Written Answers of 26 January 1995

DEFENCE

  HMS Victorious
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reasons for the failure of the launch of HMS Victorious Trident submarine at Barrow-in-Furness.

  Mr. Soames
  HMS Victorious' departure from Barrow-in-Furness, scheduled for Sunday 15 January, was delayed for two days due to bad weather. A combination of restricted visibility and heavy sea swell meant that the safe passage of the submarine through the shallow and extremely narrow channels at Barrow could not be assured. HMS Victorious was accepted at sea by the Royal Navy yesterday.

  Trident
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the Trident programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The current estimate of the total project cost of the Trident programme is £11,682 million, if all expenditure, including payments already made, is brought up to current prices and a common exchange rate of £1 = $1.48, as assumed in the long-term costing of the defence programme. If payments already made are expressed at the prices and exchange rates actually incurred, the equivalent estimate is now £9,770 million. Expenditure on the Trident programme to 31 October 1994 represented some 78 per cent. of the overall hybrid estimate.

  After allowing for the effects of inflation and exchange rate variations, the revised estimate of £11,682 million represents a real cost reduction of £211 million compared with that announced last year. The increase in cash terms is £51 million. The reduction in real terms since the original 1982 Trident II estimate, including the savings resulting from the decision to have United Kingdom missiles processed at the United States facility at Kings bay, Georgia, now stands at some £3.7 billion.

  The proportion of the estimate for work undertaken in the United Kingdom has increased from 70 per cent. to 71 per cent., reflecting the effects of the change in exchange rate, price base and volume changes in the year.

  I am pleased to confirm that HMS Vanguard entered operational service in December 1994, achieving the in-service date set when the decision to purchase Trident II was taken in 1982, and that the remainder of the Trident programme remains on schedule. I am, as in previous years, sending to the Chairmen of the Public Accounts Committee and of the Select Committee on Defence a more detailed report on the programme. I am also placing a copy of this report in the Library of the House.

  Defence Agency
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Defence Agency status for the defence dental services and the defence medical supply organisation.

  Mr. Soames
  Following my announcement in the House on 8 December, in which I confirmed the recommendations made by the "Front Line First" medical study, it has been decided that, in addition to the defence dental services, the defence medical supply organisation is also to be considered as a candidate for agency status under the next steps procedure. An entry to this effect will appear in the February 1995 market testing bulletin and I should welcome comments from interested parties. These should be sent by 10 March either to Air Vice-Marshal J. Mackey RAF, director defence dental services, Ministry of Defence, room 102 Lacon house, Theobalds road, London WC1X 8RY in respect of comments on the Defence Dental Care Agency; or to Mr. G.R. North, deputy director of medical supply, Ministry of Defence, room 134, Lacon house, Theobalds road, London WC1X8RY in respect of the Defence Health Care Supplies Agency.

  Support Vehicles
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about progress in encouraging private sector involvement in the financing, acquisition, management and operation of support vehicles for the armed forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  Very good progress has been made. A study team is considering a range of possibilities and is consulting widely in the private sector. Over 175 companies have expressed an interest. Yesterday my Department held a very successful briefing seminar for the private sector at Aldershot. The private sector has been asked for proposals, to include radical and innovative ideas, and we will be evaluating these in the coming weeks. We expect to be able to announce the selection of contractors for a number of pilot schemes by the end of this year.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many British service personnel involved in the Gulf war were administered with the combination of vaccines for anthrax, plague and nerve agent pre-treatment sets;

  (2) how many servicemen refused to be administered with drugs and vaccines during Operation Granby.

  Mr. Soames
  Details relating to biological warfare counter-measures available to British forces remain classified. The nerve agent pre-treatment set—NAPS—tablets were widely issued to British service personnel in areas and units judged to be under threat of chemical attack during Operation Granby. Taking NAPS is a personal responsibility and no information is available on the numbers of personnel, if any, who did not do so.

  Junior Medical Officers (RAF)
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the course requirements for junior doctors entering the RAF as junior medical officers in 1989.
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  Mr. Soames
  The course requirements for junior doctors entering the RAF as junior medical officers in 1989 were:

  a. Officer training at RAF Cranwell.

  b. Initial medical officer training (administration).

  c. Initial medical officer training (aviation medicine).

  Bullying
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps is he taking to counter bullying among members of the armed forces.

  Mr. Soames
  My Department takes a very serious view of bullying and it has been made clear throughout the services that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

  Measures taken to counter bullying include the publication in July 1994 of the Navy's policy throughout the fleet to remind all ranks that there is an effective policy to deal with bullying. Officers and senior ratings were advised to be alert to the possibility of bullying, and victims were reminded of their rights of complaint.

  The Army has banned initiation ceremonies and has established additional posts in its training organisations to allow officers and non-commissioned officers to devote more time to their supervisory role. In 1993, the Army published a discipline and standards paper which included instructions to counter bullying.

  The Royal Air Force published a policy letter on bullying and initiation ceremonies in 1989, and similar letters were published in 1992 and 1994. The Royal Air Force produces orders to be read and signed annually by officers and non-commissioned officers which specifically cover bullying. The Royal Air Force's policy on bullying and initiation ceremonies is repeated in quarterly standing orders which all personnel are required to read.

  Planned Air Displays
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration underlay the decision to post key members who have planned past RAF premier air displays at Royal Air Force Finningley to Royal Air Force Waddington for a planned air display there on 1 and 2 July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Preliminary plans drawn up for the purposes of consultation show that, should the decision be taken to close RAF Finningley following formal consultation, the station would not be capable of mounting a major air show in 1995. As the planning period for the air show is lengthy and complex it was decided, after careful consideration, that the air show should, for this year at least, relocate to RAF Waddington to ensure its continuance in the event of the decision being taken to close RAF Finningley. Two experienced staff from RAF Finningley have transferred to RAF Waddington, which has little experience of mounting such a complex event, to assist in the organisation of this year's show.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all of his Department's medical and health services which(a) have been or (b) are intended to be market tested; and if he will indicate the outcomes of market testing in those cases where the exercise has been completed.
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  Mr. Soames
  At this stage a number of medical and health services are being considered for competition but none is yet completed. The Department is currently involved in garrison market tests which include health services at Catterick, Aldershot, Salisbury Plain and Colchester and of all primary and secondary health services in British forces, Germany, with the exception of the provision of primary medical and dental care at RAF main operating bases—RAF Bruggen and RAF Laarbruch—and certain other locations remote from the main garrisons. Operational Army medical units are also excluded from the exercise.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the timetable for market testing the services provided by the RAF hospital at Wegberg, Germany.

  Mr. Soames
  The Department is currently in the process of market testing the provision of health services in Germany, including those provided by the RAF hospital at Wegberg, and hopes to make an announcement on the outcome of this exercise by 31 July 1995.

  Security
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the use of serving military personnel to provide security for private military, security and police exhibitions or conferences.

  Mr. Soames
  On occasion, service personnel may be provided to outside bodies or organisations on loan, to perform a variety of tasks. This is normally on the basis of full recovery of all the relevant costs involved. Service personnel are not normally provided for security duties at private military, security or police exhibitions and conferences.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the use of serving military personnel to provide security at the recent covert and operation procurement exhibition centre held at Sandown exhibition centre in November 1994; and what costs have been reimbursed by the exhibition organisers to his Department for security provided.

  Mr. Soames
  I am not aware that any serving military personnel were employed on security duties at the covert and operational procurement exhibition held at the Sandown exhibition centre in November 1994.

  Electro-shock Devices
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision or training in the use of electro-shock devices is made in respect of(a) his Department, (b) the Army, and (c) special forces; and what guidelines control the deployment and use of such devices.

  Mr. Soames
  None.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department has in respect of the sale or arrangement of sale of any form of electro-shock weapon or equipment from the United Kingdom to a Gulf state in the last 13 years; and if he will supply details of such transactions.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am not aware that my Department has any such information.

  Aurora Prototype Aircraft
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Aurora prototype aircraft of the United States air force are based at the Machrihanish air force base in Argyll; and for what period permission has been given for basing these aircraft in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no United States air force prototype aircraft based at RAF Machrihanish and no authorisation has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the United States air force, or any other US body, to operate such aircraft within or from the United Kingdom.

  Joint Services Command
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis he formed the views expressed in paragraph l0g of his consultation paper on the proposed joint services command and staff college about the respective merits of Camberley, Greenwich and Bracknell in respect of(a) local schools, (b) medical care, (c) provision for overseas students, (d) shopping and (e) other facilities.

  Mr. Soames
  The basis for paragraph l0g of the consultative document was consideration of the provision of domestic support to the families of students at the proposed joint services command and staff college. The availability of common facilities which can be used by a large proportion of the students' families would help in establishing a sense of community within both the college and its associated married quarters. This would be of particular benefit to the families of overseas students.

  As explained in paragraph 10f of the consultative document, the married quarters serving Bracknell and Camberley are compact and relatively close to the colleges themselves and the extensive nearby facilities. By contrast, the married quarters serving Greenwich are dispersed and some distance from the college itself; the likelihood of families benefiting from common local facilities is therefore much lower.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report from Building Design Partnership on the refurbishment costs and implications of works at Greenwich necessary to accommodate the proposed joint services command and staff college.

  Mr. Soames
  The Building Design Partnership option study report into the siting of a joint services command and staff college contains both information that is classified and which comprises advice to Ministers. It would therefore be inappropriate to place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in undertaking the financial appraisal of options for the proposed joint services command and staff college, what assumption was made about the sale value of the Camberley site; and what figure has been included for this in the estimated costs of locating the college at Greenwich.
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  Mr. Soames
  This information is commercially confidential.

  Amport House
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the sale of Amport house.

  Mr. Soames
  We announced, as part of the defence costs study our intention to form a tri-service chaplains' school. A study is at present under way to determine the location of the school, and Amport house is one of the sites under consideration. No decisions have yet been made. If Amport house was not selected as the site for the school, and no alternative defence uses were identified for it, our intention would be to sell it on the open market in the normal way.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what actions and measures his Department has implemented in support of article 1 of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Soames
  The nuclear non-proliferation treaty is the cornerstone of international efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. My Department fully complies with the terms of article I of the NPT and works closely with other Government Departments to enforce export licensing procedures. This includes contributing to the work of the Zangger committee and the nuclear suppliers group.

  Firearms (Trade Missions)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department has in respect of and in what ways it is supporting trade missions to Latin American countries in January and February; what is the involvement of such trade missions in the sale or arrangement for sale of items classified under section 5 (1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968; and if he will list the items which are so classified.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no Ministry of Defence supported trade missions visiting Latin America in January or February 1995.

  Tugboat Rotesand
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about his Department's decision to engage the tugboat Rotesand for use at Devonport in Plymouth.

  Mr. Freeman
  The tug Rotesand was chartered to provide assured continuity of in-port services at Devonport during a period when two Devonport-based tugs of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service were deployed to Barrow-in-Furness to assist the departure of HMS Victorious. The Rotesand was chartered on the open market and was the cheapest suitable tug available. The charter was originally for one week from 10 January but this was extended to 27 January after severe weather prevented the timely return of the RMAS tugs to Devonport.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work has been undertaken by the tugboat Rotesand since its arrival at Plymouth; and how many times it has been used.
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  Mr. Freeman
  The tug Rotesand assisted HMS Westminster into port on 12 January. For the rest of the charter period it provided emergency cover for the safety of vessels at Devonport.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total cost to his Department of hiring the tugboat Rotesand for use at Devonport in Plymouth; and if he will provide a breakdown of the costs.

  Mr. Freeman
  The charter costs are commercially confidential.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the chief executive of the Atomic Weapons Establishment concerning the diversification of AWE Cardiff into production outside nuclear warhead production; and what efforts have been made in this regard.

  Mr. Freeman
  There have been continuing discussions between my Department and the managing contractor about diversification of work at the AWE Cardiff site, and my Department remains prepared to consider proposals for alternative work there.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Civil Service
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Government are yet in a position to respond to consultation on the White Paper, "The Civil Service, Continuity and Change", CM 2627, and to the fifth report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee, Session 1993–94, on the role of the civil service, HC 27; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to introduce a code of ethics concerning the operation of the civil service.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government are publishing today a Command Paper, Cm 2748, taking forward the policies on the civil service set out in last July's White Paper "The Civil Service: Continuity and Change", Cm 2627. The command paper incorporates the Government's response to the fifth report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee, "The Role of the Civil Service", HC(1992–94). It also takes account of other responses to the invitation to comment on the proposals in "Continuity and Change". Comments were received from 50 individuals and organisations. Copies of the responses where confidentiality was not requested have been placed in the Library of the House.

  In "Continuity and Change", the Government re-affirmed their commitment to the maintenance of a permanent civil service, based on the values of integrity, political impartiality, objectivity, selection and promotion on merit and accountability through Ministers to Parliament. This commitment has been widely welcomed—and was equally emphasised by the Select Committee in its report. The Government also welcome the Select Committee's belief that
  "the commitment of the overwhelming majority of civil servants to the principle and practice of a politically impartial Civil Service is undiminished".
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  The Command Paper announces further measures to underpin these values.

  The Government have accepted the Select Committee's recommendation for a new civil service code, to apply to all civil servants and summarising the constitutional framework within which civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold. A draft code, suggesting the changes which the Government think necessary to the text proposed by the Select Committee, with an associated commentary, is published in the Command Paper as a basis for further consultation. The proposed code incorporates, as recommended by the Select Committee, a new independent line of appeal to the civil service commissioners in cases of alleged breaches of the code or issues of conscience which cannot be resolved through internal procedures.

  The Government also intend to enhance the role of the civil service commissioners as guardians of the principle of selection on merit. They will be responsible for the interpretation of the principles of fair and open competition on merit for all civil service recruitment. The commissioners will be responsible for approving all appointments from outside the civil service to the new senior civil service; and the next first civil service commissioner is to be given a new role in monitoring senior internal appointments. Consequently he or she will not hold the post as a serving civil servant.

  The Command Paper re-emphasises the Government's commitment to maintaining the civil service as a good employer, ensuring equality of opportunity, maintaining a predominantly career civil service, and to the training and development of all staff. It also confirms the Government's intention to proceed with the other approaches set out in "Continuity and Change" to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service, including the delegation of pay and grading below senior levels to Department, and the introduction of efficiency plans in place of the centrally-driven "Competing for Quality" programme; to establish the proposed new senior civil service; to carry out senior management reviews in all Departments to introduce new pay arrangements for the senior civil service, including permanent secretaries; and to introduce contracts for all senior civil servants.

  The Government are also publishing today detailed responses to the "Review of Recruitment Responsibilities" and the "Review of Fast Stream Training" which were published in parallel with Cm 2627. Copies of the responses have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The command paper charts a clear course for the civil service. The Government believe that Parliament, the public and particularly the civil service itself should be encouraged by the degree of agreement on the way forward, reflected in the very considerable sharing of views on key issues between the Government and the Select Committee, as well as by those who have given evidence to the Select Committee and have commented on the White Paper. There is wide recognition of the work of the civil service, the values it upholds and the progress it has made in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the services it provides. This offers an excellent foundation on which to move ahead.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will set out for each of the next steps agencies in his Department, whether they have acquired their own headquarters buildings and, if so, at what purchase cost or annual rental; how many support staff they have required which were not required when their operations were within his Department; how many of them published periodical journals and at what annual cost; how many have fleets of executive cars or single executive cars and at what annual cost; how many have specially designed logos and at what cost; how many have corporate clothing and at what cost; and what is the cost of specially designed and printed corporate stationery.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am responsible for six agencies: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Central Office of Information, Chessington Computer Centre (Chessington), Civil Service College, Occupational Health Service and Recruitment and Assessment Services. The details requested concern mostly operational matters and I have asked the chief executives to reply directly.

  HMSO and COI are individual departments as well as being agencies. They already had their own headquarters and were self-contained for support staff.

  The other agencies are parts of the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science. All had their own headquarters buildings and were self contained for support services or very nearly so. Four additional support posts were created when they were launched as agencies. Since that time there have been further changes in the agencies to reflect levels of business and efficiency and productivity gains.

  Within the Cabinet Office, excluding the agencies, there are now 25 fewer support staff than immediately prior to the launch of the first OPSS agency in 1989.

  Letter from E. C. McCloy to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science (Mr. Robert Hughes) has asked me to provide, for my Agency, the information requested in your Parliamentary Question to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about certain costs which might have been incurred by his Executive Agencies.
  Since its inception in 1986, the structure and organisation of the Civil Service Occupational Health Service (OHS) has undergone little change. Between 1986 and 1990, when OHS achieved Agency status, it functioned as a free-standing unit within the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service). In 1989, the Headquarters was transferred from London to our present offices in Edinburgh as part of the government's programme of dispersal of Civil Service jobs. No additional costs were incurred resulting from the change.
  Since 1990 the only addition to our support staff numbers has been the equivalent of one Executive Officer post which was added to our strength to take over accommodation and general support duties which had previously been undertaken by the Cabinet Office.
  There are two or three editions, in each year, of a journal called "Health at Work" which is aimed at promoting health and safety within the Civil Service. The cost of each edition is approximately £9,000. "Health at Work" replaced previous journals which had been published before we attained Agency status.
  Our logo was designed in 1987 before we became an Agency and our headed stationery also dates from that time.
  We have no executive cars or corporate clothing.
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  Letter from Michael D. Geddes to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 24 January 1995:
  There are two areas of the question that apply to Recruitment and Assessment Services (RAS).
  In 1991 RAS paid a one-off sum of £20,000 to produce a corporate image for the Agency. This included choosing a name, logo design and preparation of a design manual with specifications for future use, ie a house style.
  To supplement the use of the logo, RAS uses corporate stationery for a regular newsletter (Radius), for marketing and for tender documentation. This has cost £11,000 over the period late 1993 to date.

  Letter from R. N. Edwards to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 24 January 1995:
  Chessington Computer Centre is an Agency of the Office of Public Service and Science. I have been asked to respond to you directly on the Parliamentary Question tabled on the costs of Agency. The costs were as follows:-
  Headquarter Buildings—Nil, Chessington is wholly located at its single site in Surrey.
  Support Staff—No additional support staff were added to the Chessington complement on becoming an Agency.
  Periodical Journals—Chessington produces quarterly Newsletters to its customers. These were produced at a cost of £6261 in 1993/94, Chessington's first year as an Agency.
  Executive Cars—Nil.
  Logos—Chessington paid an amount of £5150 for professional consultancy and artwork in adopting a new logo as it became an Agency.
  Corporate Clothing—Nil.
  Cost of Specially designed Stationery—£7,500 in 1994/5. This included binders folders; headed stationery; compliment slips etc

  Letter from Stephen Hickey to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 25 January 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your question about the expenditure incurred by the Civil Service College since it has been a Next Steps agency. I will cover the points in the order that you raised them:

  Headquarter building
  The College's main centre has been at Sunningdale Park since it was formed in 1971. No additional office accommodation has been created at Sunningdale because of the College becoming an agency. The current rent paid by the College totals £1.2 million per annum covering all the teaching, residential and office accommodation.

  Support staff
  Three additional support staff were employed as a result of the College taking on new roles when it became an agency. Other increases in staffing since 1989 have been a result of the College's continuing success at expanding its business.

  Periodic journals
  We do not publish any periodic journals.

  Executive cars
  We do not have any executive cars.

  Logos
  The College has commissioned no specially designed logos since it became an agency.

  Corporate clothing
  The College issues no corporate clothing.

  Corporate stationery
  The College expects to spend £75,000 this financial year on corporate stationery. This includes headed letter paper, envelopes, ring binders, document wallets and financial stationery. All of these would have been required as part of the College's normal business, whether or not, it was an agency.
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  Letter from Paul Freeman to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 24 January 1995:
  I have been asked by The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to reply to your question concerning expenditure by Next Steps Agencies.
  As well as being an Agency reporting to the Chancellor, HMSO is also a department in its own right and has been a Trading Fund since 1980. Assumption of Agency status in 1988 did not therefore represent a dramatic change.
  HQ accommodation. HMSO has 2 Headquarters buildings in Norwich. A 40-year lease was obtained on Sovereign House in 1968 with an annual rental of £97,000. St Crispins, which was previously leased, was purchased for £6 million in 1986. This pre-dates Agency status.
  Support staff. Support staff have reduced from 600 to 450 since HMSO became an Agency in 1988.
  Periodicals. The only 'periodical' produced by HMSO is an in-house magazine for staff communications. This pre-dates Agency status, and currently costs around £24,000 per annum.
  Cars. HMSO has one vehicle which serves both as an executive car and as a delivery vehicle for sensitive documents. It costs £10,000 per annum, and pre-dates Agency status.
  Logo. HMSO has a simple logo which is designed and developed by our own design team many years ago. The cost, which was modest, is not readily available.
  Corporate clothing. The only clothing purchased by HMSO is protective clothing for messengers and some reprographic staff. £5,000 was spent in 1994.
  Stationery. Headed stationery has always been used by HMSO but the extraction of this detail from the overall printing and stationery budget is not possible.

  Letter from Mike Devereau to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 24 January 1995:
  You asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for various figures and costs associated with Next Steps agencies.
  As these relate to operational matters I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Central Office of Information.
  COI was established as an Executive Agency on 5 April 1990.

  Government funding of higher education R and D

  Annual percentage growth in real GDP

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  Percentage of GDP

  Percentage change year on year

  1981

  0.26

  0.31

  0.31

  1.7

  -2.2

  2.3

  1982

  0.26

  0.31

  0.32

  3.8

  3.6

  0.7

  1983

  0.26

  0.31

  0.32

  2.5

  6.7

  1.5

  1984

  0.26

  0.31

  0.33

  3.5

  3.1

  1.8

  1985

  0.27

  0.32

  0.33

  4.4

  2.8

  2.4

  1986

  0.27

  0.34

  0.32

  4.7

  3.1

  2.2

  1987

  0.27

  0.36

  0.32

  5.0

  4.0

  4.2

  1988

  0.26

  0.36

  0.32

  2.2

  2.7

  3.8

  1989

  0.25

  0.37

  0.32

  0.4

  0.8

  2.4

  1990

  0.25

  0.37

  0.33

  -2.3

  -1.1

  0.7

  1991

  0.25

  0.38

  0.34

  -0.4

  2.5

  1.4

  1992

  0.25

  0.39

  0.35

  2.0

  2.8

  -0.8

  Sources: OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators.

  (Real GDP calculated using OECD implicit GDP price indices, 1985=100).

  Decision Making
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has for increasing the openness of decision making(a) in the national health service and (b) generally in 1995.
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  However, it is a Department in its own right and its operations have never been conducted within any other department.
  In answer to your specific questions:
  COI has not acquired any new headquarters accommodation since its establishment as an Executive Agency; indeed, headquarters accommodation holdings have reduced by 1182.3 square metres (10.57%) between 1989/90 and 1993/94.
  No new support staff have been required. Staff costs fell by 14.47% between 1989/90 and 1993/94 without any reduction in the span of activities performed.
  COI publishes a house magazine "Inform", the primary function of which is staff communication. The current annual cost is £25,000.
  COI has no executive cars.
  The COI logo is updated from time to time. The last significant change was made in 1990 at a cost of £10,000.
  Appropriate clothing for Receptionists and Porter/Messengers has been provided since the Department was set up in 1946. Annual cost is less than £1000.
  As a Department COI has always had to provide its own stationery. Any necessary changes in design are introduced when new stocks are printed and additional costs are avoided.
  In the four years since COI became an Executive agency it has achieved efficiency savings of £56.4m (18.1%).
  I hope that this information meets your needs.

  University Research
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of gross domestic product was devoted to the public funding of university research in(a) Britain, (b) the USA and (c) France from 1981 to 1992; and what are the corresponding figures for each country for annual percentage growth in real GDP.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  International comparisons of expenditure on higher education research are of questionable significance, because of the large structural differences in the make-up of this sector between countries.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has already consulted on a draft code of openness for the national health service, the final version of which will be published during 1995. One of the stated aims of the code is to provide people with an explanation of service changes in the NHS and give
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  them the opportunity to influence decisions on such changes.

  The Government remain committed to the principles of transparency and openness laid down in the White Paper on open government. We are currently preparing a report for Parliament on Departments' experience of the first nine months of operation of the code of practice on access to Government information. This will help us to assess its impact.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Disabled People (Court Access)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who is responsible for ensuring that court buildings are adequately accessible to disabled people.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor, through his officials, is responsible for ensuring that court buildings are accessible to disabled people. It is the Department's policy that the design of a court should enable disabled people to have access to and around the building appropriate to their functions there. Subject to resources and building constraints, every effort is made to improve access and facilities in existing courts.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of the cost of training and retraining(a) justices of the peace and (b) members of the professional judiciary in respect of the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The estimate of the cost of training justices of the peace and members of the professional judiciary in respect of the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 was given in a written answer to the House on 27 May 1993,Official Report, column 658, as approximately £250,000. As subsequent training was included in the general training of magistrates and judges, the cost cannot be separately identified.

PRIME MINISTER

  British Association of Sheep Exporters
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Prime Minister what meetings with the British Association of Sheep Exporters he has had since 1994.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on documents made available in the United States of America following the ending of the Pan Am insurers' appeal to the Supreme Court in relation to the loss of the airliner over Lockerbie; and if he will make a statement.
  300
  The Prime Minister
  The document in question quotes a source relying on"second and third party information"

  and stating that the former Iranian interior minister paid $10 million to have the Lockerbie bombing carried out. Allegations to this effect were first made early in the investigation; they were examined at the time by the competent authorities, together with a great deal of other often contradictory material, but no evidence has been found to substantiate them. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate remains satisfied that the evidence supports the charges against the two accused and that there is no evidence to establish that other persons or nations were involved.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

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

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) of 16 January,Official Report, column 275, if he will place in the Library a list of the offices of Government Departments and next steps agencies in the west country and Bristol.

  The Prime Minister
  A list of Government Departments and next steps agencies which have offices in the west country and Bristol has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Regional Offices
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Government Departments and agencies' have regional offices in each of the standard regions of England; and how many people are so employed in each region.

  The Prime Minister
  Twenty-seven Government Departments and 50 next steps agencies have offices in the economic planning regions of England.

  Information on the number of civil service employed in each region, including their agencies, is contained in "Civil Service Statistics" 1994 edition, table 3, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Countryside Council for Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning the impact of reduced activity by the Countryside Council for Wales on the commitment arising form the biodiversity convention under the Rio treaty; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received two such representations. The Government remain committed to the convention on biological diversity signed in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

  Channel Islands
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions have taken place with the authorities on the Channel Islands regarding the 50th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany;

  (2) if he will make arrangements as part of the 50th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany for memorials to be put up in the Channel Islands in memory of those who were deported and died as a result of the German occupation;

  (3) if it is intended for him and the heads of Government invited for the 50th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany to pay homage in Alderney to the memory of those who were used as slave labour and died in the camps.

  The Prime Minister
  As internally self-governing dependencies of the Crown, the Channel Islands are themselves taking the lead in organising celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of their liberation from war-time occupation, on 9 and 10 May. I am pleased to say that, following discussions between the relevant authorities here and in the islands, HRH the Prince of Wales will represent Her Majesty the Queen at the celebrations, and units of our armed services will take part in them.

  It is for the authorities and people of each island to decide on the setting up of memorials. In both Jersey and Guernsey there are already plaques commemorating those who died during the second world war, including deportees, and in Alderney there is a long-standing memorial dedicated to the memory of those prisoners who died in labour camps on the island, at which an inter-denominational service is held annually. The states of Jersey and Guernsey have each commissioned public memorials of the 50th anniversary of the liberation.

  It would not be feasible for me and the heads of state or Government invited to the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of VE Day in London on 6 and 7 May to visit Alderney.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect on his policy for the expansion of nursery education of the Government policy on the enactment of the Nursery Education (Assessment of Need) Bill of Session 1993–4; and to which provisions of the Bill Her Majesty's Government remains opposed.

  The Prime Minister
  There is no need for the provisions of the Nursery Education (Assessment of Need) Bill. We are already committed to providing, over time, a pre-school place for all four year-olds whose parents wish to take it up. We want to promote choice and diversity by building on the existing wide range of providers, including the private and voluntary sectors.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy not to authorise the detention of any asylum seeker who has 302
  entered the United Kingdom illegally but whose application for asylum has not been determined; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will instruct immigration officers that they do not have powers to compel an illegal entrant to submit to examination and to be detained for that purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  These questions raise issues which are currently being considered by the Court of Appeal and the court's judgement will be given very careful consideration once it is received. In the meantime, it is not proposed to change our current general practice.

  Director General of the Prison Service
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the contract of the Director General of the Prison Service comes up for renewal; what criteria will be used to decide whether his contract should be renewed; and who will take that decision.

  Mr. Howard
  The appointment of the Director General of the Prison Service was made for three years in the first instance from 6 January 1993, extendable to five years by agreement between him and the Department. It will be for me, on the advice of the permanent secretary, to take the decision on whether the director general should be offered an extension of his contract.

  Mrs Qureshian Bibi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, last year, the United Kingdom post in Islamabad requested a sponsor interview concerning the application by Mrs. Qureshian Bibi to enter the United Kingdom, GV100/25109; when a second request from the ECO in Islamabad for a sponsor interview was received; and when the sponsor is going to be interviewed.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The first request from the British High Commission in Islamabad for an interview with Mr. Rangzeb was received by the Home Office on 14 July 1994. There is no record of a further request having been received. The immigration service at Leeds Bradford airport will shortly contact Mr. Rangzeb to offer him an appointment for an interview on 5 February.

  Emergency Calls (Response Times)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken for(a) the Metropolitan police and (b) the London Fire Brigade to arrive at the scene following an emergency 999 call.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that during the period of three months from October to December 1994 the average time taken by the Metropolitan police to respond to a 999 call was 11 minutes 23 seconds.

  In 1992, the latest year for which the information is available centrally, the average response time to fire incidents for the London fire brigade was six minutes. This information is based on response times for fires involving occupied buildings, casualties or rescues and certain other types of fire.

  Electro-shock Equipment
  Mr.Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what permission has been given at any time to the companies(a) CAZ and (b) International Procurement Services to hold or trade in any form of electro-shock equipment in the last 15 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Stop and Search
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the relationship between the number of stops and searches carried out by police services and the remuneration allocated to(a) police divisions/areas or (b) individual police officers.

  Mr. Maclean
  None whatsoever.

  Criminal Offences
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criminal offences that have been introduced by regulations or directives from the European Union in 1994.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Infanticide
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were killed by their parents in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following table shows the number of offences recorded as homicide in England and Wales, as at 5 August 1994, where children under the age of 16 years were killed by their parents:

  Year

  Number

  1984

  62

  1985

  72

  1986

  36

  1987

  55

  1988

  76

  1989

  44

  1990

  49

  1991

  68

  1992

  52

  1993

  50

  Figures for 1994 are not yet available.

  Secure Remands (Juveniles)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1994,Official Report, columns 566–67, when he will reach a decision on defraying the costs of local authorities accommodating juveniles subject to court-ordered secure remands; and at what stage discussions have reached on this subject.

  Mr. Maclean
  This work is at an early stage. I have yet to embark on discussions with interested parties. I shall make a decision once the discussions have been concluded.

  Parkhurst Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who provided him with the information that members of the Prison Officers Association were instructed not to co-operate with the police inquiry at Her Majesty's prison, Parkhurst; and what evidence he has that they did not do so.

  Mr. Howard
  I received this information, and evidence that some members of the POA did not co-operate with the police inquiries into the escapes from Parkhurst on 3 January 1995, from the police.

  Inquests (Legal Expenses)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what authority or vote appropriation Her Majesty's Government made available funds to assist or defray the legal expenses incurred by the relatives of the King's Cross and Clapham disasters at the relevant inquests; and if similar provisions could be made available to the relatives of the victims of the Marchioness disaster at the resumed inquest.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  The costs of legal representation for the relatives who attended the inquests into the King's Cross and Clapham disasters were met by London Transport and British Rail respectively. Generally, relatives' costs are not met in inquests or fatal accident inquiries. The proceedings are informal and are concerned with facts surrounding a death rather than issues such as civil or criminal liability. Legal representation is usually unnecessary. We therefore do not consider that it would be appropriate, or necessary, for the Government to underwrite the legal costs of the families' attending the inquest into the Marchioness disaster.

TREASURY

  Royal Mint
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made on the Royal Mint's review of the coinage.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Mint has consulted the general public and organisations representing people with special interests, for example, the blind and the elderly, as well as major coin users or handlers. The formal consultation period ended on 31 December 1994 and the analysis of the results is now underway. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be able to make an announcement on the results of the review in the spring.

  Personal Allowance
  Ms. Rachel Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of extending the additional personal allowance to married women with dependent children who have husbands who are mentally incapacitated or mentally infirm.

  Sir George Young
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Inflation Target
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to reduce the
  305
  Government's inflation target of 1 to 4 per cent for the retail prices index excluding mortgage payments in RPIX;

  (2) what is his target for the underlying rate of inflation, RPIX, after the current Parliament; and what plans he has to specify a narrow sub-range for this target.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government's aim is to keep underlying inflation, as measured by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, in the range 1 to 4 per cent., and to bring it down in the lower half of this range by the end of the present Parliament.

  The Government remain committed to keeping inflation permanently low.

  The target for after the current Parliament will be announced in due course.

  Bank of England (Meetings)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the forward dates of his monthly monetary meeting with the Governor of the Bank of England.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The monthly monetary meetings I hold with the governor are generally held in the first week of each month, but the precise dates are only confirmed one month in advance in the monthly monetary report.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury refers to central guidance on the use of executive search agencies. Decisions on when to recruit and the method of recruitment are taken in the light of the overall staffing requirements of the Department.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his assessment of the total net annual change in Government tax revenues as a consequence of the introduction of the national lottery.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The 12 per cent. duty rate was set so as to have no effect on tax revenues.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Rwanda Refugees
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure humanitarian aid is effectively delivered in the refugee camps in Rwanda and Zaire.

  Mr. Baldry
  We keep in close touch with non-governmental organisations and the United Nations agencies working in the refugee camps in neighbouring countries and the camps for internally displaced within 306
  Rwanda. An ODA assessment and monitoring mission visited the region last week.

  Steps taken to improve effective delivery include targeted distribution of food aid to family units. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees plans a comprehensive registration exercise in early February.

  Pergau Dam
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means subcontracts were allocated on the Pergau dam project; and how many British firms benefited from the allocation of subcontracts on the project.

  Mr. Baldry
  Sub contracts were let by the main contractor, Kerjaya Balfour Beatty Cementation. A list of the main subcontractors, vendors, plant and spares suppliers and main material suppliers was presented to the Foreign Affairs Committee in connection with its inquiry into the Pergau project, Cm 271–11, pages 80 to 85. One hundred and eighty-one British firms were involved in the project.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Corporate Manslaughter Charges
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to review the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to pursue a charge of corporate manslaughter against Fewston Transport Ltd. and H. G. Pheasey.

  The Attorney-General
  The evidence in relation to an incident on 6 September 1993 involving a vehicle owned by Fewston Transport Ltd. was considered by the Crown Prosecution Service at the conclusion of the police investigation and again after the inquest taking account of the evidence given to the coroner. On both occasions the Crown Prosecution Service concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the company for manslaughter.

  Herbert Graham Pheasey was a sole trader who owned a vehicle involved in an incident on 22 May 1992 as the result of which the driver, Robert Edward Marsden, was prosecuted for and convicted of causing death by reckless driving. The evidence did not justify proceedings for manslaughter against Herbert Graham Pheasey.

  The two cases were not in any way connected.

  The CPS is not aware of any material which would justify further reconsideration of either case.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Attorney-General how many corporate manslaughter charges were brought against heavy goods vehicle operators in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service maintains no central records of proceedings in respect of specific offences. The information is recorded
  307
  on individual cases files, and a definitive answer could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is however the recollection of senior Crown prosecution lawyers that there have been no such cases.

ENVIRONMENT

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

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Building Research Establishment

  4

  0

  0

  1

  Planning Inspectorate

  4

  1

  3

  0

  The Buying Agency

  4

  0

  0

  1

  Ordnance Survey

  4

  2

  2

  1

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  4

  0

  0

  0

  Security Facilities Executives

  —

  —

  0

  0

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions on which Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has informed his Department in each year since 1979 of the discovery of illicitly dumped nuclear materials, giving details of locations, quantities and types of materials involved.

  Mr. Atkins
  Approximately 900kgs of depleted uranium was discovered at Poplars farm, Chelveston, Northamptonshire in January this year. The inspectorate is carrying out an investigation of the circumstances.

  A review of the inspectorate's records, covering the period 1979 to date, reveals no other incidents of illicitly dumped radioactive materials.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records and maps are kept indicating(a) the radioactive inventory, (b) nature and (c) the exact location of low level radioactive wastes disposed of on authorised landfill sites; and to what extent this information is publicly available.

  Mr. Atkins
  Records of disposals are maintained by disposers in accordance with the conditions of authorisations granted under the provisions of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The quantities consigned for burial at those sites currently receiving such wastes are listed in the answer I gave to the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 25 January,Official Report, column 206.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is planning to extend the chemical release inventory, which is maintained by the inspectorate and is the subject of published reports, to include details of radioactive disposals.

  The exact location of each deposit within a landfill site is not significant in determining the radiological safety of this practice and it is not usual for such records to be kept.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the 308
  Environment (1) what is the volume of low level radioactive waste disposed at (a) Milton landfill, Cambridge, (b) ICI Ltd., Cowpen Bewley Tip, Cleveland, (c) Vickers waste ponds, Walney island, Cumbria, (d) Rolls-Royce, Hilts quarry, Derbyshire, (e) Magnesium Elektron, Swinton, Manchester, (f) Cilgwyn quarry, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, (g) Braziers landfill, Hertfordshire, (h) SCM Chemicals, site tip, Humberside, (i) Clifton Marsh, Preston, Lancashire, (j) Sefton Meadows tip, Merseyside, (k) Beighton tip Sheffield, South Yorkshire, (l) Beddingham quarry, Sussex, (m) Ryton tip, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, (n) BNFL, Drigg, Cumbria, (o) BNFL Sellafield, Cumbria, and (p) Ulnes Walton in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 19 January 19951: The volume of low level radioactive waste disposed at the listed sites is as follows:

  Site

  Volume M3

  Period1

  Milton Landfill

  83

  1993

  Cowpen Bewley

  52

  1993–94

  Vickers

  less than 1

  1994

  Hilts Quarry

  37

  1994

  Magnesium Elektron

  1,750

  1994

  Cilgwyn Quarry

  less than 1

  1993

  Braziers landfill

  15

  1993

  SCM Chemicals

  0

  1994

  Clifton Marsh

  0

  1994

  Sefton Meadows

  0

  1994

  Beighton Tip

  20

  1994

  Beddingham Quarry

  4.5

  1993

  Ryton Tip

  0

  1994

  BNFL Drigg

  23,185

  1993

  BNFL Sellafield

  0

  1994

  Ulnes Walton

  0

  1994

  1 These are calendar years, other than at Cowpen Bewley where the disposal figures are for the financial year.

  Docklands Light Railway.
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what is the fare box ratio of the revenue costs of operating the docklands light railway and the appropriate level of public support and total costs per passenger mile for operating that railway in the last financial year.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The ratio between the revenue costs and the farebox of the docklands light railway was 4.3:1 in the last financial year. The total cost per passenger mile was 78p, of which 18p was supported by revenue and 60p was covered by public subsidy.

  Kirklees Council
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the spending by Kirklees council on(a) education, (b) social services and (c) highways in relation to those functions' individual standard spending assessments in 1993–94 and 1994–95.
  309
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is as follows:

  Kirklees Council

  £ million

  1993–94 (Outturn)

  1994–95 (budget estimate)

  SSA

  Expenditure1

  SSA

  Expenditure1

  Education

  140.873

  142.755

  138.275

  146.614

  Personal social services

  38.863

  35.503

  42.814

  43.400

  Highways maintenance

  13.454

  12.536

  12.365

  13.048

  1 Net Revenue Expenditure to compare with SSA

  Surrey County Council
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list Surrey county council's(a) standard spending assessment and (b) actual expenditure on social services in each year since 1991–92; and what will be (i) the standard spending assessment and (ii) the budgeted expenditure for 1994–95.

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

  Surrey County Council

  £ million

  Personal Social Services1

  Standard spending assessment

  Expenditure2

  1991–92

  71.410

  358.831

  1992–93

  78.371

  369.467

  1993–94

  82.152

  372.231

  1994–95

  94.880

  489.086

  1 Figures reflect the transfer of responsibilities for community care to local authorities in 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  2 Net Revenue Expenditure to compare with SSA.

  3 Outturn.

  4 Budget.

  Merseyside Development Corporation
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations underlay the decision of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Croydon, Central (Sir P. Beresford), to give a detailed reply to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) on 17 January,Official Report, columns 411–12, on the subject of the Merseyside development corporation rather than to wait until his Department was able to issue a Treasury minute in response to the Committee.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The question asked by the hon. Member for Wallasey referred to the position of the chairman and chief executive of the corporation. My reply addressed that issue, which was not raised in the conclusions or recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee report. It also referred to the action already taken to address shortcomings in financial management following the publication of the National Audit Office report in March 1994. Those actions are on the record and are summarised in paragraph 51 of the PAC report.

  The Government's response to the PAC report will be made shortly in the normal way.

  Northumberland County Council
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the level of local government expenditure in Northumberland county council in each year since 1988.
  310
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is as follows. The figures are not adjusted for changes in local authority functions, of which the most significant were, in 1993–94, the loss of responsibility for further education and the addition of responsibility for community care.

  Northumberland County Council expenditure1

  £ Million

  1988–89

  2140.44

  1989–90

  154.170

  1990–91

  161.481

  1991–92

  178.739

  1992–93

  190.553

  1993–94

  185.770

  1994–95

  191.127

  1 Total expenditure 1988–89 to 1989–90. Net revenue expenditure 1990–91 to 1994–95.

  2 Outturn expenditure 1988–89 to 1993–94; budgeted expenditure for 1994–95.

  Dioxins
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to eradicate dioxin pollution in the Bolsover and north Derbyshire area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The industrial processes which have been identified as the most significant potential sources of dioxin production are now either subject to control under part I of the Environments Protection Act 1990 or are about to transfer to this control from earlier legislation. These processes are regulated either by the local authorities under the local authority air pollution control procedure or are controlled by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution using integrated pollution control. Both these regulatory regimes require the application of best available techniques not entailing excessive cost — BATNEEC—to prevent the discharge of dioxins and only where that is not practicable to minimise and render harmless the discharges. For the processes controlled by HMIP, work is already progressing well to require companies to achieve substantial reductions in discharges to all media. Where appropriate, process changes are being sought to eliminate the releases.

  Reductions in the level of dioxin pollution already in the environment are being studied. Substantial reductions in the level of dioxin on plants in the Bolsover area have already been reported. It is expected that tighter emission controls on the industrial processes will allow this trend to continue. Dioxin already in the soil is subject to slow degradation by natural processes.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the average percentage change in business rates in 1995–96 as a result of the recent revaluation of rateable values for(a) shops, (b) offices, (c) warehouses, (d) factories and (e) other premises in each region; and what is his assessment of change for all property types in each region.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information requested is given in the tables below which show estimated average changes in rates bills both before and after the effects of the Government's transitional arrangements are taken into account. They reflect the impact of the 1995 revaluation and also of the cessation of the previous transitional arrangements from which some ratepayers were still benefitting in 1994–95.

  Estimated percentage change in rate bills: 1995–96 compared with 1994–95

  (a) Shops

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +20

  +8

  Rest of South East

  +15

  +6

  East Anglia

  +22

  +8

  North West

  +39

  +10

  Northern

  +33

  +9

  East Midlands

  +30

  +9

  West Midlands

  +39

  +10

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +34

  +9

  Inner London

  +4

  +3

  Outer London

  +18

  +7

  All

  +22

  +7

  (b) Offices

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +22

  +7

  Rest of South East

  -6

  +1

  East Anglia

  +19

  +8

  North West

  +54

  +10

  Northern

  +53

  +11

  East Midlands

  +40

  +11

  West Midlands

  +62

  +12

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +62

  +11

  Inner London

  -56

  -3

  Outer London

  +1

  +2

  All

  -25

  0

  (c) Warehouses

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +20

  +8

  Rest of South East

  +8

  +5

  East Anglia

  +19

  +7

  North West

  +49

  +11

  Northern

  +45

  +11

  East Midlands

  +26

  +9

  West Midlands

  +54

  +12

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +41

  +11

  312

  (c) Warehouses

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  Inner London

  -6

  +2

  Outer London

  +10

  +5

  All

  +22

  +7

  (d) Factories

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +12

  +6

  Rest of South East

  +1

  +3

  East Anglia

  +8

  +5

  North West

  +32

  +9

  Northern

  +29

  +8

  East Midlands

  +22

  +9

  West Midlands

  +39

  +10

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +29

  +9

  Inner London

  -2

  +2

  Outer London

  0

  +3

  All

  +17

  +6

  (e) Others

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +29

  +7

  Rest of South East

  +20

  +5

  East Anglia

  +26

  +7

  North West

  +27

  +7

  Northern

  +22

  +6

  East Midlands

  +27

  +7

  West Midlands

  +36

  +9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +28

  +7

  Inner London

  +13

  +4

  Outer London

  +22

  +7

  All

  +24

  +6

  (f) All properties

  Region

  Percentage change before transition

  Percentage change after transition

  South West

  +22

  +7

  Rest of South East

  +9

  +4

  East Anglia

  +20

  +7

  NorthWest

  +37

  +9

  Northern

  +30

  +8

  East Midlands

  +27

  +9

  West Midlands

  +42

  +10

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  +34

  +9

  Inner London

  -34

  -1

  Outer London

  +12

  +5

  All

  +9

  +5

  Source: Inland Revenue.

  South Yorkshire Navigation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on how many occasions in the last 12 months freight traffic has been subject to delay on the
  313
  South Yorkshire navigation; and for what reasons such delays were experienced;

  (2) what action is being taken to ensure that freight traffic can be carried on the South Yorkshire navigation without delays due to obstruction in the waterway, inoperable locks or lack of staff.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation is in the undertaking of the British Waterways Board. These questions should be addressed to the board since they relate to management and operational matters for which the board is responsible.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Executive search agencies are appointed by competitive tender in accordance with the Department's rules on the engagement of consultants. They are used to assist the mandatory process of public open competition for the occasional recruitment to singleton specialist and senior posts. The agencies provide expert knowledge of the target market sector, and handle ancillary clerical tasks such as the procurement of advertising and the processing of applications, for which it would not be cost-effective to maintain stand-by resources in the Department.

  Standard Spending Assessment, Nottinghamshire
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total standard spending assessment for Nottinghamshire county council for each year from 1992–93 to 1995–96; and, within the total, what was the standard spending assessment for(a) education, (b) social services, (c) police, (d) fire, (e) highway maintenance, (f) other services and (g) capital financing in each of these years.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The figures requested are as follows. They have not been adjusted for changes of responsibility.

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  11995–96

  Education

  383.420

  2342.430

  343.437

  347.054

  Personal social services

  93.884

  95.941

  107.583

  120.920

  Police

  48.595

  50.485

  52.894

  3—

  Fire

  20.482

  21.087

  21.612

  20.848

  Highway maintenance

  36.575

  33.168

  33.109

  33.344

  Other services

  36.979

  36.095

  38.449

  41.271

  Capital financing

  32.630

  32.517

  29.683

  26.893

  Total SSA

  652.566

  611.723

  626.766

  590.331

  1 1995–96 figures are those in the proposed local government finance settlement 1995–96, announced by the Secretary of State on 1 December 1994.

  2 Responsibility for most further education was transferred out of local government from 1 April 1993.

  3 Nottinghamshire police authority receives a police SSA of £54.380 million and a total SSA of £55.365 million.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, (1) pursuant to his answer of 12 December 1994,Official Report, column 436, when he expects to reach a conclusion in his considerations as to whether further measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are necessary following the decision not to increase value added tax on domestic fuel to 17.5 per cent;

  (2) what is his estimate of the effects on the Government's ability to meet its targets agreed to at the Rio summit on the environment of the decision to retain value added tax rate for domestic fuel at 8 per cent., rather than the previously planned rate of 17.5 per cent.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 18 January 1995,Official Report, column 706. We will conclude our work on this review as soon as possible.

  EC Directives (Funding)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has had with his opposite number in the European Union concerning the implications of reduced funding for the Countryside Council for Wales on United Kingdom compliance within Wales with the habitat and species directive and other timetabled European directives.

  Mr. Atkins
  None: there are no such implications.

  Local Government Finance, Redbridge
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment what were the(a) standard spending assessment and (b) single regeneration budget bids from the London borough of Redbridge for 1995–96; what was the value of the settlement given; and how much Redbridge will receive.

  Mr. Curry
  The revenue support grant settlement for 1995–96 will be the subject of a report to the House. Under the proposals announced by the Secretary of State on 1 December 1994, the standard spending assessment for the London borough of Redbridge would be £176.167 million. Total external support would be £134.553 million, including £87.766 million revenue support grant and £46.786 million business rate income.

  No final bids were received from the London borough of Redbridge for funding from the single regeneration budget.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to take design considerations into account when deciding whether or not to call in planning applications to be decided under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  My general approach is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is necessary to do so. I will therefore be very selective about calling in applications to determine myself and will,
  315
  in general, only take this step if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. Each case must be considered on its individual merits. An application for development which raises significant architectural and urban design issues is one example of the type of case which may be of more than local importance. Other examples include cases which, in my opinion, could have wide effects beyond their immediate locality, which give rise to substantial regional or national controversy which may conflict with national policy on important matters, and those where the interests of foreign Governments may be involved.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Exhibitions
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Liverpool: Architecture and Design" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 6 February to Friday 10 February 1995.

  Hall Keepers Lodge
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what changes occurred regarding the vehicle used by the Hall Keepers Lodge for collection purposes until the beginning of this year, what are the present financial arrangements for outside firms to undertake the work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  This is a matter for the Serjeant at Arms. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend.

EDUCATION

  Standard Spending Assessment Settlements
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she had made of the effect of the 1995–96 standard spending assessment settlement (1) on the number of teachers employed in England; and (2) on class sizes in England.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The effect of the settlement on the number of teachers and on class sizes will depend on decisions yet to be made by individual LEAs and schools, and on the cost of the teachers' pay award.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent sector schools have had pupils under the assisted places scheme in each financial year since 1980.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of independent schools participating in the assisted places scheme for 316
  each academic year since the scheme's inception in 1981 is given in the following table:

  Assisted places scheme

  Academic year

  Number of participating schools

  1981–82

  220

  1982–83

  220

  1983–84

  223

  1984–85

  226

  1985–86

  226

  1986–87

  226

  1987–88

  226

  1989–90

  278

  1990–91

  295

  1991–92

  295

  1992–93

  295

  1993–94

  295

  The figures relate to England only

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent sector schools have had(a) more than 5 per cent., (b) more than 10 per cent., (c) more than 15 per cent., (d) more than 20 per cent. or (e) more than 25 per cent. of their school roll made up of pupils covered by the assisted places scheme in each financial year since the establishment of the scheme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not available for each financial year since the establishment of the scheme and could be derived only at disproportionate cost. Information is available in respect of the academic year 1993–94; the number of schools in each category is(a) 238, (b) 166, (c) 116, (d) 75 and (e) 43. In addition there are 57 schools with less than 5 per cent. assisted pupils.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which independent sector schools charged(a) the highest and (b) the lowest fees to assisted places scheme pupils on the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The school which charged the highest fee in academic year 1993–94 was Charterhouse, in respect of its sixth form assisted pupils. The annual fee was £9,348. Salesian college, Farnborough charged the lowest fee at £2,283 per year.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she has taken to reduce the costs of operating the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We are committed to providing 35,000 available places in England and Wales and will continue to support this excellent scheme within the resources which can be made available for it. Assisted pupils achieve outstanding results in public examinations and the scheme is good value for money. We must, of course, manage the available resources prudently and have taken steps over the past few years to restrain fee increases for assisted pupils at participating schools.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement about the level of parental contributions to the fees of pupils in the assisted places scheme in the next academic year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Remission of tuition fees under the assisted places scheme is dependent on the level of fees at participating schools and the amount parents can afford
  317
  to contribute. Subject to parliamentary approval, the parental contribution scales will be adjusted upwards for the school year 1995–96 as set out in the table. Where the relevant income for the appropriate financial year does not exceed £9,572, the tuition fees will be wholly remitted.

  Percentage

  Part of relevant income to which percentage applies

  One assisted pupil

  Each of two assisted pupils

  Each of three assisted pupils

  That part which exceeds £9,406 but does not exceed £10,228

  9

  6.75

  5.25

  That part (if any) which exceeds £10,228 but does not exceed £11,063

  12

  9

  7

  That part (if any) which exceeds £11,063 but does not exceed £12,720

  15

  11.25

  8.75

  That part (if any) which exceeds £12,720 but does not exceed £15,271

  21

  15.75

  12.25

  (over) That part (if any) which exceeds £15,271 but does not exceed £18,599

  24

  18

  14

  That part (if any) which exceeds £18,599

  33

  24.75

  19.25

  Student Grants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people aged 29 to 50 years and over 50 years are in receipt of(a) a student maintenance grant and (b) a mature student allowance.

  Mr. Boswell
  Data on the ages of students in receipt of maintenance grants or older students' allowances are not collected centrally.

  Public Sector Schools
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average amount of money which her Department spent on educating a student at a school within the public sector during the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Boswell
  Each local authority is responsible for setting its own budget and deciding its priorities between and within services, including education, from funds distributed by the Department of the Environment through the standard spending assessment system.

  The average spending per pupil by LEAs in England in LEA-maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools is estimated to be £1,972 in 1993–94.

  Equivalent information on grant-maintained schools is mainly the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the FAS to reply separately to the hon. Member.

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 233, how many independent schools were operating in England in each year since 1990, excluding city technology colleges.
  318
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information available is given in the following table for January of each calendar year:

  Year

  Number of independent schools

  1990

  2,280

  1991

  2,280

  1992

  2,256

  1993

  2,247

  The figures relate to England only.

  Schools, Nottinghamshire
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the capital bid for 1995–96 from the George Spender school, Ravensdale middle school and Greenwood Dale school, Nottinghamshire; for what purpose the bids—grant maintained—were made in each case; and what capital allocation has been agreed.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  These matters are mainly the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are operated by her Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within her Department and her Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances her Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Boswell
  An executive search agency might be used to fill a key vacancy in the Department or the Teachers' Pensions Agency, which is the only executive agency administered by this Department. The decision in each case would be based on need and value for money.

  Secondary Schools
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) local education authority maintained and (b) grant-maintained secondary schools in each local authority have fewer pupils than their standard number; and in how many the number of pupils is equal to or greater than the standard number.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not collected by the Department.

  Schools, Wolverhampton
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the cost of a state secondary place in Wolverhampton local education authority controlled schools in 1993–94; and what is the estimated cost in 1994–95.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Provisional outturn figures returned by Wolverhampton LEA show net institutional spending per secondary pupil of £2,300 in 1993–94. The authority has given an estimate of its net expenditure for 1994–95 in a return published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. This amounts to an estimated cost per pupil of £2,531.

  Non-state Schools
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children between the ages of five and 16 years were educated in non-state schools in 1993–94; and what is her estimate of the percentage in 1994–95.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In England in January 1994, 6.5 per cent. of pupils aged five to 16 were being taught in non-maintained schools. The projection for January 1995 is 6.3 per cent.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the total cost of the 10 most expensive parliamentary questions in the past 15 years for which calculations have been made; which hon. Members asked the questions; and what considerations led him to waive the normal rule regarding disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Newton
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Judgment about the application of the rule are for individual Ministers.

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

  Mr. Newton
  The details are as follows:

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total

  16

  14

  16

  23

  Grade 3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 7

  1

  1

  1

  2

  EO

  2

  2

  2

  3

  AO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  AA

  1

  1

  1

  1

SOCIAL SECURITY

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

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total number of women

  51,102

  49,138

  55,234

  56,752

  Grade 3

  16

  14

  13

  13

  Grade 7

  88

  91

  141

  142

  Executive officer

  11,996

  11,579

  12,858

  13,271

  320

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Administrative officer

  25,610

  24,899

  29,286

  30,398

  Administrative assistant

  8,098

  7,608

  7,821

  7,510

  Note: Permanent non-industrial staff on 1 April each year expressed as full-time equivalents.

  Part-time staff are counted as half-units and totals are rounded to whole units.

  1 The figures in the table do not include the following numbers of female Grade 3 staff who were on loan to other Departments: 1 in 1991; 2 in 1992; 2 in 1993 and 2 in 1994.

  Electronic Cards
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans exist for the distribution of electronic cards to benefit claimants as replacements for the present order books; what research has preceded such plans or is at present under way; and what rights of access will be granted to holders of such cards to the information contained on these.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Government have already announced plans to automate post offices and introduce a benefit payment card to replace order books. These plans were based on a feasibility study by the Benefits Agency and Post Office Counters Ltd. who are now developing detailed proposals with five potential suppliers. We will require the new system to be acceptable to customers, including elderly and disabled people, and consultation with their representatives is planned for the coming year. The system will be subject to the right of access provisions of the Data Protection Act.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the average time for the Child Support Agency to complete first line reviews in the last year for which information is available; and what was the longest time that such a review took;

  (2) what was the average time for the Child Support Agency to complete submissions to appeal tribunals in the last year for which information is available; and what was the longest time for such a submission to .be made.

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

  Letter to Mr. Stephen Byers from Ann Chant, dated 26 January 1995:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the average times taken by the Child Support Agency to complete first line reviews and submissions to appeal tribunals.
  The Agency does not keep information on the average time taken to complete a Section 18 review or a submission to an appeal tribunal. There is no business requirement for the Agency to keep information on the longest time taken to complete either a Section 18 review or a submission to an appeals tribunal. The information which is available is contained in the tables below.

  Time taken to complete Section 18 review: August—2 December 1994

  Time taken

  Cases reviewed

  Per cent.

  0–3 months

  805

  20.5

  3–6 months

  985

  25.1

  More than 6 months

  2,134

  54.4

  321

  Time taken to complete Section 18 review: August—2 December 1994

  Time taken

  Cases reviewed

  Per cent.

  0–3 months

  104

  8.5

  3–6 months

  397

  32.5

  More than 6 months

  721

  59

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out(a) the number of letters from hon. Members which received a full reply (i) in 14 days, (ii) between 15 days and 28 days and (iii) in more than 28 days from the Child Support Agency and (b) the target set by the Child Support Agency for the time to respond to letters from hon. Members since the appointment of the current chief executive.

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 26 January 1995:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the time taken and the target set to reply to letters sent to me by Members of Parliament.
  The information is not available in the form you request. The Agency aims to reply to letters from Members of Parliament within 20 working days, in line with the Department of Social Security target. Whilst I recognize that this target has not always been met procedural changes have been introduced and I hope that Members will have noticed an improvement in both the quality and speed of the replies sent to them over recent months.
  Average clearance times between September and November 1994 are shown in the table:

  Percentage

  1–20 days

  21–40 days

  over 40 days

  September

  14

  55

  31

  October

  26

  44

  30

  November

  53

  37

  10

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many cases were cleared by the Child Support Agency in the first half of 1994–95(a) without maintenance assessments and (b) with an assessment; and what are the reasons for this;

  (2) what was the total number of the Child Support Agency's uncleared cases at 30 September 1994; and if this information could be added to the Child Support Agency's monthly statistical information.

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 26 January 1995:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary for Social Security about cases cleared by the Child Support Agency.
  A total of 338,642 maintenance assessment cases were cleared between April and September 1994, of which 152,482 resulted in a maintenance assessment and 186,160 were other clearances. Cases may be cleared without a maintenance assessment being completed for a variety of reasons. There is no business requirement for the Agency to record the specific reason for clearance in each individual case. Analysis of cases falling into this category suggests, however, that the majority are a result of the parent with care ceasing to
  322
  receive benefit and not proceeding with a private application; good cause not to co-operate being accepted; or the case becoming ineligible for consideration by the Agency as a result of a change in circumstances.
  The total number of cases in which a maintenance application had been received, but a maintenance assessment had not yet been completed at 30 September 1994 was 474,000; this figure includes cases progressing normally through the system. By the end of November 1994, the figure had fallen to 444,000.
  The statistical information made available on a monthly basis is under review. I hope this is of help.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the most recent review he has carried out on the system for paying(a) deposits and (b) rents for prospective and actual tenants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Help with returnable deposits for accommodation was excluded from the social fund in 1988 because of the abuse of such payments under the old supplementary benefits single payments scheme. Help with rent in advance may be available as a social fund loan. Each application is assessed on its merits to see if payment can be made. We have no plans to reintroduce a statutory key money scheme. Under the access to local authority and housing association tenancies proposals, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is considering encouraging local authorities to make greater use of rent guarantee schemes.

  Disability Injuries Committee
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the remit of the Government's interdepartmental committee on disability injuries; what information it has published; and if it accepts representations from the public.

  Mr. Hague
  The inter-departmental group on disability provides a forum for officials from Government Departments to co-ordinate work on policy and operational issues affecting disabled people.

  Sub-groups involving officials and representation of voluntary organisations have been set up to consider particular issues.

  The group itself has not received representation from the public or published information. Representations should be made to the relevant Minister, who will ensure that they are given appropriate consideration.

  Severe Hardship Payments
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications were made by 16 and 17-year-olds for severe hardship payments in each month since January 1994; and what is the number which were successful.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is set out in the table.
  323

  Applications for severe hardship payments January to October 1994

  Month

  Number of applications

  Successful applications

  January

  13,870

  12,348

  February

  12,707

  11,190

  March

  14,154

  12,518

  April

  10,209

  8,892

  May

  12,777

  10,953

  June

  11,483

  9,587

  July

  11,995

  9,731

  August

  11,352

  9,322

  September

  9,994

  8,268

  October

  8,739

  7,149

  Source: Severe Hardship Claims Unit database.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on Departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Hague
  Executive search agencies are employed where their expertise can add value to the recruitment of certain senior or specialist staff.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what considerations led to the decision not to operate the assisted places scheme in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The assisted places scheme in England and Wales enables children to attend independent schools. In Northern Ireland there is no significant independent schools sector.

  Equine Infectious Anaemia
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of equine infectious anaemia there have been in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Ancram
  There have been no cases of equine infectious anaemia in Northern Ireland.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the absenteeism rate for(a) his Department, (b) the Compensation Agency, (c) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (Northern Ireland), (d) the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency, (e) the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency, (f) the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, (g) the Rate Collection Agency, (h) the Social Security Agency (Northern (Ireland), (i) the Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) and (j) the Valuation and Lands Agency in each year since 1991;

  (2) what was the absenteeism rate for the Valuation and Lands Agency in each year since 1991.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The absenteeism rates are not fully available in all Departments in the format requested. However, available information is as follows:

  (a) NI Departments and the Northern Ireland office:

  Departments (All figures based on a seven day week)

  per cent.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Education

  Non-industrial

  3.6

  3.29

  3.75

  3.93

  Industrial

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Environment: (including: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency, Ordnance Survey of NI and Rate Collection Agency)

  Non-industrial

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  15.1

  Industrial

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  326

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Economic Development: (including Training and Employment Agency)

  Non-industrial and industrial

  n/a

  3.07

  3.06

  15.93

  1 = Five-day week.

  n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Per cent.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Finance and Personnel: (including Valuation and Lands Agency)

  Non-industrial

  n/a

  n/a

  14.84 (April to December 1993)

  14.74

  Industrial

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Health and Social Services:

  Non-industrial

  3.2

  2.8

  4.62

  4.32

  Industrial

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 = Five-day week.

  n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Per cent.

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Agriculture:

  Non-industrial

  4.3

  4.0

  4.2

  15.3

  Industrial

  17.3

  16.1

  16.6

  17.7

  1 = Five-day week.

  Northern Ireland Office (All figures based on a seven-day week)

  Per cent.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  HCS

  n/a

  4.55

  6.2

  n/a

  NICS

  4.5

  4.4

  5.3

  5.6

  (b) Compensation Agency: (established April 1992)

  —

  5.1

  3.8

  5.4

  n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Per cent.

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  (c) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (NI): (established August 1993)

  —

  —

  —

  16.8

  (d) Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency: (established April 1992)

  —

  —

  n/a

  14.7

  (e) NI Child Support Agency: (established April 1993)

  —

  —

  —

  4.51

  (f) Ordnance Survey of NI: (established April 1992)

  —

  —

  n/a

  15.6

  (g) Rate Collection Agency: (established April 1991)

  —

  n/a

  n/a

  16.4

  1 = five-day week n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  327

  Per cent.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  (h) Social Security Agency (NI): (established July 1991

  5.8

  6.3

  6.78

  8.33

  Per cent.

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Training and employment Agency (NI): (established April 1990)

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  17 25

  1= Five-day week, n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disporportionate costs.

  Per cent.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  (j) Valuation and Land Agency: (established April 1993)

  —

  —

  n/a

  4.9

  n/a = Figures not available and could be provided only at disporportionate costs.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of sheep scab there were in each year since 1990 and in each month for 1994.

  Mr. Ancram
  The number of cases of sheep scab in Northern Ireland since 1990 is:

  Year

  Cases

  1990

  36

  1991

  46

  1992

  59

  1993

  48

  1994

  71

  Under 20

  England and Wales 20 to under 25

  25 and over

  Under 19

  Scotland 19 to under 25

  25 and over

  1989

  419

  639

  758

  —

  1

  2

  1990

  416

  671

  768

  1

  1

  2

  1991

  367

  632

  776

  —

  1

  1

  20 to under 35

  35 and over

  1992

  376

  1,230

  188

  —

  3

  1

  1993

  303

  1,148

  178

  —

  —

  1

  Notes:

  1. Information for 1993 is the latest available centrally, and is provisional.

  2. From 1992 information from England and Wales is available only for the under 20, 20 to under 35 and 35 and over age band.

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

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is as follows:328

  The number of cases of sheep scab in Northern Ireland in each month for 1994 is:

  Number

  January

  14

  February

  10

  March

  14

  April

  3

  May

  7

  June

  5

  July

  nil

  August

  2

  September

  3

  October

  3

  November

  7

  December

  3

  Total

  71

  Abortions
  Ms Mowlem
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many abortions were performed by each health and social services board in Northern Ireland in the past five years; and what were the age categories of the women.

  Mr. Moss
  While the Abortion Act 1967 does not extend to Northern Ireland, therapeutic abortions can be carried out in Northern Ireland hospitals on strictly medical grounds. The number of such terminations cannot be identified separately in the information collected centrally on obstetric and gynaecological procedures.

  Ms Mowlem
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of women travelling from Northern Ireland to Great Britain for abortions during the past five years aged(a) under 19 years, (b) between 19 and 25 years and (c) 25 years or over.

  Mr. Moss
  The information is not collected in the form requested. The table shows the number of legal abortions performed on Northern Ireland residents in England, Wales and Scotland between 1989 and 1993 by available age bands.

  (i) Home civil service

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total

  93

  109

  113

  110

  Grade 7

  2

  4

  5

  4

  Grade 3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Executive officer

  12

  13

  16

  19

  Administrative officer

  15

  14

  12

  10

  Administrative assistant

  3

  7

  7

  8

  329

  (ii) Northern Ireland civil servants, non-industrial

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total

  12,175

  12,554

  12,871

  13,119

  Grade 7

  73

  81

  100

  124

  Grade 3

  1

  1

  1

  2

  Executive officer I

  1,082

  1,102

  1,176

  1,166

  Executive officer II

  2,041

  2,106

  2,167

  2,198

  Administrative officer

  5,390

  5,513

  5,614

  5,794

  Administrative assistant

  2,706

  2,797

  2,780

  2,780

  NB:

  Part-time staff are included (by head count)

  Travellers
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made for the health needs of travellers in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  Travelling people are entitled to the full range of health and personal social services on the same basis as the rest of the community in Northern Ireland. Health and social services boards are required to identify groups with particular needs arising from their particular location, level of deprivation or lifestyle, and to ensure that services are targeted accordingly.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Recruitment to the Northern Ireland civil service and to the Northern Ireland Office is regulated by the Civil Service Commissioners to ensure selection on the basis of merit in fair and open competition. When filling vacancies at the higher appointment levels, where candidates with the relevant combination of skills and experience may be in short supply or may not be attracted by advertisement, the use of executive search agencies may be considered to supplement the pool of applicants. All candidates receive equal treatment at interview irrespective of the source of their application and selection is made on merit.

  Club Licensing
  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the review of the licensing arrangements in Northern Ireland in respect of registered bona fide clubs will be completed; and if he will make it his policy to consult the Working Men's Club Institution and other umbrella organisations before publication.

  Mr. Moss
  The review of the legislation on registered clubs has been completed and I have today announced the main changes which I propose to make. A copy of my statement has been placed in the Library. In due course I shall publish for consultation draft legislation containing the Government's full proposals for amending the law. At 330
  that stage, I shall welcome comments from a wide range of interests, including organisations representing registered clubs.

  Prison Cells
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the daily timetable for locking and unlocking cells for each Northern Ireland prison.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is as follows:
  There is no uniform daily timetable for locking and unlocking cells in prisons in Northern Ireland. Variations take account of a variety of factors.

  Belfast

  Time

  Unlock

  0800

  Lock

  1230

  Unlock

  1400

  Lock

  1630

  Unlock

  1700

  Lock

  2030

  Maghaberry Erne, Lagan and Mourne Houses

  Time

  Unlock

  0810

  Lock

  1630

  Unlock

  1730

  Lock

  2030

  Selected prisoners in the latter stages of their sentence in Bann House are not routinely locked in their cells.

  Magilligan

  Time

  Unlock

  0800

  Lock

  1630

  Unlock

  1730

  Lock

  2030

  Selected prisoners in Foyleview, a low security facility, are not routinely locked in their rooms.

  Maze
  Long-term and remand prisoners are not routinely locked in their cells. This follows a recommendation from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons that access to sanitation should be available at all times.
  The morning unlock time for the small number of short-term sentenced prisoners who service the prison varies according to their work commitments. They are not routinely locked during the day. Evening lock up is at 2030 hours.

  Young offenders' centre

  Time

  Unlock

  0810

  Lock

  1230

  Unlock

  1400

  Lock

  1630

  Unlock

  1730

  Lock

  2000

  A small member of selected special privilege inmates are not routinely locked in their room.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Commission on the Status of Women
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries are currently members of the UN Commission on the Status of Women; how countries have achieved membership; and what is the position of the United Kingdom in respect of membership criteria.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Membership of the UN Commission on the Status of Women is by election on a regional basis by the UN Economic and Social Council. The United Kingdom will seek election in 1996. The current members are:African States (13 seats): Algeria, Angola, Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Namibia, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia
  Asian States (11 seats): China, Cyprus, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand
  Eastern European States (4 seats): Belarus, Bulgaria, Russian Federation, Slovakia
  Latin American and Caribbean States (9 seats): Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela.
  Western European and Other States (8 seats): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs to what extent the United Kingdom will be represented at the meeting in March of the Commission on the Status of Women when the draft platform for action for the fourth world conference on women in Beijing in September 1995 is discussed; which Government Departments will be represented and by whom; who will lead the delegation; and if the delegation will include non-governmental organisation representatives.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Although not a member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the moment, the United Kingdom will play an active role as observers at the meeting of the commission in March and at the parallel drafting group for the platform for action for the fourth world conference on women. The United Kingdom will be represented by officials from the Department of Employment, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration, who will work closely with NGOs.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when joint discussions have been held with the European Union member states on the draft platform for action for the 1995 fourth world conference on women in Beijing; and which states were represented.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There have been no discussions with our European Union partners about the platform for action for the fourth world conference on women because the draft has not yet been circulated by the conference secretariat.

  Lockerbie
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed of a paper produced by a United States air force intelligence unit in February 1991 relating to the 332
  destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We first learned of the report from a press inquiry on 23 January 1995. The allegation contained in the paper was first made at an early stage in the investigation and has been reflected in books about the Lockerbie diaster. It was examined at the time by the competent authorities, as part of their investigation, but no evidence has been found to substantiate it. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate remains satisfied that the evidence supports the charges against the two accused and that there is no evidence to establish that other persons or nations were involved.

  Mutual Defence Agreement
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent,Official Report, 30 November 1994, column 710, what further developments have taken place in regard to the proposed extension of the 1958 United Kingdom/United States mutual defence agreement.

  Mr. David Davis
  The 1994 amendment to the 1958 United Kingdom/United States mutual defence agreement was discussed during the debate on the Consolidated Fund Bill on 15 December. On 23 December there was an exchange of notes in Washington and the 1994 amendment entered into force.

  Bermuda
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 745, if the Governor of Bermuda is accountable to him for matters relating to policing in Bermuda.

  Mr. Baldry
  Section 62 of the Bermuda constitution states that:"The Governor, acting in his discretion, shall be responsible for the conduct subject to the provisions of this Constitution and any other law of any business of the Government, including the administration of any department of government, with respect to the following matters:

  (a) external affairs;

  (b) defence, including the armed forces;

  (c) internal security;

  (d) the police."

  These 'reserve' powers of the Governor have been the subject of considerable delegation. Under (d) the following matters have been delegated to the Minister of Home Affairs:
  Establishment matters; Finance; General Organisation; Training; Recruitment Policy; Community Relations and Equipment.

  In those areas of policing for which the Governor retains responsibility he is of course accountable to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 745, if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Governor of Bermuda, the Government of Bermuda, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and himself in relation to the administration of their colony.

  Mr. Baldry
  The relationship between HMG and Bermuda is governed by the constitution of that territory.
  333
  The FCO, as the Government Department responsible for co-ordinating policy towards the dependent territories, liaises with Bermudian Government departments through the governor. Under the constitution, the governor, in his discretion, has special responsibility for certain aspects of government which have not yet been delegated to a Bermudian Minister, for example external affairs, defence, internal security, and certain matters relating to the police. All other aspects of government are dealt with by the elected Government of Bermuda.

  The governor is accountable to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who in turn is ultimately responsible to Parliament for the good government of Bermuda.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many terrorist offences have occurred in Bermuda in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 744, what allowances are payable to the new expatriate Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police in Bermuda; what is their value; if they would be payable to a Bermudian appointee; and what funding Her Majesty's Government are providing for the posts.

  Mr. Baldry
  There are no allowances payable to the expatriate commissioner and deputy commissioner of police which would not be payable to a Bermudian appointee. Her Majesty's Government provides no funds towards either post.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 744, how long the expatriate Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police in Bermuda will be required to remain in post; and if he will name them; and indicate from which United Kingdom police force they came.

  Mr. Baldry
  Three and two years respectively. Mr. Coxall, assistant chief commissioner of the City of London police, and Mr. Mylod deputy chief constable of Hampshire have been appointed as commissioner and deputy commissioner.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the crime statistics in Bermuda for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Baldry
  The statistics which are readily available are for the five years up to and including 1993. These are:

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Crimes:

  Against the person

  409

  466

  428

  474

  483

  Against property

  3,558

  4,291

  4,515

  3,936

  5,216

  Others, including drugs

  1,173

  861

  714

  792

  625

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 744, what training Her Majesty's Government are providing for Bermudian police officers with a view to their being appointed in future to the posts of commissioner and deputy commissioner of police.
  334
  Mr. Baldry
  The commissioner of police will address the training requirements of the Bermuda police when he takes up his appointment. Officers at all levels of the Bermuda police force regularly attend police training courses in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who paid for the report compiled by HM Inspector-General of the Dependent Territories constabulary; if the report is a private document; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The report was paid for jointly by the FCO and the Government of Bermuda. It was compiled for the Government of Bermuda and is confidential to that Government.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the principal achievements of his recent visits to(a) Bangladesh and (b) India; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's visit to Bangladesh and India enabled him to judge personally the practical value of the United Kingdom's two largest bilateral aid programmes. In Bangladesh he urged the importance of political stability for foreign investors. In both countries he met the Prime Minister and gave high level support to the process of economic reform, notably in a well received speech at the centenary of the Confederation of Indian Industries in Calcutta. He also discussed the future direction of the massively successful Indo-British partnership initiative.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 15 December,Official Report, column 760. My Department's executive agencies make no use of executive search agencies, so there are no guidelines. Should my Department or an executive agency under its control decide to use an executive search agency, it would follow the guidelines set out in "Guidance on Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment".

  Nigeria
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom Government will put pressure on the Government of Nigeria to release all prisoners of conscience.

  Mr. Baldry
  With our European Union partners we have consistently deplored all abuses of human rights, including the frequent use of detention without trial. We look to the Nigerian Government to respect all their international human rights obligations.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Nigerian Government concerning the trial of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa.
  335
  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]: With our European partners we have consistently urged the Nigerian authorities to release political detainees, or ensure fair judicial process. Mr. Saro-Wiwa's trial started on 16 January, and we and our EU partners are following developments closely.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Shell International concerning the trial of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]: No such representations have been made.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of(a) the low enriched uranium, (b) the highly enriched uranium and (c) the natural uranium imported into and exported from the European Union in each year since 1982, came into and out of the United Kingdom annually since 1982.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information, where available, is given in the table.

  United Kingdom share by value of European Union extra-EU trade in uranium

  Share of European Union extra-EU imports

  Per cent.

  Year

  Low enriched uranium

  Highly enriched uranium

  Natural uranium

  1988

  8.2

  n/a

  n/a

  1989

  7.7

  n/a

  n/a

  1990

  8.5

  n/a

  n/a

  1991

  27.3

  16.8

  n/a

  1992

  37.8

  n/a

  n/a

  1993

  28.1

  n/a

  3.3

  Share of European Union extra-EU exports

  Per cent.

  Year

  Low enriched uranium

  Highly enriched uranium

  Natural uranium

  1988

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1989

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1990

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1991

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1992

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1993

  15.8

  98.1

  49.1

  n/a not available: data is confidential.

  Source: EuroStat Comext database.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of gross domestic product manufacturing currently represents; and what was the figure in 1979.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is available from the Central Statistical Office's "United Kingdom National Accounts"—the "CSO Blue Book". A copy of the "CSO Blue Book" is available in the Library of the House.

  British Coal Enterprise
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the west midlands regional forum of local authorities about the continued existence of British Coal Enterprise after March; and what plans his Department has to continue the financial contribution to job creation which British Coal Enterprise has made.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy has received several representations from and on behalf of the west midlands regional forum of local authorities about British Coal Enterprise.

  The Government and British Coal are continuing to explore options for the range of services provided by BCE. No final decisions have been taken about its future.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met representatives of British Coal Enterprise to discuss their record and future plans.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My ministerial colleagues and I meet representatives from British Coal Enterprise as necessary to discuss a variety of issues.

  Engineering Steel Prices
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the average cost per tonne of engineering steel produced at the Sidenor works in Spain and the Klockner works in Germany during the last two years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government do not have access to this type of commercially sensitive detailed information about individual companies, and therefore is not able to provide a meaningful estimate of production costs at these plants.

  Lyon Instant Coffee Factory, Greenford
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what powers he has to intervene in respect of the proposed closure of Lyons instant coffee factory in Greenford by Kraft, Jacobs and Suchard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The closure is most unfortunate and we have every sympathy for the work force involved. However, manning levels are a matter for the commercial judgment of the company and it would be counter-productive for the Government to try to interfere in normal commercial processes. There are a range of facilities available to help redundant workers find new jobs, retain or set up businesses of their own.

  Competitiveness White Paper
  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to update the White Paper, "Competitiveness, Helping Business to Win".

  Mr. Heseltine
  As part of its commitment to the continuous improvement of the United Kingdom's competitiveness, the Government plan to publish a second White Paper on competitiveness this summer. This will report on progress over the last year, extend the analysis of the UK's competitiveness and bring forward new initiatives to help business to win.

  Green Minister
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will outline the main activities of the green Minister in his Department, in his role as green Minister, during 1994.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has designated me as the green Minister for the Department. During 1994, I and my predecessor as green Minister have continued to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into the strategy and policies of the Department. Specific environmental initiatives taken during the year will continue to feature in the Department's report on its expenditure plans.

  Commercial Lobbying
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) on how many occasions in the last four months he or any of his Ministers have been approached by commercial lobbying organisations on behalf of their clients at informal or unofficial engagements;

  (2) on how many occasions in the last four months of which he has knowledge any civil servants in his Department have been approached by commercial lobbying organisations on behalf of their clients at informal or unofficial engagements.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answers 25 January 1995]: I refer to my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's answer of 25 January 1995, Official Report, column 197.

HEALTH

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has available to determine the effectiveness, duration and commencement of United Kingdom screening for hepatitis C compared with European Union countries and the United States.

  Mr. Sackville
  Routine testing of all blood donations for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus was introduced in September 1991 when the expert committee advised that sufficiently reliable tests, including confirmatory tests were available. In considering their advice the expert committee took into account the experiences of other countries, including EU countries and the United States.

  Mental Handicap Hospitals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many long-stay mental handicap hospitals in England are still open.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dulwich (Ms Jowell) on 27 October 1994 at column 821.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of remaining residents in long-stay mental hospitals in England.

  Mr. Bowis
  It is estimated that at 31 March 1994 there were 11,500 people with mental handicap needs and with 338
  a length of stay of one year or more, in national health service hospitals.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many long-stay mental handicap hospitals do not yet have an agreed closure plan;

  (2) what plans she has to close the remaining long-stay mental handicap hospitals;

  (3) how many long-stay mental handicap hospitals have closed;

  (4) what are the closure dates of the remaining long-stay mental handicap hospitals.

  Mr. Bowis
  Under Departmental guidance HSG(92)42, copies of which are in the Library, health authorities should work with matching social services departments in planning the transfer of residents and the resources to support them to the community by a mutually agreed date. No deadlines have been set but the aim is to close the old long-stay mental handicap hospitals as soon as practicable. No central record is kept of proposed and actual closure dates.

  Secure Hospital Beds
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made with the provision of the additional 550 medium secure hospital beds which the Government plan to have in place by 1996; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  There were no medium secure places by 1979 in response to the Glancy report recommendations which were published in 1974.

  The number of purpose-built national health service medium secure places has increased from 602 in January 1992 to 712 at the end of December 1994.

  A further 446 places currently being developed are due to open by December 1996, and will take the total to over 1,150. We have allocated £47 million in centrally-funded capital to support this development, and additional places are being funded through the main NHS capital programme.

  Blood
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what volume of blood donated was used within the NHS, annually, from 1989 to the present day.

  Mr. Sackville
  The last year for which complete information is available centrally about the number and usage of blood donations is 1993. Complete information is not available centrally for earlier years.

  In 1993 there were a total of 2,312,000 donations of whole blood and 120,000 plasmapheresis donations.

  An individual donation may be put to a number of uses as a number of components may be harvested from it. In 1993 the figures for the use of donations were:
  Whole blood—106,000 of which 97.9 per cent. was NHS usage;
  Red Cell Components—1,959,000 of which 99.5 per cent. was NHS usage;
  Platelets—842,000 of which 99.3 per cent. was NHS usage; Fresh Frozen Plasma—266,000;

  In addition some 486,000 litres of plasma were recovered from whole blood donations and 60,000 litres of plasma from plasmapheresis donations.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it a mandatory requirement for all health authorities and national health service trusts to inform patients if treatment is not being provided on economic grounds.

  Mr. Malone
  The patient's charter already sets out the right of all patients to receive health care on the basis of their clinical need, not on their ability to pay, their lifestyle, or any other factor. Health authorities are responsible for purchasing health care to meet the needs of their local population.

  Suicide Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has ben the suicide rate for (i) each local health authority, (ii) each regional health authority and (iii) nationally among(a) young men, (b) young women, (c) all men, (d) all women and (e) the population as a whole for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

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

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the number of terminally or very seriously ill people who commit suicide with or without assistance from others.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys routinely collects information relating to deaths registered in England and Wales for which there is a statutory requirement to do so. For each death it is possible for the certifying registered medical practitioner to record on the death certificate"Other significant conditions CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEATH but not related to the disease or condition causing it".

  Whole-time equivalents of consultant rheumatologists by region as at 30 September 1986–1993

  Region

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Northern

  15

  15

  15

  16

  16

  16

  18

  17

  Yorkshire

  7

  7

  7

  7

  8

  9

  10

  12

  Trent

  16

  17

  17

  18

  18

  18

  18

  18

  East Anglia

  10

  10

  10

  11

  10

  9

  11

  7

  North west Thames

  21

  22

  20

  20

  21

  24

  19

  17

  North east Thames

  30

  23

  28

  23

  30

  28

  31

  27

  South east Thames

  27

  24

  24

  26

  28

  28

  27

  27

  South west Thames

  15

  15

  15

  15

  17

  19

  13

  18

  Wessex

  20

  21

  20

  20

  18

  17

  21

  21

  Oxford

  12

  11

  13

  14

  14

  13

  13

  12

  South Western

  5

  6

  8

  8

  8

  9

  7

  7

  West Midlands

  12

  10

  11

  11

  13

  13

  12

  14

  Mersey

  4

  5

  4

  4

  5

  8

  6

  6

  North Western

  17

  15

  16

  18

  19

  16

  15

  16

  SHAs

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  England Total

  210

  200

  210

  210

  230

  230

  220

  220

  Note:

  1. Figures for 1990 and 1991 are estimates.

  2. Regional figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number; England figures to the nearest 10. Regional figures may not sum to the England totals because of rounding.

  Physiotherapists
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to introduce legislation to protect the patients of physiotherapists in the private sector.
  340
  Analysis of this information could, if present, provide an indication of the presence of terminal illness or very serious illness. The information, however, would be unlikely to be complete, difficult to interpret, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  A death known and recorded as having been assisted by a person or persons unknown would not be recorded as a suicide.

  Mundesley Hospital
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations govern the sale of the Mundesley hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regional health authorities manage the disposal of surplus property by virtue of regulation 3(1) of the Functions Regulations, SI 1991/554, subject to the Health Authorities Land Transactions Directions 1989. These directions require RHAs to dispose of land in accordance with property transactions in the NHS, part of the "Estatecode" issued by the Department.

  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the effect on the hospital of the vandalism committed between June and December 1994.

  Mr. Sackville
  As this information is not available centrally, my hon. Friend may wish to contact Sir Stuart Burgess, chairman of Anglia and Oxford regional health authority, for details.

  Consultant Rheumatologists
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant rheumatologists were practising in each health authority area in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table:

  Mr. Bowis
  In order to practise within the national health service or local authorities physiotherapists must be registered under the provisions of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960.
  341
  The Government are considering what action may be needed in the light of concerns about the activities of unregistered practitioners.

  Recovered Memories
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the "Recovered Memories" report by the British Psychological Society, a copy of which has been sent to her.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have received a copy of this report and we welcome its publication by the British Psychological Society, as we accept that psychologists, both as scientists and clinical practitioners, can make an important contribution to the understanding of human memory phenomena. Although strong arguments have been made for and against "false memory", there is a dearth of clear evidence and work which examines these matters is helpful.

  Regulatory Bodies
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the composition of regulatory bodies for health care professionals.

  Mr. Malone
  Information relating to the composition of regulatory bodies for health care professionals will be placed in the Library.

  Smoking
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of a total ban on cigarette advertising on(a) the prevalence of smoking amongst the population as a whole and (b) the prevalence of smoking among the 11 to 15-year-old age group.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1992 the Department of Health reviewed all the available evidence on the effect of tobacco advertising on tobacco consumption. The findings were published as a discussion document. "Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption", copies of which are available in the Library. The Government concluded on the basis of the evidence reviewed that a ban on tobacco advertising in the United Kingdom would not have a major impact in reducing levels of smoking.

  The Department of Health review did not identify any studies which seek to quantify the effect of a ban on the prevalence of smoking amongst children aged between 11 and 15. The report "Why Children Start Smoking" Office of Population Censuses and Surveys 1990—identified a number of risk factors in this age group associated with starting to smoke. The report concluded that
  "greater awareness of cigarette advertising is associated with a slightly increased likelihood of starting to smoke in the future. However, the effect appears to be small in comparison with some of the other influences on children such as the example set by parents and siblings".

  Consultants
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will undertake an inquiry to establish the extent to which NHS consultants are not fulfilling their NHS contracts.
  342
  Mr. Malone
  No. National health service employers are responsible for ensuring that individual NHS consultants are fulfilling their contractual obligations.

  Uniform Complaints Procedure
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she intends to introduce legislation to implement the findings of the Wilson committee in respect of a uniform complaints procedure; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  We welcomed the publication of "Being Heard", the report of the Wilson committee, and support its central recommendation for a simpler, speedier national health service complaints system. Over 600 responses were received to the consultation exercise on the report, raising some complex issues. We are carefully considering our response to the report in the light of this and will make an announcement as soon as our present considerations are complete.

  Hospitals (Safety)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review safety in hospitals to ensure the proper protection of patients and staff; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government place great importance on the creation of a safe and secure environment in hospitals as part of quality health care. Specific arrangements for the safety of patients and staff in hospitals, whether in relation to health and safety requirements or security, are a matter for local national health service employers. Guidance on both of these areas has been made available to hospitals by the NHS Executive ((EL(93)66) and (HSG(94)51)), copies of which are available in the Library.

  Disabled People (Access to Health Centres)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for ensuring that health centres are adequately accessible to disabled people.

  Mr. Sackville
  Under part M of the Building Regulations 1991, local authority building control officers are responsible for ensuring that health centres and other public buildings are adequately accessible to disabled people.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are operated by her Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within her Department and her Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances her Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.
  343
  Mr. Sackville
  There are no central guidelines on the use of executive search agencies in the Department of Health. The Department and its agencies use such agencies only when internal advertising and inter-departmental advertising are unlikely to produce the right number or type of candidates.

  Mentally Ill People (Registers)
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have not yet established registers of mentally ill people in the community and how many names have now been entered on those registers which have been published.

  Mr. Bowis
  The latest reports indicate that all districts have established supervision registers. The National Health Service Executive is taking action to ensure that reviews of all patients are completed so that registers are fully implemented as soon as possible. Information on the numbers of mentally ill people placed on supervision registers is not yet available centrally.

  Continuing and Respite Care
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place copies of responses to her consultation on the draft guidance concerning NHS continuing and respite care in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Copies of the replies which were sent in response to our invitation for comments on "NHS responsibilities for meeting long term health care needs" will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Charges
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated total value of charges levied on NHS patients for(a) dental treatment, (b) ophthalmic treatment, (c) hospital treatment, (d) hospital facilities, including television and telephone, (e) car parking at hospitals and (f) other items.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 13 January 1995]: The general dental services charge income, net of refunds, in 1993–94 was £367 million. People who are entitled to a national health service sight test do not pay anything towards its cost. People not entitled to an NHS sight test pay for a private test, and all purchases of optical appliances are private transactions.

  For information on private patient income for hospital treatment I refer the right hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave her on 13 January at columns 267–68 and on 20 January at column 766. Information on NHS 'charged' patients—that is, overseas visitors not exempt from charges for NHS hospital treatment—are given in tables 1 and 2. Figures for NHS trusts are not centrally available.

  The income generated by amenity beds in each year from 1979 to 1993–94 is given in table 3. Figures for NHS trusts are omitted since these cannot be separately identified. Information on the net income for patient television hire and other non-medical services is not available centrally.
  344
  The information requested on car parking charges is not collected centrally.

  There are no figures available centrally for any other items.

  Table 1: NHS charged income (overseas visitors) regional health authorities

  Region

  1991–92 £000s

  1992–93 £000s

  1993–94 £000s (provisional)

  Northern

  168

  100

  75

  Yorkshire

  106

  67

  28

  Trent

  143

  45

  7

  East Anglian

  130

  180

  26

  North west Thames

  722

  963

  645

  North east Thames

  178

  141

  200

  South east Thames

  312

  416

  115

  South west Thames

  180

  248

  79

  Wessex

  113

  145

  145

  Oxford

  319

  334

  455

  South western

  148

  42

  16

  West Midlands

  189

  153

  89

  Mersey

  74

  8

  0

  North western

  74

  121

  171

  Source:

  Receipts and payments returns of health authorities (England).

  Table 2: NHS charged income (overseas visitors) London postgraduate teaching hospitals

  Special health authority

  1991–92 £000s

  1992–93 £000s

  1993–94 £000 (provisional)

  Hospital for Sick Children

  0

  0

  0

  National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

  0

  0

  0

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  0

  0

  0

  The Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospital

  0

  24

  56

  The Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospital

  0

  0

  0

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  1

  0.7

  92

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals

  25

  26

  15

  The Eastman Dental Hospital

  0

  0

  0

  Source:

  Receipts and payments returns of health authorities (England).

  Table 3: Income generated from amenity beds

  Year

  Amenity bed income £000

  1979–80

  224

  1980–81

  239

  1981–82

  241

  1982–83

  369

  1983–84

  389

  1984–85

  345

  1985–86

  409

  1986–87

  454

  1987–88

  621

  345

  Table 3: Income generated from amenity beds

  Year

  Amenity bed income £000

  1988–89

  764

  1989–90

  1,013

  1990–91

  1,260

  1991–92

  2,022

  1992–93

  1,776

  1993–941

  1,227

  Source:

  Annual accounts and receipts and payments returns for regional health authorities, district health authorities and London postgraduate special health authorities.

  Notes:

  The 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 figures are taken from the receipts and payments returns and are not therefore comparable with those of earlier years.

  1 1993–94 figures are provisional

  Specialty Statistics
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give for each financial year since 1989–90 the numbers of(a) hospital spells and (b) finished consultant episodes in NHS hospitals in England recorded in the hospital episode system for (i) acute specialties, (ii) geriatrics, (iii) mental illness, (iv) mental handicap, (v) maternity, (vi) well babies and (vii) all specialties.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 16 January 1995]: The number of finished consultant episodes in Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for each financial year 1988–89 to 1992–93 is given in the annual publication "Hospital Episode Statistics, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Previously quoted estimates of hospital spells have now been superseded by emerging new information and revised figures will be available in due course.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 December 1994,Official Report, column 401, on NHS expenditure on health care for non-NHS providers, if she will provide comparable information on a regional basis.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 19 January 1995]: The total expenditure, by region, in the last three years by district health authorities, regional health authorities, national health service trusts and general practitioner fundholders on the purchase of healthcare from non-NHS providers will be placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Arts Education
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives he has undertaken in arts education in areas of priority treatment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office provides financial assistance to 22 urban programme projects, the broad aims of which include developing interest in the arts and culture. The estimated cost in the current financial year is £1.65 million. The projects cover eligible areas throughout Scotland.
  346
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent arts teachers there are in secondary schools; and how many there were in 1985.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There were 1,368 FTE art teachers in education authority secondary schools in September 1992, the latest year available. Information is not available for 1985; the estimated FIE figure for 1984 is 1,660.

  Dairy Farmers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the approximate average net profit for dairy farmers in each year since 1985.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Information on incomes of full-time dairy farms and other farm types is collected in the Scottish farm accounts scheme and published each year in "Farm Incomes in Scotland" and "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom". The latest editions of these publications show incomes for 1991–92 and 1992–93. Incomes for 1993–94 will be published in "Farm Incomes in Scotland" in February.

  Longer-term trends in income are given in both publications by means of an index series back to 1986–87, the earliest year for which data are available on a consistent basis.

  Both publications are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Heart Transplants
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 573, when he expects to be able to provide the information for the number of heart transplants in November and December 1994.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Two heart transplants were carried out in November and three in December 1994.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received since October 1990 from Scottish health boards in relation to the pay structure for dentists and the de-registration of patients.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No specific representations on these points have been received from health boards. However, all health boards submitted views on the Government's proposals for changes to dentists' remuneration and the provision of NHS general dental services, which were published in the recent consultation document "Improving NHS Dentistry". Ministers are now considering the way forward in the light of all views received.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been spent in each of the last five years on the provision of dental services in each health board area in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  347

  Scotland: expenditure on general dental services by health board

  Health board

  11989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Argyll and Clyde

  6,290,569

  10,802,044

  12,890,396

  12,411,748

  11,917,843

  Ayrshire and Arran

  5,310,984

  9,713,742

  11,055,246

  10,258,789

  9,932,647

  Borders

  1,130,419

  2,140,213

  2,558,491

  2,685,779

  2,688,599

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,675,012

  3,096,774

  3,676,321

  3,403,027

  3,083,698

  Fife

  3,995,958

  7,163,997

  9,427,329

  8,527,073

  8,778,454

  Forth Valley

  3,405,517

  6,146,760

  7,434,756

  7,600,139

  7,350,682

  Grampian

  5,667,864

  9,787,472

  11,880,510

  12,737,186

  12,379,006

  Greater Glasgow

  14,820,897

  24,687,323

  29,297,575

  30,173,664

  28,749,945

  Highland

  2,447,005

  4,437,021

  6,148,825

  5,425,063

  5,071,681

  Lanarkshire

  7,063,075

  11,973,160

  14,023,907

  13,287,843

  12,892,180

  Lothian

  10,149,229

  17,772,247

  21,779,982

  22,413,356

  22,107,244

  Orkney

  107,078

  167,944

  215,526

  272,306

  268,380

  Shetland

  151,191

  266,018

  303,321

  340,094

  422,639

  Tayside

  5,414,768

  9,949,846

  11,651,600

  11,698,422

  11,754,764

  Western Isles

  242,736

  365,206

  483,725

  509,997

  512,629

  Total

  167,872,302

  118,469,767

  142,827,510

  141,744,486

  137,910,391

  Note:

  Information taken from the annual accounts of the 15 Scottish health boards.

  1 Owing to accounting changes in 1990–91, the 1989–90 figures show net expenditure, i.e., total expenditure less patient charges collected by dentists. From 1990–91 figures show gross expenditure, without deducting patient charges.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dental patients within Scotland received private medical treatment in each of the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No information is available on private treatment.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dentists were on each health board's dental list; and how many dentists joined each health board's dental lists and how many dentists withdrew from each health board's dental list in each of the last five financial years.

  Table 1: Dentists on health board dental list in Scotland

  Health board

  1March 1990

  1March 1991

  21991–92

  21992–93

  21993–94

  Argyll and Clyde

  134

  142

  190

  211

  205

  Ayrshire and Arran

  111

  120

  139

  134

  139

  Borders

  33

  31

  38

  38

  45

  Dumfries and Galloway

  39

  39

  44

  45

  47

  Fife

  101

  103

  128

  129

  141

  Forth Valley

  76

  82

  90

  94

  102

  Grampian

  134

  138

  148

  161

  178

  Greater Glasgow

  327

  338

  391

  417

  428

  Highland

  64

  67

  71

  77

  78

  Lanarkshire

  138

  144

  182

  189

  193

  Lothian

  281

  271

  298

  312

  333

  Orkney

  3

  3

  5

  4

  4

  Shetland

  7

  7

  5

  6

  7

  Tayside

  141

  144

  164

  166

  169

  Western Isles

  13

  12

  10

  13

  16

  Scotland

  1,602

  1,641

  1,733

  1,745

  1,792

  1 For the 1990 and 1991 data the figures show the number of dentists on health board list at 31 March. Dentists contracted to more than one health board are counted only in one health board.

  2 For 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 the figures show the total number of dentists that practised during the financial year in each of the health boards. The data counts some dentists more than once, and so the total number of dentists shown in Scotland for these three years is less than the sum for the health boards.

  Table 2: Number of dental list number3 commencements and withdrawals per health board in Scotland

  Financial year

  Health board

  1992–934

  1993–94

  Commencements

  Withdrawals

  Commencements

  Withdrawals

  Argyll and Clyde

  41

  16

  28

  30

  Ayrshire and Arran

  13

  4

  21

  17

  Borders

  0

  0

  12

  1

  348
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Table 1 shows the number of individual principal dentists on health board lists for each of the last five financial years. Table 2 shows the number of new list numbers allocated and list numbers cancelled for the most recent two years. It is not possible to identify from these figures the number of individual dentists joining and withdrawing from lists as dentists already on a list may acquire additional list numbers, and dentists who surrender one number may hold other numbers.
  349

  Table 2: Number of dental list number3 commencements and withdrawals per health board in Scotland

  Financial year

  Health board

  1992–934

  1993–94

  Commencements

  Withdrawals

  Commencements

  Withdrawals

  Dumfries and Galloway

  11

  4

  9

  4

  Fife

  14

  2

  33

  19

  Forth Valley

  12

  6

  22

  15

  Grampian

  43

  16

  48

  42

  Greater Glasgow

  63

  19

  79

  70

  Highland

  15

  5

  16

  12

  Lanarkshire

  18

  14

  22

  16

  Lothian

  SO

  29

  63

  44

  Orkney

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Shetland

  2

  0

  1

  0

  Tayside

  25

  14

  40

  33

  Western Isles

  3

  3

  4

  3

  Scotland

  310

  132

  339

  306

  3 A dentist may hold one or more list numbers. The table shows a count of the list numbers that commenced in the given period, not dentists.

  4 Information on a comparable basis cannot be provided for previous years.

  Residential and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many(a) residential and (b) nursing homes were operating for (i) each health board and (ii) each regional council area in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available;

  (2) how many (a) residential homes have been closed down in each regional council area and (b) nursing homes have been closed down within each health board area because of the enforcement of the current regulations on the operation of these facilities in each of the last five financial years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information on the number of residential care homes as at 31 March 1994, is as follows:

  Region

  Local authority homes

  Private and voluntary Homes1

  Total

  Borders

  11

  40

  51

  Central

  17

  29

  46

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  31

  44

  Fife

  44

  35

  79

  Grampian

  47

  76

  123

  Highland

  21

  68

  89

  Lothian

  40

  265

  305

  Strathclyde

  124

  324

  448

  Tayside

  44

  107

  151

  Orkney

  3

  3

  6

  Shetland

  4

  6

  10

  Western Isles

  17

  4

  21

  Scotland

  385

  988

  1,373

  1 Only includes private and voluntary homes registered with the local authority.

  With regard to nursing homes, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 October 1994, Official Report, columns 729–30.

  Information on the number of residential care homes closed is only available for the last three years. The table below shows the total number of closures. Information on the reasons for these closures is not collected centrally.
  350

  Number of closures of registered private and voluntary residential care homes

  Region

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993

  1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994

  Borders

  —

  4

  —

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  1

  Fife

  1

  —

  1

  Grampian

  1

  —

  1

  Highland

  4

  —

  —

  Lothian

  9

  —

  1

  Strathclyde

  6

  8

  4

  Tayside

  6

  3

  3

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  West Isles

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  27

  15

  11

  With regard to nursing homes, this information is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual health boards as registering authorities who have the power under section 2 of the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938, as amended, to cancel registration at any time if they consider that standards are not being maintained.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the guidelines which currently exist for the operation of nursing and residential homes; and what representations he has received from regional councils and health boards seeking changes to the current regulations.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  With regard to nursing homes, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 October 1994,Official Report, columns 728–79.

  The Scottish Office guidance on the registration and inspection of residential care establishments has been included in circulars issued to local authorities following the implementation of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987 and the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. Those matters have been discussed at meetings with representatives of regional councils and are among the issues presently being considered by officials.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are currently employed in the sea fishing industry; what were the numbers in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1990; and how many of the jobs are (i) on fishing vessels and (ii) ashore.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The latest available information is published in table 2.6 of "UK Sea Fisheries Statistics 1993", a copy of which is available in the Library. Figures for Scotland for 1993 reflect changes to the collection of information on vessels and fishermen following the requirement to license vessels of less than 10 m in length. Information on the level of employment ashore is not available.

  Incomes
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average national household income in 1993–94 and 1994–95 for(a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information derived from the family expenditure survey, covering a sample of households, shows that average gross weekly household income in 1993 in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland was, respectively, £334, £359, £306, and £326. Data for 1993 are the latest available.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for the financial year 1994–95 for each independent sector school in Scotland in descending order the proportions of their school rolls covered by the assisted places scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Statistical information on the assisted places scheme is collected in respect of each school session and not by reference to financial years. The information provided is in respect of the autumn term of school session 1994–95:

  Number of assisted place pupils as a percentage of the total school roll (at autumn term 1994–95)

  School

  Per cent.

  Kilquhanity House School, Castle Douglas

  48

  Keil School, Dumbarton

  31

  Morrison's Academy, Crieff

  24

  The Park School, Glasgow

  24

  Rudolf Steiner School, Edinburgh

  22

  Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn

  20

  St. Denis and Cranley School, Edinburgh

  18

  Laurel Bank School, Glasgow

  18

  High School of Dundee

  17

  Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh

  17

  George Heriots School, Edinburgh

  17

  Glenalmond College, Perth

  17

  Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow

  15

  Rannoch School, Perthshire

  15

  St. Aloysius College, Glasgow

  15

  Wellington School, Ayr

  14

  Crawfordton House School, Thornhill, Dumfries

  13

  George Watson's College, Edinburgh

  12

  St. Leonard's School, St. Andrews

  11

  St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh

  11

  Daniel Stewart's and Melville College and the Mary

  Erskine School, Edinburgh

  11

  Lomond School, Helensburgh

  11

  Fernhill School, Glasgow

  9

  Craigholme School, Glasgow

  9

  Loretto School, Musselburgh, Midlothian

  9

  352

  Number of assisted place pupils as a percentage of the total school roll (at autumn term 1994–95)

  School

  Per cent.

  Glasgow Academy

  9

  Butterstone School, Perthshire

  9

  Aberlour House School, Banffshire

  8

  Hutcheson's Grammer School, Glasgow

  8

  Fettes College, Edinburgh

  8

  Gordonstoun School, Morayshire

  7

  Belmont House School, Glasgow

  6

  Dollar Academy

  6

  Edinburgh Academy

  6

  St. Columba's School, Kilmacolm

  6

  Clifton Hall School, Midlothian

  5

  Lathallan School, Montrose

  5

  Croftinloan Preparatory School, Pitlochry

  5

  St. Margaret's School, Aberdeen

  5

  High School of Glasgow

  5

  Albyn School, Aberdeen

  5

  Craigclowan Preparatory School, Perth

  4

  St. Mary's School, Melrose

  4

  Beaconhurst School, Bridge of Allan

  4

  Ardvreck School, Crieff

  3

  St. George's School, Edinburgh

  3

  New Park School, St. Andrews

  3

  Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar

  3

  Cargilfield School, Edinburgh

  2

  Drumley House School, Ayr

  2

  Hamilton College

  2

  Park Lodge School, Helensburgh

  1—

  Strathallan School, Perth

  2—

  Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen

  2—

  1 No assisted pupils on 1994–95.

  1 Autumn term claim not yet submitted by the school.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils were covered by the assisted places scheme; how many independent schools were covered by the scheme; and how many schools were participating in the scheme in each financial year since the introduction of the scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Statistical information on the assisted places scheme is collected in respect of each school session and not by reference to financial years.

  The table provides the information requested for each school session since 1981–82 when the scheme commenced:

  School session

  Number of assisted pupils

  Number of independent schools covered by the scheme

  Number of independent schools participating in the scheme

  1981–82

  790

  39

  39

  1982–83

  1,450

  41

  41

  1983–84

  1,900

  42

  42

  1984–85

  2,265

  42

  42

  1985–86

  2,620

  42

  42

  1986–87

  2,626

  41

  41

  1987–88

  2,680

  41

  41

  1988–89

  2,695

  41

  41

  1989–90

  2,841

  59

  59

  1990–91

  2,861

  158

  59

  1991–92

  2,911

  58

  58

  1992–93

  13,032

  58

  58

  1993–94

  33,058

  154

  55

  1994–95

  2 32,854

  154

  55

  1 One participating school had no assisted pupils in these sessions.

  2 Two schools yet to submit first term claims/statistics.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Rural Policy
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on rural policy in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  It is now almost three years since the publication of the Scottish Office rural framework, which outlined a new approach to the development of rural policy in Scotland. It emphasised our commitment to ensuring that the needs of our rural communities are met in a way which fully reflects their distinctive and diverse character. Co-ordination of action by Government Departments, agencies, the private and voluntary sectors and local authorities has been achieved through the mechanism of the rural focus group.

  It is now an appropriate moment to review our rural policies and the machinery we have in place for delivering them and I intend to report the outcome of that review in a White Paper on rural Scotland, to be published in the autumn.

  "Progress in Partnership"
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his proposals for urban regeneration policy in Scotland following consideration of the response to the consultation paper "Progress in Partnership."

  Mr. Lang
  I am pleased to announce today the outcome of the review of urban regeneration policy in Scotland. The consultation paper attracted a good response and I am grateful to the many organisations and individuals which offered their views. We have studied the responses carefully and they have been influential in shaping our proposals. I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the paper. "Programme for Partnership", which is being published today by the Scottish Office and which sets out our key proposals. I shall also send individual copies to all hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies.

  Regeneration has to be comprehensive, tackling the economic, physical and social problems of disadvantaged urban areas. Each area needs a co-ordinated strategy and a partnership of public and private sectors and local communities.

  We plan to encourage the formation of city/district wide partnerships in areas with significant concentrations of deprivation. They will involve, as key partners, the local authorities, Scottish Homes and the local enterprise companies as well as other public sector agencies and representatives of the private and voluntary sectors. These partnerships will be invited both to produce regeneration strategies at city/district level and to develop more localised proposals for priority areas.

  About two-thirds of urban programme resources will, in future, be allocated to "Priority Partnership Areas" designed by the Scottish Office following discussions with city/district partnerships. The remainder of urban programme resources will be available to support regeneration activity in other eligible disadvantaged areas. In both cases, allocations will take account of need and the quality of proposals submitted. The Scottish Office will no longer be involved in assessing and approving individual urban programme project applications. These decisions will be made locally.
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  We plan shortly to consult those bodies chiefly involved in implementation on a range of matters, including the timetable for introducing the new arrangements and a number of detailed issues concerning the operation of the urban programme, and will be circulating a consultation document to them.

  The Government are firmly committed to promoting greater private sector involvement in urban regeneration. We therefore propose to establish a working group to examine current private sector involvement in regeneration, identify any factors constraining this involvement and report back with recommendations. The membership of this group, which will draw in leading representatives of key private sector interests and their counterparts from relevant public authorities and agencies, will be announced shortly.

  Publications
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of his Department's publications on health matters in the financial year 1993–94.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 January 1995]: The total cost to the Scottish Home and Health Department for publications on health matters in the financial year 1993–94 was £317,500.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Crop Development
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he is encouraging the development of viable crops for industry and energy.

  Mr. Jack
  We have set up an alternative crops unit within the Ministry, and sharply increased research and development funding in this area. We have also been consulting widely on how to help develop these new markets.

  Farm Council
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the EU Farm Council about the need to reform the common agricultural policy regimes for wine, olive oil, fruit and vegetables.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have led the campaign for reform, not only in these sectors, but more widely. I have set up a policy group to look into the CAP which is meeting this afternoon.

  Organic Food
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on support for organic food production.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government are providing help to the organic sector through aid to help conversion from conventional farming; through a substantial research and development programme; and by support for the work of the independent United Kingdom register of organic food standards.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he proposes to minimise the trauma to animals raised for slaughter.

  Mrs. Browning
  There is already much legislation and guidance to protect, during rearing, transit and at the slaughterhouse, the welfare of animals raised for slaughter.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to improve standards in the transportation of farm animals.

  Mrs. Browning
  We have issued a proposal to supplement our own comprehensive domestic legislation with a code of practice, and are pressing for EU legislation which matches our own high domestic standards.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the welfare of animals in transit.

  Mrs. Browning
  Animals in transit have the protection of the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994, which came into effect this week. This re-makes its 1992 predecessor, with the addition of tighter controls and tougher sanctions in relation to journey plans.

  The order implements the provisions of Community directive 91/628, and sets down strict national standards on feeding and watering in transit, including for exported animals, as permitted by the directive pending EC agreement on these aspects.

  We are continuing to press for tough and enforceable measures at Community level, and will supplement our national provisions with a code of practice, which we have circulated in draft for comment.

  Spanish Fisherman
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the exclusion of Spanish fishermen from the North sea, agreed in 1986, will continue unaffected following the agreement at December's Fisheries Council.

  Mr. Jack
  Yes. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 18 January,Official Report, column 543.

  Forestry
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met members of forestry trade unions to discuss the future of the Forestry Commission in England.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Representatives of the forestry trade unions regularly meet the Forestry Commission's senior staff discuss a range of issues; they have not sought a meeting with me.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in ensuring the effective implementation of EU general agreement on tariffs and trade obligations in relation to the CAP.
  356
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Agriculture Council from 12 to 15 December agreed changes in all the basic CAP commodity regulations needed to honour the EU's new commitments under the GATT agriculture agreement, which was ratified by the EU on 30 December. Implementation will generally begin from 1 July 1995, the start of most of the commodity marketing years. The Council's agreement means that management committees should now be able to take timely decisions on precisely how the GATT requirements are to be respected in each sector within the flexible framework laid down by the Council.

  Speciality Food
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in promoting Britain's speciality food products.

  Mrs. Browning
  We continue to provide help for this dynamic and growing sector of the food industry through Food From Britain which actively supports over 20 county or regional marketing groups and administers the Government funded scheme of grants. My right hon. Friend will be seeing at first hand an excellent example of successful group activity when he opens the third show of "Taste of the West" in March.

  Farm Incomes
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the level farm incomes in 1994.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In accordance with the practice of recent years, estimates of farm incomes in 1994 will be published on 31 January.

  Dairy Industry
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet the President of the National Farmers Union to discuss the dairy sector of the industry.

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. Friend the Minister regularly meets representatives of all sides of the agriculture industry, including the President of the National Farmers Union, to discuss issues of importance to them.

  Food Industry
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to encourage deregulation in the food industry.

  Mrs. Browning
  Since we published our food law deregulation programme in September 1993 we have made important progress. Proposals to update and simplify general food hygiene rules have been drawn up as part of the implementation of the EC general food hygiene directive. We have held preliminary consultations on various food composition regulations and will be following these up shortly with firm proposals. Now that directives on food additives have been agreed in Brussels, we expect to be able to consolidate our regulations in this area. We are consulting on updated and revised food labelling regulations and we are reviewing options for the simplification and co-ordination of various vertical food hygiene directives with a view to discussing our ideas in Brussels.

  Countryside Preservation
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government are working in partnership with farmers to conserve the countryside.

  Mrs. Browning
  Farmers have a vital role to play as stewards of the countryside and we work in partnership with them in all our expanding range of environmental schemes.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live farm animals were exported in(a) 1994 and (b) 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  Data for 1994 are not yet available. Published figures for 1993 and 1979 are given in the table below. Data for 1993 are provisional, and are thought to under-record the true level of exports.

  Numbers of farm animals exported

  1993

  1979

  Cattle

  391,130

  506,491

  Sheep

  662,846

  445,438

  Goats

  136

  483

  Pigs

  151,149

  41,171

  Poultry

  20,450,736

  9,386,293

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  British Pig Breeders Association
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will be supporting the British Pig Breeders Association's application for European Union capital grants to facilitate structural change; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The British Pig Breeders Association is seeking grant aid towards the cost of replacing sow stalls and tethers. Such expenditure would not necessarily attract reimbursement under EC regulation 2328/91, on the improvement of agricultural structures, and any other reimbursement would only be at the rate of 25 per cent. of the eligible national contribution. We are maintaining a tight control over public expenditure and we are not able to meet all demands placed upon the taxpayer by organisations such as the British Pig Breeders Association. The Government carefully considered the costs of the stall and tether ban in 1991 and our view remains that the eight-year transitional period will keep industry costs to an accommodatable level.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out for each of the next steps agencies in his Department, whether they have acquired their own headquarters buildings and, if so, at what purchase cost or annual rental; how many support staff they have required which were not required when their operations were within his Department; how many of them published periodical journals and at what annual cost; how many have fleets of executive cars or single executive cars and at what annual cost; how many have specially designed logos and at what cost; how many have 358
  corporate clothing and at what cost; and what is the cost of specially designed and printed corporate stationery.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  These are matters which are delegated to agency chief executives and I have asked them to reply.

  When functions were transferred from the department to the agencies, so was the necessary funding. Expenditure and staffing in the core Ministry was accordingly reduced. There have been various accommodation changes within the agencies which will overall result in savings.

  All agencies have to meet performance targets which encompass cost recovery and efficiency gains or savings; these are reviewed each year. Achievement against these targets are summarised in the "Next Steps Review 1994", Cm 2750.

  Letter from Martin J. Savage to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:
  In Dr. Walsh's absence, she has asked me to reply on her behalf. We thank you for the questions (PQ 402) in which you asked the Minister of Agriculture for information about each of the Next Steps Agencies within his department. This reply refers to ADAS.

  Headquarters buildings
  ADAS acquired its own Headquarters building at Kidlington, Oxfordshire in 1992 at an annual rent of £228,893. However, by 1 April 1996, ADAS expects to have relinquished accommodation in central London and elsewhere in England and Wales at an annual saving of approximately £3.5 million.

  Support staff
  There are no support staff which have been required which were previously not required when our operations were within MAFF. In fact, at the start of the agency there were 546 permanent full-time equivalent support staff and this has now reduced to 364. Thus there has been a reduction of approximately 33 per cent.

  Periodical journals
  Only four periodical journals have been published with a circulation of 72,000 copies at a cost of £215,760.

  Executive cars
  There is only one executive car which is used by the Chief Executive. This is at an approximate annual cost of £7,800.

  Lagos
  At the start of the agency there was a relaunch of ADAS as an executive agency. This resulted in the creation of a new logo, its development and field-testing of the new identity. The total cost was approximately £15,000.

  Corporate clothing
  Before agency status, protective clothing for field and laboratory work was provided for staff. Following the change to agency status, new badges for these items were provided at a nominal cost. As old clothing was replaced new items bearing the corporate logo machined-on were introduced.
  Pre-agency, all staff were provided with ties bearing the previous logo; these were replaced at the establishment of the agency. Female staff were provided with brooches bearing the corporate identity. This was at a total cost of £13,000.

  Specially designed and printed corporate stationery
  Prior to agency status, stationery was available at each office bearing the individual address and the corporate logo. Following the move to agency status this was replaced but the new stationery was generally introduced as the old was used. ADAS was able to purchase new stationery (including the design and artwork) for a total of 96 different offices at a total cost of £35,500 which was equivalent to £370 per office.
  I hope that these details provide the answers you require.
  359
  Letter from C. J. Lawson to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:
  PQ11 18 January 1995
  In the absence of the Chief Executive on business, I have been asked by the Minister to reply on behalf of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to your questions about Next Steps Agencies in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
  The information you requested is as follows:

  Headquarters building
  The Directorate has not acquired its own headquarters buildings since becoming as an Agency on 2 April 1990. It occupies the same site at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Addlestone as it did before Agency status.

  Support staff
  Since 1990 there has been an increase of four in the number of support staff required, three dealing with information technology and one with finance.

  Publications
  Excluding the Annual Report and Accounts, the Directorate publishes only one periodical journal, the Medicines Act Veterinary Information Service (MAVIS) quarterly newsletter. This was first issued in May 1992 to improve both the quality of service provided to our customers and the transparency of the licensing process for veterinary medicines. Approximately 6,000 copies are issued each quarter to holders of marketing authorisations, veterinary surgeons, interested organisations and individuals. The cost of publication in 1994 was £23,288.79.

  Executive cars
  The Directorate does not have any executive cars.

  Logos
  Details of the costs incurred in the design of the Directorate logo are held in our archive store, and it has not been possible to access these in the time available. I will write with the information required as soon as possible.

  Corporate clothing
  The Directorate does not have any corporate clothing.

  Corporate stationery
  The Directorate had its own stationery before Agency status was achieved. As stocks ran out, it was replaced at no additional cost by stationery indicating that the Directorate was an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Letter from A. M. Kerr to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), to your Question seeking details of various corporate and related cost aspects of the Next Steps agencies in his Department (MAFF).
  The Directorate has not acquired its own headquarters buildings as a consequence of obtaining executive agency status. However, the agency has since been relocated along with some other parts of MAFF from buildings in central London and the South East to a MAFF office complex in York. PSD's share of the rental for the York office complex is estimated to be around £550,000 per annum.
  The only published periodical journal that the agency has responsibility for is The Pesticides Register. This is produced jointly with the Health and Safety Executive each month and provides a listing of UK pesticide approvals and other official announcements on pesticides. It is available as an HMSO priced publication and the production costs are met by HMSO and recovered through the annual subscription charge of £55 and sales of individual issues costing £4.50 each.
  The Directorate has its own specially designed logo. This was drawn up at the time of the agency launch on 1 April 1993 following an in-house competition and therefore no design costs were incurred. As far as corporate stationery is concerned, an initial set-up supply was obtained at a cost of £680.33. Apart from the need to obtain a new supply as a consequence of the change of address following relocation to the York site, the only stationery costs incurred by the Directorate have arisen from the general need to replenish used
  360
  stocks and as such do not constitute any additional cost to the normal operational requirements of the organisation.
  Finally, the Directorate has not required any additional support staff to that which was required when its operations were part of the core Department, nor has it purchased any executive cars or corporate clothing.

  Letter from T W. A. Little to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question covering the various running cost issues of the Ministry's agencies in so far as the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) is concerned.
  Perhaps I could deal with the issues you raise in the order they appear in your Question. CVL has not acquired a new Headquarters building and remains on the site it occupied at Weybridge when it became an Agency in April 1990.
  As you will note the Agency has been in existence for nearly five years now. In that time there have been a number of changes both in central MAFF and at the Agency and it is therefore not possible to draw meaningful comparisons between support staff prior to the creation of the Agency and after. This is particularly the case since CVL now carries out some functions such as marketing and business development not previously undertaken by the Ministry.
  CVL does not publish periodical journals nor does it have a fleet of or any single executive cars.
  As a separate part of the Department even prior to Agency status, CVL had its own logo. We updated this two years ago at a cost of £503.70. Given we have always had a logo our stationery could not be regarded as specially designed and change was effected as old stocks ran down.
  Finally, we do not use any corporate clothing at CVL.

  Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 26 January 1995:

  Information About HQ Buildings, Support Staff Periodic Journals, Executive Cars, Logos, Corporate Clothing and Stationery for the CSL Agency
  The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) was first launched as a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) executive agency on 1 April 1992. Two years later CSL was re-launched as an enlarged Agency following the merger of the original Agency with the Food Science Laboratories at Norwich and Aberdeen.
  In your question you asked specifically for information on several items, and taking each one in turn:
  —prior to gaining Agency status CSL occupied several sites and had its headquarters building at Slough. This continues to be the case and so I can confirm that the Agency has not acquired any new headquarters building;
  —since gaining Agency status it has been necessary for CSL to create its own support functions. However the cost has been met from funding that already existed as a result of posts being transferred from the Department along with the operations;
  —the Agency has not produced any periodical journals;
  —the Agency does not provide executive cars but does operate a leased cars scheme under Departmental rules, which, in order to obtain best value for money, is based upon minimum official mileage and is open to all staff;
  —creation of the CSL logo resulted from an internal staff competition at a cost of a £50 award to the winning entrant;
  —corporate clothing has not been introduced by the Agency;
  —as a discrete part of the Department, prior to Agency status, CSL had its own bespoke stationery. This was replaced with new stationery bearing the Agency logo as stocks ran out.

  Sea Fishing Industry
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people are currently employed in the sea fishing industry; what were the: numbers in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1990; and how

  361
  many of the jobs were (i) on fishing vessels and (ii) ashore.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest available information is published in table 2.6 of "UK Sea Fisheries Statistics 1993", a copy of which is in the Library. No separate information is available on the number of United Kingdom onshore jobs from sea fishing.

  Bananas
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his assessment of the accuracy of the estimate of the proportion of the benefit of the EU banana policy which accrues to banana producers; and if he will identify where the rest of the benefit goes;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the additional costs of banana purchases to United Kingdom consumers in consequence of the EU banana policy; and what estimate he has made of the impact on the consumer prices in other EC nations;

  (3) when he received the World bank report on the operation of the EU banana policy; and if he will make a statement outlining his view of their conclusions and also the power available to the United Kingdom Government to take any initiative on efficiency of use of Community funds and the prices charged to the general public;

  (4) what impact the general agreement on tariffs and trade will have on the banana scheme of the EEC.

  Mr. Jack
  The EU schedule drawn up and deposited under the terms of the GATT agriculture agreement sets out the tariffs which will apply to imports within and above the EU tariff quota for bananas together with the size of the tariff quota. Also incorporated in the EU schedule is the text of the framework agreement negotiated between the EU and Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Nicaragua in the closing stages of the Uruguay round. This grants specific shares of the tariff quota to these suppliers. Under the terms of the agreement they have agreed not to bring any further challenges to the EU regime in the GATT/WTO.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Jack
  All recruitment in my Department and its executive agencies is undertaken in accordance with the Minister's rules applying to departmental recruitment as set out in the civil service order in council of 1991. Executive search agencies are only used for more senior appointments where it is difficult to attract a good field through advertising alone. I can confirm that an executive search agency has been used on only one occasion in 1994.

  Goat Producers
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial assistance is available to goat producers.
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  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 20 January 1995]: In the United Kingdom there are no premia payable specifically to goat producers under either the sheep annual premium scheme or the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme. Nor are there any specific measures of assistance available to goat farmers under the farm and conservation grant scheme. However, provided that they meet the eligibility criteria, they would qualify for grant under the farm and conservation grant scheme. Grants are available towards the costs of conservation measures, such as repair or reinstatement of traditional buildings, hedges, stone walls and banks and the provision of shelter belts, to established agricultural businesses.

  Goat producers may also be eligible for grant under the marketing and development scheme and in relation to goat milk and meat products, the EC processing and marketing grant scheme.

  New Zealand Flatworms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies he has carried out into the areas where the New Zealand flatworm has been found; if it is increasing in numbers and areas affected; what assessment he has made of its impact on native earthworms and soil structure; what measures are available to control its spread; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry of Agriculture has commissioned a research project to look into the questions posed by the hon. Member in England and Wales. The results of that project will be known shortly and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment at this stage.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training, Leeds
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of those who progressed to(a) full-time work, (b) part-time work, (c) self-employment, (d) further education and training and (e) unemployment from the youth training schemes of the Leeds training and enterprise council in 1992–93; and what are the latest available figures for 1994.

  Mr. Paice
  The information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows information on outcomes from youth training in the Leeds training and enterprise council area.

  Per cent.

  1992–93

  1994

  Full-time work, part-time work, and self-employment

  34

  39

  Further education and training

  8

  6

  Unemployment

  10

  14

  Found voluntary work or destination not known

  48

  41

  Source: Leeds TEC follow-up survey.

  Disability Symbol
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list employers now using the disability symbol.
  363
  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Heppell, dated 26 January 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question requesting a list of employers now using the disability symbol.
  May I refer you to the National List of Disability Symbol Users, copies of which are available in the Library.
  The published list is updated approximately every six months and a revised list is currently in preparation. Copies will be sent to the Library when they become available.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 16 December,Official Report, column 818, which posts were filled as a result of the employment of executive search agencies; which executive search agencies were involved in this exercise; and what were the values of the individual contracts involved.

  Miss Widdecombe
  St. James's Management Recruitment was used to fill the post of head of financial services branch and head of the accountancy profession for the Employment Department group. Price Waterhouse is being used to fill the post of permanent secretary of the ED Group. Details of the individual contracts concerned are confidential.

  Unemployment
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current(a) unemployment rate and (b) number of persons unemployed among black people (i) under 25 years of age and (ii) in total, giving the figures by gender.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The following table gives the latest information available from the labour force survey:

  ILO Unemployed people from the black ethnic group Summer 1994 (not seasonally adjusted) Great Britain

  All persons

  Men

  Women

  ILO unemployment rate (Per cent.)

  26

  31

  19

  Numbers unemployed (thousands)

  103

  69

  35

  Of which aged 16–14

  ILO unemployment rate (per cent.)

  42

  53

  1

  Numbers unemployed (thousands)

  27

  18

  1

  1 Estimate below 10,000, therefore not shown.

  Source: LFS.

  Spares Depot, Bromley-by-Bow
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will request the Health and Safety Commission to assess the effects of the current level of service to the public of the spares depot at Bromley-by-Bow as part of his referral of matters of safety related to the reorganisation of British Gas to the Health and Safety Commission.
  364
  Mr. Oppenheim
  No. This is not a safety matter. The siting of spares depots and the level of stocks held are purely commercial decisions. Nevertheless, British Gas is obliged to conform to all health and safety legislation, including that relating to gas safety.

  Jobcentres (Overseas Jobs)
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's policy on vetting overseas jobs advertised in jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The existing instructions in the Employment Service are that vacancies notified to jobcentres for jobs abroad must be vetted by the ES's overseas placing unit before they can be made available to jobseekers.

  The overseas placing unit carries out a number of checks including an examination of the contract of employment to be as sure as possible that jobseekers will not be put at risk by taking such employment.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs currently advertised in jobcentres involve work in(a) the European Union and (b) other countries.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Hutton, dated 26 January 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about how many jobs currently advertised in Jobcentres involve work in either the European Union or other countries.
  We have at present 154 vacancies in Jobcentres for work outside the UK; 105 for work within the European Union and 49 outside it.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Once a decision has been made to fill a senior vacancy by open competition the decision whether to use an executive search agency is taken on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the post, the type of person being sought and whether advertisement alone would produce a satisfactory field of candidates.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria his Department employs for assessing the effectiveness of a TEC's equal opportunities action plan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Paice
  The training and enterprise councils are contractually required to have an equal opportunities strategy which must include a statement and a plan of implementation and assessment. TECs are assessed according to their action plans for each identified target
  365
  group; the provision and funding for each group; and the TECs' partners in delivering the provision.

  TECs are being helped by the Department and the TEC advisory group on equal opportunities to develop their equal opportunities strategy. The effectiveness of the strategy will be a requirement for TECs to receive a three-year operating licence.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 619, regarding creditors of the South Thames training and enterprise council, how many providers of training and business support programmes within the area covered by the South Thames TEC have not been issued with letters of comfort; and for what reasons.

  Mr. Paice
  The only providers of training and business services, contracted with South Thames training and enterprise council to deliver initiatives funded by the Department, which have not been issued with letters of comfort, are providers of employer investment in people services. I understand from the receiver that there are 33 employer investment in people providers contracted to South Thames TEC. The Department's main aim is to secure the continuation of training for individuals and therefore providers of such programmes have received assurance about funding. The employer investment in people programme is directed towards organisations and has not therefore been covered by a letter of comfort.

  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of training and enterprise councils has produced a mandatory action plan in accordance with the TEC's operating agreement clause 8; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Paice
  All training and enterprise councils in England have plans for implementing their equal opportunities strategy. The Department is working closely with TECs to ensure that those plans are up to date and effective.

  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to ensure that all TECs produce an action plan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Paice
  Each training and enterprise council is required to implement and assess and equal opportunities strategy in order to receive an agreement with the Department.

  They are monitored by Employment Department officials to ensure compliance.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 619, how many employees of the South Thames TEC are to be made redundant by 1 February; what proposals there are to make further redundancies by (a) 1 March and (b) 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Paice
  I understand from the receiver that 34 employees of South Thames training and enterprise council have so far been made redundant. I further understand from the receiver that six employees of Routeways, a wholly owned subsidiary of South Thames TEC, have been made redundant and that another 18 Routeways employees are to be made redundant on or around 31 January. Any further redundancies are a matter for the receiver.

  Training
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) of 2 December, 1994 Official Report, columns 913–32, if he will provide estimates of (a) Government expenditure or planned expenditure on training in cash terms, (b) Government expenditure or planned expenditure on training in 1994–95 prices, (c) claimant count unemployment, (d) long-term unemployment over one year, (e) real expenditure on training per unemployed person and (f) real expenditure on training per long-term unemployed person for each year from 1978–79 to 1997–98.

  Mr. Paice
  I have recently written to the hon. Member and placed a copy of my reply in the Library.

TRANSPORT

  Westminster Underground Station
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provision has been made for access for people with disabilities to Westminster underground station, London(a) during its rebuilding and (b) on its completion.

  Mr. Norris
  The existing Westminster underground station makes no special provision for people with disabilities. I understand that London Underground Limited is endeavouring to ensure that the current standard of access to the station is maintained throughout the period of the rebuilding. When the rebuilding is completed, the station will feature lift access from street level to both Jubilee line platforms and at both District and Circle line platforms.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on Departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Norris
  The guidelines followed when using executive search agencies to fill vacancies are those issued by the Office of Public Service and Science in its publication, "Executive Searchlight". Executive search agencies are employed where it is considered by the Department that a wider field of applicants is required for a particular post than might be attracted by an advertisement alone.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that the proposals contained in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill will not preclude an appropriate connection between CTRL and Crossrail being built by the private sector at some future stage.

  Mr. Watts
  The proposals in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill do not preclude a connection between the rail
  367
  link and Crossrail being provided at some point in the future.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he decided to hold the photographs on driving licences in digital form; and when Parliament was first informed of the decision.

  Mr. Norris
  My hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Sir K. Carlisle) stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 9 June 1992,Official Report, column 115, that digitalised photographs of drivers will eventually form part of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's driver record.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the chapters of the study, referred to in the document "Photographs on Driving Licences", which relate to his Department's study into the main privacy issues; and if the study will be accessible to individuals using procedures established to meet the requirements of the code of practice on access to Government information.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to his question on 25 November 1994,Official Report, column 474.

  Oxygenated Fuels
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the use of oxygenated fuels.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The environmental case for oxygenated petrol is not yet clear. The research on emissions, fuels and engine technologies—the EPEFE programme—which is being undertaken by the European oil and motor industries in conjunction with the European Commission, is looking extensively into the potential environmental benefits of future vehicle and fuel technology, including the effect of oxygenates. The results are due later this year. I believe that initiatives on fuel composition should be taken in that context.

  Aircraft Safety
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the responsibility of(a) his Department and (b) other agencies in respect of (i) the issuing of licences for aircraft operators and (ii) satisfying themselves of the safety and air worthiness of aircraft operated by air freight operators; and if he will outline the procedures and regulations involved.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: Under article 6 of the Air Navigation Order 1989, operators of United Kingdom registered aircraft must hold a valid Air Operator's Certificate, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority certifying that aircraft operated by the holder are operated safely.

  For an aircraft operated by an European Economic Area airline, the UK recognises an air operator's certificate issued by the country of registration and no further permit is required.

  For an aircraft operated by non-EEA airline, under article 88 of the Air Navigation Order 1989 a permit must be obtained from the Secretary of State for Transport for the carriage of passengers or cargo to or from the United
  368
  Kingdom. In support of an application, an operator must supply evidence that:

  a. the national authority of the state of registry of the aircraft considers that the operating company is operationally competent to undertake the type of flight concerned. This is normally in the form of an air operator's certificate.

  b. the aircraft to be operated is considered by the national authority of the State of registry of the aircraft to be airworthy.

  c. the operating company has entered into adequate insurance arrangements in respect of the aircraft to be operated.

  d. the aircraft to be used complies with noise compliance standards.

  e. Aerodrome operating minima have been provided and approved by the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often airworthiness checks on aircraft operated by air freight operators are carried out.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: A United Kingdom aircraft is not permitted to fly unless there is a valid certificate of airworthiness in force issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. This requires that the aircraft is maintained by the operator in accordance with a maintenance schedule approved by the CAA. This schedule specifies when maintenance reviews should be carried out.

  As part of its monitoring and regulations of UK operators, the CAA checks the airworthiness of aircraft and maintenance schedules on a random basis throughout the year. All UK aircraft are checked in depth at least every three years when their certificates of airworthiness are renewed. Prior to each day's flying, and prior to each flight, all UK aircraft are checked by the commander to ensure that they are fit for flight.

  For other aircraft, the frequency of checks depends on the policy adopted by the administration in the country of registration. The CAA also inspects foreign-registered aircraft when in the UK and when requested by the Department if there is any concern about the safety standards of a particular aircraft.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections of aircraft have been carried out over the last five years at Coventry airport; how many licences were refused; what were the reasons for any refusals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  This information is not readily available. As part of its responsibilities the Civil Aviation Authority carries out regular inspections of all United Kingdom operators as well as inspecting UK airports and aerodromes. The Department has asked the CAA to carry out two inspections of foreign aircraft at Coventry. The first on 11 January 1995 was on a Nigerian registered Boeing 707 aircraft owned by ADC Airlines of Nigeria. My Department is currently discussing the CAA's findings with the Nigerian authorities. No further applications by ADC Airlines will be considered until these discussions have been completed. The second was on a Russian aircraft operated by Atlant Soyuz on 23 January 1995. My Department is awaiting a report from the CAA.

  Airports (Noise Nuisance)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the criteria for grants in respect of noise nuisance to people living
  369
  near airports, with particular reference to (a) Coventry and (b) Birmingham.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: My right hon. Friend may lay down criteria for noise insulation grants for airports designated for the purposes of section 79 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The only airports so designated are Heathrow and Gatwick. At other airports, provision of noise insulation is at the discretion of the local airport management or may be the subject of planning conditions.

  There have been various noise insulation schemes at Birmingham, but none at Coventry.

  The boundary of the present scheme at Birmingham, which has been implemented in phases, was published in 1991. It is based on 66 Leq—16-hour—daytime aircraft noise exposure contour. The scheme provides grants for noise insulation to specified standards in up to three habitable rooms. The grants are subject to a cost limit of £1,600 plus VAT per dwelling and are paid by the operator of the airport.

  Coventry Airport
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce the findings of the final report into the crash at Coventry airport.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: After the formal investigation is complete, probably this year.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department received about the issue of licences for landing and taking off of freight operators from Coventry airport, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: Three hon. Members have written to Ministers about the licensing procedures for flights by freight operators from Coventry airport. No letters from the public have been received on this subject. Two telephone calls have been received on the general issue of livestock flights.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his findings regarding the issuing of the licences for air freight quotas at Coventry airport and the airworthiness of the aircraft.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 January 1995]: There is no air freight quota licensing system in this country. However, under article 88 of the Air Navigation Order 1989 and non EEA airline operating a public transport flight for the carriage of passengers or cargo to or from the United Kingdom must obtain a permit from the Secretary of State for Transport. My right hon. Friend has ordered an investigation into certain flights from Coventry airport last year and this is expected to be concluded soon. The question of further action will be decided once the outcome of the investigation has been considered.

  In addition, the air accidents investigation branch of this Department is carrying out a formal investigation into the crash on 21 December under the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents) Regulation 1989. The AAIB will examine all issues having a bearing on this accident, including the airworthiness of the aircraft. A special bulletin detailing the initial facts established by the investigation was issued on 6 January 1995. It is expected that the final report will be published later this year.

  Roads Programme
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to carry out an economic impact assessment of the roads programme and to include a measure of employment effects when assessing the local impact of new roads.

  Mr. Watts
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Truro, (Mr. Taylor) on 23 January at column 54 and on 24 January at column 98.

  Railways (Operating Subsidies)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the annual operating subsidy given by each of the member states of the European Union to their railways, expressed(a) in pound sterling and (b) as a percentage of total operating costs for the most recent year for which figures are available.

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

  Queen Elizabeth II
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has called for an investigation into why the Queen Elizabeth II was allowed to sail from Southampton to New York in December 1994 but was delayed from proceeding on its journey to the Caribbean; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, while satisfied that proper standard procedures were followed, has asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to consider this case as part of his review of the agency's survey and inspection instructions.

  Consultants
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) the consultants, (b) the tasks for which they were employed and (c) the payments made to them from the budget of his Department in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94.

  Mr. Norris
  I will write to the hon. Member with details.

  Vehicle Inspections
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many full-time vehicle examiners were employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate on(a) 1 April for each year since 1989 and (b) at present;

  (2) how many full-time traffic examiners were employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate on (a) 1 April for each year since 1989 and (b) at present;

  (3) how many heavy goods vehicles were examined by (a) traffic examiners and (b) vehicle examiners by traffic area in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many received (a) prohibition or (b) defect notices.

  Mr. Norris
  These are operational matters for the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  371
  Letter from Ron Oliver to Ms Joan Walley, dated 25 January 1995:

  Number of Vehicle Examiners and Traffic Examiners
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your 2 questions concerning the number of full-time Vehicle Examiners and Traffic

  Numbers of Vehicle and Traffic Examiners employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate

  Operating division

  Staff discipline

  April 1990

  April 1991

  April 1992

  April 1993

  April 1994

  December 1994

  Enforcement

  Vehicle examiners

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  244

  241

  Traffic examiners

  2—

  160

  175

  170

  168

  158

  Testing

  Vehicle examiners

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  180

  138

  Vehicle inspectorate total

  Vehicle examiners

  474

  477

  465

  436

  424

  379

  Traffic examiners

  2—

  160

  175

  170

  168

  158

  Notes:

  1 The separate Testing and Enforcement Divisions were not formed until November 1993.

  2 Traffic Examiners were not part of the Vehicle Inspectorate in 1990.

  1 Traffic examiner grades are not employed on vehicle testing work.

  Letter from Ron Oliver to Mrs. Joan Walley MP, dated 25 January 1995:

  Heavy Goods Vehicles Examinations: Prohibition and Defect Notices.
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the number of heavy goods vehicles examined by (a) traffic examiners and (b) vehicle examiners by Traffic Area in each of the last 5 years for which figures are available; and how many received (a) prohibition notices or (b) defect notices.
  The attached 5 tables show the total number of heavy goods vehicles examined by Vehicle and Traffic Examiners in each of the

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) examined and prohibited by vehicle Examiners; and HGVs examined and prohibited by Traffic Examiners in 1989–90

  Traffic area

  HGVs examined by VEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  Number receiving defect notices

  HGVs examined by TEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  North Eastern

  19,509

  1,902

  not available

  48,777

  1,075

  North Western

  22,468

  4,880

  not available

  42,465

  1,073

  West Midland

  11,212

  1,113

  not available

  23,570

  1,270

  Eastern

  27,285

  2,642

  not available

  41,220

  1,425

  South Wales

  5,994

  1,316

  not available

  21,678

  220

  Western

  12,103

  1,467

  not available

  20,203

  1,161

  South Eastern

  12,153

  1,483

  not available

  36,392

  1,640

  Metropolitan

  10,207

  1,719

  not available

  36,392

  901

  Scottish

  21,125

  2,527

  not available

  42,593

  637

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) examined and prohibited by vehicle Examiners; and HGVs examined and prohibited by Traffic Examiners in 1990–91

  Traffic area

  HGVs examined by VEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  Number receiving defect notices

  HGVs examined by TEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  North Eastern

  27,069

  2,937

  not available

  35,158

  1,530

  North Western

  24,189

  2,840

  not available

  38,443

  830

  West Midland

  11,160

  1,040

  not available

  22,240

  651

  Eastern

  30,198

  2,633

  not available

  31,541

  1,096

  South Wales

  5,755

  1,296

  not available

  20,399

  109

  Western

  16,134

  1,988

  not available

  21,894

  1,131

  South Eastern

  15,559

  1,912

  not available

  33,184

  946

  Metropolitan

  14,601

  2,022

  not available

  33,198

  901

  Scottish

  22,637

  3,176

  not available

  45,083

  753

  Note: The Metropolitan and South Eastern Traffic Areas were merged from 1990–91.
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  Examiners employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate on a) 1 April for each year since 1989 and b) at present.
  The numbers of full-time Vehicle Examiners and Traffic Examiners employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate on 1 April for each year since 1989 and at present are provided in the attached table.
  last 5 years in each Traffic Area, together with the number of vehicles issued with Prohibitions and, where the information is available, Defect Notices.
  The number of examinations provided in the tables for Vehicle Examiners cover all roadworthiness inspections apart from those done in connection with accidents or mechanical defect investigations. The prohibitions for these examinations are all for roadworthiness defects. The Traffic Examiner checks concentrate on other legal requirements, not roadworthiness. The prohibitions for this work would all have been issued to vehicles weighed and found to be overloaded.
  373

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) examined and prohibited by Vehicle Examiners; and HGVs examined and prohibited by Traffic Examiners in 1991–92

  Traffic area

  HGVs examined by VEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  Number receiving defect notices

  HGVs examined by TEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  North Eastern

  27,829

  3,080

  not available

  52,809

  1,515

  North Western

  30,623

  3,547

  not available

  39,233

  947

  West Midland

  15,344

  1,756

  not available

  20,938

  870

  Eastern

  39,818

  4,328

  not available

  29,918

  967

  South Wales

  7,015

  1,313

  not available

  16,618

  306

  Western

  17,582

  2,382

  not available

  30,688

  1,102

  South Eastern and Metropolitan

  15,768

  1,781

  not available

  39,044

  1,584

  Scottish

  17,748

  2,438

  not available

  37,498

  694

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) examined and prohibited by Vehicle Examiners; and HGVs examined and prohibited by Traffic Examiners in 1992–93

  Traffic area

  HGVs examined by VEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  Number receiving defect notices

  HGVs examined by TEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  North Eastern

  31,249

  2,878

  3,738

  49,742

  976

  North Western

  36,889

  3,902

  7,376

  40,944

  737

  West Midland

  16,881

  1,501

  not available

  17,239

  806

  Eastern

  37,644

  4,110

  3,280

  52,476

  954

  South Wales

  8,003

  1,206

  not available

  23,456

  244

  Western

  21,687

  2,932

  1,454

  35,370

  899

  South Eastern and Metropolitan

  24,416

  2,746

  1,713

  43,142

  1,211

  Scottish

  19,706

  2,806

  478

  32,756

  1,160

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) examined and prohibited by Vehicle Examiners; and HGVs examined and prohibited by Traffic Examiners in 1993–94

  Traffic area

  HGVs examined by VEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  Number receiving defect notices

  HGVs examined by TEs

  Number receiving prohibitions

  North Eastern

  26,463

  3,155

  2,763

  40,466

  987

  North Western

  34,087

  3,634

  7,233

  31,811

  736

  West Midland

  21,296

  1,897

  809

  19,212

  436

  Eastern

  28,673

  3,356

  2,894

  42,194

  639

  South Wales

  11,372

  1,324

  383

  10,647

  444

  Western

  24,666

  3,299

  1,625

  26,215

  714

  South Eastern and Metropolitan

  20,934

  2,380

  1,980

  36,641

  668

  Scottish

  24,695

  3,215

  278

  30,193

  624

  Kingskerswell Bypass
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to expedite the start of the A380 Kingskerswell bypass; and when he expects work to commence.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 17 January 1995]: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 26 January 1995:
  I am writing in response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Transport about progress on the A380 Kingskerswell Bypass scheme.
  This scheme carries Priority 1 status following last year's Review of the Roads Programme. We are currently re-assessing the scheme's traffic effects in the light of the Government's recent response to the SACTRA Report. However, we will press ahead with this work as quickly as possible, with a view to publishing detailed proposals in the form of draft Orders by the summer.
  It is still too early to say when the scheme may enter construction. Future progress will depend largely on the successful completion of the statutory planning procedures (which will almost certainly include a public inquiry) and the continuing availability of funds.

WALES

  Milk Quota
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what proposals he has to establish a milk quota pool for young entrants to farming; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what proposals he has to monitor the movement of milk quota within, out of and into Wales, and make the relevant information publicly available; and if he will make a statement;

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Countryside Council for Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the reduction in support for the Wales Environment Education Committee;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the commencement of the Plynlymon Elenydd experiment;
  375
  (3) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales regarding the achievement of the United Kingdom action plan under the Government's obligations under the biodiversity treaty in (a) 1995–96 and (b) subsequent years;

  (4) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the commencement of the heritage coast principle extension test; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the reduction of support for (a) the year of the coast programme, (b) the makers of Wales and (c) earth science trails projects;

  (6) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the commencement of the Carneddau commons management experiment;

  (7) what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales regarding the achievement of the obligations under the European Union habitats and species directive;

  (8) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales concerning the reduced support for the national nature reserve and biodiversity for the layman interpretation programmes.

  Mr. Redwood
  I met the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales on 10 and 24 January 1995 to discuss a very wide range of issues concerning the council's functions. I will publish the conclusions in due course.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Countryside Council for Wales concerning changes in legislation pending in relation to the administration of the(a) Tir Cymen and (b) hedgerow renovation schemes; what increase in staffing his Department will require to administer such schemes; and if he will give an estimate of the date of publication of any amended statutory provision enabling a corresponding transfer of responsibilities.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received no such representations from the Countryside Council for Wales. The necessary statutory provision which would enable the Tir Cymen and hedgerow renovation schemes to be transferred to the Welsh Office and the countryside stewardship scheme in England to be transferred from the Countryside Commission to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is in clause 80 of the Environment Bill which had its First Reading in another place on 1 December 1994. But no decisions have yet been made on whether the Welsh schemes should be transferred, or on the staffing increase which my Department would require.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites of special scientific interest in national parks which are to be transferred for management purposes to local authorities; and if he will list all those sites of special scientific interest subject to international designation or classified as particularly fragile, intended to be excluded from any such transfer.

  Mr. Redwood
  No decisions have yet been made regarding the functions of the Countryside Council for Wales.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultation he has had with the local authority associations in Wales in relation to the transfer of powers,376
  duties and resources from the Countryside Council for Wales to the local authorities for (a) public rights of way, (b) local landscape and nature conservation schemes. (c) country parks, (d) publications on sites of conservation interest, (d) oversight and monitoring of small sites of special scientific interest and (f) other miscellaneous duties and powers; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the nature conservation voluntary bodies concerning transfers of functions, duties and resources for the management of national nature reserves; what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales in relation to the competence and capacity of voluntary bodies to undertake such work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have not consulted local authority associations or others on these matters as discussions are still taking place with the Countryside Council for Wales. If I decide that the CCW should play less of a direct role in any of these activities, I will ensure that interested parties are consulted.

  Coal Mining (Illness)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will placed in the Library a copy of the survey conducted by general practitioners in West Glamorgan in 1988 on the links between opencast coal mining and illness.

  Mr. Richards
  No. The report is the property of the authors, Dr. N. M. Temple and his partners. Dr. Temple is now a trainee registrar in public health medicine and can be contacted at Powys health authority, the Laurels, Bronllys, Brecon, Powys.

  A copy of a report of September 1988, commissioned by the Welsh Office and undertaken by Dr. P. C. Elwood, commenting on Dr. Temple's report, has been placed in the Library of the House.

  NHS Suppliers (Payment)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the Welsh Health Consumer Services Authority concerning delayed payments to suppliers to the Welsh NHS; what information he has on the number of suppliers who have put a stop on supplies to the Welsh Health Consumer Services Authority because of payment delays; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the Welsh NHS trust hospitals and health authorities' directly managed hospitals concerning the delayed payments by purchases for hospital treatment, and delayed payments for supplies to the Welsh Health Consumer Services Authority.

  Mr. Redwood
  Meetings between the Welsh Office and representatives of NHS trusts and health authorities are held regularly to consider a wide range of issues. These have included the Government's requirement that all NHS organisations settle bills promptly. Appropriate guidance has been issued and I expect it to be followed.

  New Zealand Flatworm
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what studies he has carried out into the numbers of areas in Wales where the New Zealand flatworm has been found; if it is increasing in numbers and areas affected;
  377
  and what assessment he has made of its impact on native earthworm and soil structure.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Executive Search Agencies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department does not use executive search agencies to fill vacancies in the Department or its executive agencies. It would consider doing so if this offered a cost-effective means of recruitment and was consistent with the principles of fair and open competition.

  Patients
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many patients from each health authority were referred to Rookwood hospital, Cardiff, for assessment and for rehabilitation following severe head injury in each year since 1988;

  (2) how many Welsh patients in a coma or persistent vegetative state have been discharged to a private nursing home without the health authority accepting the costs, in each year since 1988, giving the figures for each health authority;

  (3) how many Welsh patients with severe head injuries, following neurosurgery, were discharged for assessment and for rehabilitation to (a) a recognised specialist assessment/rehabilitation centre, (b) a district general hospital, (c) an independent nursing home and (d) their home in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Richards
  This information is not available centrally.

  Sea Fishing
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently employed in the

  Full-time students at publicly funded institutions in Wales 1

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–942

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Further education courses3

  Clwyd

  4,441

  55.5

  4,957

  51.5

  6,054

  50.3

  Dyfed

  3,210

  56.0

  3,344

  55.7

  3,757

  54.1

  Gwent

  5,122

  52.0

  5,601

  50.4

  5,967

  49.7

  Gwynedd

  1,975

  55.4

  2,292

  53.2

  2,609

  52.4

  Mid Glamorgan

  4,635

  54.8

  5,185

  53.9

  5,609

  52.6

  Powys

  1,033

  58.7

  974

  54.8

  970

  58.0

  South Glamorgan

  3,566

  54.6

  3,535

  53.5

  4,570

  50.8

  West Glamorgan

  5,758

  50.2

  5,928

  50.8

  5,921

  51.1

  Wales

  29,740

  53.8

  31,816

  52.5

  35,453

  51.6

  378
  sea fishing industry; what were the numbers in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1990; and how many of the jobs were (i) on fishing vessels and (ii) ashore.

  Mr. Richards
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Training Contracts
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposal he has to ensure that the Welsh training and enterprise councils swiftly conclude their contracts for the next financial year with AST Training.

  Mr. Richards
  The negotiation of contracts between Welsh TECs and training providers such as AST Training is a matter for the parties to such contracts not my Department.

  Head Injuries (Rehabilitation)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information has been made available to general practitioners in Wales about the availability of assessments and rehabilitation for patients with severe head injuries; on what date this was given; and in what form it was issued.

  Mr. Richards
  Only in a limited number of cases would general practitioners make such referrals. However, the Welsh Office has issued a series of protocols and technical documents which cover the type of care people with such injuries should receive. The protocol on "Physical Disability and Discomfort" was sent to family health services authorities in November 1991 and he protocol on "Injuries" in June 1992.

  Students
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each county in Wales and for Wales as a whole for the last three available years the number of full-time students in(a) further education, (b) higher education and (c) further and higher education in total, indicating the percentage of women in each case.

  Mr. Richards
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]: Information on the number of full-time students on further and higher education courses at publicly-funded institutions in Wales for the academic years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94, is the latest available year, are shown in the following table.
  379

  Full-time students at publicly funded institutions in Wales 1

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–942

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Total

  Per cent. female

  Higher education courses

  Clwyd

  1,916

  49.9

  2,196

  49.3

  2,247

  51.0

  Dyfed

  6,775

  51.8

  7,783

  53.1

  8,949

  :53.1

  Gwent

  1,769

  51.7

  2,109

  52.2

  2,584

  51.7

  Gwynedd

  4,762

  51.6

  5,500

  52.9

  5,952

  54.1

  Mid Glamorgan

  6,006

  34.3

  8,110

  37.9

  9,799

  39.0

  Powys4

  South Glamorgan

  14,634

  51.1

  17,015

  52.7

  18,818

  53.2

  West Glamorgan

  8,716

  47.9

  9,610

  49.6

  10,395

  50.3

  Wales

  44,578

  48.4

  52,323

  49.7

  58,744

  50.2

  Further and higher education courses

  Clwyd

  6,357

  53.8

  7,153

  50.9

  8,301

  50.5

  Dyfed

  9,985

  53.1

  11,127

  518

  12,706

  53.4

  Gwent

  6,891

  51.9

  7,710

  50.9

  8,551

  50.3

  Gwynedd

  6,737

  52.7

  7,792

  53.0

  8,561

  53.6

  Mid Glamorgan

  10,641

  43.3

  13,295

  44.1

  15,404

  43.9

  Powys

  1,033

  58.7

  974

  54.8

  970

  58.0

  South Glamorgan

  18,200

  51.8

  20,550

  52.9

  23,388

  52.8

  West Glamorgan

  14,474

  48.9

  15,538

  50.1

  16,316

  50.6

  Wales

  74,318

  50.5

  84,139

  50.8

  94,197

  50.7

  1 Full-time includes Full-time year, Sandwich and Short full-time courses. Data for the University of Wales are at December, the non-university data are at November. Students are recorded in the County in which the institution they attend is located.

  2 Data are provisional pending publication.

  3 Numbers include Coleg Harlech from 1992–93 and sixth form colleges from 1993–94 but exclude link students.

  4 There are no higher education institutions in Powys.

  Prescribing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the percentage figures for(a) brand name and (b) generic prescribing for (i) general practitioner fundholders and (ii) non general practitioner fundholders in each family health service authority in Wales for each of the past three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Redwood
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1995, c. 66]: The following information was omitted from the original table:

  October

  October

  October

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Dyfed Fundholders

  50.87

  52.74

  51.62

  FHSA

  43.07

  45.03

  48.01

  Gwent Fundholders

  43.15

  43.83

  46.65

  FHSA

  39.89

  42.53

  45.55

  Gwynedd Fundholders

  n/a

  54.61

  46.28

  FHSA

  36.68

  40.53

  43.70

  Mid Glamorgan Fundholders

  52.55

  53.14

  58.19

  FHSA

  42.21

  44.19

  46.13

  Powys Fundholders

  20.21

  44.71

  45.36

  FHSA

  39.63

  42.23

  44.51

  South Glamorgan Fundholders

  44.00

  58.53

  50.16

  FHSA

  43.97

  45.86

  48.28

  West Glamorgan Fundholders

  41.86

  47.95

  52.11

  FHSA

  40.72

  44.13

  47.49

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Financial Statements
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners if the Church 380
  Commissioners will consider publishing quarterly financial statements in accordance with the "Bulletin Review of Interim Financial Information" issued by the Auditing Practices Board.

  Mr. Alison
  All listed companies, in which the public may buy or sell shares, are required by the council of the stock exchange to publish interim financial information every six months. The purpose of the APB bulletin is to provide auditors with guidance as to the methodology and scope of audit work in relation to such six monthly information. It contains no reference to, or definition of, quarterly financial statements.

  The commissioners are an exempt charity and do not believe that the publication of quarterly audited information at a considerable cost would be either justifiable or appropriate.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Commercial Lobbying
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) on how many occasions in the last four months of which he has knowledge any civil servants in his Department have been approached by commercial lobbying organisations on behalf of their clients at informal or unofficial engagements;

  (2) on how many occasions in the last four months he or any of his Ministers have been approached by commercial lobbying organisations on behalf of their clients at informal or unofficial engagements.
  381
  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 25 January 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 25 January 1995, Official Report, column 197.

  Tourist Board Grants
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the level of grant given(a) to the English tourist board and (b) to each of the regional tourist boards in the last five years.

  £ millions

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  11994–95

  Cumbria

  590,000

  551,000

  690,000

  596,000

  —

  East Anglia

  531,000

  531,000

  591,000

  510,000

  —

  East Midlands

  493,000

  587,000

  613,000

  565,000

  —

  Heart of England

  691,000

  667,000

  600,000

  595,000

  —

  London

  806,000

  884,000

  950,000

  748,000

  —

  Northumbria

  441,000

  479,000

  505,000

  484,000

  —

  North West

  541,000

  537,000

  617,000

  606,000

  —

  South East

  588,000

  638,000

  635,000

  696,000

  —

  Southern

  622,000

  567,000

  726,000

  636,000

  —

  Thames and Chilterns

  413,000

  449,000

  167,000

  2—

  —

  West Country

  890,000

  830,000

  747,000

  1,147,000

  —

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  760,000

  676,000

  710,000

  621,000

  —

  TOTAL

  7,366,000

  7,396,000

  7,551,000

  7,204,000

  6,999,800

  Notes:

  1 Figure for 1994–95 is total only, since RTBs have until 31 March 1995 to complete the draw down of funds from ETB.

  2Thames and Chilterns tourist board went into liquidation midway through 1992.

  382
  Mr. Dorrell
  (a) The grant in aid allocated to the tourist boards in the last five years was:

  £ millions

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  BTA

  27.5

  29.2

  30.9

  32.2

  33.2

  ETB

  14.9

  15.1

  16.2

  13.9

  11.3

  Totals

  42.4

  44.3

  47.1

  46.1

  44.5

  (b) The English tourist board made grant allocations to the regional tourist boards as follows:

  UK/US MUTUAL DEFENCE AGREEMENT
  Lord Jenkins of Putney
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  How many times the Anglo-American Defence Agreement has been renewed since 1958; how often it has been before (a) the US House of Representatives and Senate and (b) either or both of the two Houses of Parliament; and whether they will place copies of the original agreement and any subsequent amendments in the Library of the House, excluding any material classified in both countries.

  The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement is open-ended and does not require renewal. It was presented to the US Congress and the UK Parliament in 1958. We shall ensure that copies of the agreement and its subsequent amendments are placed in the Library of the House.

  JERUSALEM
  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether in their opinion Israel has contravened the status quo, which was internationally accepted and respected from 1856 to 1948, regarding universal access to the Holy Places in and near Jerusalem; and in particular whether there has been full and free access for persons coming from all parts of the West Bank, from Gaza and from all Arab countries.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  From the Declaration of the State onwards, Israel has always promised to respect Muslim and Christian Holy Places in and around Jerusalem, and allow free access to them. Since April 1993, however, access to Jerusalem for Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza, both Muslim and Christian, has often been restricted. Israel has justified these measures on grounds of security.

  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is the present value in international law of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181(II) of 29 November 1947, 194(111) of 11 December 1948 and 303(IV) of 9 December 1949 declaring the city of Jerusalem a corpus separatum under a special international régime; and what means exist, or could be envisaged, by which these resolutions might be brought into force.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  We acknowledge the corpus separatum defined by General Assembly Resolutions 181(II) of 1947, 194(III) of 1948, and 303(IV) of 1949, which includes the city of Jerusalem and its surroundings. These resolutions of the UN General Assembly were not mandatory. According to the Declaration of Principles signed by Israel and the Palestinians, the status of Jerusalem remains to be determined in the permanent status negotiations between
  WA 88
  the parties. The outcome of these negotiations should not be prejudiced by agreements reached for the interim period.

  Lord Hylton
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether any subsequent government of Israel has repudiated the statement of the then Prime Minister of that country (made on 7 April 1949 and reported in UN General Assembly Document A/838) that his government accepted without reservation an international régime for, or international control of, the Holy Places in the city of Jerusalem, but could not accept the establishment of an international régime for that city.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  We know of no such repudiation by an Israeli government. To the contrary: in 1950, the Knesset declared that Jerusalem was the country's capital, although Israel held only the western sector of the city. Government institutions were progressively transferred there. Following the 1967 war, Israel annexed the old, eastern and former Jordanian sector de facto. In 1980, Israel enacted its "Jerusalem law", formally proclaiming the united city to be its capital.

  The UK is at one with the international community in rejecting all such claims. Our position has been repeatedly expressed in UN resolutions, in national statements and in company with our EU partners. We do not accept that commitments concerning the Holy Places alter, or are relevant to, the fact that Israel's efforts unilaterally to change the status of the city of Jerusalem contravene international law.

  US COUNTERPROLIFERATION INITIATIVE
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the ad hoc group working on a verification régime for the 1972 Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention is to inform itself of the US Counterproliferation Initiative on the physical elimination of weapons of mass destruction (CPI); and, if the group is not informing itself about this, whether Her Majesty's Government will bring the CPI to the attention of the group.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  The ad hoc group's main aim is to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention by drawing up measures to verify compliance with it. Since the purpose of the US Counterproliferation Initiative is to consider a defensive response to the threat from proliferation, it is not clear that this needs to be among the substantive issues which the group will address.

  ENTRY CLEARANCE: INDEPENDENT MONITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS
  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they accept the recommendations contained in the first Report by the Independent Monitor, in accordance with Section 10 of the

  WA 89
  Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993; and, if not, why not.

  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
  Dame Elizabeth Anson made four main recommendations in her first report as Independent Monitor of entry clearance refusals which do not have a right of appeal.

  First, that all applications and re-applications should be accepted and applicants should be told that they have a right to proceed, even where warned of likely failure. Instructions have been sent to Posts to implements this recommendation.

  Secondly, that Posts should be more consistent in their requirements for documentation before an entry clearance application is lodged or an applicant is interviewed. We are encouraging greater consistency between Posts.

  Thirdly, that the refusal notice should not refer to confidential matters such as political asylum applications by UK sponsors or others, given that the notice may become a public document with an applicant's consent. Instructions have been sent to Posts to implement this recommendation.

  Finally, that writing should be legible on all documents on an applicant's file. Again, we are encouraging Posts to ensure this; Refusal Notices, especially, should be in typescript where possible.

  THE CIVIL SERVICE
  Lord Brougham and Vaux
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they are yet in a position to respond to consultation on the White Paper, The Civil Service, Continuity and Change and to the report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on The Role of the Civil Service.

  The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)
  The Government are publishing today a Command Paper (Cm 2748), taking forward the policies on the Civil Service set out in last July's White Paper,The Civil Service: Continuity and Change (Cm 2627). The Command Paper incorporates the Government's response to the Fifth Report of the House of Commons Treasury and Civil Service Committee, The Role of the Civil Service, HC(1993–94). It also takes account of other responses to the invitation to comment on the proposals in Continuity and Change. Comments were received from 50 individuals and organisations. Copies of the responses where confidentiality was not requested have been placed in the Library of the House.

  In Continuity and Change, the Government reaffirmed their commitment to the maintenance of a permanent Civil Service, based on the values of integrity, political impartiality, objectivity, selection and promotion on merit and accountability through Ministers to Parliament. This commitment has been widely welcomed—and was equally emphasised by the Select Committee in its report. The Government also welcome the Select Committee's belief that "the commitment of the overwhelming majority of civil
  WA 90
  servants to the principle and practice of a politically impartial Civil Service is undiminished". The Command Paper announces further measures to underpin these values.

  The Government have accepted the Select Committee's recommendation for a new Civil Service code to apply to all civil servants and summarising the constitutional framework within which civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold. A draft code, suggesting the changes which the Government think necessary to the text proposed by the Select Committee, with an associated commentary, is published in the Command Paper as a basis for further consultation. The proposed code incorporates, as recommended by the Select Committee, a new independent line of appeal to the Civil Service Commissioners in cases of alleged breaches of the code or issues of conscience which cannot be resolved through internal procedures.

  The Government also intend to enhance the role of the Civil Service Commissioners as guardians of the principle of selection on merit. They will be responsible for the interpretation of the principles of fair and open competition on merit for all Civil Service recruitment. The Commissioners will be responsible for approving all appointments from outside the Civil Service to the new Senior Civil Service; and the next First Civil Service Commissioner is to be given a new role in monitoring senior internal appointments. Consequently he or she will not hold the post as a serving civil servant.

  The Command Paper re-emphasises the Government's commitment to maintaining the Civil Service as a good employer, ensuring equality of opportunity, maintaining a predominantly career Civil Service, and to the training and development of all staff. It also confirms the Government's intention to proceed with other approaches set out in Continuity and Change to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Civil Service, including the delegation of pay and grading below senior levels to departments, and the introduction of Efficiency Plans in place of the centrally-driven Competing for Quality programme; to establish the proposed new Senior Civil Service; to carry out senior management reviews in all departments; to introduce new pay arrangements for the Senior Civil Service, including Permanent Secretaries; and to introduce contracts for all senior civil servants.

  The Government are also publishing today detailed responses to the Review of Recruitment Responsibilities and the Review of Fast Stream Training which were published in parallel with Cm 2627. Copies of the responses have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The Command Paper charts a clear course for the Civil Service. The Government believe that Parliament, the public and particularly the Civil Service itself should be encouraged by the degree of agreement on the way forward, reflected in the very considerable sharing of views on key issues between the Government and the Select Committee, as well as by those who have given evidence to the Select Committee and have commented on the White Paper. There is a wide recognition of the

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  work of the Civil Service, the values it upholds and the progress it has made in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the services it provides. This offers an excellent foundation on which to move ahead.

  EQUAL PAY
  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they accept the broad accuracy of the information contained in the EC Commission's Memorandum on Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value (COM(94)6 Final) showing that the pay differential between men and women is significantly wider in the United Kingdom than in the great majority of the other member states of the European Union (apart from Ireland and Luxembourg); and if not, why not.

  Lord Inglewood
  Data in respect of the UK in the table on page 5 of the European Commission's Memorandum are misleading because they exclude women's earnings from the relatively more highly paid service sector, in which 50 per cent. of women in manual work and 85 per cent. of women in non-manual work are employed.

  The New Earnings Survey, published by the Employment Department, is the most reliable guide to the pay differential between men and women. In April 1994, the most recent date for which figures are available, women's average hourly earnings, excluding overtime, were 79.5 per cent. of men's. This is the highest ever figure. The pay differential has narrowed in six out of the last seven years. Since 1979, women's earnings have increased faster than men's.

  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What they consider to be the main causes of the continuing and substantial pay differentials between men and women in the United Kingdom, referred to in the EC Commission's Memorandum on Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value (COM(94)6 Final).

  Lord Inglewood
  Recent research for the Employment Department suggests that the main cause of the remaining pay differential between men and women is job segregation. Other factors include: levels of skill and experience; job characteristics; family commitments and a residual element of sex discrimination.

  Lord Lester of Herne Hill
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they intend to introduce any legislative or administrative measures to reduce the continuing and substantial pay differential between men and women in the United Kingdom; and, if not, why not.

  Lord Inglewood
  The pay differential between men and women is reducing, and has done so for six of the last seven years. It now stands at its lowest ever level. The Government believe that this welcome trend has been helped by policies which have created a sound economic framework in which enterprise is encouraged and individual initiative allowed to flourish.
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  In addition, the Government have taken and will continue to take a range of measures which should help women's pay and employment prospects. These include: changes to the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act; adoption of the National Curriculum; reforms to make the Careers Service more effective; a range of programmes run through Training and Enterprise Councils, and acceptance of recommendations of an independent Committee on Women in Science and Technology, which advised on ways in which the potential, skills and expertise of women could best be secured for the national advantage.

  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 23 JANUARY
  Lord Brougham and Vaux
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 23 January.

  The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)
  My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food represented the UK at this meeting of the Agriculture Council. As he had signalled beforehand, my right honourable friend took the opportunity of this Council to explain the public concern about the transport of farm animals and the conditions in which calves are reared for veal in some member states. My right honourable friend stressed his determination to see that the law requiring freedom of trade is upheld. But my right honourable friend also emphasised the urgent need for the Community as a whole to recognise these concerns, which are being expressed widely, not just in the UK, and to take effective measures as soon as possible to improve the standards for the welfare of farm animals.

  I am glad to say that a considerable number of Council members agreed with British concerns. Five Ministers pointed out that, like the UK, they had already banned the use of veal crates. There was wide support for, and no dissent from, our proposal that the review of the directive, planned for 1997, that allows the use of this method should be brought forward. The Agriculture Commissioner, Mr. Fischler, undertook to produce a report as soon as possible. All also agreed to make a determined effort to adopt rules on transport: this will be on the Council's agenda at its next meeting.

  The only other substantive debate was on the Commission's proposals for adjusting the support system for sugar. My right honourable friend regretted that the Commission had not seized the opportunity to propose more radical changes. My right honourable friend urged that, in so far as sugar quotas might have to be cut to keep within the GATT limits on subsidised exports, these cuts should be targeted on the surplus-producing member states. My right honourable friend also underlined the need to guarantee adequate supplies of raw sugar for the refining industry. The Council will return to these proposals at its next meeting.

  My right honourable friend welcomed the appearance of the Commission's proposal creating a link between

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  set-aside and arable land taken out of production for environmental and forestry purposes, and urged its speedy adoption.

  TRIDENT
  Lord Gainford
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What is their latest estimate of the cost of the Trident programme.

  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Henley)
  The current estimate of the total project cost of the Trident programme is £11,682 million, if all expenditure, including payments already made, are brought up to current prices and a common exchange rate of £1-$1.48, as assumed in the long-term costing of the defence programme. If payments already made are expressed at the prices and exchange rates actually incurred, the equivalent estimate is now £9,770 million. Expenditure on the Trident programme to 31 October 1994 represented some 78 per cent. of the overall hybrid estimate.

  After allowing for the effects of inflation and exchange rate variations, the revised estimate of £11,682 million represents a real cost reduction of £211 million compared to that announced last year. The increase in cash terms is £51 million. The reduction in real terms since the original 1982 Trident II estimate, including the savings resulting from the decision to have UK missiles processed in the United States facility at King's Bay, Georgia, now stands at some £3.7 billion. The proportion of the estimate for work undertaken in the United Kingdom has increased from 70 per cent. to 71 per cent., reflecting the effects of the change in exchange rate, price base and volume changes in the year.

  I am pleased to confirm that HMS "Vanguard" entered operational service in December 1994, achieving the in-service date set when the decision to purchase Trident II was taken in 1982, and that the remainder of the Trident programme remains on schedule. As in previous years, we shall be sending to the Chairmen of the Public Accounts Committee and of the Select Committee on Defence a more detailed report on the programme. I am also placing a copy of this report in the Library of the House.

  FORMER UK (ARMED FORCES) OFFICERS: EMPLOYMENT IN DEFENCE FIELD
  Lord Kennet
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  What are the grounds on which they consider it appropriate that the Ministry of Defence should keep no records of where its former employees are now employed (Lord Henley's Answers of 15th December 1994 (HL Deb, col. WA 141).

  Lord Henley
  There is no requirement, under either the business appointment rules or any other regulation, for my department to keep records of where its former employees are employed following their departure from Crown service.

  PLANNING APPLICATIONS: CALLING IN BY SECRETARY OF STATE
  Lord Lyell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  If the Secretary of State for the Environment intends to take design considerations into account when deciding whether or not to call in planning applications to be decided under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)
  Our general approach is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is necessary to do so. The Secretary of State for the Environment will therefore be very selective about calling applications to determine and will, in general, only take this step if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. Each case must be considered on its individual merits. An application for development which raises significant architectural and urban design issues is one example of the type of case which may be of more than local importance. Other examples include cases which, in the opinion of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, could have wide effects beyond their immediate locality, which give rise to substantial regional or national controversy which may conflict with national policy on important matters, and those where the interests of foreign governments may be involved.

  CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION PERMITS PROPOSAL
  Lord Redesdale
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they endorse the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's proposal to introduce a worldwide market in carbon dioxide emission permits as the most cost-effective means of tackling global warming.

  Viscount Ullswater
  My department is aware that two papers have recently been published by UNCTAD on this subject and will study these with interest. However, no proposals along these lines have been put to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is the appropriate forum for international agreements on measures to control greenhouse gas emissions.

  MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES REPROVISION: GUIDANCE
  Lord Thurlow
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the Mental Health Task Force has issued an overview report on the way purchasers and providers of mental health services are approaching the replacement of the large mental hospitals, and drawing out good practice, following its visits to health authorities last year; and, if not, when a report may be expected.
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  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)
  The Mental Health Task Force has issued a series of reports and guidance on good practice in the reprovision of mental health services. These include Local Systems of Support: A Framework for Purchasing for People with Severe Mental Health Problems (published in October 1994), a handbook on managing fixed costs in reprovision, Transitional Costs: The Case for Better Management (December 1994), and the report of the Task Force London Project, Mental Health in London: Priorities for Action (September 1994), copies of which are available in the Library. A final overview report on the task force's work will be submitted to Ministers shortly."

  STATUTORY SICK PAY: FORM SSP1
  Earl Russell
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether the Benefits Agency is bound to provide assistance to those claiming statutory sick pay who experience difficulty in obtaining Form SSP2 from their employers.
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  The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the noble Earl.

  Letter to Earl Russell from the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Mr. Michael Bichard, dated 26 January 1995:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary Question about the assistance provided to those claiming Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) who experience difficulty in obtaining Form SSP2 from their employers.

  I understand from a further enquiry we made that you in fact refer to the SSP1.

  Form SSP1 is the form which the employer is required to give to their employee if they are not entitled to receive SSP or when their SSP stops and they are still sick.

  This form includes a claim form which the employee can use if they wish to claim Sickness Benefit or Invalidity Benefit from the Benefits Agency.

  The employer is required by law to complete the form, and failure to provide an employee with the prescribed information is an offence. The Contributions Agency are responsible for ensuring that employers comply with the SSP legislation.

  The Benefits Agency should assist the employee to obtain form SSP1 and refer the case to the Contributions Agency on behalf of the employee where it becomes clear that compliance should be enforced.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.