91.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. such information as is available is in the following tables.

  Actual expenditure total for department of social security

  £millions

  year

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Amount(1994–95 prices)

  69,206

  75,451

  82,975

  545

  Estimated expenditure if unemployment remained constant at 1990–91 level

  £millions

  Year

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Amount (1994–95) prices

  75,218

  82,594

  1. The data source is the Government Expenditure Plans 1990–91 to 1992–93 (CM 1014) and the 1994 Departmental Report.

  2. 1992–93 is the latest year for which the actual outturn figures are available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Civil Servant Travel
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which airlines have been granted preferred carrier status for civil servant travel to overseas destinations.

  Mr. Jack
  My Department has not granted preferred carrier status to any airline.

  Fisheries
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 10 January,Official Report, columns 21–22, if he will make available fuller details of the agreement that was reached on the integration of Spain and Portugal into the common fisheries policy.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Council reached agreement on the basis of documents prepared by the German presidency. It is the intention that legal instruments embodying the agreement should be issued as soon as possible. These will be made available to the House in the usual way. However, in order to facilitate hon. Members' consideration of the matter, I have placed copies of the substance of the agreement in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement about the offence which will be committed by a Spanish vessel fishing for non-precious stocks in the North sea as a full participant in the common fisheries policy after 1 January 1996;

  (2) for what reasons he informed fishermen in his letter after the December Fisheries Council that the exclusion of Spanish fishermen from the North sea would continue unaffected.

  Mr. Jack
  The recent negotiations on Spain and Portugal confirmed that Spain has acquired no fishing rights in the North sea after 1 January 1996. The decisions reached at the December Fisheries Council on Spanish and Portuguese integration in the common fisheries policy apply only to those waters referred to in their act of accession west of 4 deg west and the English channel. Council regulation 1275/94, article 4, adopted by the Fisheries Council last April, provides a possibility for the Commission to make a proposal granting Spain access to other waters, including the North sea, for non-quota species taking account of track record in a recent and representative period. However, unless and until such a proposal is made, and a Council decision taken on it, it will remain an offence for Spain to fish in the North sea.
  546
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what system of reporting is proposed by him for Spanish vessels fishing in the Irish box as a result of the December Fisheries Council agreement; what plans he has for reporting in person to the coastal state on arrival and departure; to whom the vessels will report; and what co-ordination will be developed with Irish authorities.

  Mr. Jack
  Further to the agreement reached at the December Fisheries Council, detailed plans for the implementation of control measures for the Irish box from 1 January 1996 have still to be developed. These, along with other matters, will be the subject of consultation with the fishing industry and other interested parties.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishermen in(a) Grimsby, (b) Hull and (c) the south-west were sent his letter of explanation after the Fisheries Council; and how the fishermen who received it were selected.

  Mr. Jack
  My letter explaining the outcome of the December Fisheries Council was sent to recipients of all currently valid licences issued by my Department for fishing vessels over 10m based in England and Wales. At the time that the letter was sent, there were 1,483 such vessels. A separate breakdown of the number of letters sent to people in particular areas could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the division of responsibilities and relationship between his departmental Ministers and agencies.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Precise details of the responsibilities and relationships are set out in the various agency framework documents, copies of which are in the Library of the House. In broad terms, agency chief executives report directly to me. Detailed arrangements are in place for the performance of each agency to be monitored through its ownership board which is chaired by a senior official in the core Department.

  Veal
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what has been the production of veal in the United Kingdom in each year since 1985;

  (2) what has been the consumption of veal in the United Kingdom for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Jack
  Details of veal production and the veal available for consumption are given in the table.

  UK Veal Production and Consumption 1985 to 1993

  Production1 '000 tonnes

  Available for consumption2 '000 tonnes

  1985

  5.3

  8.1

  1986

  3.7

  6.5

  1987

  3.2

  4.2

  1988

  1.9

  2.8

  1989

  1.4

  1.4

  547

  UK Veal Production and Consumption 1985 to 1993

  Production1 '000 tonnes

  Available for consumption2 '000 tonnes

  1990

  1.9

  2.6

  1991

  2.0

  3.6

  1992

  1.4

  2.4

  19933

  0.8

  n/a

  1 The meat produced from calves—under 127 kg dressed carcase weight—slaughtered in the United Kingdom.

  2 Production plus imports of veal minus exports of veal—excluding live exports.

  3 It is no longer possible to identify separately imports and exports of veal.

  Source:

  MAFF

  Mr. David Uren
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his review of procedures with regard to the application of the rules of the farm woodland premium scheme as they relate to the growing of coppice by Mr. David Uren.

  Mr. Jack
  Our legal advice is that the rules of the farm woodland premium scheme, as set out in statutory instrument 1992 No. 905, do not allow for any land converted to woodland to be managed as coppice. We have therefore reviewed the scheme rules and procedures booklet and the standing instructions to the Ministry's regional organisation on administering the scheme, to ensure that this provision is clear and is being applied consistently. The question of whether this rule or other details of the scheme should be changed can be considered as part of the review of the scheme which will begin later this year.

  Harvesting Restrictions
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the European Union regarding the harvesting restrictions imposed on crops grown on land which is coming out of set-aside provision.

  Mr. Jack
  Marketable food crops can only exceptionally be sown on set-aside land and the clear intention, supported by the text, of both EC and United Kingdom legislation is that the facility can be used only for crops sown for harvesting the following year. No reference to EU authorities is necessary in this case.

  Calves
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many dairy calves have been exported from the United Kingdom in each year since 1985;

  (2) how many live calves have been exported each year from 1985 (a) for veal production and (b) in total.

  Mrs. Browning
  The available information, relating to exports from Great Britain, was given in my answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on 12 January,Official Report, columns 208–10. It is not possible to say what numbers were destined for veal production, or what numbers originated from dairy herds.
  548
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what measures were taken for the welfare and alternative transport of calves waiting for export at Coventry airport delayed due to the crash on 21 December 1994 of the transport aircraft,

  (2) what reports he has received of calves that died between 1 and 10 January while awaiting export.

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: The Department is aware of 1,587 calves that were intended to be flown out of Coventry on the day of the air crash or the day following; four exporters were involved.

  Our information on these calves is derived from welfare inspections carried out by Ministry veterinary staff at premises where animals were subsequently held, from inspection carried out for certification purposes in relation to animals eventually presented for export and from information obtained from the animals' owners.

  Following the unforeseen unavailability of the air route out of Coventry, alternative plans to export some of the calves on the Shoreham-Dieppe route were frustrated or delayed when the opening of the route was delayed first by bad weather and then by demonstrations.

  Around 1,070 of the animals were sooner or later retained or sold for rearing in the United Kingdom; 435 were exported through Shoreham on 6 January and Plymouth on 7 January.

  We are aware that 51 calves died, apparently from disease. Twenty-seven of these deaths occurred at one holding premises where a further 35 calves were found to be unfit for transport and were humanely slaughtered on the premises.

DEFENCE

  Housing, Aldershot
  Mr. Critchley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunities there are for local housing associations to purchase houses or flats no longer needed by his Ministry in Aldershot.

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has no plans to sell any houses or flats in Aldershot in the foreseeable future.

  Military Equipment
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what military needs it was decided that truck-mounted concrete mixers were required, as set out in future purchase No. EM and D1 A/150; what consideration has been given to leasing the equipment; what information he has as to the availability of such equipment on the civil market; why there has been a delay in the issue of tenders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The two truck-mounted concrete mixers in future purchase No. EM and D1A/150 are for use for construction by the Army on operational deployment. Vehicles that meet the military specification for this requirement are not currently available for leasing or immediate purchase on the civil market. Issue of the tender has been delayed pending finalisation of the specification.

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what military needs 39 commercially proven
  549
  ultra-light dumpers are required as set out in future purchase No. EM and D1A/154; what consideration has been given to leasing the equipment; what information he has as to the availability of such equipment on the civil market; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The 39 ultra-light dumpers announced in future purchase No. EM and D1A/154 will be used for military engineering construction and training. This purchase represents a proportion of the overall Army requirement. Leasing was considered but ruled out because of cost and the extensive use of these machines on overseas deployment. The balance of the Army's requirement will be met from short-term hire on an as-required basis.

  Rescue Co-ordination Centre
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on when the consultation document on the Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland and the location of the rescue co-ordination centre will be published;

  (2) whether RAF Kinloss is now being considered as a site for the relocation of the rescue co-ordination centre at Pitreavie and alternative to RAF Leuchars.

  Mr. Soames
  It remains my Department's plan to relocate the Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland to RAF Leuchars, although the future location of the rescue co-ordination centre is under review. I hope to make an announcement shortly. Neither relocation entails any civilian job losses and it is not therefore our intention to issue a formal consultative document. Nevertheless, the trade unions have been, and will continue to be, consulted on our plans.

  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Royal Navy on the future of the rescue co-ordination centre at Pitreavie.

  Mr. Soames
  None.

  Pitreavie
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the savings that are expected to accrue from the transfer of Flag Officer Scotland Northern and Northern Ireland from Pitreavie to Faslane, with particular reference to the cost of building an extra floor on the command building at Faslane to accommodate FOSNNI, compared to the maintenance of Pitreavie.

  Mr. Soames
  The savings accruing from the proposed transfer of FOSNNI from Pitreavie to Faslane are broken down in detail in the consultation document. These savings accrue against the option of maintaining FOSNNI's operations at Pitreavie. Since that date, further planning has revealed that the provision of an extra floor on the command building at Faslane, as opposed to the refurbishment of the building originally proposed to accommodate FOSNNI, may offer additional saving despite the slightly higher works costs—some £600,000—involved. This is currently being evaluated and would be proceeded with only on the basis that it improved or preserved the level of savings set out in the consultation document.

  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to developing 550
  Pitreavie as part of the tri-service communication network.

  Mr. Soames
  For as long as Pitreavie remains operational, the site will be included as one of the many establishments that the tri-service defence fixed telecommunications system will be required to serve. The development of Pitreavie in this respect would not be required. No broader development of Pitreavie for tri-service communications has been considered.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Freeman
  No reports have been made, but offers of employment may have been submitted using the Department's usual application form. Since February 1993, 526 business appointment applications have been received.

  Homosexuality
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use is made by the service police of(a) the British Telecom Intelligence Department or (b) the Post Office Investigations Department in investigating allegations of homosexuality among armed forces personnel.

  Mr. Soames
  None.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the service police use a computer database lo cross-reference names in investigations into homosexuality in the armed forces.

  Mr. Soames
  The only purpose of the computer databases maintained by the service police is to record investigations of service personnel suspected of breaching service law.

  Records (Police Access)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what access civilian police have to the records of members of the armed forces.

  Mr. Soames
  Civilian police do not, as a matter of routine, have access to the records of service personnel. They may, however, request and receive information from service records to assist in their investigations.

  SAS Trade and Investments
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the involvement of Royal Ordnance in 1985 in plans to sell anti-riot guns to SAS Trade and Investments.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have no knowledge of any such involvement.

  Lesbians
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records were kept by his Department in 1989 regarding possible lesbians in the armed forces.
  551
  Mr. Soames
  The only such records held by my Department would be those relating to investigations into suspected breaches of service law.

  Anti-personnel Land Mines
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the failure rates of anti-personnel land mines which are intended to self-destruct or self-neutralise; and what is their purchase cost.

  Mr. Freeman
  No self-destructing or self-neutralising anti-personnel land mines are in service with the armed forces and no MOD tests have been carried out into their failure rates. Details of their purchase cost are not held by my Department.

  Security Conferences
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what delegations from Iran or from the Iranian embassy in London have attended conferences or exhibitions involving the display of defence-related security or paramilitary products in the United Kingdom since March 1993.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since March 1993, the Ministry of Defence has not invited any delegations from Iran or the Iranian embassy in London to attend such conferences or exhibitions.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will invite the Director General of Offer (Northern Ireland) to carry out a cost-benefit analysis on the next tranche of electricity generation which will take into account the social, economic and environmental effects on Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  No. Following the privatisation of the electricity supply industry in Northern Ireland responsibility for future generation planning rests with Northern Ireland Electricity plc. Under the terms of its licence NIE is obliged to purchase its power requirements at the most economic price obtainable having regard to the sources available. This enables NIE to consider other aspects such as fuel diversity and security of supply. In doing so, NIE will have to satisfy the independent Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland.

  Maze Prison
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what circumstances hacksaws or similar articles have been made available to some prisoners at Her Majesty's prison at the Maze in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Prisoners at Her Majesty's prison Maze, in common with other prisons in Northern Ireland, have access to a range of approved handicraft materials and tools. These are issued on the basis of the risk they would pose to the security of the prison and the safety of staff. Prison officers carry out regular checks to ensure that all tools are accounted for. No hacksaws are issued.
  552

  Home Helps and District Nurses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) home helps and (b) district nurses per 1,000 people over the age of 65 years there were for each of the years 1989 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  The information as at 30 June each year is as follows:

  Number per 1,000 people aged 65 and over

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Home helps

  14.3

  12.9

  11.3

  10.6

  9.7

  District Nurses

  1—

  2.4

  2.2

  2.1

  1.8

  1 Information prior to 1990 was not collected on a comparable basis.

  Disabled Students
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the number of disabled students' awards in each of the last three years; and what has been the cost in each year.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Number of allowances

  14

  36

  75

  Cost

  16,228

  51,532

  108,473

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how may of those reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Sir John Wheeler
  There have been no reports of offers of employment from home civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office since February 1993.

  The civil service management code does not apply to Northern Ireland civil service staff. The equivalent regulation for Northern Ireland civil servants are contained in the Northern Ireland pay and conditions of service code. Under these regulations, two members of staff from the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 and both were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Stormont (Fire)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what parts of the Stormont buildings were maintained, redecorated or refurbished by his Department, over the past five years; and what was the cost to the Exchequer.

  Mr. Moss
  [holding reply 16 January 1995]: The cost to the Exchequer of maintaining Parliament buildings over the last five years is as follows:

  553

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  85,073

  63,184

  71,240

  81,092

  74,017

  The figure for 1994–95 represents expenditure incurred prior to the fire.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Fire Precautions (Places of Work) Regulations 1993 have an equivalent in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  [Holding reply 16 January 1995]: I understand that the Fire Precautions (Places of Work) Regulations will come into effect in Great Britain in early 1995. A consultation paper incorporating proposals for equivalent Northern Ireland Regulations is expected to be issued by the end of February 1995.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what fire regulations are imposed on(a) the Stormont Parliament building and (b) Northern Irish stately homes and heritage buildings which are open to the public.

  Mr. Moss
  [Holding reply 16 January 1995]: The inquiry by Sir Reginal Doyle into the fire at Parliament buildings on 2 January 1995 will consider the fire safety legislation which applies to Parliament buildings.

  The majority of stately homes in Northern Ireland which are open to the public are in the care of the National Trust, which co-operates with the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland to ensure that the properties comply with the relevant legislation.

  Listed buildings which form part of the Government Estate are subject to the Fire Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 as it applies to Crown property. Other listed buildings open to the public are required to have a fire certificate if they belong to a class of building so designated under the 1984 order.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what insurance against fire loss or damage exists in relation to the fabric of the Stormont buildings and the furnishings and artefacts therein.

  Mr. Moss
  [holding reply 16 January 1995]: In line with Government policy that Departments do not normally insure commercially, there is no insurance against fire loss or damage in relation to the fabric and furnishings of Parliament buildings.

  Some items of silverware, which were not damaged in the recent fire, were insured commercially.

  New Zealand Flatworm
  Mr. William Ross
  To aks the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what studies he has carried out into the numbers of areas in Northern Ireland where the New Zealand flatworm has been found; whether it is increasing in numbers and areas affected; and what has been its impact on native earthworms and soil structure.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding reply 17 January 1995]: The New Zealand flatworm has now been identified at more than 500 sites in Northern Ireland. The majority of these are domestic gardens, but available evidence indicates that it is spreading into agricultural land.

  Department of Agriculture scientists are engaged in studies into the impact of the flatworm on earthworms in grasslands in Northern Ireland. These studies have shown
  554
  that native earthworm numbers are significantly decreased and some earthworm species may be eliminated. Flatworm—induced reductions in earthworm numbers have been linked to adverse changes in soil, bulk density and water-holding capacity, hence soil fertility is likely to be adversely affected.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what comparative assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department as the sponsoring Department for the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear alongside the work of the Scottish Office and Northern Ireland Office.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government's policies on sponsorship of the shipbuilding industry apply equally in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The success of individual companies in the United Kingdom depends upon the management and work force of those companies, and the market conditions they encounter.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the future for the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  All sectors of the economy are equally important in maintaining and increasing our national prosperity. The Government make no judgments about the relative prospects of individual sectors.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No central records of offers are kept, but 52 staff have made applications to accept offers of outside employment since February 1993.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the effect of value added tax on gas and electricity levels of consumption by(a) low users and (b) high users.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy's reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) of 22 March 1993,Official Report, column 484–85 stated that the imposition of VAT on 17.5 per cent. on gas and electricity was expected to reduce domestic sector energy consumption by about 4 per cent. below what it would otherwise have been. This estimate took no account of any offsetting measures. There is no specific estimate available for the effect of 8 per cent. VAT on domestic fuel, but it may be assumed that the effect would be roughly half that given for the 17.5 per cent. rate. No separate estimates of the effects on low and high users are available.
  555

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what use his Department has made of executive search agencies in filling vacancies within his Department and executive agencies administered by his Department during the last year; and how much these services have cost his Department.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  During the past year the Department of Trade and Industry filled one post, the chief executive of the Invest in Britain Bureau, using the services of an executive search agency. The total cost, including advertising, was £23,850.

  Chief executives of agencies will reply direct, where appropriate, in respect of their own use of executive search agencies.

  Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 20 December 1994:

  I have been asked to answer with respect to the Laboratory of the Government Chemist your question to the President of the Board of Trade tabled on 12 December 1994.

  The Laboratory of the Government Chemist has not used the services of an executive search agency during the last year.

  Letter from John Hobday to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  Further to Mr Taylor's reply to your question of 12 December about the use made by the Department of Trade and Industry of Executive Search Agencies, the position in respect of the Accounts Services Agency is that it has made no use of such Agencies during the last year.

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  USE OF EXECUTIVE SEARCH AGENCIES

  Further to Mr. Taylor's reply to your Parliamentary Question on this subject, I can add that this Agency has not had any occasion to use the services of an executive search agency during the past year.

  Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  DTI USE OF SEARCH AGENCIES

  During the past year the Radiocommunication Agency has not used the services of an executive search agency in order to fill vacancies.

  Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  I would refer to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade concerning the use of executive search agencies in filling vacancies within the Department of Trade and Industry and its Executive Agencies. I would confirm that NEL has not, during the last year, used an executive search agency to fill any vacancy which has arisen at NEL.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  You recently tabled the following Parliamentary Question:

  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what use his Department has made of executive search agencies in filling vacancies within his Department and executive agencies administered by his Department during the last year; and how much these services have cost his Department.

  I am replying as Chief Executive and Registrar of Companies House.

  During the past year, Companies House have had no occasion to make use of Executive Search Agencies in filling vacancies.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  I am responding on behalf of the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question about use of executive search agencies in filling vacancies. The Patent Office advises executive search agencies of vacancies where in our experience it is hard to find
  556
  suitable applicants, such as computer specialists. However, no staff were recruited by this means in the past year and no fees were paid.

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the use and cost of executive search agencies by The Insolvency Service.

  The Insolvency Service has not made any use of executive search agencies during the past year. It has used employment agencies for the recruitment of casual administration grades and for short term appointees with professional qualifications and experience on a non-permanent basis.

  Letter from Dr. Peter Clapham to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 18 January 1995:

  You asked the President of the Board of Trade about the use of executive search agencies within DTI and its Executive Agencies.

  In the case of the National Physical Laboratory, I can tell that no use of such agencies has been made during the last year.

  British Gas
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the case of Rose McKeown and British Gas.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This is a matter for British Gas.

  Professional Football
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he has made of the current accountancy procedures relating to the fees and payments of the transfer of professional footballers;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the accountancy procedures of the valuation of the professional footballers as assets of the football clubs.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  None. Football clubs that are limited companies must follow the provisions of the Companies Act 1985, accounting standards and generally accepted accounting practice. Complaints about departures from the accounting requirements of the Companies Act by public and large private companies are dealt with by the financial reporting review panel; my Department deals with other such complaints.

  Wool Content Labelling
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action his Department is taking to ensure that the wool content declarations for imported garments and carpets are correct.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  EC Directive 71/307/EEC, as amended, requires textile products which are placed on the market to bear or be accompanied by an accurate indication of their fibre content. The directive is implemented in the United Kingdom by the Textile Products (Indications of Fibre Content) Regulations 1986, as amended by the Textile Products (Indications of Fibre Content) (Amendment) Regulations of 1988 and 1994, which are enforced by local authority trading standards departments. The European Commission pursues complaints about the manner in which member states have implemented and enforced the requirements of the directive. Following representations by my Department, I am informed that the Commission has instituted infraction proceedings against Italy for incorrect implementation of the directive.
  557
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next plans to meet chief trading standards officers to discuss imports of wool content garments and carpets.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I have no such plans. The Department's actions in this area are set out in my reply of today to the hon. Member.

  Export Credits Guarantee Cover (Russia)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the nature of export credits guarantee cover currently available for Russia; how much of that cover has been taken up by British companies; what the criteria for cover are; what sort of commercial ventures this cover is intended to stimulate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  ECGD has made US$800 million of medium to long-term export credit and investment insurance cover available for United Kingdom business in the Russian Federation. Approximately US$180 million of this ECGD cover has been utilised and two further projects, currently in negotiation, are expected to use up about another US$420 million. It has been agreed with the Russian authorities that the ECGD cover should be used to support projects which will earn hard currency earning or save foreign exchange, by means of import substitution or are in certain priority sectors: energy, minerals, food processing or distribution, health care or medical equipment. It is intended that the cover should be used primarily to support self-financing projects which, after completion, should earn much-needed foreign exchange revenues for Russia.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much funding his Department will be providing to TECs in 1995–96 for small and medium businesses.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  For 1995–96, my Department is providing TECs with £32.7 million to part fund a range of business—support measures aimed mainly at small and medium-sized businesses. A further £8.8 million is being provided to TECs for the diagnostic and consultancy service delivered by Business Link. My Department is also providing funding totalling £42.9 million for providing a range of advisory services in Business Links and for helping to complete the Business Link network which will mainly assist small and medium-sized businesses.

  The total funding for 1995–96 is £84.4 million, as compared to £57.4 million for 1994–95. This substantial increase reflects the high priority which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade attaches to the speedy development of the Business Link network and to the enhancement of the level and quality of business support services.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the price of electricity has increased or decreased in real terms since privatisation in each of the regional electricity companies.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The percentage changes in real terms in the price of electricity for domestic consumers 558
  between 1989 and 1994 in each of the regional electricity companies are shown in the following table.

  Percentage change between 1989 and 1994 on average household bill (excluding VAT)1.2

  Regional electricity company

  Standard tariff

  Economy 7 tariff

  East Midlands Electricity

  -2.3

  -1.4

  Eastern Electricity

  -4.4

  -4.8

  London Electricity

  -6.8

  -3.3

  Manweb

  -5.4

  -3.5

  Midlands Electricity

  -9.7

  -4.7

  Northern Electricity

  +0.7

  -0.7

  Norweb

  -7.1

  -5.9

  Seeboard

  -6.9

  -5.8

  South Wales Electricity

  +2.0

  +1.5

  South Western Electricity

  -1.0

  +0.2

  Southern Electricity

  -3.1

  -1.9

  Yorkshire Electricity

  -9.3

  -5.5

  1 Based on the assumption that the average household consumes 3,300 kWh of electricity per year on the Standard tariff and 6,600 kWh (3,000 day units and 3,600 night units) on the Economy 7 tariff. Standing charges are included as are any lump sum rebates made in 1994. No account has been taken of discounts given by the regional electricity companies for direct debit or similar methods of payment.

  2 Real terms prices are calculated using the GDP (market prices) deflator.

  VAT has been excluded from the above figures. This tax, at 8 per cent. was imposed from 1 April 1994, but an unspecified number of consumers paid in advance and will not have paid any VAT during 1994.

  The average price of electricity to industrial consumers in the United Kingdom decreased, in real terms, by 12.4 per cent. between 1989 and 1994. Details of prices charged to industry by individual companies are commercially confidential.

  Iraq (Arms Sales)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the Ministers in his Department who have had responsibilities in respect of the sale of arms to Iraq.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As President of the Board of Trade, have responsibility for export licensing, to Iraq or anywhere else. This responsibility has been exercised by Governments prior to this Administration.

  Since May 1979, the Presidents of the Board of Trade and Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry have been:

  Right hon. Sir John Nott

  Right hon. John Biffen Mp

  Right hon. Lord Cockfield

  Right hon. Lord Parkinson

  Right hon. Lord Tebbit

  Right hon. Sir Leon Brittan

  Right hon. Paul Channon MP

  Right hon. Lord Young

  Right hon. Lord Ridley

  Right hon. Peter Lilley MP

  Right hon. Michael Heseltine MP

  Since May 1979 the Ministers for Trade have been:

  Right hon. Lord Parkinson

  Right hon. Lord Rees

  Right hon. Paul Channon MP

  559

  Right hon. Alan Clark

  Right hon. Lord Trefgame

  Right hon. Sir Timothy Sainsbury MP

  Right hon. Richard Needham MP

  The following Ministers have also held certain responsibilities for trade matters:

  Right hon. Kenneth Clarke MP

  Right hon. Tony Newton MP

  Edward Leigh MP

  Ian Taylor MP

  It is not practical to determine which of these Ministers may have considered export licences for arms to Iraq.

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which types of anti-personnel mine are manufactured in Britain and are allowed to be exported.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Anti-personnel mines have not been produced in Britain, or exported, for over a decade. On 27 July 1994, the Government announced an indefinite moratorium on the export of mines that do not self-destruct or self-neutralise. In considering any application for an export licence for self-destructing or self-neutralising anti-personnel mines, my Department, together with our advisers in other Government Departments, would consider very carefully the political and military implications of allowing consignments to go overseas. Adherence by the proposed recipient country to the principles of protocol II of the UN weaponry convention, which places certain prohibitions and restrictions on the use of land mines, would be a significant factor in such considerations.

  Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what external financing limit has been set for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for 1995–96.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The UKAEA's external financing limit for 1995–96 will be minus £10.3 million.

  Post Office
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the Royal Mail spent on its campaign promoting greater commercial freedom for the Post Office; and how this money was spent.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 17 January I995]: This is an operational matter for the Post Office.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To aks the President of the Board of Trade how many of the individuals appointed by his Department to public positions in the last year were first identified by the public appointments unit.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: I am currently responsible for a total of more than 630 public appointments. The public appointment unit provides names of suitably qualified candidates for a wide range of DTI public appointments. In 1994, nine appointments to six separate public bodies were made from names supplied by the PAU.
  560

  British Gas
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the consequences of Her Majesty's Government's policy of disaggregating the operations of British Gas on the current routine inspection, servicing and supply of spare parts for domestic gas appliances and any implications for the safety of their operations.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 16 January 1995]: We expect British Gas to continue to provide an emergency service to respond to suspected gas leaks. This will include the free half hour's work to fix the leak, and deal with any related minor repairs to appliances.

  The Government are determined that safety standards will be maintained in the proposed extension of competition to the domestic gas market. The Health and Safety Commission has been asked to report on this issue.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Unemployment
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide estimates of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds not currently in full-time education, work or training in Lewisham.

  Mr. Paice
  Estimates for Lewisham are unavailable, but the labour force survey shows that in summer 1994 there were 17,000 16 and 17-year-olds who were not in full or part-time employment, training or full-time education in the Greater London region. Of these, 10,000 were actively seeking employment or training. The remainder were economically inactive and include, for example, those young people who were looking after the home or who were long-term sick or disabled. The Government guarantee that all 16 and 17-year-olds who are not in full-time education or a job and are seeking training are offered a suitable youth training place.

  Disability Symbol
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many organisations have applied to use the disability symbol and been refused;

  (2) how many complaints have been received regarding employers using the disability symbol and not implementing the five commitments to action;

  (3) how many organisations have used the disability symbol in the past but have had the facility removed for not carrying out the five commitments to action;

  (4) how many organisations now use the disability symbol.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Heppell, dated 18 January 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about organisations who use, or have used, the disability symbol.

  You asked how many organisations have applied to use the disability symbol and have been refused. While there are occasions when the Employment Service (ES) recommends that an organisation delay in adopting the symbol until they have taken

  561
  some further action, we do not maintain records of such instances. I am aware of no circumstance where we have refused an employer authority to adopt the symbol.

  You also asked how many complaints have been received about symbol users not implementing one of their commitments, and how many had been asked to withdraw from symbol use due to non-fulfilment of their commitments.

  We do not keep a central record of complaints, although I am aware of two that have reached my head office direct. Any complaints of this nature are taken very seriously and investigated with the symbol user concerned by a representative from the Placing, Assessment and Counselling Team or the Major Organisations' Development Unit. In cases where the symbol was clearly being abused we would ask the organisation to stop using it, although I am not aware of any instance to date where this has happened.

  The last published statistics in July 1994 record 940 employers using the symbol, including a number of organisations operating throughout the country.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the turnover rates of each TEC board for each year since their creation.

  Mr. Paice
  I am unable to give the information that the hon. Member is asking for, as it is not collected in that form. However, the total annual turnover for board members for training and enterprise councils in England and Wales is shown in the table:

  Date

  Annual turnover per cent.

  January 92 to December 92

  14.9

  January 93 to December 93

  14.6

  January 94 to December 94

  25.7

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the surpluses in the accounts of every TEC for every year since their creation(a) as a percentage of that TEC's total expenditure and (b) in money terms.

  Mr. Paice
  Lists of English training and enterprise councils with the information requested on "in year" operating surpluses, obtained from their annual statutory audited accounts, at the end of the financial years 1990–91,1991–92 and 1992–93 are shown in the tables.

  I am unable to give the figures requested for 1993–94, as this information is not yet in the public domain for every TEC. However, as TEC accounts for 1993–94 become available to the Department, copies are placed in the Library.

  TECs by region 1990–91

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  NORTHERN

  County Durham

  1,168,483

  9.08

  Northumberland

  1,199,961

  19.84

  Teesside

  1,956,000

  7.12

  Tyneside

  2,548,930

  8.09

  Sunderland (Wearside)

  1,707,787

  10.17

  8,581,161

  9.06

  562

  TECs by region 1990–91

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  NORTH WEST

  CEWTEC

  Started April 1991

  —

  Cumbria

  1,682,149

  13.19

  ELTEC

  1,751,853

  15.93

  LAWTEC

  Started April 1991

  —

  Merseyside

  Started June 1991

  —

  NORMID

  Started April 1991

  —

  QUALITEC

  Started April 1991

  —

  3,434,002

  14.46

  GREATER MANCHESTER

  Bolton/Bury

  292,200

  6.49

  Manchester

  1,321,382

  14.00

  METRO

  222,585

  3.79

  Oldham

  805,748

  13.37

  Rochdale

  88,448

  1.61

  South and East Cheshire

  877,438

  11.60

  Stockport and High Peak

  292,697

  6.14

  3,900,498

  8.93

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  Started January 1991

  —

  Bradford

  133,539

  3.75

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  364,269

  2.20

  Humberside

  Started April 1991

  —

  Leeds

  1,211,214

  16.94

  North Yorks

  1,313,000

  16.79

  Rotherham

  485,255

  7.75

  Sheffield

  934,106

  10.29

  Wakefield

  323,352

  17.36

  4,764,735

  9.12

  EASTERN

  Bedfordshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  27,124

  3.80

  Essex

  1,256,762

  12.37

  Greater Peterborough

  116,772

  14.89

  Hertfordshire

  578,706

  5,39

  Norfolk and Waverney

  1,292,717

  21.21

  Suffolk

  1,277,059

  42.00

  4,549,140

  14.43

  EAST MIDLANDS

  Greater Nottingham

  Started April 1991

  —

  Leicester

  Started April 1991

  —

  Lincolnshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  Northamptonshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  North Derbyshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  North Nottinghamshire

  122,137

  1.31

  South Derbyshire

  (16,090)

  (0.58)

  106,047

  0.88

  WEST MIDLANDS

  Birmingham

  600,534

  4.98

  Central England

  Started April 1991

  —

  Coventry/Warwick

  2,185,542

  22.25

  Dudley

  Started April 1991

  —

  HAWTEC

  Started April 1991

  —

  Sandwell

  Started April 1991

  —

  Shropshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  563

  TECs by region 1990–91

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  Staffordshire

  2,671,771

  21.24

  Walsall

  409,681

  13.36

  Wolverhampton

  Started April 1991

  —

  5,867,528

  15.64

  SOUTH WEST

  Avon

  Started April 1991

  —

  Devon/Cornwall

  1,701,876

  4.75

  Dorset

  1,597,625

  19.26

  Gloucester

  Started January 1991

  —

  Somerset

  646,783

  10.00

  Wiltshire

  Started April 1991

  —

  3,946,284

  7.80

  LONDON

  AZTEC

  230,464

  12.47

  CENTEC

  Started September 1991

  —

  CILNTEC

  Started October 1991

  —

  LETEC

  Started November 1990

  —

  North London

  Started January 1991

  —

  North West London

  Started November 1990

  —

  SOLOTEC

  Started April 1991

  —

  South Thames

  Started April 1991

  —

  West London

  Started August 1991

  —

  230,464

  12.47

  SOUTH EAST

  Hampshire

  1,363,924

  11.03

  Isle of Wight

  239,236

  22.29

  Kent

  Started November 1990

  —

  Milton Keynes/North Buckinghamshire

  335,225

  13.00

  Heart of England

  600,664

  16.30

  Surrey

  Started April 1991

  —

  Sussex

  Started April 1991

  —

  Thames Valley Ent.

  Started April 1991

  —

  2,539,049

  12.89

  Grand Total

  37,918,908

  10.31

  TECs by region 1991–1992

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  NORTHERN

  County Durham

  2,818,075

  9.47

  Northumberland

  1,262,703

  8.90

  Teeside

  3,838,000

  13.91

  Tyneside

  2,818,000

  7.03

  Sunderland (Wearside)

  293,924

  1.44

  11,030,702

  8.36

  NORTH WEST

  CEWTEC

  1,974,732

  10.49

  Cumbria

  1,187,739

  7.22

  ELTEC

  370,271

  2.02

  LAWTEC

  3,150,027

  12.81

  Merseyside

  3,012,181

  8.16

  NORMID

  1,511,822

  16.77

  QUALITEC

  741,670

  8.47

  11,948,442

  9.00

  GREATER MANCHESTER

  Bolton/Bury

  1,720,642

  14.67

  Manchester

  2,936,887

  8.56

  564

  TECs by region 1991–1992

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  METRO

  188,000

  1.84

  Oldham

  570,321

  6.94

  Rochdale

  399,262

  6.03

  South and East Cheshire

  1,124,823

  11.01

  Stockport and High Peak

  1,833,580

  23.94

  8,773,515

  9.86

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  2,688,055

  11.73

  Bradford

  1,773,485

  10.92

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  465,421

  2.29

  Humberside

  2,952,198

  8.43

  Leeds

  2,352,648

  13.14

  North Yorkshire

  2,104,000

  14.08

  Rotherham

  1,485,797

  14.25

  Sheffield

  2,340,235

  10.53

  Wakefield

  2,118,035

  20.68

  18,279,874

  10.74

  EASTERN

  Bedfordshire

  1,335,932

  13.03

  Cambridgeshire

  560,998

  10.08

  Essex

  3,037,484

  12.50

  Great Peterborough

  754,539

  10.79

  Hertfordshire

  863,034

  5.26

  Norfolk and Waverney

  1,279,837

  6.36

  Suffolk

  1,234,110

  9.80

  9,065,934

  9.42

  EAST MIDLANDS

  Greater Nottingham

  844,000

  4.55

  Leicester

  2,709,000

  13.18

  Lincolnshire

  1,225,370

  6.74

  Northampton

  1,867,401

  18.83

  North Derbyshire

  653,113

  6.48

  North Nottinghamshire

  1,494,000

  9.98

  South Derbyshire

  3,510,586

  25.89

  12,303,470

  11.63

  WEST MIDLANDS

  Birmingham

  2,217,000

  5.74

  Central England

  992,591

  11.52

  Coventry/Warwick

  9,899

  0.04

  Dudley

  411,480

  4.06

  HAWTEC

  978,862

  10.13

  Sandwell

  917,391

  9.28

  Shropshire

  598,942

  4.92

  Staffordshire

  1,399,654

  4.88

  Walsall

  988,580

  14.04

  Wolverhampton

  1,032,122

  10.47

  9,546,521

  6.01

  SOUTH WEST

  Avon

  1,925,855

  8.10

  Devon/Cornwall

  3,187,000

  6.47

  Dorset

  1,171,204

  9.08

  Gloucester

  1,574,830

  11.19

  Somerset

  388,152

  2.99

  Wiltshire

  849,313

  7.97

  9,096,354

  7.35

  565

  TECs by region 1991–1992

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  LONDON

  AZTEC

  1,289,656

  15.00

  CENTEC

  148,575

  1.30

  CILNTEC

  550,812

  8.12

  LETEC

  (483,267)

  (1.72)

  North London

  1,153,445

  13.01

  North West London

  438,984

  8.04

  SOLOTEC

  896,400

  5.99

  South Thames

  1,292,463

  7.22

  West London

  162,104

  1.89

  5,449,172

  4.92

  SOUTH EAST

  Hampshire

  1,884,488

  6.68

  Isle of Wight

  479,142

  14.84

  Kent

  3,542,667

  10.15

  Milton Keynes/North Buckinghamshire

  360,889

  5.46

  Heart of England

  962,649

  10.48

  Surrey

  693,092

  5.97

  Sussex

  3,253,000

  15.45

  Thames Valley Ent.

  2,719,118

  14.57

  13,895,045

  10.41

  Grand Total

  109,389,029

  8.73

  TECs by region 1992–1993

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  NORTHETRN

  County Durham

  2,595,107

  10.07

  Northumberland

  1,233,752

  8.58

  Teesside

  3,388,000

  12.00

  Tyneside

  (883,000)

  (2.13)

  Sunderland (Wearside)

  512,381

  2.72

  6,846,240

  5.32

  NORTH WEST

  CEWTEC

  603,311

  3.12

  Cumbria

  110,772

  0.67

  ELTEC

  1,338,587

  7.32

  LAWTEC

  (236,657)

  (0.83)

  Merseyside

  1,191,532

  2.59

  NORMID

  (418,902)

  (3.08)

  QUALITEC

  312,509

  3.70

  2,901,152

  1.92

  GREATER MANCHESTER

  Bolton/Bury

  847,848

  6.64

  Manchester

  (880,942)

  (2.42)

  METRO

  108,000

  1.03

  Oldham

  83,406

  1.01

  Rochdale

  597,651

  6.98

  South and East Cheshire

  420,244

  3.21

  Stockport and High Peak

  655,247

  6.93

  1,831,454

  1.85

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  1,012,208

  4.15

  Bradford

  1,524,888

  8.73

  566

  TECs by region 1992–93

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  (1,574)

  (0.01)

  Humberside

  2,258,408

  6.84

  Leeds

  2,160,436

  12.01

  North Yorkshire

  936,000

  5.87

  Rotherham

  1,134,336

  9.85

  Sheffield

  883,000

  4,19

  Wakefield

  668,301

  6.08

  10,576,003

  6.08

  EASTERN

  Bedfordshire

  220,801

  1.88

  Cambridgeshire

  34,280

  0.55

  Essex

  742,805

  2.45

  Greater Peterborough

  661,071

  8.67

  Hertfordshire

  1,199,133

  5.70

  Norfolk and Waverney

  (411,789)

  (1.94)

  Suffolk

  473,259

  3.28

  2,919,560

  2.59

  EAST MIDLANDS

  Greater Nottingham

  98,000

  0.48

  Leicester

  1,888,317

  8.35

  Lincolnshire

  1,328,872

  6.46

  Northamptonshire

  109,609

  0.82

  North Derbyshire

  87,828

  0.91

  North Nottinghamshire

  (376,000)

  (2.14)

  South Derbyshire

  611,343

  3.77

  3,747,969

  3.11

  WEST MIDLANDS

  Birmingham

  (1,606,000)

  (4.12)

  Central England

  347,027

  3.47

  Coventry/Warwick

  7,122

  0.03

  Dudley

  801,744

  7.50

  HAWTEC

  702,859

  6.14

  Sandwell

  788,829

  7.07

  Shropshire

  703,807

  5.40

  Staffordshire

  1,717,636

  5.47

  Walsall

  941,491

  10.99

  Wolverhampton

  379,147

  3.37

  4,783,662

  2.78

  SOUTH WEST

  Avon

  1,647,961

  6.03

  Devon/Cornwall

  121,000

  0.25

  Dorset

  53,973

  0.34

  Gloucester

  666

  0.00

  Somerset

  711,143

  5.70

  Wiltshire

  251,265

  1.98

  2,786,008

  2.14

  LONDON

  AZTEC

  411,486

  3.73

  CENTEC

  757,876

  3.54

  CILNTEC

  1,610,046

  7.94

  LETEC

  1,138,517

  3.51

  North London

  1,851,198

  10.82

  North West London

  424,679

  4.30

  SOLOTEC

  2,530,966

  14.37

  South Thames

  2,318,842

  7.55

  West London

  1,000.929

  6.35

  12,044,539

  6.84

  567

  TECs by region 1992–93

  Post tax surplus £

  Total percentage of expenditure

  SOUTH EAST

  Hampshire

  1,430,483

  4.67

  Isle of Wight

  161,087

  3.95

  Kent

  2,231,284

  7.31

  Milton Keynes/North Buckinghamshire

  99,326

  1.21

  Heart of England

  860,611

  7.88

  Surrey

  967,259

  8.03

  Sussex

  1,875,000

  8.23

  Thames Valley Ent.

  643,002

  2.95

  8,268,052

  5.87

  Grand total

  56,704,639

  4.04

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the administrative costs for each TEC for every year since their creation.

  Mr. Paice
  A list of English training and enterprise councils and their "in year" administrative costs, as shown in their annual statutory audited accounts, at the end of the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 are shown in the tables.

  I am unable to give the figures requested for 1993–94 as this information is not yet in the public domain for every TEC. However, as TEC accounts for 1993–94 become available to the Department, copies are placed in the Library.

  Administration Costs

  TECs by region

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1991–93 £

  NORTHERN

  County Durham

  1,291,920

  1,930,205

  2,109,458

  Northumberland

  1,230,408

  1,631,608

  2,350,938

  Teesside

  1,696,000

  2,975,000

  3,837,000

  Tyneside

  2,533,590

  3,241,000

  3,475,000

  Sunderland (Wearside)

  974,086

  1,376,968

  2,094,139

  7,726,004

  11,154,781

  13,866,535

  NORTH WEST

  CEWTEC

  Started April 91

  1,258,007

  1,484,953

  Cumbria

  1,301,023

  1,477,556

  1,653,511

  ELTEC

  736,697

  1,393,572

  1,390,484

  LAWTEC

  Started April 91

  1,535,907

  2,018,045

  Merseyside

  Started June 91

  2,334,212

  4,622,631

  NORMID

  Started June 91

  1,067,312

  1,604,052

  QUALITEC

  Started April 91

  669,078

  920,483

  2,037,720

  9,735,644

  13,694,159

  GREATER MANCHESTER

  Bolton/Bury

  554,160

  1,278,992

  2,009,487

  Manchester

  871,970

  3,168,334

  3,989,996

  METRO

  512,329

  1,161,000

  1,424,000

  Oldham

  498,808

  734,111

  1,112,007

  Rochdale

  459,879

  594,712

  765,910

  South and East Cheshire

  651,096

  2,128,048

  1,126,094

  Stockport and High Peak

  446,341

  789,504

  956,269

  3,994,583

  9,854,701

  11,383,763

  568

  Administration Costs

  TECs by region

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  Started January 91

  1,590,594

  1,820,761

  Bradford

  267,487

  1,453,408

  1,106,553

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  1,057,394

  1,730,039

  2,041,575

  Humberside

  Started April 91

  2,814,334

  3,119,039

  Leeds

  735,776

  1,730,338

  1,999,374

  North Yorkshire

  945,000

  1,370,000

  1,675,000

  Rotherham

  600,955

  1,143,527

  1,318,793

  Sheffield

  762,207

  2,500,135

  2,866,000

  Wakefield

  120,737

  1,027,992

  1,179,304

  4,489,556

  15,360,367

  17,126,399

  EASTERN

  Bedfordshire

  Started April 91

  923,120

  1,191,963

  CAMBS

  31,722

  786,073

  972,382

  Essex

  1,193,476

  1,961,749

  2,567,573

  Greater Peterborough

  154,684

  828,190

  1,297,530

  Hertfordshire

  1,638,449

  1,855,181

  2,103,148

  Norfolk and Waverney

  860,049

  1,626,594

  2,679,051

  Suffolk

  334,217

  1,309,588

  1,557,908

  4,212,597

  9,290,495

  12,369,555

  EAST MIDLANDS

  Greater

  Nottingham

  Started April 91

  1,679,000

  1,842,000

  Leicester

  Started April 91

  2,916,000

  2,612,117

  Lincolnshire

  Started April 91

  183,502

  564,370

  Northamptonshire

  Started April 91

  1,097,575

  1,221,752

  North Derbyshire

  Started April 91

  933,356

  1,067,426

  North Nottinghamshire

  703,865

  1,084,000

  1,349,000

  South Derbyshire

  302,641

  1,749,634

  2,372,992

  1,006,506

  9,643,067

  11,029,657

  WEST MIDLANDS

  Birmingham

  926,293

  2,639,000

  3,058,000

  Central England

  Started April 91

  810,650

  1,074,936

  Coventry/ Warwick

  530,854

  1,083,099

  1,253,093

  Dudley

  Started April 91

  1,019,678

  1,369,523

  HAWTEC

  Started April 91

  997,787

  1,287,504

  Sandwell

  Started April 91

  865,159

  947,277

  Shropshire

  Started April 91

  991,146

  1,113,304

  Staffordshire

  931,374

  2,363,849

  2,925,055

  Walsall

  315,326

  830,837

  966,586

  Wolverhampton

  Started April 91

  919,339

  1,087,057

  2,703,847

  12,520,544

  15,082,335

  SOUTH WEST

  Avon

  Started April 91

  2,099,463

  2,347,261

  Devon/Cornwall

  2,330,485

  4,174,000

  4,841,000

  Dorset

  854,630

  1,166,387

  1,274,644

  Gloucester

  Started January 91

  1,313,161

  1,387,979

  Somerset

  548,636

  1,114,066

  1,139,745

  Wiltshire

  Started April 91

  1,002,296

  1,237,141

  3,733,751

  10,869,373

  12,227,770

  LONDON

  AZTEC

  162,548

  1,197,226

  1,892,569

  CENTEC

  Started Sept 91

  1,158,024

  2,770,562

  CILNTEC

  Started Oct 91

  792,984

  2,054,389

  LETEC

  Started Nov 90

  2,966,277

  3,787,841

  569

  Administration Costs

  TECs by region

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  North London

  Started January 91

  882,327

  1,545,921

  North West London

  Started Nov 90

  635,970

  1,229,654

  SOLOTEC

  Started April 91

  1,826,341

  2,118,678

  South Thames

  Started April 91

  2,230,347

  3,301,964

  West London

  Started August 91

  1,030,390

  2,018,400

  162,548

  12,719,886

  20,719,978

  SOUTH EAST

  Hampshire

  955,888

  1,790,270

  2,185,086

  Isle of Wight

  212,813

  369,227

  492,737

  Kent

  Started Nov 90

  2,859,350

  2,065,046

  Milton Keynes/ North Bucks

  381,525

  939,139

  1,002,384

  Heart of England

  548,372

  1,037,979

  1,539,912

  Surrey

  Started April 91

  1,159,231

  1,816,177

  Sussex

  Started April 91

  1,960,000

  2,376,000

  Thames Valley Ent.

  Started April 91

  2,119,515

  2,272,152

  2,098,598

  12,234,711

  13,749,494

  Grand Total

  32,165,710

  113,383,569

  141,249,645

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of women appointed to each TEC board for each year since their creation.

  Mr. Paice
  Information on women appointed to each training and enterprise council board for each year since the TECs' creation is not held centrally. However, records held centrally on the numbers of women currently on TEC boards in England is shown in the table:

  TEC

  Number

  AZTEC

  3

  Avon TEC

  3

  Barnsley/Doncaster TEC

  1

  Bedfordshire TEC

  2

  Birmingham TEC

  3

  Bolton Bury TEC

  1

  Bradford and District TEC

  2

  CENTEC (Central London)

  3

  CEWTEC (Chester, Ellesmere Port, Wirral)

  2

  CILNTEC (City and Inner London North)

  1

  Calderdale/Kirklees TEC

  1

  CambsTEC (Central and South Cumbridgeshire)

  1

  Central England TEC

  3

  County Durham TEC

  2

  Coventry and Warwickshire TEC

  1

  Cumbria TEC

  1

  Devon and Cornwall TEC

  2

  Dorset TEC

  1

  Dudley TEC

  1

  ELTEC (East Lancashire)

  3

  Essex TEC

  3

  Gloucestershire TEC

  2

  Greater Nottingham TEC

  2

  Greater Peterborough TEC

  1

  HAWTEC (Hereford and Worcester)

  3

  Hampshire TEC

  2

  Heart of England (Oxfordshire) TEC

  3

  Humberside TEC

  2

  Kent TEC

  2

  Leeds TEC

  1

  Leicestershire TEC

  1

  Lincolnshire TEC

  2

  London East TEC

  3

  570

  TEC

  Number

  Manchester TEC

  1

  Merseyside TEC

  2

  NORMIDTEC (North and Mid Cheshire)

  1

  Norfolk and Waveney TEC

  3

  North Derbyshire TEC

  3

  North London TEC

  1

  North Nottinghamshire TEC

  2

  North West London TEC

  1

  North Yorkshire TEC

  2

  Northamptonshire TEC

  2

  Northumberland TEC

  I

  QUALITEC (St. Helens) Ltd

  2

  Rochdale TEC

  3

  Rotherham TEC

  1

  SOLOTEC

  2

  Sandwell TEC

  1

  Sheffield TEC

  1

  Shropshire TEC

  2

  Somerset TEC

  1

  South and East Cheshire TEC

  3

  Southern Derbyshire TEC

  3

  Stockport/High Peak TEC

  2

  Suffolk TEC

  3

  Sunderland City TEC

  2

  Surrey TEC

  2

  Sussex TEC

  2

  Teesside TEC

  1

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  1

  Tyneside TEC

  2

  Wakefield TEC

  1

  Walsall TEC

  2

  West London TEC

  4

  Wight Training and Enterprise

  1

  Wiltshire TEC

  2

  Wolverhampton TEC

  1

  Total

  128

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the members of each TEC board and their companies for each year since their creation.

  Mr. Paice
  It is not possible to provide a list of the members of each training and enterprise council board and their companies for each year since their creation as this information is not held centrally.

  Since January 1994 a list of current members of each TEC board and their companies is placed in the Library every quarter.

  Career Development Loans
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 20 December,Official Report, column 1098, what was the total cost of the career development loan advertising campaign.

  Mr. Paice
  The cost of the 1993–94 career development loan advertising campaign was £1,862,491.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table comparing male, female and total full-time and part-time employees (i) in employment, (ii) unemployed for October 1992 and the latest available date in(a) Doncaster, (b) Llanelli, (c) Retford, (d) Chesterfield, (e) Nottingham, (f) Mansfield, (g) Sunderland, (h) Wakefield and Dewsbury, (i) Barnsley, (j) Sheffield, (k) Stafford, (l) Wigan and St.

  571
  Helens, (m) Stoke, (n) Alfreton and Ashfield, (o) Merthyr and Rhymney, (p) Sunderland, (q) South Tyneside, (r) Aberdare, (s). Morpeth and Ashington, (t) Rotherham and Mexborough and (u) Worksop travel-to-work areas.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The employment information requested is not available for 1992. The latest reliable employment information for these travel to-work areas is for September 1991, from the periodic census of employment. This information and the unemployment statistics requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database available in the Library.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in his Department have reported an offer of employment from an outside employer since February 1993 as required under the civil service management code; and how many of these reports

  Leavers in Hampshire TEC

  Percentage of leavers in each outcome six months after leaving

  Full-time work

  Part-time work

  Self employment

  1Further education and training

  Unemployment

  1991–92

  47

  6

  1

  14

  24

  1992–93

  49

  5

  1

  14

  26

  April 1993–February 1994

  50

  6

  2

  15

  21

  Source:

  YT national follow-up survey.

  Notes:

  1 Includes those on another Government training programme.

SCOTLAND

  School Inspections
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) primary and (b) secondary school inspections were carried out in 1994; and how many in each category he estimates will be carried out in 1995.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Inspections of primary and secondary schools take place for a range of purposes including inspections leading to published reports on individual schools, those which contribute evidence to a published report on an aspect of education and those designed to obtain information on miscellaneous other matters. Approximately 310 inspections were carried out in primary schools in 1994 and 170 in secondary schools. A similar number is projected in each category for 1995.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the lengthiest period, on current plans, that(a) a primary and (b) a secondary school will go without an inspector's visit.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Inspections of primary and secondary schools take place for a range of purposes, including inspections leading to published reports on individual schools, those which contribute evidence to a published report on an aspect of education and those designed to obtain information on miscellaneous other matters. The pattern of inspection visits for these purposes means that, on average, six years may elapse between an inspector's visit to a primary school and two years in the case of secondary schools.
  572
  were followed by an application to join the company concerned.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I regret that the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of those leaving youth training schemes who progressed to(a) full-time work, (b) part-time work, (c) self-employment, (d) further education and training and (e) unemployment, in Southampton, Itchen, Southampton and Hampshire in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Paice
  Information is not available for individual constituencies and local authorities. Information for Hampshire training and enterprise council is available from 1991–92, the first full year of operation. The information is given in the table.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the value of chapter 10.5 payments to general practitioners in the highlands and islands for each year since its introduction(a) in total for the highlands and islands and (b) as an average for applicable practices.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information about payments made to general medical practitioners in Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles health boards under the chapter 10.5 payments scheme is set out in the table.

  Financial year

  1990–91 £

  41991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Payments to GMPs1

  Chapter 10.5

  202,795

  257,436

  325,472

  326,155

  Transitional2

  129,813

  62,704

  —

  —

  Total

  332,608

  320,140

  325,472

  326,155

  Average payments per GMP1,3

  Chapter 10.5

  1,865

  2,263

  2,812

  2,830

  Transitional2

  1,194

  551

  —

  —

  Total

  3,058

  2,814

  2,812

  2,830

  1 GMPs in practices qualifying for chapter 10.5 payments.

  2 Between 1990 and 1992 amounts paid to GMPs under the transitional payments scheme were deducted from any chapter 10.5 payments due. The transitional payments scheme ceased on 31 March 1992 and thereafter chapter 10.5 payments were made in full.

  3 Whole time equivalent of GMP.

  4 Estimate, based upon data for the second half of the financial year.

  573

  Students (Sickness)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students at each further education college have had their grants withdrawn because of sickness absence of more than 28 days in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Students at further education colleges in Scotland may be eligible for support from either the Student Awards Agency for Scotland or their education authority, depending on the nature of their course.

  No student in receipt of support from the awards agency would have his or her grant withdrawn solely on the grounds of a sickness absence of more than 28 days. There is provision for the level of grant to be adjusted, exceptionally, after the student returns to study where there has been a significantly lower maintenance requirement during the period of absence.

  Where a student withdraws from his or her course—permanently or temporarily—following a prolonged period of sickness the maintenance grant will be terminated with effect from the date of withdrawal. Details of the reasons for individual withdrawals are not held centrally.

  The terms and conditions on which education authorities in Scotland offer assistance to students are entirely at the discretion of the authority concerned.

  Further Education Expenditure
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage increase or decrease in real terms, allowing for inflation, for spending on(a) universities and (b) further and adult education from 1982–83 to 1992–93.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Between 1982–83 and 1992–93 the then eight Scottish universities were funded by the University Grants Committee and, latterly, the Universities Funding Council. During that period total recurrent public expenditure on the eight universities, in the form of UGC and UFC grants for teaching and research and tuition fees in respect of those students on full-time courses who were charged fees at the home rate, increased by 3.5 per cent. in real terms.

  The increase in current expenditure on further education in real terms by local authorities over the same period was 4.2 per cent. This includes expenditure on adult education.

  Private Housing Developers
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the levels of Scottish Homes' grants to private housing developers in each year since Scottish Homes was established.

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

  Scottish homes' grants to private housing developers

  £ million outturn

  1989–90

  0.84

  1990–91

  9.24

  1991–92

  14.93

  1992–93

  25.09

  1993–94

  28.30

  574

  Innumeracy and Illiteracy
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are currently being taken to assist schools to overcome innumeracy and illiteracy.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Improving pupils' standards of attainment in English language and mathematics is central to the Government's five to 14 programme. The programme sets out attainment targets, which allow such pupils' performance and progress to be assessed and assisted. National tests also provide an important source of evidence of achievement in key skills and processes in reading, writing, and mathematics. Diagnostic materials have been prepared to help teachers tackle pupils with particular difficulties in English and mathematics.

  Social Work Inspectorate
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent staff are involved in the social work inspectorate; what is(a) its annual revenue budget and (b) its budget for training and staff development; how much has been spent in the past year on away days for staff to hotels; and what were the purposes of such activities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are 18 full-time equivalent professional members of staff in the inspectorate and 17.5 administrative staff. The inspectorate's budget for 1994–95 is £1,134,618, of which £3,525 was allocated to job-related training. Ten members. of staff attended a strategy day along with their colleagues in the social work services group. The purpose of the day was to review the issues involved in local government reorganisation and to consider key objectives over the next two years. The cost of the one-day event was £1,240.

  Lochranza Castle
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much in public funds has been spent on the renovation and upkeep of Lochranza castle in each of the past 20 years; and what further expenditure is proposed.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to Historic Scotland under its chief executive, Mr. Graeme Munro. I have asked Mr. Munro to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Graeme Munro to Mr Brian Wilson, dated 18 January 1995:

  1. Sir Hector Monro has asked me to reply to your Question 272 of 11 January about the cost of renovation and upkeep of Lochranza Castle on Arran.

  2. Lochranza Castle has been in the Secretary of State's guardianship since 1956. Under Section 13 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, guardianship gives the Secretary of State a duty to maintain the Castle and full control and management of it. The maintenance and management are carried

  575
  out by Historic Scotland on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Castle is open to the public free of charge.

  3. The information which you sought about costs over the past 20 years and our future expenditure plans is:

  3.1 Between 1975 and 1985 we carried out routine maintenance at a cost of approximately £2,000 per annum;

  3.2 Between 1986 and 1990, we spent £79,000 consolidating the main entrance tower and repairing a collapsed sea wall, as well as carrying out routine maintenance;

  3.3 Between 1991 and 1994, we carried out routine maintenance at a cost of about £1,000 per annum;

  3.4 Over the next five years, we plan to undertake another phase of consolidation work which we expect will cost about £15,000 to £20,000 per year.

  I am sorry that precise annual figures are not immediately available but I hope that this letter provides the information which you need. Please let me know if I can help further.

  Transplant Operations
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many heart transplants were carried out in Scotland in the calendar year 1994;

  (2) how many patients were referred outside Scotland for consideration of heart, lung or heart-lung transplant in the calendar years 1993 and 1994;

  (3) how many patients were operated on outside Scotland for heart, lung or heart-lung transplant in the calendar years 1993 and 1994.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  During the period January-October 1994, 14 heart transplant operations were carried out in Scotland. The figure is provisional and data for November and December are not yet available.

  Information about the number of patients either referred or operated on outside Scotland for heart, lung or heart-lung transplant is not held centrally in Scotland. The hospital to which a patient is referred is a matter for individual clinicians.

  Forestry
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what timetable he envisages for the implementation of his future policy towards forestry.

  Sir Hector Monro
  We are currently considering the responses to "Our Forests—The Way Ahead", which set out our conclusions following the forestry review, and will make an announcement in due course.

  Civil Servant Travel
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which airlines have been granted preferred carrier status for civil servant travel to overseas destinations.

  Mr. Lang
  The preferred carrier for any particular civil servant's travel will depend on the circumstances of the journey concerned and value for money. For regular requirements, my Department has entered into arrangements with Sabena for travel to Brussels and Air France for Paris.

  Right to Buy
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of discounts to public sector tenants in Scotland exercising their right to buy in each year since 1980–81, both in cash terms and expressed in 1994–95 prices.
  576
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table for each full year for which data are available.

  £ million

  Year

  Value of discounts (cash)

  Value of discounts (at 1994–95 prices)

  1980–81

  37.647

  79.814

  1981–82

  73.290

  141.675

  1982–83

  104.473

  188.526

  1983–84

  130.756

  225.495

  1984–85

  137.929

  226.485

  1985–86

  130.145

  202.475

  1986–87

  139.921

  211.489

  1987–88

  257.497

  369.521

  1988–89

  425.120

  571.674

  1989–90

  513.940

  646.189

  1990–91

  420.089

  488.777

  1991–92

  371.803

  406.947

  1992–93

  376.111

  396.520

  1993–94

  355.854

  362.972

  Scottish Enterprise Loans
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what were the locations of the head offices of the firms which benefited from Scottish Enterprise loans and grants in 1993–94;

  (2) which companies have benefited from Scottish Enterprise loans and grants in 1993–94; and what were the amounts.

  Mr. Stewart
  These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked its chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Agricultural Arbitrators
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of Scottish agricultural arbitrators, indicating in each case the individual's stated profession.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Arbitrations conducted by arbiters appointed by the parties themselves are not notified to my Department. Arbiters appointed by the Secretary of State, following an application by either party, are selected from a panel whose membership was last reviewed in October 1993. I am arranging for copies of the full list of current panel members, with each member's stated profession, to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the guidelines issued to agricultural arbitrators in respect of(a) their basis of selection of comparable farms and (b) the number of comparable farms to be selected for the purposes of an arbitration; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Provisions for arbitration on the level of rent, including reference to comparable subjects, are contained in section 13 of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. The Act does not, however, specify how the comparables should be selected nor the number. Given the great variation in size and circumstances of farms, comparables are selected by the arbiter in the context of each particular case.

  My Department does not issue guidance to arbiters beyond that contained in the relevant legislation. However, training by the Scottish Association of Agricultural Arbiters and the Royal Institution of

  577
  Chartered Surveyors in Scotland is available to all arbiters.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has carried out of the costs to tenant farmers associated with agricultural arbitration cases; what fresh proposals he has to brin'g forward to the makings of the scheme as laid down under the 1991 Act with particular reference to the introduction of a right of appeal to his choice of arbitrator in any given case; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The rate of remuneration for arbiters appointed by the Secretary of State is set by him in accordance with Section 63 of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991. It is a matter for the parties themselves to decide how they wish to be represented at the arbitration and the arrangements for awarding expenses set out in schedule 7 to the 1991 Act provide for the arbiter to disallow expenses incurred by the parties unnecessarily.

  There are no proposals to introduce changes to the provisions of the 1991 Act to provide parties with a right of appeal against the choice of arbiter by the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farm arbitrations were held in Scotland in the last five years, indicating the number of arbitrations carried out by each arbitrator; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Members of the Secretary of State's panel of agricultural arbiters were appointed to conduct 255 arbitrations in the years 1990–1994. The information on the number of occasions on which each member of the panel was appointed is set out in the table. A number of these cases were, however, settled by agreement without proceeding to an arbitration hearing.

  Member of panel

  Appointments 1990–1994

  R. Baird

  11

  F. Barraclough

  19

  J. Boyne

  3

  A. Bremner

  8

  D. Buchan

  10

  C. Campbell

  8

  I. Chalmers

  6

  G. Chalmers

  6

  A. Clark

  2

  D. Craib

  1

  T. Cruikshank

  1

  T. Donald

  10

  I. Douglas

  10

  G. Dunlop

  1

  J. Elliot

  1

  A. Elvy

  2

  T. Finlayson

  1

  R. Forrest

  3

  W. Fraser

  4

  W. Gourlay

  10

  N. Graham-Campbell

  3

  T. Graham

  8

  A. Gray

  3

  P. Hardie

  2

  I. Harley

  1

  J. Hunter

  2

  W. Ironside

  1

  J. Jones-Perrott

  1

  D. Laird

  1

  J. Lamont

  1

  R. Lennox

  1

  578

  Member of panel

  Appointments 1990–1994

  G. Lumsden

  5

  J. Lumsden

  5

  A. MacDonald

  1

  I. K. MacKenzie

  13

  K.F.S. MacKenzie

  16

  R.A.M. MacKenzie

  1

  J. McLaren

  2

  I. McLaren

  1

  J. McNaughton

  1

  J. Marshall

  1

  J. Maxwell

  1

  M. Milligan

  19

  C. Mitchell

  1

  J. Pattullo

  5

  D. Reid

  5

  T. Renwick

  1

  G. Robertson

  1

  J. Seed

  5

  J. Sharp

  4

  R. Shearlaw

  4

  J. Smith

  1

  G. Tait

  2

  J. Thorburn

  10

  P. Waddell

  2

  R. Walker

  1

  R. Weir

  1

  I. Wilson

  4

  R. Wilson

  1

  Set-aside Payments
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of farmers in Scotland who have not yet received payments under the 1994 arable aid scheme for land set aside from oilseed production for non-food use; how much money in total is currently being withheld; what is the reason for the delay in making such payments; and when he expects the money to be released.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Seventy-nine payments involving a non-food crop element under the 1994 arable area payments scheme, amounting to a total of just over £2.3 million, are being withheld. My Department has no authority under the relevant EC legislation to make these payments until the collectors-first processors concerned have sent the Intervention Board the necessary documentation covering proof of delivery and the board has given formal clearance for payment to proceed.

  My Department will make these outstanding payments as soon as the Intervention Board can give the necessary clearance.

  Electro-shock Weapons
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has in respect of(a) past and (b) present production of electro-shock weapons at ICL Technical Plastics in Glasgow; what approval his Department has given for such production; and what support he has given (i) directly and (ii) indirectly for the export of such goods.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish Office does not have, and never has had, any information about the production of electro-shock weapons at ICL Plastics Ltd. nor has the Department ever given, or been asked to give, approval for such production.
  579
  Scottish Trade International, the export arm of the Scottish Office and Scottish Enterprise, had some discussions in 1993 with the company about the marketing of a range of conventional riot gear which had been already sold to police forces within the United Kingdom. No mention of electro-shock weapons or similar products has ever been made to officials. The company has not had any direct or indirect financial support from STI.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the number of cases disposed of and (b) the number of custodial sentences imposed,each sheriff court in Scotland, for each of the past five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 16 January 1995]: The available information is set out in the table.

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1989

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Aberdeen

  4,989

  4,490

  556

  Banff

  481

  466

  27

  Peterhead

  849

  807

  92

  Stonehaven

  875

  806

  19

  Elgin

  1,383

  1,301

  112

  Wick

  545

  517

  39

  Inverness

  2,177

  1,990

  205

  Fort William

  650

  604

  31

  Portree

  278

  250

  13

  Dingwall

  701

  647

  70

  Tain

  503

  469

  19

  Dornoch

  225

  209

  4

  Kirkwall

  589

  554

  7

  Lerwick

  505

  493

  16

  Lochmaddy

  178

  165

  7

  Stornoway

  398

  362

  16

  Arbroath

  1,228

  1,128

  72

  Forfar

  995

  901

  52

  Dundee

  4,002

  3,393

  511

  Perth

  3,137

  2,790

  248

  Alloa

  875

  756

  75

  Falkirk

  2,544

  2,230

  211

  Stirling

  3,078

  2,711

  231

  Cupar

  970

  880

  78

  Dunfermline

  3,200

  2,828

  268

  Kirkcaldy

  3,876

  3,511

  384

  Haddington

  1,431

  1,282

  133

  Edinburgh

  10,766

  9,232

  928

  Linlithgow

  2,567

  2,347

  247

  Duns

  179

  170

  10

  Selkirk

  343

  315

  25

  Jedburgh

  461

  435

  45

  Peebles

  289

  276

  10

  Glasgow

  11,668

  9,763

  2,057

  Campbeltown

  446

  422

  35

  Dunoon

  542

  491

  49

  Oban

  611

  546

  33

  Rothesay

  195

  185

  28

  Dumbarton

  3,287

  2,836

  269

  Greenock

  2,169

  1,976

  542

  Kilmarnock

  5,106

  4,524

  838

  Paisley

  5,361

  4,455

  495

  Dumfries

  3,862

  3,439

  174

  Kirkcudbright

  688

  615

  58

  Stranraer

  1,035

  939

  84

  Airdrie

  2,678

  2,321

  444

  580

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1989

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Ayr

  4,045

  3,583

  356

  Hamilton

  5,215

  4,318

  642

  Lanark

  1,026

  893

  57

  Not known

  83

  20

  7

  Total

  103,284

  90,641

  10,929

  Source:

  Unpublished Scottish Office statistics on criminal proceedings.

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1990

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Aberdeen

  5,739

  5,116

  547

  Banff

  482

  464

  36

  Peterhead

  924

  882

  65

  Stonehaven

  851

  761

  19

  Elgin

  1,304

  1,212

  93

  Wick

  673

  608

  55

  Inverness

  2,386

  2,192

  228

  Fort William

  631

  569

  48

  Portree

  247

  225

  17

  Dingwall

  771

  730

  64

  Tain

  539

  496

  29

  Dornoch

  285

  260

  7

  Kirkwall

  562

  503

  2

  Lerwick

  561

  531

  11

  Lochmaddy

  207

  192

  3

  Stornoway

  390

  371

  14

  Arbroath

  1,302

  1,155

  78

  Forfar

  1,119

  1,011

  54

  Dundee

  3,452

  2,880

  384

  Perth

  3,072

  2,666

  272

  Alloa

  956

  852

  100

  Falkirk

  2,277

  2,026

  257

  Stirling

  3,225

  2,871

  199

  Cupar

  931

  854

  65

  Dunfermline

  2,443

  2,123

  218

  Kirkcaldy

  3,962

  3,614

  437

  Haddington

  1,229

  1,082

  98

  Edinburgh

  11,356

  9,557

  876

  Linlithgow

  2,658

  2,405

  217

  Duns

  234

  216

  10

  Selkirk

  425

  403

  37

  Jedburgh

  453

  428

  47

  Peebles

  290

  271

  12

  Glasgow

  11,103

  8,947

  1,874

  Campbeltown

  381

  333

  32

  Dunoon

  583

  536

  73

  Oban

  720

  621

  52

  Rothesay

  161

  155

  28

  Dumbarton

  3,389

  2,742

  218

  Greenock

  2,089

  1,918

  522

  Kilmarnock

  5,376

  4,628

  736

  Paisley

  4,951

  4,079

  467

  Dumfries

  3,189

  2,864

  161

  Kirkcudbright

  582

  523

  42

  Stranraer

  1,022

  937

  113

  Airdrie

  2,585

  2,169

  379

  Ayr

  3,514

  3,129

  334

  Hamilton

  4,804

  3,956

  458

  Lanark

  1,184

  1,026

  77

  Not known

  56

  20

  3

  Total

  101,625

  88,109

  10,168

  Source:

  Unpublished Scottish Office statistics on criminal proceedings.
  581

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1991

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodian sentence

  Aberdeen

  6,199

  5,506

  610

  Banff

  528

  509

  41

  Peterhead

  858

  820

  84

  Stonehaven

  940

  863

  22

  Elgin

  1,339

  1,257

  88

  Wick

  558

  483

  33

  Inverness

  2,292

  2,076

  228

  Fort William

  606

  539

  53

  Portree

  206

  184

  8

  Dingwall

  809

  768

  73

  Tain

  525

  468

  39

  Dornoch

  272

  231

  5

  Kirkwall

  349

  324

  10

  Lerwick

  461

  440

  17

  Lochmaddy

  152

  140

  2

  Stornoway

  491

  450

  13

  Arbroath

  1,334

  1,203

  117

  Forfar

  867

  795

  70

  Dundee

  3,057

  2,441

  285

  Perth

  3,314

  2,947

  238

  Alloa

  918

  831

  72

  Falkirk

  2,344

  2,080

  220

  Stirling

  3,021

  2,658

  171

  Cupar

  893

  791

  91

  Dunfermline

  2,765

  2,355

  299

  Kirkcaldy

  3,731

  3,286

  394

  Haddington

  1,144

  1,049

  125

  Edinburgh

  10,770

  9,549

  954

  Linlithgow

  2,399

  2,179

  203

  Duns

  208

  191

  9

  Selkirk

  384

  361

  18

  Jedburgh

  483

  467

  28

  Peebles

  347

  328

  9

  Glasgow

  9,169

  7,435

  1,498

  Campbeltown

  308

  274

  24

  Dunoon

  584

  534

  62

  Oban

  556

  508

  64

  Rothesay

  134

  122

  13

  Dumbarton

  3,705

  3,085

  197

  Greenock

  1,699

  1,547

  395

  Kilmarnock

  4,184

  3,583

  645

  Paisley

  3,998

  3,274

  416

  Dumfries

  2,722

  2,497

  165

  Kirkcudbright

  552

  512

  48

  Stranraer

  1,200

  1,094

  87

  Airdrie

  2,390

  1,915

  315

  Ayr

  3,056

  2,669

  336

  Hamilton

  4,944

  3,976

  387

  Lanark

  1,200

  1,040

  78

  Not known

  49

  7

  —

  Total

  95,014

  82,641

  9,359

  Source:

  Unpublished Scottish Office statistics on criminal proceedings.

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1992

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Aberdeen

  6,106

  5,486

  745

  Banff

  493

  468

  32

  Peterhead

  733

  700

  58

  Stonehaven

  899

  836

  25

  Elgin

  1,252

  1,173

  71

  Wick

  595

  529

  68

  Inverness

  2,231

  2,092

  253

  582

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1992

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Fort William

  514

  483

  64

  Portree

  213

  196

  8

  Dingwall

  866

  813

  69

  Tain

  650

  578

  38

  Dornoch

  217

  196

  7

  Kirkwall

  383

  361

  27

  Lerwick

  369

  350

  20

  Lochmaddy

  170

  162

  6

  Stornoway

  347

  298

  14

  Arbroath

  1,324

  1,093

  96

  Forfar

  974

  893

  51

  Dundee

  3,787

  3,100

  460

  Perth

  3,088

  2,653

  284

  Alloa

  815

  717

  70

  Falkirk

  2,550

  2,296

  288

  Stirling

  2,781

  2,438

  311

  Cupar

  901

  810

  96

  Dunfermline

  2,437

  1,967

  227

  Kirkcaldy

  3,375

  2,973

  414

  Haddington

  1,122

  1,033

  126

  Edinburgh

  11,736

  10,385

  1,022

  Linlithgow

  2,569

  2,281

  169

  Duns

  214

  199

  5

  Selkirk

  412

  386

  16

  Jedburgh

  554

  522

  24

  Peebles

  384

  365

  7

  Glasgow

  10,133

  8,162

  1,838

  Campbeltown

  309

  257

  29

  Dunoon

  536

  499

  66

  Oban

  501

  464

  57

  Rothesay

  144

  131

  22

  Dumbarton

  3,458

  2,838

  325

  Greenock

  1,978

  1,709

  388

  Kilmarnock

  5,129

  4,272

  943

  Paisley

  4,194

  3,397

  525

  Dumfries

  3,486

  3,153

  178

  Kirkcudbright

  641

  589

  51

  Stranraer

  1,149

  1,040

  93

  Airdrie

  2,413

  1,907

  379

  Ayr

  3,834

  3,293

  447

  Hamilton

  5,503

  4,428

  539

  Lanark

  1,165

  1,009

  102

  Not known

  30

  7

  1

  Total

  99,664

  85,987

  11,154

  Source:

  Unpublished Scottish Office statistics on criminal proceedings.

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1993

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Aberdeen

  6,340

  5,649

  694

  Banff

  488

  466

  33

  Peterhead

  760

  710

  49

  Stonehaven

  915

  859

  22

  Elgin

  966

  902

  81

  Wick

  536

  493

  79

  Inverness

  1,991

  1,829

  256

  Fort William

  572

  536

  61

  Portree

  185

  167

  16

  Dingwall

  682

  630

  61

  Tain

  540

  471

  40

  Dornoch

  198

  169

  11

  Kirkwall

  335

  312

  15

  Lerwick

  340

  316

  20

  Lochmaddy

  237

  216

  9

  583

  Outcome of sheriff court proceedings in Scotland in 1993

  Sheriff court

  Persons called to court

  Persons with charge proved

  Persons receiving a custodial sentence

  Stornoway

  232

  206

  13

  Arbroath

  963

  832

  138

  Forfar

  1,021

  924

  80

  Dundee

  3,881

  3,009

  413

  Perth

  2,735

  2,289

  236

  Alloa

  716

  655

  85

  Falkirk

  2,747

  2,408

  257

  Stirling

  2,415

  2,143

  309

  Cupar

  935

  855

  87

  Dunfemline

  2,692

  2,291

  234

  Kirkcaldy

  3,461

  3,010

  469

  Haddington

  1,082

  988

  99

  Edinburgh

  11,292

  10,096

  1,346

  Linlithgow

  2,456

  2,218

  144

  Duns

  237

  219

  14

  Selkirk

  355

  340

  30

  Jedburgh

  517

  481

  46

  Peebles

  241

  233

  14

  Glasgow

  10,947

  8,650

  1,949

  Campbeltown

  245

  219

  13

  Dunoon

  569

  511

  58

  Oban

  444

  396

  50

  Rothesay

  125

  119

  31

  Dumbarton

  3,239

  2,650

  399

  Greenock

  2,027

  1,731

  521

  Kilmarnock

  4,122

  3,538

  943

  Paisley

  4,531

  3,580

  556

  Dumfries

  3,094

  2,664

  177

  Kirkcudbright

  588

  537

  51

  Stranraer

  925

  805

  73

  Airdrie

  2,644

  2,044

  386

  Ayr

  3,595

  3,087

  422

  Hamilton

  4,945

  3,951

  463

  Lanark

  1,046

  860

  88

  Not known

  455

  6

  4

  96,604

  82,270

  11,645

  Source:

  Unpublished Scottish Office statistics on criminal proceedings.

  Housing
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the years between 1979–89 and 1993–94 inclusive of the total number of completed dwellings(a) built for rent by (i) local authorities, (ii) new towns, (iii) Scottish Homes and (iv) housing associations and housing co-operatives, (b) rehabilitated for rent by (i) local authorities, (ii) new towns, (iii) Scottish Homes and (iv) housing associations and housing co-operatives, (c) built or rehabilitated by local authorities for low-cost home ownership, (d) built or rehabilitated by housing associations and co-operatives for low-cost home ownership, (e) built or rehabilitated by private developers through GRO grant for rent and (f) built or rehabilitated by private developers through GRO grant for ownership.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 16 January 1995]: The available information on (a) and (b) is published quarterly in the statistical bulletin series "Housing Trends in Scotland" which is available in the House Library.

  (c)No information is collected centrally on local, authority low-cost home ownership provision.
  584
  (d) The available information is given.

  Housing association/co-operative low-cost home ownership completions

  Number

  1981–82

  115

  1982–83

  244

  1983–84

  156

  1984–85

  63

  1985–86

  166

  1986–87

  79

  1987–88

  388

  1988–89

  89

  1989–90

  209

  1990–91

  319

  1991–92

  400

  1992–93

  475

  1993–94

  858

  (e), (f) The number of units approved is given.

  GRO grant unit approvals for:

  Market rent

  Owner occupation

  1989–90

  —

  123

  1990–91

  56

  1,059

  1991–92

  159

  1,228

  1992–93

  309

  1,617

  1993–94

  586

  1,534

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: The information requested is as follows:

  Financial year

  Number of registered independent schools

  1975–76

  102

  1976–77

  99

  1977–78

  100

  1978–79

  98

  1979–80

  96

  1980–81

  92

  1981–82

  90

  1982–83

  90

  1983–84

  87

  1984–85

  90

  1985–86

  108

  1986–87

  115

  1987–88

  127

  1988–89

  121

  1989–90

  122

  1990–91

  123

  1991–92

  125

  1992–93

  116

  1993–94

  117

  1994–95

  117

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the average household income of the pupils applying for
  585
  assistance under the assisted places scheme; and what is the average household income of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: Comprehensive information on the household incomes of pupils applying for assistance under the assisted places scheme is not collected centrally. No details, for example, are held on the incomes of households below the threshold at which full fee remission applies nor of those applicants who may be successful in obtaining an assisted place. Applications to join the scheme are made direct to participating schools which must administer the scheme in accordance with the statutory regulations.

  Information which is available centrally shows that, in the 1993–94 school session, over 81 per cent. of the families of pupils receiving assistance had household incomes of less than £18,000 per annum, and just over 45 per cent. had household incomes below the £9,522 threshold for full fee remission.
  586

  Plastic Surgery, Ayrshire and Arran
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of plastic surgery on patients from Ayrshire and Arran is carried out within hospitals in the Ayrshire and Arran health board area; what action is being taken to increase the percentage treated in local hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The percentage of plastic surgery in patient discharges of Ayrshire and Arran residents from hospitals within the local health board area rose from 56.8 per cent. in 1991 to 65.3 per cent in 1993, the latest full year for which figures are available.

  The Ayrshire and Arran health board's draft acute services strategy states the boards' commitment to purchase more plastic surgery services locally. A new consultant plastic surgeon post to be made at Canniesburn hospital in Glasgow will further impact on local Ayrshire and Arran services as the post will cover patient consultations in Ayrshire.

  EC COHESION FUND COMMITMENTS AND PAYMENTS
  Lord Bruce Donington
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will state to the nearest £1,000,000 the allocation, in terms of commitments and payments respectively, of funds from the European Community Cohesion Fund for the years 1993 and 1994 to each recipient member state.

  The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Earl Ferrers)
  The information requested is in the following table:

  £ million

  1993

  1994

  Commitments

  Payments

  Commitments

  Payments

  Republic of Ireland

  111

  53

  130

  67

  Greece

  219

  116

  257

  122

  Spain

  671

  329

  789

  328

  Portugal

  222

  73

  259

  192

  Source: European Commission

  MATURE STUDENTS: WITHDRAWAL OF ALLOWANCE
  Baroness David
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many mature students will be affected by the Finance Bill proposal to cut the £1,000 supplement available to students aged 29 and over who have previously earned £12,000 per annum, and how many students are affected by the cut in supplement for 26, 27 and 28 year-olds.

  Lord Lucas
  My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education has estimated that about 15,000 new students aged 26 or over will be affected by the withdrawal of the older students' allowance when the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1994 come into force for the 1995/96 academic year. It is not possible to break this figure down by the ages of affected students.

  VOLUNTARY UNEMPLOYMENT
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether, in cases in which workers leave a job when offered a change of contract involving worse terms and conditions, they will not be treated as voluntarily unemployed.

  Lord Inglewood
  When people leave employment because their employers want to impose on them, other than by general agreement, a change in the terms and conditions of their employment which makes them substantially less favourable than before, the employment may have been brought to an end because of a breach of contract by the employer. In these WA 40
  circumstances we would not consider the person to have left employment voluntarily.

  Where an alteration does not amount to a breach of contract, the person may have left voluntarily, but the imposition of the new conditions may provide just cause for leaving.

  This information is contained in the Adjudication Officers' Guide, which is available in the Library.

  ACTIVELY SEEKING WORK OBLIGATION
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will undertake that the refusal of a job paying commission only will not be used to cast doubt on whether the claimant is actively seeking work.

  Lord Inglewood
  If claimants fail to apply for, or refuse the offer of, any job that has been properly notified to them, they can be disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit unless they show good cause for the refusal. The circumstances of any refusal are carefully considered when deciding whether claimants have fulfilled their obligation to seek work actively and this applies to jobs paying commission only as to other jobs.

  STATUTORY SICK PAY
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will commission research to establish whether there is any statistical correlation between claims for Statutory Sick Pay and dismissal.

  The Minster of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)
  We will be commissioning a survey this year to assess the impact on employers and employees of the April 1994 changes to the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme. The survey will explore the impact on employers; recruitment and retention policies and on their monitoring and control of sickness absence. In addition, the Contributions Agency will continue to monitor the operation of the scheme to ensure that employers are properly complying with their obligations to pay SSP.

  WAR PENSIONERS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
  Lord Cullen of Ashbourne
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether, in view of their policy of care in the community, they will give discretion to the War Pensions Board to assist war pensioners financially when they are living in their own homes.

  Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish
  Financial assistance to war pensioners living in their homes is already available. In addition to the maximum tax-free War Disablement Pension, currently £98.90 a week, there are tax-free allowances which severely disabled war pensioners may claim to assist with the cost of coping with their disabilities.
  WA 41
  The allowances, and their current rates are as follows:-

  £ week

  Unemployability Supplement

  personal allowance

  61.10

  Invalidity Allowance

  maximum

  12.15

  Constant Attendance Allowance

  maximum

  74.80

  Exceptionally Severe Disability Allowance

  —

  37.40

  Comforts Allowance

  maximum

  16.00

  Age Allowance

  maximum

  20.40

  Mobility Supplement

  —

  35.55

  A single, severely disabled war pensioner could, therefore, receive currently a maximum war pension of £356.30 a week. In addition he might be entitled to a Clothing Allowance of up to £126 year. A House Adaptation Grant of up to £750 may also be payable towards the cost of adapting the home of a severely disabled war pensioner.

  BST IN MILK
  Lord Beaumont of Whitley
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What tests they intend carrying out on BST (bovine somatotropin) milk and for what purposes.

  The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)
  BST is a natural hormone produced naturally by cows and is present in all cow's milk. On the basis of the scientific evidence and advice currently available, BST in milk poses no hazard to human health. In those circumstances the Government has no plans to carry out any tests on BST milk.

  ANIMAL MEDICINES: PROVISIONAL MARKETING AUTHORISATION SCHEME
  The Countess of Mar
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will ensure that the recently introduced Provisional Approval Schedule for Animal Medicines can be used to introduce to the United Kingdom other animal medicines already licensed elsewhere in the European Union.

  Earl Howe
  On the assumption that the noble Countess is referring to the Provisional Marketing Authorisation arrangements which came into operation on 8 September 1994, I can confirm that the scheme can be used for this purpose. Indeed, two of the three authorisations so far issued under the scheme relate to products already licensed under national arrangements in at least one other member state of the European Union.

  ANIMAL MEDICINES IMPORT FROM EU
  The Countess of Mar
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will confirm that, as from 1st January 1995, veterinary surgeons and farmers may import for their own use (on prescription, or in their own herds and flocks) animal medicines which are already licensed for use elsewhere in the European Union.

  Earl Howe
  Not in all circumstances. Many factors affect the import and use of veterinary medicinal products from other member states. For example, no person, including a veterinary surgeon, may import a product for supply to another person (or for administration to another person's animals) unless the product has a marketing authorisation valid in the UK. For one-off supplies by a veterinary surgeon to a client, in response to a particular need, a special treatment authorisation may be available.

  Anyone may import a product other than a vaccine from another EEA Member State and administer it to a companion animal (as distinct from a food-producing animal) which he or she owns, provided the product has a marketing authorisation in that originating member state. Equally, anyone may import a vaccine which has been reviewed, or newly licensed since 1993, in accordance with Community law and administer it to animals which he or she owns, provided it does not contain any pathogen controlled under animal health law and does not interfere with any animal health programme in the UK. The import and administration of products in other circumstances requires authorisation.

  A guidance note explaining these arrangements in more detail is being prepared. I will ensure that it is placed in the Library of the House, and that the noble Countess is sent a copy.

  SHEEP SCAB TREATMENTS: RESEARCH
  The Countess of Mar
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What research and development is being carried out in the United Kingdom into alternative treatments for sheep scab; what types of compounds are involved, and how much work is being carried out in the public sector.

  Earl Howe
  There are three ongoing research and development projects being funded by MAFF into alternative treatments for sheep scab, including immunological and non-chemical control. The forecast costs for 1995/96 for these projects is £198,000. I have no information on any research and development being carried out by the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, which is a matter for the commercial judgment of the individual companies concerned.

  COUNCIL TAX IN LONDON AND ESSEX
  Lord Braine of Wheatley
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they will publish in the Official Report, a consolidated table showing the council tax payable per household in each band group, taking into account the transitional relief for each London borough and council in Essex in 1993–94 and 1994–95, and whether they will give the party in control of each council.

  The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)
  Information on transitional relief by council tax band is not available centrally.

  The estimated average council tax payable per dwelling in 1993–94 and in 1994–95 in each council tax

  1993/94 Average Council Taxes Payable per Dwelling in each Band

  Band A £

  Band B £

  Band C £

  Band D £

  Band E £

  Band F £

  Band G £

  Band H £

  1993/94 £

  Local authority

  Political control at end of December 1994

  Transitional Relief per Dwelling

  City of London

  Oth

  —

  256

  283

  298

  391

  484

  562

  726

  38

  Camden

  Lab

  402

  453

  526

  605

  751

  899

  1,059

  1,316

  16

  Greenwich

  Lab

  458

  535

  634

  721

  885

  1,062

  1,226

  1,442

  133

  Hackney

  Lab

  360

  437

  530

  612

  782

  945

  1,082

  1,231

  6

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Lab

  306

  361

  411

  468

  587

  708

  826

  1,015

  58

  Islington

  Lab

  463

  446

  514

  605

  756

  917

  1,086

  1,292

  37

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Con

  285

  316

  370

  411

  501

  595

  680

  861

  107

  Lambeth

  Noc

  387

  447

  518

  586

  723

  864

  1,005

  1,211

  19

  Lewisham

  Lab

  282

  343

  407

  472

  585

  698

  799

  955

  20

  Southwark

  Lab

  343

  407

  485

  560

  687

  784

  957

  1,145

  77

  Tower Hamlets

  Lab

  319

  350

  425

  473

  582

  651

  733

  856

  20

  Wandsworth

  Con

  255

  298

  352

  404

  502

  602

  704

  838

  291

  Westminster

  Con

  158

  186

  216

  250

  300

  348

  391

  469

  96

  Barking and Dagenham

  Lab

  287

  353

  413

  475

  581

  699

  903

  378

  6

  Barnet

  Noc

  291

  353

  422

  493

  618

  743

  862

  1,029

  38

  Bexley

  Noc

  298

  344

  412

  482

  594

  715

  821

  951

  10

  Brent

  Noc

  373

  413

  471

  553

  676

  809

  933

  1,080

  9

  Bromley

  Con

  293

  321

  389

  462

  582

  697

  813

  969

  50

  Croydon

  Lab

  295

  329

  398

  471

  587

  705

  817

  968

  30

  Ealing

  Lab

  329

  388

  448

  518

  632

  761

  885

  1,051

  17

  Enfield

  Lab

  337

  395

  470

  543

  669

  807

  937

  1,124

  17

  Haringey

  Lab

  416

  484

  571

  665

  822

  986

  1,147

  1,363

  21

  Harrow

  Noc

  294

  345

  423

  510

  627

  750

  869

  1,055

  21

  Havering

  Noc

  305

  359

  436

  502

  618

  739

  852

  961

  11

  Hillingdon

  Lab

  323

  351

  417

  492

  604

  718

  841

  1,000

  15

  Hounslow

  Lab

  382

  437

  502

  576

  703

  834

  961

  1,180

  31

  Kingston upon Thames

  LDem

  303

  333

  398

  473

  595

  711

  833

  989

  30

  Merton

  Lab

  306

  345

  406

  466

  568

  674

  788

  958

  32

  WA 44
  band for each London borough, and for each council in Essex, is given in the tables below. These figures are based on information provided by authorities as at December 1993 for 1993–94 figures, and as at June 1994 for 1994–95 figures. No allowance is made in these estimates for the effect of transitional relief or council tax benefit.

  The political control of each council at the end of December 1994 is also given in the table below.

  The estimated average amount of council tax transitional relief granted per dwelling, across all bands, in 1993–94 and 1994–95 for each London borough, and for each council in Essex, is also given in the tables below. These figures are based on information provided by authorities as at December 1993 and March 1994 for 1993–94 figures, and as at June 1994 and September 1994 for 1994–95 figures.
  WA 45

  1993/94 Average Council Taxes Payable per Dwelling in each Band

  Band A £

  Band B £

  Band C £

  Band D £

  Band E £

  Band F £

  Band G £

  Band H £

  1993/94 £

  Local authority

  Political control at end of December 1994

  Transitional Relief per Dwelling

  Newham

  Lab

  326

  392

  483

  556

  682

  800

  904

  1,078

  1

  Redbridge

  Noc

  290

  339

  412

  486

  599

  723

  824

  858

  15

  Richmond upon Thames

  LDem

  328

  379

  429

  491

  609

  728

  856

  1,038

  78

  Sutton

  LDem

  307

  344

  405

  482

  601

  717

  828

  953

  15

  Waltham Forest

  Noc

  343

  392

  471

  546

  674

  804

  925

  1,011

  7

  Basildon

  Noc

  377

  469

  545

  619

  771

  919

  1,056

  1,239

  20

  Braintree

  Noc

  294

  372

  433

  493

  609

  729

  831

  960

  13

  Brentwood

  LDem

  271

  328

  390

  463

  577

  691

  800

  953

  40

  Castle Point

  Con

  345

  422

  499

  574

  709

  845

  978

  1,109

  7

  Chelmsford

  Noc

  309

  365

  455

  512

  632

  754

  866

  994

  20

  Colchester

  LDem

  301

  376

  440

  498

  619

  740

  843

  997

  12

  Epping Forest

  Noc

  306

  351

  424

  493

  610

  726

  847

  1,009

  31

  Harlow

  Lab

  436

  490

  599

  687

  847

  1,000

  1,161

  1,208

  9

  Maldon

  Noc

  276

  354

  421

  482

  598

  716

  827

  928

  22

  Rochford

  LDem

  284

  344

  417

  481

  598

  708

  820

  944

  11

  Southend-on-Sea

  Noc

  288

  356

  415

  472

  584

  707

  806

  974

  11

  Tendring

  Noc

  284

  363

  423

  486

  606

  718

  803

  662

  10

  Thurrock

  Lab

  319

  389

  456

  520

  635

  764

  868

  971

  7

  Uttlesford

  Con

  293

  349

  431

  497

  609

  726

  846

  999

  41

  Amounts shown in columns 2 to 9 make no allowance for transitional relief and council tax benefit.

  1994/95 Average Council Taxes Payable per Dwelling in each Brand

  Band A

  Band B

  Band C

  Band D

  Band E

  Band F

  Band G

  Band H

  1994/95

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Local authority

  Political control at end of December 1994

  Transitional Relief per Dwelling

  City of London

  Oth

  —

  254

  290

  312

  396

  476

  558

  709

  5

  Camden

  Lab

  351

  415

  484

  560

  690

  827

  974

  1,207

  4

  Greenwich

  Lab

  369

  432

  510

  579

  714

  858

  990

  1,154

  63

  Hackney

  Lab

  337

  426

  510

  589

  743

  895

  1,028

  1,131

  2

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Lab

  288

  345

  394

  449

  565

  680

  796

  977

  20

  Islington

  Lab

  425

  415

  476

  562

  700

  853

  1,008

  1,198

  14

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Con

  280

  311

  367

  409

  500

  593

  679

  861

  44

  Lambeth

  Noc

  370

  423

  491

  557

  695

  824

  964

  1,050

  7

  Lewisham

  Lab

  304

  370

  440

  511

  633

  755

  866

  1,030

  5

  Southwark

  Lab

  313

  371

  442

  510

  624

  720

  875

  1,051

  24

  Tower Hamlets

  Lab

  321

  349

  423

  473

  582

  662

  733

  855

  4

  Wandsworth

  Con

  198

  230

  272

  310

  386

  464

  542

  645

  192

  Westminster

  Con

  129

  155

  179

  207

  248

  287

  323

  389

  26

  Barking and Dagenham

  Lab

  293

  361

  421

  482

  590

  708

  861

  481

  1

  Barnet

  Noc

  297

  365

  436

  510

  640

  770

  894

  1,068

  9

  Bexley

  Noc

  295

  340

  407

  476

  588

  708

  813

  903

  2

  Brent

  Noc

  299

  332

  380

  447

  548

  654

  755

  865

  1

  WA 46 WA 47

  1994/95 Average Council Taxes Payable per Dwelling in each Band

  Band A £

  Band B £

  Band C £

  Band D £

  Band E £

  Band F £

  Band G £

  Band H £

  1994/95 £

  Local Authority

  Political control at end of December 1994

  Transitional Relief per Dwelling

  Bromley

  Con

  257

  296

  359

  427

  539

  645

  752

  897

  13

  Croydon

  Lab

  300

  336

  407

  482

  601

  722

  837

  981

  7

  Ealing

  Lab

  277

  324

  373

  429

  524

  630

  734

  862

  3

  Enfield

  Lab

  328

  386

  460

  533

  658

  793

  922

  1,101

  3

  Haringey

  Lab

  396

  457

  540

  628

  775

  932

  1,085

  1,286

  7

  Harrow

  Noc

  308

  347

  421

  508

  624

  744

  864

  1,050

  3

  Havering

  Noc

  282

  332

  403

  464

  571

  682

  790

  892

  2

  Hillingdon

  Lab

  332

  363

  431

  509

  627

  746

  872

  1,020

  3

  Hounslow

  Lab

  364

  415

  478

  551

  672

  799

  920

  1,124

  9

  Kingston upon Thames LDem

  LDem

  318

  346

  414

  490

  615

  734

  861

  1,016

  7

  Merton

  Lab

  301

  343

  404

  464

  566

  674

  783

  956

  9

  Newham

  Lab

  328

  391

  480

  553

  678

  788

  860

  693

  0

  Redbridge

  Noc

  281

  327

  398

  471

  581

  702

  799

  823

  2

  Richmond upon Thames

  LDem

  360

  410

  466

  535

  665

  798

  937

  1,135

  26

  Sutton

  LDem

  328

  361

  422

  501

  625

  746

  858

  979

  2

  Waltham Forest

  Noc

  344

  398

  474

  548

  675

  804

  912

  895

  1

  Basildon

  Noc

  354

  439

  510

  581

  719

  860

  989

  1,168

  7

  Braintree

  Noc

  303

  386

  451

  513

  633

  757

  863

  990

  3

  Brentwood

  LDem

  285

  343

  410

  483

  601

  719

  836

  989

  9

  Castle Point

  Con

  335

  411

  486

  560

  691

  824

  956

  1,085

  1

  Chelmsford

  Noc

  311

  368

  449

  516

  639

  761

  873

  1,009

  5

  Colchester

  LDem

  302

  376

  442

  502

  623

  745

  848

  986

  3

  Epping Forest

  Noc

  283

  327

  396

  460

  569

  676

  793

  940

  7

  Harlow

  Lab

  409

  477

  584

  669

  823

  980

  1,130

  1,110

  3

  Maldon

  Noc

  279

  356

  426

  489

  608

  724

  840

  934

  5

  Rochford

  LDem

  289

  352

  431

  499

  618

  732

  849

  973

  2

  Southend-on-Sea Noc

  Noc

  296

  366

  427

  486

  602

  731

  829

  896

  2

  Tendring

  Noc

  285

  368

  427

  491

  613

  726

  814

  652

  2

  Thurrock

  Lab

  322

  391

  458

  524

  640

  767

  871

  972

  2

  Uttlesford

  Con

  302

  360

  446

  515

  630

  752

  876

  1,034

  12

  Amounts shown in columns 2 to 9 make no allowance for transitional relief and council tax benefit.

  TIMBER LABELLING
  Lord Beaumont of Whitley
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is their policy towards the Austrian initiative at the October meeting of the EU Environment Ministers on an efficient and practicable multilateral system for the certification of wood.
  WA 48
  The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie)
  The Austrian Government's paper provides a detailed and comprehensive discussion of the options for timber labelling. It will be a helpful source of information on the subject.