Written Answers of 7 June 1995

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Body Armour
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding he will make available to chief constables to ensure that all police officers are issued with bullet-proof or knife-proof vests. [26274]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: No specific provision is being made available for this purpose, but total funds for the police service increased by 4 per cent. in 1995–96 to £6.4 billion. It is for chief officers to decide when and how to equip police officers with body armour, reflecting local priorities.

  Fine Defaulters
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons over the past two years who were held in police custody had warrants separately issued for their arrest in respect of non-payment at the time they were discharged from custody; and if he will make a statement. [26028]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the names of those persons for whom there is a warrant for non-payment of fines are not included on the police national computer; and if he will make a statement. [26029]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Most warrants for non-payment of fines are executed locally, and the police often take the view that no useful purpose would be served by recording them on the police national computer. I understand that police forces enter the names of such persons on the police national computer where they consider that making the information available to other forces would be worth while, bearing in mind that the defaulter could not be arrested by any officer not in possession of the warrant itself.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what means custody officers in police stations have to establish whether persons whom they detain or release have warrants against them for non-payment of fines; and if he will make a statement. [26030]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: All warrants issued by the courts and forwarded to the police are recorded on the force warrants register. In the case of warrants on which initial inquiries have been made without success, entries are made on the police national computer. For all persons coming into police custody, both sources of information are checked.

  Female Prisoners
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners are currently being held(a) three to a one-person cell and (b) two to a one-person cell; and what were the figures for each of the last 10 years. [26095]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of female prisoners currently sharing two and three to a cell and the figures for each of the last ten years.
  At the end of May there were 48 female prisoners in England and Wales sharing two to a cell designed for one. There were no female prisoners sharing three to a cell designed for one.
  Information for previous years is only available from centrally held records from 1992 onwards and is given in the table below:

  Number of female prisoners sharing two and three to a cell at end of May 1992—May 1994

  Number of female prisoners sharing two to a cell

  Number of female prisoners sharing three to a cell

  May 1992

  82

  —

  May 1993

  22

  —

  May 1994

  24

  —

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of self-mutilation occurred in women's prisons in each of the last 10 years. [26097]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of incidents of self-mutilation in women's prisons in each of the last 10 years.
  Incidents of self-mutilation which occur within Prison Service establishments are not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Records are, however, kept of the number of incidents of deliberate self-harm each year, within which the number of deliberate self-mutilations will be contained.
  A breakdown of incidents of deliberate self-harm by sex is available only from 1992–93 onwards. These figures are reproduced in the attached table.

  Number of deliberate self-harm incidents among female inmates

  Year

  Number of incidents of deliberate self harm

  1992–93

  1,114

  1993–94

  1,113

  1994–95

  1,213

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female prisoners in England and Wales are currently serving sentence for drug offences, by nationality of each prisoner. [26886]
  175
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking how many female prisoners in England and Wales are currently serving sentence for drug offences, by nationality of each prisoner.
  The most recent provisional information for 28 February 1995 is given in the attached table.

  Female sentenced population in England and Wales on 28 February 1995; drugs offences, by nationality

  Number

  Barbados

  2

  Brazil

  1

  Canada

  1

  Columbia

  4

  Cyprus

  1

  Germany

  1

  Grenada

  1

  Ghana

  14

  Guam

  1

  Guyana

  13

  Hungary

  1

  Irish Republic

  3

  Jamaica

  31

  Kenya

  1

  Liberia

  1

  Nigeria

  35

  Netherlands

  5

  Pakistan

  5

  Female sentenced population in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 28 February 1995, by offence group, offence, and length of sentence (excluding fine defaulters)

  All sentence lengths

  Up to and including 3 months

  Over 3 months up to and including 6 months

  Over 6 months up to and including 12 months

  Over 12 months up to and including 18 months

  Over 18 months up to and including 3 years

  Over 3 years up to and including 4 years

  Over 4 years up to and including 5 years

  Over 5 years Over and including 10 years

  Over 10 years and less than life

  Life

  Violence against the person:

  268

  12

  18

  17

  17

  36

  15

  22

  26

  5

  100

  Sexual offences:

  11

  1

  1

  1

  0

  3

  1

  1

  3

  —

  —

  Burglary:

  51

  1

  5

  17

  8

  11

  5

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Robbery:

  93

  1

  3

  8

  11

  36

  16

  8

  10

  —

  —

  Theft and handling:

  251

  44

  59

  77

  33

  35

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Fraud and forgery:

  92

  9

  15

  20

  11

  24

  12

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Drug offences:

  330

  1

  6

  19

  21

  59

  46

  50

  109

  19

  —

  Other offences:

  124

  16

  18

  8

  9

  24

  16

  12

  15

  1

  5

  Offence not recorded:

  163

  9

  21

  30

  17

  51

  14

  6

  13

  1

  1

  Total of all immediate custodial offences

  1383

  94

  146

  198

  127

  279

  125

  102

  178

  26

  106

  Manslaughter Detainees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average length of time for patients with hospital orders for manslaughter between the restriction order being imposed and any kind of leave of absence, including supervised shopping trips; [26096]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 11 May, Official Report, column 554, on restricted patients with a hospital order sentenced for manslaughter, for each year and each category, what was the average length of term between
  176

  Female sentenced population in England and Wales on 28 February 1995; drugs offences, by nationality

  Number

  Poland

  1

  South Africa

  1

  Spain

  1

  Turkey

  1

  Trinidad and Tobago

  1

  Tanzania

  1

  United Kingdom

  193

  USA

  8

  Venezuela

  1

  Zambia

  1

  Total

  330

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state by category of crime, the type of crime committed by each of the female prisoners in custody as at 9 May and the length of sentence in each case. [25963]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking if he will state by category of crime, the type of crime committed by each of the female prisoners in custody as at 9 May and the length of sentence in each case.
  The most recent provisional information for 28 February 1995 is given in the attached table.

  the patients' first supervised visit outside and their ultimate release; [26152]

  (3) on restricted patients with a hospital order sentenced for manslaughter, how many of those patients in each category in each year have taken part in supervised outside visits; [26154]

  (4) on restricted patients with a conviction for manslaughter for each year listed what was the shortest length of time between the restriction order being imposed and any kind of leave of absence, including supervised shopping trips. [26155]
  177
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: This information is not available.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report column 554, on restricted patients with a hospital order sentenced for manslaughter, how many of the patients in each year in each category have committed further offences since being released; and if he will give details of the offences. [26151]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Of the 84 restricted patients with a hospital order who were sentenced for manslaughter and discharged between 1985 and 1994, two are known to have been subsequently convicted of a standard list 1offence before the end of 1993. One patient was sentenced for manslaughter in 1987, the other in 1989. The subsequent offences were theft from shops and burglary in a building other than a dwelling.
  1 All indictable—including triable either way—plus some summary.

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently held(a) three to a one-person cell and (b) two to a one person cell; and what these figures were for each of the past 10 years. [26150]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners currently sharing two and three to a cell and the figures for each of the last ten years.
  At the end of May 1995 there were 8,362 prisoners in England and Wales sharing two to a cell designed for one. There were no prisoners sharing three to a cell designed for one.
  Information for previous years is only available from 1987 and is given in the attached table.

  Number of prisoners sharing two and three to a cell, 1987–94

  Number of prisoners sharing two to a cell

  Number of prisoners sharing three to a cell

  May 1987

  13,634

  4,878

  May 1988

  12,230

  4,893

  May 1989

  12,156

  4,446

  May 1990

  10,100

  3,261

  May 1991

  10,686

  2,007

  May 1992

  9,392

  1,038

  May 1993

  7,412

  126

  May 1994

  8,106

  —

  Probation service

  1994–95 budget(cash terms)(£)

  1995–96 budget(cash terms)1 (£)

  1995–96 budget(real terms)2 (£)

  Change from 1994–95 to 1995–96 in cash terms(£)

  Change from 1994–95 to 1995–96 in percentage terms

  Avon

  6,363,247

  6,391,504

  6,190,319

  28,257

  0.4

  Bedfordshire

  3,561,153

  3,520,072

  3,409,271

  (41,081)

  -1.2

  Berkshire

  5,598,357

  5,537,701

  5,363,391

  (60,656)

  -1.1

  Buckinghamshire

  4,123,056

  4,032,524

  3,905,592

  (90,532)

  -2.2

  Cambridgeshire

  3,985,020

  3,957,128

  3,832,569

  (27,892)

  -0.7

  Cheshire

  5,814,495

  5,817,204

  5,634,096

  2,709

  0

  178
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently held in(a) England and Wales and (b) London; and how many of them are in each security category. [26156]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners currently held in (a) England and Wales and (b) London; and how many of them are in each security category.
  The information requested is given in the attached tables.

  1. Number of prisoners held in England and Wales and London on 26 May 1995

  England and Wales

  Greater London

  Prison service establishments

  Police cells

  Prison service establishments

  Police cells

  Total

  44,564

  126

  6,238

  —

  50,928

  2. Number of Prisoners Held in England and Wales and London (Greater London) on 26 May 1995

  Security Category

  England and Wales

  Greater London

  Totals

  Category A

  655

  91

  746

  Category B

  6,464

  379

  6,843

  Category C

  15,428

  1,342

  16,770

  Category D

  3,694

  250

  3,944

  Uncategorised or Awaiting Categorisation

  18,449

  4,176

  22,625

  1. Female prisoners and young offenders are given only a security category when category A is applicable.

  2. Unless category A is applicable, adult male prisoners are not given a security category until after conviction and sentence.

  3. Greater London comprises the London boroughs and the City of London.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the budget for each probation service in England and Wales for 1994–95 and 1995–96 in(a) cash and (b) comparable terms; and if he will identify the budget difference in (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms between those years for each probation service. [26878]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information is given in the table:
  179

  Probation service

  1994–95 budget (cash terms) (£)

  1995–96 budget (cash terms)1 (£)

  1995–96 budget (real terms)2 (£)

  Change from 1994–95 to 1995–96 in cash terms (£)

  Change from 1994–95 to 1995–96 in percentage terms

  Cleveland

  4,827,165

  4,823,077

  4,671,261

  (4,088)

  -0.1

  Cornwall

  2,498,062

  2,534,760

  2,454,973

  36,698

  1.5

  Cumbria

  4,024,646

  3,969,364

  3,844,420

  (55,282)

  -1.4

  Derbyshire

  4,995,971

  4,973,854

  4,817,292

  (22,117)

  -0.4

  Devon

  7,164,724

  7,019,289

  6,798,343

  (145,435)

  -2

  Dorset

  4,303,024

  4,234,358

  4,101,073

  (68,666)

  -1.6

  Durham

  4,258,812

  4,194,821

  4,062,781

  (63,991)

  -1.5

  Essex

  8,787,508

  8,670,720

  8,397,792

  (116,788)

  -1.3

  Gloucestershire

  3,757,233

  3,731,342

  3,613,891

  (25,891)

  -0.7

  Hampshire

  9,064,455

  8,982,941

  8,700,185

  (81,514)

  -0.9

  Hereford and Worcester

  4,314,230

  4,217,601

  4,084,844

  (96,629)

  -1.7

  Hertfordshire

  5,713,026

  5,582,714

  5,406,987

  (130,312)

  -2.3

  Humberside

  6,113,919

  6,054,183

  5,863,615

  (59,736)

  -1

  Kent

  9,580,095

  9,571,436

  9,270,156

  (8,659)

  -0.1

  Lancashire

  8,817,083

  8,758,995

  8,483,288

  (58,088)

  -0.7

  Leicestershire

  5,369,795

  5,325,131

  5,157,512

  (44,664)

  -0.8

  Lincolnshire

  3,826,514

  3,786,164

  3,666,987

  (40,350)

  -1.1

  Greater Manchester

  23,570,470

  23,455,063

  22,716,768

  (115,407)

  -0.5

  Merseyside

  15,295,192

  15,082,112

  14,607,372

  (213,080)

  -1.4

  Norfolk

  4,079,001

  4,046,821

  3,919,439

  (32,180)

  -0.8

  Northamptonshire

  3,315,744

  3,335,463

  3,230,473

  19,719

  0.6

  Northumbria

  11,854,200

  11,741,910

  11,372,310

  (112,290)

  -0.9

  Nottinghamshire

  8,564,573

  8,428,929

  8,163,612

  (135,644)

  -1.6

  Oxfordshire

  3,527,945

  3,457,918

  3,349,073

  (70,027)

  -2

  Shropshire

  2,487,777

  2,451,574

  2,374,406

  (36,203)

  -1.5

  Somerset

  3,992,139

  3,893,500

  3,770,944

  (98,639)

  -2.5

  Staffordshire

  7,289,697

  7,152,056

  6,926,931

  (137,641)

  -1.9

  Suffolk

  3,585,647

  3,561,455

  3,449,351

  (24,192)

  -0.7

  Surrey

  5,567,848

  5,517,022

  5,343,363

  (50,826)

  -0.9

  East Sussex

  4,133,220

  4,129,636

  3,999,647

  (3,584)

  -0.1

  West Sussex

  3,199,562

  3,190,990

  3,090,547

  (8,572)

  -0.3

  Warwickshire

  3,352,241

  3,310,034

  3,205,844

  (42,207)

  -1.3

  West Midlands

  24,675,442

  24,505,679

  23,734,314

  (169,763)

  -0.7

  Wiltshire

  3,271,815

  3,259,977

  3,157,363

  (11,838)

  0.4

  North Yorkshire

  3,181,142

  3,247,283

  3,145,068

  66,141

  2.1

  South Yorkshire

  12,011,042

  11,775,791

  11,405,124

  (235,251)

  -2

  West Yorkshire

  18,846,175

  18,662,490

  18,075,051

  (183,685)

  -1

  Inner London

  37,333,414

  36,696,501

  35,541,405

  (636,913)

  -1.7

  North East London

  8,965,634

  8,914,046

  8,633,459

  (51,588)

  -0.6

  South East London

  5,915,413

  5,878,271

  5,693,241

  (37,142)

  -0.6

  South West London

  4,542,530

  4,517,551

  4,375,352

  (24,979)

  -0.5

  Middlesex

  16,320,936

  16,126,480

  15,618,867

  (194,456)

  -1.2

  Dyfed

  2,051,959

  2,049,153

  1,984,652

  (2,806)

  -0.1

  Gwent

  2,623,790

  2,626,928

  2,544,240

  3,138

  0.1

  North Wales

  3,454,566

  3,453,344

  3,344,643

  (1,222)

  0

  Powys

  786,562

  768,276

  744,093

  (18,286)

  -2.3

  South Glamorgan

  3,797,786

  3,773,319

  3,654,546

  24,467

  0.6

  Mid Glamorgan

  3,997,396

  3,986,142

  3,860,670

  11,254

  0.3

  West Glamorgan

  3,228,344

  3,198,479

  3,097,800

  29,865

  0.9

  1 Figures are in terms of 100 per cent, grant implied by the cash limit and exclude additional funding devolved in 1995–96 to support partnership grants.

  2 Using the GDP deflator with 1994–95 as the base year.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responses he has received to the review of probation officer recruitment and qualifying training discussion paper issued by his Department; and how many respondents broadly favour the document's proposals and how many broadly oppose them. [26207]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We expect to give an account of the nature and balance of the overall response in due course.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1995–96 cash and running costs limits within his responsibilities. [27441]
  180
  Mr. Howard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class VIII, vote 1—Home Office administration, police, probation and other services, England and Wales—will be reduced by £1,799,000 from £4,438,456,000 to £4,436,657,000. This will enable the transfer of £1,694,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of the transfer of responsibility for marriage guidance and a running costs transfer of £105,000 to the Privy Council Office in respect of the Home Office contribution to the central drugs co-ordination unit.

  In consequence of these changes the Home Office gross running costs limit will be reduced by £105,000 from £1,740,436,000 to £1,740,331,000.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles aged 10 to 16 years were convicted in(a) Lancashire and (b) the north-west for each year since 1992 for each offence. [26727]

  Number of persons aged 10–16 years convicted at all courts for all offences by area and type of offence 1992, 1993

  Lancashire1

  North-west2

  England and 1992

  Type of offence

  1992

  1993

  1992

  1993

  1992

  1993

  Indictable offences

  Violence against the person

  72

  74

  559

  576

  3,072

  3,152

  Sexual offences

  4

  9

  57

  42

  246

  261

  Burglary

  196

  178

  974

  868

  5,449

  5,207

  Robbery

  22

  16

  184

  222

  931

  1,082

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  272

  225

  1,577

  1,548

  7,936

  8,361

  Fraud and forgery

  9

  6

  47

  35

  199

  167

  Criminal damage

  19

  28

  90

  143

  954

  1,121

  Drug offences

  7

  6

  94

  69

  334

  266

  Other (excluding motoring)

  24

  23

  322

  281

  1,037

  1,130

  Motoring

  2

  4

  43

  20

  270

  132

  Total indictable

  627

  569

  3,947

  3,804

  20,428

  20,879

  Summary non-motoring

  204

  200

  1,373

  1,331

  6,673

  6,057

  Summary motoring

  55

  58

  294

  362

  1,905

  2,324

  All offences

  886

  827

  5,614

  5,497

  29,006

  29,260

  1 Lancashire police force area.

  2 North-west region = Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire police force areas.

  Nigerian Prisoners
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners originally emanating from Nigeria and sentenced for drug offences have been(a) paroled and (b) subsequently deported since 1 January 1994. [26887]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many prisoners originally emanating from Nigeria and sentenced for drug offences have been paroled and subsequently deported since 1 January 1994.
  Since 1 January 1994, forty two prisoners of Nigerian nationality sentenced to imprisonment for drug offences have been granted parole. Forty of these prisoners were subsequently deported.

  Convicted Killers
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have died since 1965 at the hands of previously convicted killers. [27139]

  Mr. Maclean
  During the period 1965 to date, a total of 72 persons in England and Wales are known to have been killed by persons who had previously been convicted of homicide.

  Prison Service Procedures
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the procedures the Prison Service must follow in order to provide information to the police when serious offenders under long-term imprisonment escape. [27160]
  182
  Mr. Maclean
  The information as requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the table shows, in less detail, the number of offenders aged 10 to 16 convicted by type of offence group for the years 1992 and 1993: 1994 data will not be available until the autumn 1995.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about what procedures the Prison Service must follow in order to provide information to the police when serious offenders under long term imprisonment escape.
  Every prison establishment is required to hold a set of contingency plans to be followed in the event of an incident. All escapes from establishments and from escort are specifically covered in these contingency plans.
  These plans specify that the police must be informed immediately, normally by telephone., The prison is required to give the police details of the escape and the prisoners involved.
  Details including a photograph are also sent to the Police Gazette for inclusion in that publication which goes to all police forces.

  John Pritchard
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the governor of Sudbury open prison on the escape of John Pritchard and the speed with which a photograph and other identification information was passed to the police; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the escape of John Pritchard from the custody of Her Majesty's Prison Service. [27159]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter have been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  183
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 7 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the abscond of John Pritchard from Sudbury open prison and the speed with which a photograph and other identification information was passed to the police.
  Mr. Pritchard was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1979 and had been at Foston Hall, a satellite wing of Sudbury open prison, since September 1993 where he had behaved well.
  On 9 May 1995 Mr. Pritchard was missing from the routine lunchtime roll check and could not be found on the subsequent search of the building and grounds. Derbyshire police headquarters at Ripley was informed at 2.15 pm and a constable from the local police station collected photographs and personal details of Mr. Pritchard from Sudbury at 4 pm.
  Mr. Pritchard remains unlawfully at large.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current size of each index of the police national computer, indicating the minimum and maximum size of each index over the last year. [26438]

  Mr. Maclean
  The numbers of records on each of the five databases on the police national computer, on 26 May 1995, are given in the table. The maximum and minimum numbers of records over time are not recorded.

  Number

  Vehicles

  41,396,172

  Stolen property

  58,888

  Phoenix1 (convictions, disqualified drivers and wanted and missing persons)

  5,314,544

  Fingerprints

  4,275,907

  Crime Pattern Analysis

  5,438

  1 Phoenix—the Criminal Justice Record Service—replaced the names database on 22 May 1995.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current size of each category found in the(a) stolen and suspect vehicle index and (b) wanted and missing person's index of the police national computer, indicating the minimum and maximum size of each category in the index over the year. [26439]

  Mr. Maclean
  On 26 May 1995, 458,264 vehicles were listed as lost or stolen and details on 44,486 suspect vehicles were recorded. The number of persons listed as wanted or missing was 138,585, but separate figures for the wanted and missing categories are not available. The maximum and minimum numbers of records over time are not recorded.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of accesses made to the police national computer by each constabulary over the last year; and what was the proportion of access requests made to the vehicle indexes of the police national computer. [26447]

  Mr. Maclean
  The number of transactions undertaken on the police national computer by each police force in England and Wales during the 12 months to 30 April 1995, together with the proportion of requests made to the vehicle database, is given in the table.
  184

  Police force

  Number of transactions undertaken

  Proportion of transactions undertaken on vehicles database (per cent.)

  Avon and Somerset

  1,229,763

  63.0

  Bedfordshire

  481,728

  64.4

  Cambridgeshire

  453,788

  68.2

  Cheshire

  607,382

  56.5

  City of London

  252,288

  52.5

  Cleveland

  436,483

  51.0

  Cumbria

  445,759

  59.2

  Derbyshire

  649,086

  63.0

  Devon and Cornwall

  874,883

  62.8

  Dorset

  617,375

  55.8

  Durham

  514,522

  52.1

  Dyfed Powys

  371,754

  48.1

  Essex

  983,911

  54.2

  Gloucestershire

  429,875

  62.4

  Greater Manchester

  2,492,681

  61.6

  Gwent

  261,464

  53.7

  Hampshire

  1,176,623

  49.5

  Hertfordshire

  459,694

  58.5

  Humberside

  597,371

  61.7

  Kent

  1,369,684

  57.6

  Lancashire

  1,456,465

  55.8

  Leicestershire

  476,043

  60.8

  Lincolnshire

  410,139

  54.5

  Merseyside

  933,015

  46.7

  Metropolitan

  7,838,669

  52.2

  Norfolk

  481,910

  48.4

  North Wales

  571,182

  52.7

  North Yorkshire

  591,548

  62.2

  Northamptonshire

  536,941

  58.1

  Northumbria

  1,383,422

  68.0

  Nottinghamshire

  746,837

  61.2

  South Wales

  990,282

  60.7

  South Yorkshire

  921,304

  77.6

  Staffordshire

  620,090

  60.3

  Suffolk

  410,070

  65.7

  Surrey

  490,422

  62.9

  Sussex

  955,518

  50.4

  Thames Valley

  1,427,094

  58.6

  Warwickshire

  372,211

  67.2

  West Mercia

  760,449

  57.4

  West Midlands

  2,455,107

  55.2

  West Yorkshire

  1,609,052

  56.5

  Wiltshire

  345,455

  59.1

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accesses were made to each index of the police national computer over the last year indicating the number of access requests that involved searching more than one index. [26437]

  Mr. Maclean
  Data on the police national computer are stored on five databases. The number of transactions, which may involve additional or retrieval of information, undertaken on each database by police forces in England and Wales in the 12 months to 30 April 1995 is given in the table. It is not possible to determine whether transactions undertaken on separate databases are linked, with the exception of those undertaken on both the fingerprint and names databases. There were 798,853 transactions which involved the use of both these databases.
  185

  Number

  Vehicles

  23,976,834

  Stolen property

  291,118

  Names1 (convictions, disqualified drivers and wanted and missing persons)

  17,360,326

  Fingerprints

  945,309

  Crime pattern analysis

  338,005

  1 The names databases was replaced by Phoenix—the Criminal Justice Record Service—on 22 May 1995.

  Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are members of neighbourhood watch schemes; and what are his estimates of the impact of this scheme on crime. [25208]

  Mr. Maclean
  At the latest count, there were over 130,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales covering over 5 million households. The recent police research group report—"Policing and Neighbourhood Watch: Strategic issues"—has confirmed that crime and the fear of crime can be reduced in communities by setting up a neighbourhood watch group. The research also shows that belonging to a group has the added benefits of maintaining public confidence and good police-public relations; safeguarding against vigilantism; and reinforcing community spirit.

  In addition, many police forces I have visited have confirmed that neighbourhood watch schemes have played an important part in the fight against crime.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations are being given by him to charging fees to members of neighbourhood watch schemes; and if he will make a statement. [25209]

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no question whatsoever of charging of fees of any sort to neighbourhood watch members. The Government are keen to expand neighbourhood watch and encourage more members and will not contemplate measures which would be a disincentive.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to amend cash limits and/or gross running costs limits within his Department. [27645]

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class IX, vote 6, Treasury Solicitor's Department will be reduced by £250,000 from £7,244,000 to £6,994,000.

  The gross running costs limit for the Treasury Solicitor's Department will be increased by £1,000,000 from £20,258,000 to £21,258,000 to reflect extended use of the Treaury Solicitor's Department legal services by other Government Departments. The increased work load will generate additional receipts which will more than offset the increase in running costs expenditure.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes he plans to the 1995–96 cash limits for the Lord Chancellor's Department, class IX, vote 1. [27442]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IX, vote 1 will be increased by £1,694,000 from £781,320,000 to £783,014,000. The increase, which relates to funding for marriage guidance, will be offset by a transfer from the Home Office class VIII, vote 1 and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

PRIME MINISTER

  Annual General Meetings
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he plans to take to prevent pay resolutions submitted by shareholders at company annual general meetings being treated at votes of confidence in the board of directors. [27323]

  The Prime Minister
  It is for the board to decide how it wishes to respond to any resolution which is submitted by shareholders to the company's annual general meeting. It is not for Government to determine the stance which either the directors or shareholders should adopt.

  Executive Pay
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he plans to take to empower and encourage institutional shareholders to control directors' pay, and particularly in respect of the utilities. [27324]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government believe that institutional investors should take an active interest in the management of companies in which they invest, including matters such as executive remuneration. The terms of reference of the Greenbury committee, which is examining the structure within which executive pay is determined and disclosed, include consideration of the role of shareholders. I look forward to seeing the committee's recommendations.

  Lowe Bell Communications
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what contracts have been awarded to Lowe Bell Communications since D day PR contract in 1994. [26972]

  The Prime Minister
  Lowe Bell Communications has been awarded no further contracts relating to the world war two commemorations since the D day contract. As for other contracts, this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Written Questions
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will start discussions on the possibility of introducing the principle of written parliamentary questions being answered during parliamentary recess.
  187
  Mr. Newton
  I have no plans to do so, but the hon. Gentleman may wish to ask the Procedure Committee to consider his suggestion.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  National Lottery
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when he expects a national lottery outlet in the House to be operational.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  At its meeting on 28 February, the Administration Committee considered a request from Camelot Group plc for permission to install a lottery terminal within the precincts of the House. The principle which guides the Committee in its consideration of requests of this kind is that any proposed service must be of direct relevance in assisting Members to carry out their parliamentary duties. It was felt that a lottery terminal did not meet this criterion.

HEALTH

  Nolan Committee
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the recommendations of the first report of the committee on standards in public life concerning NHS bodies. [25936]

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Nolan committee recommendations for(a) appointment to national health service boards and (b) as rewards whistleblowing. [26310]

  Mr. Malone
  I broadly welcome the recommendations made by the committee on standards in public life on issues relating to national health service bodies. The Government will be considering in detail all the recommendations addressed to the Government and will be responding before the summer recess to those singled out by the committee for early implementation.

  NHS Sight Tests and Dental Examinations
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the cost to the NHS of restoring the right to(a) a free eye test and (b) a free dental check-up. [26567]

  Mr. Malone
  On the basis that the trend in the number of sight tests apparent before the announcement of changes in November 1987 continued, and with the sight test fees remaining at the 1994–95 level, the cost of restoring free sight tests is estimated to be in the order of £110 million.

  Based on the prices and charges applying in 1994–95 and assuming that the removal of the charge led to no increase in the number of dental examinations, the annual cost of abolishing charges for dental examinations is estimated to be in the order of £60 million.

  EU Health Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what matters were discussed and what matters decided at the EU Health Council on 2 June; and what matters were voted upon. [26696]
  188
  Mr. Malone
  The Health Council on 2 June agreed common positions on three proposals from the European Commission for Community actions in the field of public health which covered: combating cancer; health promotion, information, education and training; and prevention of AIDS and other communicable diseases. Political agreement was reached on a fourth proposal for a programme combating drug dependence, on which the opinion of the European Parliament is still awaited. The Council agreed conclusions on the Commission's European Union action plan to combat drugs—1995 to 1999—agreed to a resolution on blood safety and self-sufficiency in the European Community, and discussed but drew no conclusions on a memorandum from the French presidency on orphan medicines. Orphan medicines are used to treat orphan diseases which are extremely rare diseases with very low numbers of sufferers. The matters on which decisions were taken were agreed by all member states, with no abstentions or votes against.

  Children's Services
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she intends to take to raise the profile of children's services plans. [27567]

  Mr. Bowis
  I propose to make an order under section 17(4) of the Children Act 1989 to impose a specific duty on local authorities to produce and publish children's services plans.

  Authorities will be expected to use their powers under section 27 of the Children Act to request local education and health authorities to collaborate with them in the planning process for such plans.

  Copies of the consultation letter and draft circular will be placed in the Library.

  Children Act 1989 Report
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the third report to Parliament on the Children Act 1989 will be published; and if she will make a statement. [27568]

  Mr. Bowis
  I have, today, placed in the Library the third report to Parliament on the operation of the Children Act in England and Wales.

  The report shows that local authorities are placing more emphasis on supporting children within their own families, as well as placing a greater proportion of children they look after in foster families and improving the quality of residential care.

  GP Practices (Attacks)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the number of attacks on staff, patients and property in GP practices. [26740]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS Drugs
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the operational definition of the net ingredient cost of drugs for the NHS; and if she will make a statement. [27131]
  189
  Mr. Malone
  "Net ingredient cost" is a term applied to drugs dispensed within the family health services in England and Wales. It refers to the cost of drugs before discounts available to dispensers, container allowances and value added tax, if appropriate, are taken into account. It does not include any dispensing costs or fees.

  Brentwood Blood Transfusion Centre
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have taken place in the operation of Brentwood blood transfusion centre within the last six months; and if she will make a statement. [27174]

  Mr. Sackville
  The operation of the blood transfusion service is a matter for the National Blood Authority.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total capital expenditure on the Brentwood blood transfusion centre in each year for the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [27175]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally. The hon. and learned Member may wish to contact Sir Colin Walker, chairman of the National Blood Authority, for information from 1 April 1994.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) where the administration and distribution of blood and blood products to the south-east of England will be based after the proposed closure of the Brentwood blood transfusion centre; [27176]

  (2) if she will make a statement on the future organisation of the national blood service. [27180]

  Mr. Sackville
  These are matters for the National Blood Authority. The authority has undertaken an extensive consultation and will produce revised proposals shortly.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce an accreditation system for privately owned ambulance services; and if she will make a statement. [27181]

  Mr. Sackville
  This Department has no plans to offer accreditation to private ambulance operators. A code of practice for private ambulance operators, issued by the national health service executive, EL(93)109, has already been circulated widely and copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary for Health if she will make a statement as to the rules governing the qualifications of staff employed as(a) ambulance technicians and (b) paramedics in private ambulance services. [27177]

  Mr. Sackville
  It is for private ambulance service operators and those contracting for their services to ensure that staff employed have qualifications appropriate for their duties.

  Paramedics
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will restrict the use of the term "paramedic" to the specific holders of the national health service TD qualification; and if she will make a statement. [27182]
  190
  Mr. Sackville
  Closure of title is a goal for paramedics themselves to pursue. I understand that the Ambulance Services Association has already initiated moves towards that end.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Micro-enterprise Development
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress within the Overseas Development Administration in respect of the funding of the Grameen trust; and when he expects a decision to be made on funding. [25878]

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson) on 23 May, column 511.

  World Bank
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Wapenhams report that incentives to World bank staff should reflect success in implementing the poverty reduction agenda rather than loan disbursement. [25629]

  Mr. Baldry
  The bank issued a report in September 1994 describing progress made in the implementation of "Portfolio management; next steps: a programme of actions". Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Measures taken include: revised job competencies with a strong focus on implementation; recruitment efforts to fill skills gaps, especially in the social sciences; introduction of a new project performance rating methodology, emphasising achievement of development objectives and work on performance indicators. Performance indicators on poverty reduction were among those completed last year.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that the World bank's country poverty assessments are(a) prepared according to consistent, published criteria, (b) take account of non-income measures of wealth and (c) are used to inform country public expenditure reviews; [26527]

  (2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that World bank country poverty assessment teams include (a) a balanced mix of economists, social scientists and other relevant professionals, (b) consultants recruited from the country concerned and (c) representatives of organisations of the poor in the country concerned. [26528]

  Mr. Baldry
  A working group on poverty reduction was set up under the framework of the bank-led special programme of assistance for sub-Saharan Africa. It made recommendations last autumn for improving the quality of poverty assessments and their linkage to such other work as public expenditure reviews and country assistance strategies. The United Kingdom has played an active role in this working group.

  The recommendations highlighted the importance of carefully designed and professionally conducted participatory poverty assessment techniques by teams with the appropriate mix of skills; the need for local participation and collaboration; and a broader approach

  191
  towards measuring poverty, including non-income measures. Bank management is aiming to ensure that this best practice is reflected in future poverty assessment exercises.

  Angola
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the requests to the Government for aid and assistance for demining in Angola in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [26773]

  Mr. Baldry
  The first requests for assistance with humanitarian demining in Angola were received from British non-governmental organisations—Halo Trust and the Mines Advisory Group—in 1994. Pending conclusion of the Lusaka peace talks, we provided £482,243 for demining training, marking and surveying. Since then, we have provided £1,242,825 for expansion of their efforts in Bie, Huambo and Moxico provinces. We are encouraging the European Commission to help co-finance their activities. We are also supporting the UN's central mine action office in Luanda with two key posts—the mines training officer and operations room manager—plus related office support and equipment—£230,000.

  East Timor
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations about East Timor were made by the Minister for Overseas Development during her recent visit to Indonesia; and what was the response of the Indonesian Government. [27014]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development discussed a wide range of issues including human rights and the situation in East Timor during her visit to Indonesia.

  EU Development Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were discussed and what matters decided at the European Union Development Council meeting on 1 June; and what matters were voted upon. [26697]

  Mr. Baldry
  The Development Council decided on a political and technical dialogue with the Government of Rwanda, which will enable EC aid to be resumed. The Council agreed resolutions on complementarity, structural adjustment and regional integration, and a declaration providing guidelines for research. The Council also set priorities for EC aid to South Africa in 1995, and launched a joint evaluation of EC aid programmes to the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the Mediterranean, and Asian and Latin America. There were exchanges of view on EC humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, migration and development, and the UN world conference on women.

  No votes were taken.

  Tropical Rain Forest, Cameroon
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of the Cameroon concerning the destruction of the tropical rain forest by logging companies. [25430]
  192
  Mr. Baldry
  The conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests are the focus of our aid programme to Cameroon and also the subject of regular dialogue with the Government of Cameroon. We are helping implement new forestry laws aimed at controlling exploitation and giving wider management powers to rural communities.

DEFENCE

  Compensation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions his Department has been sued by a former member of the armed forces as a result of incidents involving the negligent discharge of weapons in each of the last five years. [25935]

  Mr. Soames
  Fifty-three compensation claims have been identified for injury resulting from the negligent discharge of weapons. Legal proceedings have been issued in 16 cases.

  Military Equipment
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what military purpose three rough terrain wheeled tractors are required, as set out in tender No. EM and DIA/152; what consideration has been given to lease or contract hire of such equipment; and if he will make a statement. [26120]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 January 1995,Official Report, column 684.

  Princess Alexandra Hospital
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Princess Alexandra hospital in Swindon will be leased to the Princess Margaret hospital trust after the closure of the former in 1996. [26306]

  Mr. Soames
  Negotiations with the Swindon and Marlborough NHS trust on a possible use for the hospital have been progressing well, although a number of stages remain to be completed before a contract could be signed.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with representatives of Pan European Airways with regard to proposals to fly calves from military airbases in conjunction with the National Farmers Union; and if he has to date authorised the use of such bases. [26733]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has received no such approaches from Pan European Airways.

  Dartmouth Royal Regatta
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 230, on how many occasions since 1965 a guardship from his Department has not attended the Dartmouth royal regatta; if he will list the additional official duties during August 1995 which prevent the attendance of a guardship at the current regatta; and if he will review his decision. [27354]
  193
  Mr. Soames
  The Royal Navy has on each occasion between 1965 and 1994 been able to provide a vessel to attend the Dartmouth royal regatta. While it is not our practice to reveal the detailed operational programme of the Royal Navy, the following official tasks are being undertaken by Her Majesty's ships during August:

  Destroyers/Frigates—VJ commemorations—four vessels (visiting London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast)

  Plymouth Navy Days—five vessels

  Royal Yacht Escort—one vessel

  Mine Counter-measure Vessels—VJ Day—one vessel (visiting Liverpool)

  Navy days—one vessel

  Coming on top of the very high levels of operational commitments affecting RN vessels at present, these tasks mean that, regrettably, there is no prospect of providing a ship to attend the 1995 Dartmouth royal regatta.

  RAF Rissington
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the consultant's report on the future of RAF Rissington, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [27268]

  Mr. Soames
  It is not my Department's policy to publish such reports. In due course, a draft planning brief for the site will be released by the Cotswold district council for public consultation, and I understand that the hon. Member will be involved in that process.

  Air Attacks (Sarajevo)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian buildings were hit and how many civilian casualties were incurred in the recent bomb and rocket attacks by American planes under NATO command in the Sarajevo area. [27209]

  Mr. Soames
  None of which we are aware.

  Air Incident (West Cumbria)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to establish the ownership of the equipment jettisoned by an aircraft in west Cumbria on 31 May and the circumstances in which it was jettisoned. [27304]

  Mr. Soames
  I can confirm that my Department is inquiring into the circumstances which led to the discovery of an undamaged aircraft fuel tank to establish whether it was lost by a military aircraft.

  RAF Topcliffe
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of implementing additional flying training to date at Royal Air Force Topcliffe; what is the estimated total cost when complete; and if he will make a statement. [27162]

  Mr. Soames
  As part of the Royal Air Force's flying training rationalisation programme, a change of task is being implemented at RAF Topcliffe. This change will not involve additional flying training at the station, but there has been and will be some relocation of units to and from the site. The estimated cost of the relocation of flying units to RAF Topcliffe is £460,000; the majority of these costs will be incurred in financial year 1995–96.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations his Department had with(a) local authorities, (b) local organisations and
  194
  (c) residents prior to upgrading the additional flying hours and training aircraft at Royal Air Force Topcliffe; and if he will make a statement. [27166]

  Mr. Soames
  There has been no such consultation as no increase in flying hours or the number of training aircraft at RAF Topcliffe is planned as a result of the Royal Air Force's flying training rationalisation programme.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the increased number of(a) personnel, (b) aircraft by types and (c) flying hours when Royal Air Force Topcliffe has reached its additional training programme; and if he will make a statement. [27165]

  Mr. Soames
  No increase is planned in the number of my Department's personnel, aircraft or flying hours flown at RAF Topcliffe. Future flying training at RAF Topcliffe will, however, be conducted on the Tucano aircraft, whereas previous flying training carried out at the station utilised the Firefly aircraft.

  Service Bases
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 May, Official Report, column 230, if he will list all those Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Army bases which were sold to the highest bidder. [26275]

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is not held centrally by my Department, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Portland Naval Base
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the estimated cost to his Department of undertaking(a) a structural survey of key buildings and breakwaters and (b) an environmental assessment of the Portland naval base on behalf of the purchaser, Portland Port Ltd.; when this work began; and if he will make a statement. [26277]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has at present no intention of carrying out a structural survey of buildings and breakwaters at Portland naval base, nor do we intend to conduct an environmental assessment.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what undertakings have been given to Portland Port Ltd. in respect of new roads to the Dorchester bypass, and thence north to the M5, the midlands and south Wales; what will be the estimated cost to the Government of fulfilling these undertakings; when such roads may be complete; and if he will make a statement. [26278]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has given no undertaking to Portland Port Ltd. in respect of new roads to the Dorchester bypass, and thence north to the M5, the midlands and south Wales. The question of any costs falling to my Department does not therefore arise.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 404, if he will list the meetings between officials of his Department and prospective bidders for the purchase of the Portland naval base; if he will name the lobbying companies which made representations on behalf of the bidders; and if he will make a statement. [26279]
  195
  Mr. Soames
  Meetings between my officials and prospective bidders for the Portland naval base were held on 27 May, 15 July and 15 December 1994; and 4 January, 12 January, 14 February, 21 February, 22 February and 7 April 1995. No representations were made by lobbying companies on behalf of the bidders.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Drivers Jonas report into the sale of Portland naval base. [26280]

  Mr. Soames
  The Drivers Jonas report on options for the reuse of the Portland naval base was commissioned in 1993 by Weymouth and Portland borough council. Requests for a copy of the report should therefore be made to the council.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the work being carried out by his Department at Portland naval base prior to the handover to Portland Port Ltd.; what is the cost of these works; and if he will make a statement. [26513]

  Mr. Soames
  Work at Portland naval base is limited to the maintenance work required to meet my Department's obligations until the property is relinquished on 31 March next year. In addition, work will be carried out to clear ordnance from the site in accordance with the usual policy for property in disposal. It is not yet possible to assess the cost of this work.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to undertake the removal of a structure blocking the southern entrance to Portland naval base; if he will identify the nature and cause of that blockage; if he will estimate the cost of removing the structure; and if he will make a statement. [26514]

  Mr. Soames
  In 1914, the battleship HMS Hood was sunk as a blockship in the southern entrance to Portland harbour to provide protection against submarine and torpedo attack. The presence of the hulk, which is now totally submerged, markedly reduces the swell in the harbour which would otherwise be experienced during southerly winds. There are at present no plans to remove the hulk which does not restrict the use of, or access to, the harbour.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Lone Parents
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost of benefits payable to single parents. [26411]

  Mr. Burt
  Total benefit expenditure on lone parents in 1994–95 is expected to be £9.1 billion.

  Employment Categorisation
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people, classified as self-employed by the Inland Revenue, are required by the Contributions Agency to he treated as employed for the purposes of national insurance contributions; and in what types of activity they are mainly engaged. [26389]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Inland Revenue and the Contributions Agency are committed to a "common approach" in determining employment status. Under this arrangement, the conclusion reached by one Department 196
  about an individual's status after an investigation of all the facts will normally be accepted by the other.

  It is not possible to estimate the number of people who are treated as self-employed by the Inland Revenue but as employees by the Contributions Agency for the purposes of national insurance contributions. There is a very limited number of groups of workers covered by particular statutory rules which may result in such different treatment.

  Certain divers are assessable as self-employed persons for income tax purposes but pay national insurance contributions as employees. Additionally, the Social Security (Categorisation of Earners) Regulations provide that particular groups of workers should be treated as employees. In these cases it may mean occasionally that the national insurance treatment differs from the tax treatment. The following groups of workers are affected:

  Agency workers;

  Ministers of religion;

  Office cleaners;

  Part-time or visiting lecturers, teachers or instructors;

  Persons employed by their spouse.

  There is currently some difference in treatment involving workers in the entertainment industry which is under review.

  National Insurance Numbers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give an undertaking that the national insurance number will be used only with respect to taxation and social security benefits; and if he will make a statement. [26398]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Monday 30 January,Official Report, column 519.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to respond to the report into housing benefit published by the Social Security Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on its conclusions. [26653]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I have received a copy of the report "Housing Benefit—The Review of Social Security", paper 3, which was published on 11 May and have noted the issues identified. The report does not call for a formal response, but I welcome the views of the committee in the context of the Government's proposals to improve work incentives and to target housing benefit more effectively—matters on which the committee has been consulted separately.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many nuclear test participants are in receipt of war pensions. [26662]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income Support
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that claimants without bank accounts receiving payments above the girocheque
  197
  encashment limit resulting from successful tribunal decisions receive such payments in a form which they can convert into cash; and if he will make a statement. [26741]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Yes.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of people paying contributions to a personal pension scheme in each year since 1988 under the categories(a) self-employed

  Numbers: Thousands

  Type of scheme

  1988–89

  21989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Self-employed contributors1

  44

  104

  238

  423

  599

  n/a

  1 A self-employed person has been defined as someone whose main source of income is from self-employment.

  2 For the years prior to 1990–91 the estimates are less firm because before independent taxation Inland Revenue recorded income separately for the husband and wife, but only recorded allowable deductions from income, such as personal pension contributions, for the tax unit as a whole. Where both husband and wife were self-employed and there was a personal pension contribution, an assumption has been made that it is attributable to only one partner. Where only one partner is in self-employment any PP contributions are assumed to be attributable to that person.

  3 Figures from the survey for the tax year 1993–94 are not yet available.

  Source:

  Inland Revenue Survey of Personal Incomes.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Retirements and Redundancies
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many staff of(a) the Department of National Heritage and (b) agencies for which the Department of National Heritage is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993–94 and (2) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25507]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information in respect of the Department of National Heritage and its two agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces agency and the Royal Parks agency, is as follows:

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96 (estimate)

  DNH

  Early/voluntary retirement

  1

  13

  nil

  Compulsory redundancy

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Medical retirement

  nil

  nil

  1

  HRPA

  Early/voluntary retirement

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Compulsory redundancy

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Medical retirement

  2

  6

  1

  RPA

  Early/voluntary retirement

  nil

  12

  2

  Compulsory redundancy

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Medical retirement

  nil

  5

  4

  1
  Costs charged to the Property Services Agency under the PSA's "Early retirement/Swap Scheme".

  Departmental Performance
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what performance indicators and performance targets there are for measuring the performance of his 198
  contributors, (b) employed contributors, not contracted out of SERPS, (c) employed contributors, contracted out of SERPS, receiving DSS rebate-only contributions to the scheme, and (d) employed contributors, contracted out of SERPS making personal payments in addition to DSS rebates. [21839]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Further to my answer of 1 May, Official Report, columns 112–13, estimates of the number of self-employed contributors to personal pensions are in the table.

  Department in (a) answering letters from members of the public and (b) answering telephone calls from members of the public; how performance is monitored; and what are the latest figures for performance measured against the target set. [26228]

  Mr. Dorrell
  My Department has set a performance target of 18 working days from receipt for dealing with written correspondence. If necessary, an interim reply will be issued explaining when the full answer can be provided.

  A correspondence tracking system is in place to log correspondence answered via Ministers' offices and to monitor performance. In 1994, there were 6,355 pieces of private office correspondence requiring a reply. Five thousand and twenty, approximately 79 per cent., were answered within the Department's target. Although this is less than one would have hoped, it must be borne in mind that the Department must often consult with its sponsored bodies in order to provide replies.

  All telephone inquiries received by the DNH public inquiry unit will be answered on the spot where possible. The remainder will be answered within two working days or by negotiation, as appropriate to the scope of the inquiry. During 1994, all telephone inquiries were dealt with within the agreed target.

  All telephone and written inquiries made under the open government code of practice will be answered within the required time scale of 20 working days from receipt of the inquiry as set out in the DNH procedural note.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will establish national heritage funds for England, Scotland and Wales to administer the funds collected in each country through points of sale; and if he will appoint to each members who are representative of lottery ticket buyers and require them to consult an expense-paid advisory council chosen proportionately by random selection from socio-economic groups who purchase lottery tickets; [26845]
  199
  (2) if he will review the operation of the national lottery to ensure that its proceeds are spent on projects which are indisputably of benefit to the socio-economic groups who have bought most of the tickets. [26864]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The arrangements for distributing the net proceeds of the national lottery were agreed by Parliament and are working effectively. I have no plans to change them.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to invite(a) the Federation of Women's Institutes, (b) the Townswomen's Guild, (c) the British Legion and (d) other grassroots non-political organisations to consult their members and put forward each year local projects for the use of national heritage funds obtained from the lottery for the benefit of the socio-economic groups which contribute most of the money. [26877]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The applications process for grants from the national lottery is open to everyone provided their proposal is for the public good and not primarily for private gain. I am sure that the 11 independent distributing bodies would welcome appropriate applications from the groups mentioned and other similar organisations.

  Mrs. Llin Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much money projects concerned with children's play have received from the national lottery. [26752]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Projects concerned with children's play have not yet received any awards from national lottery proceeds.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the revenue raised from admission charges to museums and galleries sponsored by his Department for each institution, broken down to show(a) revenue from general admission charges and (b) revenue from charges for entry to temporary exhibitions in the last year for which figures are available. [26145]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 25 May 1995]: The information is shown in the table.

  Estimated revenue from (a) general admissions to the museum and (b) charges for entry to temporary exhibitions in DNH-sponsored museums and galleries in 1994–95

  Institution

  (a) £ million

  (b) £ million

  British Museum

  nil

  0.277

  Imperial War Museum

  3.293

  nil

  National Gallery

  nil

  0.224

  National Maritime Museum

  1.489

  nil

  National Museum of Science and Industry

  1.745

  nil

  National Museum and Galleries on Merseyside

  0.347

  0.175

  National Portrait Gallery

  nil

  0.250

  Natural History Museum

  3.133

  nil

  Royal Armouries

  n/a1

  nil

  Tate Gallery

  0.187

  1.449

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  1.1432

  0.628

  Wallace Collection

  nil

  nil

  Geffrye Museum

  nil

  nil

  200

  Estimated revenue from (a) general admissions to the museum and (b) charges for entry to temporary exhibitions in DNH-sponsored museums and galleries in 1994–95

  Institution

  (a) £ million

  (b) £ million

  Horniman Museum

  nil

  nil

  Museum of London

  0.270

  nil

  Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

  0.415

  nil

  Sir John Soane's Museum

  nil

  nil

  Total

  12.022

  3.003

  1 It is not possible to provide figures for the Royal Armouries as admission is via a combined ticket to the Tower of London.

  2 The Victoria and Albert Museum suggests a level of voluntary donation for admission to its South Kensington site.

  The figures are based on revised information supplied for the purpose by the institutions and include revenue for admissions from outstations of two institutions—the Tate gallery and the national museums and galleries on Mersyside—which do not charge for admission to their main sites.

  BBC Production
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what research has been(a) undertaken by and (b) evaluated by his Department to establish if it is (i) cheaper or (ii) more expensive for the BBC to produce a programme in-house or to commission it from independent producers; and if he will arrange for this research to be published. [26778]

  Mr. Dorrell
  None. The BBC must determine the most cost-effective way of commissioning and making programmes, and how it meets the statutory obligation to commission 25 per cent. of its qualifying output from the independent sector. My Department is, however, concerned with the wider question of the efficiency of the broadcasting sector, including the BBC and independent producers, in the context of helping the industry to improve its international competitiveness.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes he proposes to make to his Department's cash limits and running cost limits for 1995–96. [27839]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the following change will be made: The cash limit for class XI, vote 1—programme expenditure and administration—will be reduced by £5,999,000 from £999,272,000 to £993,273,000. The reduction reflects the removal of the gross subhead for ERDF expenditure from the supply estimates. The expenditure, which is wholly pre-funded by receipts from the EC, will be controlled through a new non-voted cash limit, DNH/ERDF for agency payments on behalf of the EC. The level of receipts and payments, mainly in support of projects aimed at promoting tourism, will be brought to the attention of Parliament through the creation of a net token subhead on the vote.

  Indemnity Undertakings
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was(a) the number of indemnity undertakings given by Departments under section 16 of the

  201
  National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-month period ending 31 March and (b) the value of any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time and which remain outstanding as at 31 March. [27840]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information my hon. Friend requests is as follows:In the six-month period ended 31 March 1995 the following undertakings to indemnify were given by the relevant departments for items on loan to national and non-national institutions.

  Items

  Department of National Heritage

  469

  Scottish Office Education Department

  77

  Welsh Office Education Department

  35

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  14

  The values of contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time and outstanding at 31 March 1995 are:

  £

  Department of National Heritage

  2,096,423,871

  Scottish Office Education Department

  169,842,604

  Welsh Office Education Department

  25,179,133

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  5,098,379

  Disabled Access
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he has taken to ensure access for the disabled to(a) theatres and (b) cinemas. [25253]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: My Department is a major funding partner in the ADAPT trust, which provides adaptations to theatres, cinemas, and other arts buildings, specifically to improve access for disabled people. I have also written to the chairman of the distributing bodies of national lottery funds, asking that the needs of disabled people are taken into account in the allocation of funds to successful projects. The Arts Council and the regional arts boards are fully committed to access initiatives for disabled people.

  Complaints
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what policy and procedures exist for dealing with complaints against his Department by members of the public; when his Department last updated its policy; what time limit and target for dealing with such complaints his Department has; and what follow-up procedure exists where complainants are not satisfied with his Department's response to a complaint. [26212]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Any complaint against my Department will be dealt with as promptly as possible. However, we do not have a formal DNH complaints procedure.

  The two executive agencies and the sponsored bodies for which I am responsible are involved more directly in providing services to the public. Both agencies have visitors charters which set out full complaints procedures. In addition, the 23 sponsored bodies having the greatest direct dealings with the public have been asked to draw up charter standard statements. The majority of these have now been published and all set out formal complaints procedures.

  Any member of the public who is dissatisfied with how a complaint has been dealt with by either DNH, its two
  202
  agencies or those of its sponsored bodies which come under the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, may ask a Member of Parliament to submit their complaint to the PCA for investigation and review.

  Retirements and Redundancies
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the annual cost to the Department of staff leaving under redundancy or early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payments, (ii) redundancy payments, (iii) pension payments including enhancements and (iv) any other special arrangements for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and projected for (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1996–97. [25642]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department of National Heritage was created in April 1992, and has two executive agencies, Historic Royal Palaces and Royal Parks, which were created in October 1991 and April 1993 respectively.

  The costs to the Department of early retirement and redundancies are borne from the Department's running costs provision. A detailed breakdown of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The total costs borne on the Department's and agencies' running costs in 1993–94 and 1994–95 are shown as actual figures. For 1995–96 the amounts are estimated. Projections for 1996–97 will be determined during the public expenditure survey.

  The early retirement costs for DNH and HRPA and RPA are shown in the table:

  DNH

  HRPA

  RPA

  1993–94

  £26,866.44

  Nil

  Nil

  1994–95

  £30,029.45

  Nil

  Nil

  1995–96

  £19,811.40

  Nil

  £958.72

  1996–97

  —

  —

  —

  Royal Art Collection
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what additional percentage of works of art in the royal collection has now been recorded on the computerised inventory; and when he expects the undertaking to be completed. [26566]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 28 April, column 737. Any questions concerning the royal collection should be addressed to: The Director of the Royal Collection Trust, Stable Yard house, St. James's palace, London SW1A 1JR.

TREASURY

  Surplus Land
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Treasury guidelines on disposal of surplus Government land. [26276]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Copies of the guidance will be placed in the Library.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Treasury's cash and running costs limits in 1995–96. [27561]

  Sir George Young
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate the cash limit for class XVII, vote 1 will be reduced by £3,887,000 from £70,730,000 to £66,843,000 and the running costs limit will be reduced by £17,080,000 from £76,280,000 to £59,200,000. The reductions comprise:a transfer of responsibility and net provision of £2,395,000, mainly for the central management of the principal civil service pension scheme, to the Office of Public Service and Science class XVIII, vote 1;
  a reduction of £2,000,000 in running costs expenditure arising from the Treasury's fundamental expenditure review;
  a transfer of £169,000 to the Department of Health; and
  an increase in other current and capital expenditure of £677,000.

  Tradepoint Financial Networks plc
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about Tradepoint Financial Networks plc. [27752]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Securities and Investments Board is today announcing its decision to recognise Tradepoint Financial Networks plc—Tradepoint—as an investment exchange under the Financial Services Act 1986.

  The Treasury has given SIB leave under the FSA to recognise Tradepoint. This decision was reached after receiving a report from the Director General of Fair Trading. This report concluded that none of Tradepoint's rules has, or is likely or intended to have, any significantly anti-competitive effect. Having considered the DGFT's report, I have concluded that there are no grounds on which the Treasury should refuse SIB leave to recognise Tradepoint as an investment exchange.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union. [27373]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Economic and Finance Council of the European Union in Brussels on 22 May.

  £ million

  Corporation Tax

  Year

  Petroleum revenue tax

  Supplementary petroleum duty

  ACT set-off

  Main-stream CT

  Royalty

  Total

  1979–80

  1,435

  —

  78

  172

  628

  2,313

  1980–81

  2,410

  —

  97

  244

  992

  3,743

  1981–82

  2,390

  2,025

  270

  411

  1,396

  6,492

  1982–83

  3,274

  2,395

  202

  319

  1,632

  7,822

  1983–84

  6,017

  —

  430

  447

  1,904

  8,798

  1984–85

  7,177

  —

  1,244

  1,188

  2,426

  12,035

  1985–86

  6,375

  —

  1,085

  1,831

  2,057

  11,348

  1986–87

  1,188

  —

  1,130

  1,546

  919

  4,783

  1987–88

  2,296

  —

  681

  617

  1,024

  4,618

  1988–89

  1,371

  —

  685

  510

  602

  3,168

  1989–90

  1,050

  —

  495

  248

  575

  2,368

  1990–91

  860

  —

  363

  484

  605

  2,312

  1991–92

  -216

  —

  370

  268

  557

  979

  1992–93

  69

  —

  480

  202

  554

  1,305

  1993–94

  359

  —

  219

  39

  606

  1,223

  1994–95

  710

  —

  300

  80

  540

  1,630

  204
  The Council reached a broad consensus on a proposed regulation on the protection of the Community's financial interests fraud. I stressed the need for early agreement on an effective text which would produce a significant improvement on existing arrangements.

  Political agreement on a common position was reached on the proposed investor compensation directive to set minimum compensation requirements for EU investment firms and credit institutions.

  The Commission made short presentations on the state of trans-European networks and their financing; on its spring economic forecasts and on amended proposals for a carbon-energy tax in the light of the conclusions of the Essen European Council.

  The Council agreed that the conditions were now met for the disbursement of the 85 mecu loan to the Ukraine agreed in December 1994. There was also broad agreement in principle to a further loan of up to 200 mecu, with a first tranche of 100 mecu, and with the amount of the second tranche to be determined by the Council on the basis of satisfactory burden sharing. The implementation of the loan is to be linked to the Council's assessment of progress on the nuclear question.

  The Council adopted a regulation by qualified majority to delay revaluation of the Belgian franc within the agrimonetary system. I made clear the UK's opposition to the proposal and accordingly voted against. I stressed that we would not accept any increase in the agricultural guideline.

  There was a brief discussion about pressures on the financial perspectives ceilings for internal and external spending. I agreed with the Dutch and German representatives on the need for more transparency and for budgetary restraint at an EU level as well as at a national level.

  North Sea Oil Revenue
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the different sources of Government revenue received in relation to the production of North sea oil; and if he will calculate the total amount of revenue the Government have received from these sources for each year since 1979. [27262]

  Sir George Young
  Revenues raised from North sea oil and gas production since 1979–80 amount to £75 billion. Annual revenues by category of tax have been as follows:

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for 1995–96 the average amount of(a) income tax reliefs claimed at the marginal rate, (b) income tax allowances claimed at the marginal rate, (c) income tax reliefs claimed at a rate other than the marginal rate, and (d) income tax allowances claimed at a rate other than the marginal rate for those with gross incomes over (i) £70,000, (ii) £80,000 and (iii) £100,000. [25010]

  Values of allowances and reliefs averaged over all taxpayers, 1995–96

  Gross Incomes above £

  Income tax reliefs claimed at marginal rate £

  Income tax allowances claimed at marginal rate £

  Income tax reliefs claimed at a rate other than marginal rate £

  Income tax allowances claimed at a rate other than marginal rate £

  70,000

  2,490

  1,410

  290

  200

  80,000

  2,810

  1,410

  290

  200

  100,000

  3,570

  1,410

  300

  200

EDUCATION

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what changes she has to announce to cash limits and running costs on votes within her responsibility for 1995–96. [27444]

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 2, higher and further education and student support will be amended as follows:

  Class and Vote

  Current cash limit £

  Change £

  Revised cash limit £

  X.2

  5,909,345,000

  -1,008,000

  5,908,337,000

  Notes:

  The reduction in the cash limit is made up as follows:

  (a) £240,000 represents a transfer to the Welsh Office for payment to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to cover the costs of students attending diploma in social work courses in Wales;

  (b) £246,000 is to offset increased expenditure on postgraduate awards—non-cash limited; and

  (c) £522,000 transfers from the Higher Education Funding Council for England: grant in aid subhead to student loans non-cash limited to contribute to the expected cost of loans to students attending diploma in social work courses.

  The opportunity has been taken to provide for the Department to meet outstanding insurance claims from the Royal College of Arts totalling £20,000 by making a new sub-head C2. Grant in aid to the Further Education Funding Council is to be increased by £175,000 to allow for work to commence on colleges to allow for access for students with disabilities. Savings have been identified in sub-head B2—grants and bursaries for teacher training—to offset the cost of this expenditure. There is no increase in net provision as a result.

  Teachers' Pensions
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the future administration of teachers' pensions in England and Wales. [27443]
  206
  Sir George Young
  Provisional estimates at 1995–96 income levels based on a projection of the 1992–93 survey of personal incomes and other survey data in line with assumptions in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96" are given in the table. The estimates do not take account of certain tax reliefs for which detailed distributional information is not available, including personal equity plans, tax-exempt special savings accounts, profit-related pay and national savings.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has decided to invite expressions of interest for a contract to administer the teachers' superannuation scheme.

  The report that we commissioned from the consultants KPMG concluded that a contract with a private sector company would offer the prospect of substantial savings for the taxpayer. We owe it to the taxpayer to find out whether such savings are indeed available. Inviting expressions of interest for a contract will help to establish this. We shall let a contract only if it would provide better value for money than keeping the administration of the teachers' superannuation scheme in the public sector. We expect that any contract would start in the latter part of 1996.

  The contract would require a standard of service and performance that was at least as high as that which the Teachers Pensions Agency would provide. We would monitor the contractor's performance to ensure that he met those standards. A contractor would not be allowed to use data on teachers for purposes other than administering the scheme.

  Any contract would concern only the administration of the scheme. Whether or not the administration is contractorised, the scheme itself will stay in the public sector, on its current statutory basis; my right hon. Friend will remain responsible to Parliament for the scheme; and officials in the Department for Education will be responsible for advising Ministers on policy on teachers' pensions. Letting a contract would not affect the size or safety of teachers' pensions in any way.

  The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring that the scheme continues to operate smoothly and without interruption. Any contractor would therefore have to be a well-established company with a proven track record and a reputation for sound relations between staff and management. The crucial importance of continuity would give a natural advantage to potential contractors who proposed to continue to operate from the TPA's current site in Darlington.

  We are advised that DFE staff who transferred to a new employer would have the protection offered by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. If we transferred the administration of

  207
  the scheme to the private sector, the contracts of employment of those civil servants employed on the work concerned immediately before the transfer would therefore automatically transfer to the contractor.

  We are grateful to all those who submitted comments during recent consultations on the TPA's future. I have placed a summary of those comments—and the Government's responses to them—in the Library. The comments showed a widespread view that the TPA provides a good service to teachers. That reflects credit on the staff of the TPA and on its chief executive, Denyse Metcalfe. We now want to build on the TPA's success. We believe that the best way to do so is to invite

  School catering services

  £000

  1987–88 to 1993–94

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Net expenditure Total

  Berkshire

  n/a

  n/a

  1,825

  1,145

  1,522

  1,938

  2,281

  9,614

  Lincolnshire

  2,002

  1,935

  1,971

  1,982

  785

  914

  875

  11,389

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,645

  1,383

  1,393

  1,372

  1,772

  1,886

  1,809

  12,178

  Dorset

  1,570

  1,553

  1,624

  1,322

  1,599

  1,998

  1,873

  12,451

  Buckinghamshire

  2,118

  1,577

  2,109

  1,519

  1,611

  1,980

  1,659

  13,477

  Gloucestershire

  2,715

  2,366

  2,835

  2,758

  2,790

  1,959

  1,586

  17,925

  Somerset

  4,122

  3,038

  3,082

  3,117

  2,311

  1,706

  1,775

  20,084

  Cornwall

  2,679

  2,394

  2,312

  2,759

  3,269

  3,394

  2,751

  20,466

  Shropshire

  3,899

  2,670

  3,080

  1,881

  2,501

  3,071

  2,643

  20,677

  West Sussex

  2,857

  2,427

  2,491

  2,345

  2,993

  3,355

  3,720

  21,126

  Suffolk

  4,641

  2,702

  n/a

  430

  3,624

  6,773

  2,307

  21,412

  Northamptonshire

  5,575

  2,553

  3,903

  3,535

  1,715

  2,156

  1,883

  22,248

  Wiltshire

  3,210

  3,090

  3,583

  2,985

  2,779

  2,862

  3,039

  22,487

  Oxfordshire

  2,926

  2,893

  2,445

  2,933

  2,978

  3,303

  4,182

  22,591

  Warwickshire

  3,969

  3,929

  3,284

  3,057

  3,489

  3,722

  3,429

  25,816

  Northumberland

  3,786

  3,443

  3,552

  3,513

  3,906

  3,776

  3,150

  26,055

  Cumbria

  4,388

  3,544

  3,148

  3,960

  3,826

  2,837

  3,505

  26,117

  Cambridgeshire

  3,125

  2,875

  2,679

  3,833

  3,935

  4,707

  4,448

  26,507

  North Yorkshire

  6,145

  2,884

  4,538

  3,385

  3,201

  3,376

  3,667

  28,123

  Bedfordshire

  2,995

  3,274

  3,918

  3,795

  4,001

  5,184

  4,786

  28,855

  Surrey

  6,046

  2,508

  2,689

  3,610

  4,400

  5,695

  3,709

  29,593

  East Sussex

  3,837

  3,803

  4,464

  3,964

  5,120

  5,950

  3,975

  32,027

  Norfolk

  3,655

  3,463

  3,072

  3,917

  4,887

  6,623

  6,169

  32,712

  Kent

  6,281

  4,968

  6,327

  3,302

  8,049

  5,323

  6,055

  41,228

  Cheshire

  8,208

  7,356

  6,065

  4,279

  5,079

  5,685

  5,539

  43,117

  Devon

  6,935

  6,766

  7,548

  4,832

  5,537

  6,466

  6,539

  45,534

  Hertfordshire

  5,746

  4,405

  4,561

  6,319

  9,508

  9,243

  5,396

  46,097

  Staffordshire

  7,154

  6,735

  4,887

  5,211

  7,232

  7,294

  7,526

  46,973

  Leicestershire

  9,156

  5,749

  5,561

  7,041

  7,541

  6,707

  6,633

  49,312

  Durham

  7,458

  6,416

  7,390

  7,331

  8,453

  9,866

  2,158

  49,985

  Essex

  12,462

  8,315

  6,579

  5,366

  5,898

  6,605

  6,235

  52,375

  Hampshire

  6,040

  5,719

  6,779

  7,931

  10.333

  10,745

  11,590

  60,054

  Nottinghamshire

  12,821

  12,382

  9,960

  7,518

  n/a

  12,045

  11,593

  67,249

  Cleveland

  10,073

  7,948

  8,827

  10,158

  10,910

  10,914

  10,258

  69,995

  Avon

  8,789

  8,066

  7,834

  11,484

  11,328

  11,878

  10,599

  70,879

  Humberside

  12,321

  9,750

  9,396

  11,580

  14,693

  14,992

  17,121

  90,773

  Lancashire

  13,987

  11,710

  12,795

  11,266

  13,424

  14,830

  15,074

  94,009

  Derbyshire

  15,723

  16,975

  14,111

  15,336

  18,679

  19,381

  13,908

  115,023

  n/a not available

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the terms of reference of the report of the working party on the measurement of unemployment in the United Kingdom of the Royal Statistical Society; what was the cost to public funds; and who called for or commissioned the report. [25724]
  208
  expressions of interest for a contract to administer the scheme.

  School Catering Service
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list in ascending order the difference between income and expenditure for school meal services for all counties over the last seven years. [27305]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table gives the total net expenditure on the school catering service for all counties from 1987–88 to 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available. The figures are not necessarily comparable because over the seven years returns were not received from all authorities.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The working party on the measurement of unemployment in the UK, set up by the Royal Statistical Society in June 1994, was commissioned by the council of the RSS to investigate the validity of the methods by which unemployment is measured in the UK, and to report back to the RSS. The working party received the support of both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Her Majesty's Opposition. The only cost to public funds involved the
  209
  time devoted by Ministers and officials to providing the RSS with information.

  Skills Shortage
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on estimates of skills shortages recorded in surveys conducted by private or public bodies which he has evaluated for each standard region; and if he will make a statement. [25766]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The 1994 "Skills Needs in Britain" survey found that 11 per cent. of medium and large firms were experiencing recruitment difficulties; the 1994–95 "Skills Needs of Small Firms in Britain" survey found that 8 per cent. of small firms were experiencing them.

  The following table shows the percentage of employers experiencing recruitment difficulties in each of the two surveys by Training Enterprise and Education Directorate region:

  Per cent.

  TEED region

  Skill needs in Britain 1994 (medium and large firms)

  Skill needs of small firms in Britain 1994–95

  South-east

  16

  7

  London

  11

  13

  South-west

  6

  5

  West midlands

  13

  6

  East midlands

  17

  10

  Eastern

  7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  8

  9

  North-west (excluding Greater Manchester)

  10

  4

  Greater Manchester

  13

  Northern

  8

  4

  Scotland

  7

  11

  Wales

  3

  10

  Recruitment difficulties are not necessarily due to skill shortages. Employers may not be able to fill posts because job seekers are looking for_ better pay or conditions, or employers are too selective.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes will be made to cash limits or running costs limits of his Department for 1995–96. [27429]

  Mr. Portillo
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:the case limit or class V, vote 1—Department of Employment: programmes and central services—will be increased by £9,465,000 from £2,112,246,000 to £2,121,711,000;
  the gross running cost limit for the Department of Employment—class V, vote 1—will be reduced by £35,000 from £1,363,739,000 to £1,363,704,000.

  The cash limit increase on class V, vote 1 is to provide for ex gratia payments to sponsors of European social fund projects which have been approved by the Department, but which have not been accepted by the European Commission.

  The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
  210
  The running costs limit reduction is the result of a transfer of administrative costs to the Scottish Office contingent on the transfer to it of ESF provision.

  Young People
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom have either education or training places and what were the figures in 1979.

  Mr. Paice
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 March 1995, c.132]: I regret that the figure for the percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds in education or training in the UK in 1984 given in my oral reply was incorrect. The incorrect figure given was that 54 per cent. of 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK in 1984 had education or training places. The correct figure for 1984 is 70 per cent. This represented 1.3 million young people in 1984. The figures for spring 1994 remain unchanged at 84 per cent. of 16 and 17-year-olds, representing 1.1 million young people.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Housing
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new measures he will adopt to meet housing need. [25934]

  Mr. Moss
  Under the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is required to assess housing need and to develop programmes for meeting that need. The executive and housing associations have effective programmes to meet need both by direct provision and by facilitating or enabling other individuals or agencies to do so. The housing policy review and on-going research will help determine any future proposals for meeting housing need.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the research project commissioned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive into waiting lists, allocations and urgent housing rent will be completed. [25942]

  Mr. Moss
  The initial report on the research project is expected to be with the executive by 26 January 1996.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the review into the housing selection scheme will be completed. [25941]

  Mr. Moss
  The review of the housing selection scheme is expected to be completed by March 1996.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the professional qualifications of the special advisers appointed by his Department; and whom they advise. [25956]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I have appointed one special adviser who works directly to me. It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications of my special advisers.

  Fixed Penalty Notices
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the police divisions in Belfast since 31 August 1994. [25939]
  211
  Sir John Wheeler
  The number of fixed penalty notices issued by the RUC in each of the Belfast police divisions, from 1 September 1994 to 31 March 1995, is as follows:

  A Division: 17,360

  B Division: 2,404

  D Division: 3,249

  E Division: 2,943

  Health Boards (Staff)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have taken place to terms and conditions of employment for staff transferred to private contractors under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 in support services in the health boards since 1990. [26002]

  Mr. Moss
  For each contract awarded to a private contractor under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, the staff transferred with their existing terms and conditions. It is not known what changes, if any, have taken place subsequent to transfer as this is properly a matter for the employers and employees concerned. Any changes resulting from a transfer have, of course, to be the subject of negotiation and agreement between the relevant parties.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Live Animal Transport
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how the requirement in article 3.1(a) of EC directive 91/628, that member states shall ensure that no animal shall be transported unless suitable provisions have been made for its care on arrival at the place of destination, has been transposed into United Kingdom law; [24733]

  (2) what arrangements he has made to fulfil Her Majesty's obligation under article 3.1(a) of EC directive 91/628, to ensure that no animal is transported unless suitable provisions have been made for its care on arrival at the place of destination, and if he will make a statement. [24734]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 16 May 1995]: When transposing directive 91/628, we took the view that the provisions of British domestic legislation on the treatment of animals on agricultural land gave the assurance required under Article 3.1(b) of the directive.

  Fisheries Policy
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will argue for the repatriation of fisheries policy at the forthcoming IGC. [25445]

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to raise this issue at the next IGC.

  Healthy Eating
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his Department's projects aimed at promoting healthy eating, indicating the cost of each project to his Department. [26303]

  Mrs. Browning
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply being given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary 212
  of State for Health, which covers my Department's joint involvement in the work of the nutrition task force.

  In addition to the initiatives being taken forward under the nutrition task force programme, my Department is involved in a number of projects to promote healthy eating through education and information. The costs of these are as follows:

  Total cost up to end 1994–95 financial year £

  Foodsense Healthy Eating booklet

  178,800

  Foodsense Healthy Eating for Older People booklet

  20,300

  Foodsense Healthy Eating video for the deaf

  23,000

  Eight Guidelines for a Healthy Diet (booklet and poster)

  23,300

  Substantial funding of the British Nutrition Foundation's School Resource Pack "Food a Fact of Life"

  1,046,000

  Healthy Eating for Toddlers ((a booklet for mothers) in the course of development). A comic for children, based on the Food Sense booklet for adults (in the course of development)

  Costs yet to be determined

  The British Nutrition Foundation schools pack and the proposed comic for children cover food safety issues as well as healthy eating.

  Costs yet to be determined

  Live Animal Exports
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions calves have been returned from Baginton airport to their premises of origin; and flow long they remained there before being re-transported. [26425]

  Mrs. Browning
  I am advised that in 1994 and 1995, there were five occasions when calves were returned to premises of origin from Baginton airport. On two occasions calves that had been so returned were re-exported through Baginton airport where they were subject to welfare checks by officials. The calves had remained at the respective premises of origin for periods of two days and three days before restarting their journey.

SCOTLAND

  A78
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement indicating the latest position as regards proposals for the Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston bypass. [25334]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 May 1995]: I wrote to the hon. Member on 31 January to let him know that I had accepted that a more northerly alignment than that previously proposed should be adopted. Design for this new alignment is progressing to enable publication of new draft statutory orders in 1996.

  Zetland Primary School
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government intend to approve the closure of Zetland primary school in Grangemouth in central region. [26872]
  213
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend's consent to the closure of a non-denominational primary school is required only in the circumstances prescribed in schedule 2 to the Education (Public and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981, namely, where the number of pupils at the school is greater than 80 per cent. of its pupil capacity, or where pupils would have to attend a different school five or more miles from the school proposed for closure. My right hon. Friend understands that neither of these criteria applies in the case of Zetland primary school, Grangemouth and any decision to close it would, therefore, be entirely a matter for the education authority.

  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedure applies to the Central regional council to close Zetland primary school in Grangemouth. [26850]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Any education authority which makes a proposal to close a school is required to consult in accordance with the detailed provisions of the Education (Publication and Consultation etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981, and to have regard to any representations made to it by persons it is required to consult.

  Tourism
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated annual value of wildlife tourism in Shetland. [27121]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not collected. Shetland Islands Tourism estimates, however, that around 20 per cent. of visitors to the islands come primarily to watch the wildlife. The estimated annual value of tourism to Shetland is around £10 million.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he issues about the minimum number of pupils for a primary school. [26857]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has issued no guidance on this subject. The detailed organisation of school provision is a matter for education authorities, having regard to local circumstances and their statutory duty to secure that there is made for their area adequate and efficient provision of school education.

  Civil Servants
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of civil service posts, including positions in executive agencies but excluding technical appointments at grades 1 to 6 which have been advertised, together with the number of applicants, interviewees and appointees broken down to show(a) civil servants and (b) non-civil servants for each year from 1 January 1990 to 31 December as a whole in Scotland. [26942]

  Mr. Lang
  The information is not available in the form requested, but I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Brent Spar Platform
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to intervene in the proposed dumping at sea by the Shell oil company of the Brent Spar platform. [26691]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The deep sea disposal of the Brent Spar buoy in the north-east Atlantic at a depth in excess of 2,000 m will not present a hazard to the environment or to other users of the sea including fishermen. Disposal in this way complies fully with our obligations under international conventions. Accordingly, Shell UK has received the necessary approval for this disposal.

  Scottish Nuclear
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those aspects of the proposed privatisation of Scottish Nuclear which will require parliamentary approval. [27252]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: The Government's White Paper "The Prospects for Nuclear Power in the UK", Cm 2860, stated—paragraph 7.30—that no primary legislation is required to privatise the nuclear generators.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which areas of land in the constituency of Cunninghame, North he intends to dispose of as part of the proposed privatisation of Scottish Nuclear. [27250]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Scottish Nuclear Ltd. has already disposed of most of the land belonging to the company in the Hunterston area for which it has no foreseeable need. No decision has yet been taken about how much land belonging to Scottish Nuclear Ltd. will be privatised with the company.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage of people aged five to 18 years with permanent teeth which are actively decayed, filled or missing due to decay. [27200]

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

  Proportion of people in Scotland with permanent teeth which are actively decayed, filled or missing

  Age

  Percentage of people

  5

  1

  6

  6

  7

  18

  8

  29

  9

  41

  10

  46

  11

  56

  12

  61

  13

  65

  14

  71

  15

  79

  16

  n/a

  17

  n/a

  18

  n/a

  Note:

  n/a = not available.

  Source:

  OPCS Survey—"Children's dental health in the United Kingdom 1993".
  215
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the(a) number of adult courses of treatment, (b) total national health service gross expenditure, (c) total cost borne by the Exchequer and (d) total cost borne by patients, for the general dental service for each year between 1990 and 1994. [27197]

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

  General dental services in Scotland

  Financial year

  Number of courses of treatment1

  Gross expenditure2 (£000s)

  Cost borne by exchequer2 (£000s)

  Patient charges2 (£000s)

  1990–91

  31,037,633

  118,470

  82,456

  36,014

  1991–92

  2,321,853

  142,828

  99,754

  43,074

  1992–93

  2,384,442

  141,285

  101,368

  39,917

  1993–94

  2,440,745

  134,204

  93,756

  40,448

  1994–95

  2,500,826

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Dental practice division of the Common Services Agency.

  2 Annual accounts of the 15 Scottish health boards.

  3 These figures are counted from the beginning of the current dental contract introduced on 1 October 1990.

  n/a = not available.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 16 and 17-year-olds were seeking training places in each division of Ayrshire at 1 May; and what were the numbers of vacancies. [27253]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 June]: On 30 April, 424 young people under 18 years of age in Ayrshire were seeking training places. Information is not available to split this figure by smaller areas within Ayrshire. I understand from Scottish Enterprise that on 30 April there were 407 youth training and skillseeker vacancies in the Enterprise Ayrshire area. Both these figures are subject to daily fluctuation as young people move into and out of youth training.

  British Steel
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the proposed removal of steel-making equipment from Hunterston; what implications for public funds are involved; and if he will make a statement. [27248]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: Decisions about British Steel plc's assets at Hunterston are a matter for that company to take in the light of commercial considerations. There would, therefore, be no implications for public funds.

  Charitable Schools
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those schools in Scotland which have charitable status; and if he will estimate the total sum gained by such schools through(a) rebates on local council taxes, (b) tax reductions in connection with gifts and covenants, (c) tax reductions on bank deposits and (d) provision of cheap butter. [27313]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: The information is not available.

  Gourock Ropeworks
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the development of the designated Gourock ropeworks site within the Inverclyde enterprise zone. [26158]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Renfrewshire Enterprise is discussing the options for the development of the Gourock ropeworks site with the site owner. These options will need to take account of the listed building status of the ropeworks.

  Parklea Site
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the development of the designated Parklea site within the Inverclyde enterprise zone. [26160]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The options for the development of the Parklea site in the Inverclyde enterprise zone are constrained by its inclusion in a potential special protection area in terms of the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds. This is likely to preclude any development of the site which would adversely affect conservation interests.

  Fine Defaulters
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) men and (b) women were imprisoned because of their failure to pay fines levied by the courts in the last year for which figures are available, and in each of the past 15 years. [26191]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The subject of this question related to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 7 June 1995:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of individuals imprisoned because of their failure to pay fines levied by the courts.
  Information on the number of individuals imprisoned because of their failure to pay fines is not available. The table below shows the number of fine default receptions in 1994 and the preceding fifteen years. Receptions do not equate to "persons received". For example, where several fine default sentences are imposed on an individual by one court in one day this is counted as one reception. Where fine default sentences are imposed on a person by two or more courts in one day, however, two receptions are recorded. In addition, if a fine default warrant is received for an individual already serving a custodial sentence then this is regarded as a separate reception.

  Year

  Male

  Female

  Total

  1979

  5,737

  290

  6,027

  1980

  7,047

  342

  7,389

  1981

  6,444

  311

  6,755

  1982

  9,030

  422

  9,452

  1983

  8,772

  557

  9,329

  1984

  8,431

  452

  8,883

  1985

  10,829

  735

  11,564

  1986

  9,969

  657

  10,626

  1987

  10,365

  618

  10,983

  1988

  9,170

  544

  9,714

  1989

  8,644

  510

  9,154

  1990

  6,455

  380

  6,835

  1991

  7,295

  614

  7,909

  1992

  7,792

  547

  8,339

  1993

  8,878

  738

  9,616

  1994'

  8,174

  701

  8,875

  1 Information for 1994 is provisional.

  Water Pollution
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of recorded cases of water pollution caused by(a) agricultural activities and (b) industrial firms in each of the past five years; how many of these cases resulted in court hearings; how may individuals or parties were successfully prosecuted in the courts; and if he will make a statement. [26192]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information for 1992–93 and 1993–94 is set out in the table. Figures are not available for previous years.

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Cases of water pollution1

  Agricultural

  495

  663

  Industrial

  796

  801

  Prosecutions for water pollution offences1

  Brought

  48

  54

  Successful

  40

  48

  1 Recorded by river purification boards.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he intends to make to the cash limits and running costs provision for 1995–96 within his responsibility. [27857]

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, I intend to make changes to two voted cash limits.

  a. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 2, training programmes, roads and transport services, industrial and regional support, Scotland will be increased by £1,038,000 from £940,184,000 to £941,222,000. The increase takes account of a transfer from the Department of Trade and Industry to provide a technology advisory service to small and medium-sized businesses.

  b. The cash limit for class XIV, vote 5, housing and environmental services, Scotland will be increased by £420,000 from £416,648,000 to £417,068,000. The increase in provision is required to meet the administrative costs associated with the creation of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and will be found within existing Scottish Office provision.

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

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Kashmir
  16. Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the burning of the mosque and village of Charar-e-Sharief in Kashmir on Thursday 11 May. [25447]

  Mr. Baldry
  We deeply regret the burning of the village of Charar-e-Sharief in Kashmir and its historic shrine. We have urged all sides to exercise restraint. We shall continue to try to promote a peaceful solution in Kashmir.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the political situation in Kashmir. [25460]
  218
  Mr. Baldry
  We remain concerned by the situation in Kashmir. The Indian Government have made clear their intention of holding elections there before mid-July. Free and fair elections might provide the first step towards the genuine political process for which we have long called.

  Middle East
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the middle east peace process. [25452]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcome the recent announcement of an agreed framework for negotiations on security arrangements between Israel and Syria, and are urging both sides to press on. We also welcome Israel's suspension of the planned expropriation of land in east Jerusalem and the prospect of Israel and the Palestinians reaching agreement on elections and redeployment in the west bank by 1 July. We have pressed successfully for the EU to play the lead role in monitoring the Palestinian elections. Bilaterally and through the EU we are continuing to support the Palestinian Authority. We are giving $2 million bilaterally towards the EU's new package of support for Palestinian recurrent costs.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in the middle east. [25465]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcome the recent announcement of an agreed framework for negotiations on security arrangements between Israel and Syria. We continue to urge all parties to the peace process to redouble their efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will publish their contributions to the EU IGC reflections group; and if he will make a statement. [25453]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Council report to the study group, to which we contributed, has been published as a Command Paper, Cm 2866. We have also contributed a memorandum on European defence which was tabled in the House on 1 March,Official Report, columns 1060–74. We will continue to keep Parliament fully informed of developments.

  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Foreign Ministers of the other European Union countries about the preparations for the 1996 intergovernmental conference. [25454]

  Mr. Hurd
  I see my European counterparts regularly at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council, and for bilateral discussions. We all met at Messina last Friday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Messina conference. I discussed the IGC in general terms with a number of colleagues.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made in Messina by the IGC reflections group on 2 June. [25456]

  Mr. David Davis
  The study group discussed the scope and structure of its work.
  219
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's position on the 1996 intergovernmental conference. [25464]

  Mr. David Davis
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out very clearly our approach to the IGC, at Leiden in September and in this House on 1 March.

  British Citizens
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are taken to protect the rights of British citizens domiciled in foreign countries. [25455]

  Mr. Baldry
  It is our duty to safeguard the interests of all British nationals overseas. The functions of consular officers are set out in the Vienna convention on consular relations which entered into force in the United Kingdom on 8 June 1972, a copy of which may be seen in the Library of the House.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Conference
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the outcome of the nuclear non-proliferation conference. [25457]

  Mr. David Davis
  No. I have nothing further to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in the House on 16 May,Official Report, columns 151–61.

  Atlantic Alliance
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether European defence can and will continue to be developed within the framework of the Atlantic alliance. [25458]

  Mr. David Davis
  We are committed to maintaining NATO as the bedrock of our common defence. The NATO summit in January last year welcomed the emergence of a European security and defence identity as a means of strengthening -the European pillar of the alliance while enabling European allies to take greater responsibility for their common security and defence.

  The proposals set out by the Prime Minister in this House on 1 March, Official Report, columns 1060–74, would promote this objective by allowing Europeans to act together more effectively within the Western European Union.

  Western European Union
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his counterparts in Europe over the foreign policy implications of the creation of new defence forces within the WEU. [25459]

  Mr. David Davis
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I discussed this issue with our counterparts from WEU countries in Lisbon on 15 May. The objective is not to create new standing forces but to establish common arrangements which will allow existing national forces to cooperate more effectively together in both the WEU and NATO frameworks.

  In this context, WEU Ministers welcomed the arrangements for land and maritime forces announced by France, Italy and Spain at Lisbon.

  Tibet
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made about human rights in Tibet. [25461]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last raised the issue of human rights in Tibet when he met Chinese Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen in New York on 18 April.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in Rwanda. [25462]

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Rwanda. [25468]

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms Anderson).

  Fissile Materials
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the negotiations for a fissile materials cut-off convention are expected to start. [25463]

  Mr. David Davis
  We anticipate that negotiations will begin in June when the conference on disarmament reconvenes in Geneva.

  Women's Rights
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he has made to the Government's report to the UN Beijing conference in September with regard to women's human rights. [25466]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department was closely involved in the preparation of the UK national report for the Peking conference. We have also taken a leading role in seeing to negotiate acceptable human rights language in the draft platform for action to be agreed at the conference.

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on arms exports. [25467]

  Mr. David Davis
  It is our policy to support the sale of British defence equipment overseas where this is compatible with our political, strategic and security interests. We observe strict responsibility in our defence exports. We consider applications for licences to export defence equipment on a case-by-case basis in the light of established criteria including the international guidelines to which we are committed.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has received from the government of Kenya for assistance in the design of a new constitution appropriate for a multi-party democracy. [26636]
  221
  Mr. Baldry
  We have not received a formal request from the Kenyan Government to provide an expert to help take forward the process of constitutional review. We have indicated to the Kenyan authorities that we would give careful and sympathetic consideration to any such request.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cases involving the harassment of opposition hon. Members which he has taken up with the Government of Kenya. [26637]

  Mr. Baldry
  We regularly take up charges of harassment and detention of opposition MPs at all levels of the Kenyan Government, frequently in response to particular events. It is, however, not possible to provide precise details of all cases taken up. We shall continue to raise our concerns with the Kenyan authorities, who can be in no doubt about the importance we attach to this matter.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Kenya about the opposition Member, Paul Muite. [27015]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have raised at the highest levels our concerns about the arrest and detention of opposition MPs, including Mr. Paul Muite.

  Angola
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress in the peace process in Angola and the involvement of British peacekeeping forces. [27325]

  Mr. Baldry
  In its statement of 11 May, the Security Council welcomed the recent positive developments in Angola, in particular the meeting between President dos Santos and Dr. Savimbi in Lusaka on 6 May. This has given new impetus to the peace process. The UK has contributed a 600-strong logistics battalion to UNAVEM III for three months and provided training in mine clearance in preparation for the deployment of a Zimbabwean battalion.

  Journalists' Facility Trips
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list facility trips abroad which have been granted to British newspaper journalists in the last two years. [25907]

  Mr. Baldry
  The details are as follows:

  Date of visit

  Destination

  Number in press party

  1–4 June 1993

  Romania

  4 Journalists

  Bulgaria

  Macedonia

  6–8 September 1993

  UAE Saudi Arabia

  7 Journalists

  22–24 October 1993

  Syria

  6 Journalists

  3–7 January 1994

  Lebanon

  10 Journalists

  Israel

  Occupied

  Territories

  Jordan

  Malta

  222

  Date of visit

  Destination

  Number in press party

  19–20 January 1994

  Turkey

  2 Journalists

  4–11 April 1994

  Brazil

  2 Journalists

  Falklands

  22–24 May 1994

  Russia

  3 Journalists

  Ukraine

  11–20 September 1994

  Thailand

  2 Journalists

  Vietnam

  Hong Kong

  Japan

  12–14 October 1994

  Kuwait

  16 Journalists

  Bahrain

  Saudi Arabia

  Jordan

  Syria

  Turkey

  4 December 1994

  former Yugoslavia

  11 Journalists

  3–9 January 1995

  Bangladesh

  1 Journalist (4 others-Lahore/

  India

  Islamabad leg only)

  Pakistan

  13–14 February 1995

  Sweden

  1 Journalist

  11–12 April 1995

  Slovakia

  2 Journalists

  Poland

  In all cases, journalists are charged for air and ground transportation.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to improve the surveillance of nuclear installations by the International Atomic Energy Authority. [25431]

  Mr Hurd
  The International Atomic Energy Agency has made proposals to strengthen its safeguards system. These will be discussed by the board of governors in June. The proposals now strengthen the agency's ability to detect undeclared nuclear activity. The UK strongly supports this initiative to strengthen safeguards and we will try to get it quickly agreed and put into effect.

  Special Operations Executive
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to release more records of the wartime Special Operations Executive. [27753]

  Mr. Hurd
  I said on 26 November 1993 that a review of the SOE archives had begun. Since then, as I have said in later answers in 1993 and 1994, the records on the far east, Scandinavia, the middle east and north Africa have been made available to the public. The next batch, on eastern Europe, will be opened by the Public Record Office on 9 June 1995. Further SOE records will be made available in due course.

  European Union
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union. [27754]

  Mr. David Davis
  The information is as follows:

  MONTHLY FORECAST OF BUSINESS FOR JUNE 1995

  June 1: Development Council

  Energy Council

  June 6: Internal Market Council

  June 9: Research Council

  June 12: FAC

  June 13: FAC Telecom

  June 15: Fisheries Council

  June 17: FAC

  June 19: Transport Council

  ECOFIN

  June 20: Transport Council

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  June 21: Justice and Home Affairs Council

  Culture/Audiovisual Council

  June 22: Environment Council

  June 23: Environment Council

  June 26: Agriculture Council

  June 27: Agriculture Council

  June 29: Social Affairs Council

  2. The following subjects were discussed:
  June I: Development Council

  Adoption of the agenda.

  (Poss) Approval of the list of "A" items.

  Follow-up to the statement of 18 November 1992 on co-operation and development up to 2000.

  a) Complementarity between the development policies and actions of the Union and its Member States.

  b) Consistency between the various Community policies.

  c) Operational co-ordination.

  Structural adjustment Draft resolution.

  Regional Integration Draft statement.

  Research in Developing Countries Draft statement.

  Evaluation.

  Development Co-operation with South Africa Draft conclusion.

  Basic rules on Humanitarian. Aid.

  Progress of discussions on:

  Actions on rehabilitation assistance

  Migration and Development

  Rwanda.

  Other business.

  June 1: Energy Council

  Internal market in electricity: Council conclusions.

  Trans-European energy networks: possible common positions on guidelines and supporting measures.

  Energy policy Green Paper: Council Resolution.

  Thermie II: possible decision.

  Energy efficiency of fridges and freezers: progress report.

  Under "Any Other Business": Energy Charter: progress report; and energy dimension to the Euro-Mediterranean Conference: exchange of views/possible Council Conclusions.

  June 6: Internal Market Council

  White Paper on extending Single Market to the CEEs: discussion amongst the 15 on White Paper, followed by session (and lunch) with CEE and Baltic Ministers.

  Operation of the Single Market (routine presentation and discussion of implementation figures and annual report on Single Market, plus announcement of Commission plans for "Citizens Guide to Single Market").

  224

  Deregulation: progress report on Molitor group.

  Uniform application and effectiveness of Single Market rules and national penalties for violations of them: Council Resolution.

  Draft decision on notification of national decisions derogating from free movement of goods (which sets up a procedure to identify cases where mutual recognition does not occur)—common position.

  Customs 2000: orientation debate on draft decision establishing a programme of practical measures to ensure customs rules work effectively.

  Legal Protection of Database Directive: common position.

  Community Designs Regulation; progress report.

  European Co-operative Society: progress report on draft Directive and Regulation establishing common rules for European Co-ops.

  Bankruptcy Convention: political agreement.

  Novel foodstuffs: common position on directive introducing EC rules for genetically modified foodstuffs.

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
  June 9: Research Council

  Council Resolution on Research Co-ordination.

  EC/Switzerland Scientific and Technical Co-operation Agreement.

  EC/Israel Co-operation Agreement.

  Task Forces.

  Fourth Framework Programme Enlargement Increase Orientation Debate.

  ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) plus joint meeting with Associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

  June 12–13: Foreign Affairs Council

  Draft Agenda:

  Preparation of the Cannes European Council.

  Racism and Xenophobia: global strategy of the Union.

  Relations with the CEEs:

  Implementation of the pro-accession strategy White Paper

  Relations with the Baltic States:

  Decision on signature of the Association Agreement (possible A point)

  Lome mid-term review: EDF VIII

  Mediterranean policy:

  Adoption of report on preparation of the Euro-Med Conference

  (possible) Tunisia: decision on signature of new agreement

  (possible) Israel: conclusion of negotiations on new agreement

  State of negotiations with Morocco and Egypt

  (possible) Lebanon: adoption of negotiating directives

  Turkey:

  Adoption of draft common position on EC/Turkey Customs Union

  Decision to seek consent of European Parliament

  Relations with Cyprus:

  Adoption of Union position at EC/Cyprus Association Council

  Decision on signature of fourth financial protocol

  Relations with Malta:

  Adoption of Union position at EC/Malta Association Council

  Decision on signature of fourth financial protocol

  Relations with Russia.

  Relations with Ukraine.

  Relations with certain republics of the former Soviet Union.

  Former Yugoslavia.

  Commercial questions.

  Free trade areas.

  (possible) WTO code of conduct.

  Negotiations in the WTO framework.

  225

  Preparation of Halifax G7 summit and meetings with US and Japan.

  South Africa.

  Negotiating directives for a trade and co-operation agreement and protocol to the Lomé Convention.

  GSP agriculture.

  (possible) Relations with Mercosur.

  Adoption of negotiating directives for an inter-regional framework co-operation agreement.

  Relations with Chile:

  Commission strategy paper on strengthening EU/Chile relations.

  Vietnam (possible):

  Conclusion of negotiations on a co-operation agreement

  Euratom/US nuclear energy agreement (possible)

  In the margins:

  Association Council with Cyprus

  Association Council with Malta

  June 13: Telecoms Council

  Council Resolution on Infrastructure Green Paper (Part 2).

  Council Resolution on Mobile Telephony.

  Council Resolution on Postal Services.

  ONP Voice Telephony Directive: common position.

  Council Conclusions on Article 90 Cable Network Directive.

  June 15: Fisheries Council

  Western waters effort regulation.

  Driftnets.

  Socio-economic measures (possible).

  Amendment to technical conservation measures.

  UN Conference on stradling stocks (possible).

  June 19: ECOFIN

  Preparation for European Council (Cannes—26–27 June).

  Broad economic guidelines (recommendation for 1995–96 and consideration of implementation 1994–95).

  Essen follow-up (likely to include employment policy).

  Decisions on excessive deficits.

  Regulation on protection of the Community's financial interests.

  Examination of Member States' reports on measures to combat fraud and waste.

  Green paper on transition to a single currency (discussion).

  Macro—financial assistance to third countries.

  Biofuels: draft directive on excise duty relief for biofuels.

  VAT:

  reduced rate for cut flowers;

  approximation of rates (Commission report).

  Statistical questions;

  European System of National and Regional Accounts.

  Harmonising consumer price indices.

  Cross-border payments: agreement on common position.

  EIB lending to South Africa (possible A point).

  TENS financing (possible).

  CO2/energy tax: orientation debate (possible).

  European Investment Bank: a meeting of EIB Board of Governors will be held on the same day.

  June 19–20: Transport Council

  Maritime:

  Maritime statistics directive—adoption.

  Ro-Ro Ferry Safety—Regulation on early implementation of
  International Safety Management Code (ISM)—Common position. (possible) Resolution on shipping external relations.

  Aviation:

  EC/US relations.

  Airport ground handling—orientation debate.

  Mutual recognition for aviation components—Council Conclusions.

  226

  Land, etc:

  Trans-European Networks—consideration of EP Opinion.

  High speed rail interoperability—common position.

  Tachographs—orientation debate.

  Harmonisation of road signs—resolution.

  Telematics—resolution.

  Railway licensing and access directives—adoption of common position in light of EP opinion.

  (possible) Transport research—resolution.

  June 20–21: Justice and Home Affairs Council

  Europol Convention.

  Fraud against the Community Budget.

  Common Visa List.

  Brussels (2) Convention.

  Title VI Finance.

  June 21: Culture/Audiovisual Council

  Revision of Broadcasting Directive: orientation debate.

  Media II: orientation debate.

  New financial instrument for the Audiovisual Sector.

  June 22–23: Environment Council

  Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC).

  Air Quality Framework Directive.

  Wildlife Trade (CITES) Regulation.

  Major Accident Hazards (Seveso II) Directive.

  Climate Change.

  Ecological Quality of Water Directive.

  Biocides Directive.

  LIFE Programme (Financial Instrument on the Environment).

  Waste Shipment Regulation.

  Negotiating Mandate on the Basle Convention.

  Nuclear safety in the Central and Eastern Europe.

  Priority Waste Streams: End-of-life Vehicles.

  JEPS (Joint Environment Programmes).

  June 26–27: Agriculture Council

  Price fixing.

  Cotton.

  Italian, Spanish and Greek milk quota.

  Reform of the wine sector (possible).

  Agrimony (possible).

  Reform of the rice regime (possible). Animal welfare.

  Trade in bovines (amending 64/432).

  Feedingstuffs (possible).

  Hormones (possible).

  June 29: Labour and Social Affairs

  Essen follow-up on employment.

  Draft Directive on Posted Workers.

  Draft Directive on Use of Work Equipment.

  Draft Decision on Programme to Combat Social Exclusion.

  Draft Decision on Action to support Older People.

  Draft amendments to Regulation 1408/71 (Social Security).

  Resolution on Older Workers.

  Conclusions on the Quality of Vocational Training.

  Presidency Report on amendments to Acquired Rights Directive.

  EU Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 29 May. [27755]

  Mr. David Davis
  The A points listed in document 7405/95, which has been placed in the Library of this House, were adopted without a vote.
  227
  The Council discussed the situation in former Yugoslavia in the light of recent developments on the ground.

  The Council adopted conclusions on proposals for greater transparency in its work.

  The Council approved a text for standard human rights clauses in Community agreements with third countries.

  There was a discussion of the Commission's White Paper on approximation of laws in the context of enlargement to the countries of central and eastern Europe.

  The Council adopted conclusions on policy towards the Baltic sea region, and approved a paper on policy towards the Baltic states. A decision was taken to sign Europe agreements with the three Baltic states on 2 June.

  Approval was given for the signature of an interim agreement with the Ukraine on 1 June.

  The Commission reported on the state of play in negotiations for new agreements with Israel and Morocco.

  There was a further brief discussion of the European development fund—EDF VIII.

  The Council discussed the prospects for signature of the EC/Russia interim agreement, and agreed to return to the subject at its meeting on 12 June.

  The Council agreed to the inclusion of Croatia in the PHARE programme, and decided to consider the opening of negotiations for an EU-Croatia trade and co-operation agreement on 12 June.

  The Council discussed, and broadly welcomed, the Commission's recent communication on Japan; and agreed conclusions on the current US-Japan dispute over automobiles and automotive parts.

  The Council discussed the continuing negotiations with Canada under article XXIV.6 of the general agreement on tariffs and trade.

  The Commission reported on its negotiations with the US on a new US/Euratom nuclear trade and co-operation agreement. The Council will return to the subject on 12 June.

  Germany presented a memorandum proposing changes to the EC banana regime: there was no substantive discussion.

  Finally, there was a brief discussion of the planned pre-accession strategy for Cyprus. The presidency noted that arrangements were in hand for the 12 June EU/Cyprus Association Council.

  No votes were taken at the Council.

  A copy of the Council's conclusions will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it is available.

TRANSPORT

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits, running costs limit, and external finance limits for 1995–96. [27569]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class VI, vote 6 will be reduced by £1 million from £81,156,000 to £80,156,000. This reduction reflects an increase in appropriations in aid in respect of services provided by 228
  the Marine Safety Agency. It will be used to offset an increase of £1 million from nil to £1 million in the Vehicle Inspectorate's external finance limit, and there will therefore be no effect on the planned total of public expenditure.

  Aviation Negotiations (USA)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in aviation negotiations with the United States of America; and if he will make a statement. [27858]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I am pleased to announce that on 5 June, the UK and US Governments reached agreement on a package of new opportunities for UK and US airlines. This will mean that passengers will be able to benefit from greater frequency of transatlantic service and wider choice, and the prospect of more competitive fares.

  The deal allows increased services for British Airways on its Heathrow-Philadelphia route, allows a second US airline to operate the Heathrow-Chicago route, confirms and extends the terms of the regional liberalisation offer which I made last October, substantially liberalises code-sharing arrangements and allows UK airlines the opportunity to carry some US Government traffic which has, up to now, not been open to UK airlines.

  Both Governments agreed that the provisions of the agreement would come into effect once the US Government had approved all outstanding code share applications by British Airways in respect of US Air.

  Both Governments have also agreed to begin work immediately on the next stage of negotiations with the aim of opening up further opportunities.

  Midland Links Motorways
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many days in each of the past 10 years there have been lane closures on the viaducts of the midland links motorways. [26985]

  Mr. Watts
  It is not possible to establish precisely how many days in each of the past 10 years there have been lane closures on the midland links motorways viaducts. In addition to the programmed major refurbishment works, which include periodic lane closures, there have been closures required for emergency works and for routine maintenance. The major refurbishment contracts are as follows, with duration of each contract:

  i. 1995—M6 Gravelly Hill and Bromford West Viaducts, (on-going contract expected to last for as total of eight months).

  ii. 1994—M6 Bromford East Viaduct (12 months).

  iii. 1994—M5 Western Arm, (eight months).

  iv. 1993—M5 Eastern Arm, (11 months).

  v. 1993-Gravelly Hill CB/EB, (five months).

  vi. 1992—Gravelly Hill CA (three months).

  vii. 1992—Gravelly Hill CD/DC, (four months).

  viii. 1991—M6 Ray Hall, (six months).

  ix. 1991—Gravelly Hill CF/FC, (three months).

  x. 1990—M6 Bescot Viaduct and Fullbrook Embankment, (10 months).

  xi. 1990—M6 Thornbridge Viaduct Verges and Perry Barr Locks, (four months).

  xii. 1990—Gravelly Hill BC, (two months).

  xiii. 1989—M5 Junction 1 to MP2, (three months).

  xiv. 1989—M5 Junction 1 to MP5.6, (three months).

  xv. 1988—M6 Thornbridge Viaduct, (three months).

  xvi. 1988—Gravelly Hill EA, (three months).

  xviii. 1987—M5 Oldbury Viaduct, (10 months).

  229
  By using temporary narrow lanes at times of peak traffic demand, the programmed closures have not materially restricted capacity below that otherwise available. At all other times, sufficient capacity has been maintained to accommodate the prevailing traffic flow with minimum delay.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how and on what basis the substructure motorway maintenance contracts issued by his Department for the midland links motorways are divided between W. S. Atkins and Partners and Maunsell and Partners. [26986]

  Mr. Watts
  The viaduct commissions are divided on a geographical basis. G. Maunsell and Partners' responsibilities cover the M6 from junction 5, to and including junction 7. W. S. Atkins' responsibilities cover the M6 from the west of junction 7 to the north end of Bescot viaduct immediately north of junction 9 and the M5 from where it diverges from the M6 to the southern end of Titford viaduct, just south of junction 2.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost of the maintenance and repair of the midland links motorways in each year since 1983. [26987]

  Mr. Watts
  The cost of the maintenance and repair of the midland links motorways, which are taken to be the M6 from junction 5 to immediately north of junction 9 and the M5 from the M6 to just south of junction 2, is as follows:

  £ million

  Financial year

  Outturn cost of maintenance and repairs

  1983–84

  10.9

  1984–85

  12.5

  1985–86

  14.0

  1986–87

  5.6

  1987–88

  8.8

  1988–89

  7.1

  1989–90

  16.7

  1990–91

  25.2

  1991–92

  22.7

  1992–93

  22.3

  1993–94

  28.7

  1994–95

  38.0

  1 Structural maintenance only—roadworks carried out by WMCC— records not available.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current arrangements for the maintenance and repair of the midland links motorways. [26988]

  Mr. Watts
  The Highways Agency, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, has engaged the services of three firms of consulting engineers to assist in the management, maintenance and repair of the midland links motorways. These are, for the structures and viaducts, W. S. Atkins and Partners and G. Maunsell and Partners and, for the road surface, street furniture and embankment sections, Owen Williams. All three commissions come to an end in April 1996 and the way forward from then on is currently under review.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many lane miles of the midland links motorways have been resurfaced in the past 10 years; and what proportion this figure is of the total lane miles. [26989]
  230
  Mr. Watts
  Some 86 lane miles have been resurfaced in the past 10 years out of a total of 118 lane miles—that is, 73 per cent.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the bearings, plinths and joints have been replaced on each of the viaducts on the midland links motorways in the past 10 years; and at what cost. [26990]

  Mr. Watts
  In the past 10 years, there has been no programme to replace the bearings or bearing plinths on any of the viaducts. In isolated cases, it has become necessary to replace the bearing plinths because of other works to the structure. Bearings have been replaced only as a consequence of other modifications to the structure. In total, 0.5 per cent. of the bearings and 4.5 per cent. of the bearings plinths have been replaced in this period. The costs associated with the replacements cannot be accurately determined as they were carried out in conjunction with other operations.

  The expansion joints are replaced during the course of resurfacing contracts. In the past 10 years, the expansion joints have been replaced once on Oldbury, Ray Hall, Bescot, Wigmore, Thornbridge and Bromford viaducts together with most of those on Gravelly hill viaduct. The type of joints used on the midland links viaducts are subject to routine maintenance at five to eight-year intervals to ensure their continuing satisfactory performance. Occasionally, this requires complete replacement of isolated joints. The costs associated with the joint replacement cannot be accurately determined as they are carried out in conjunction with other operations.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles are using the midland links motorways on a daily basis; and what was the design estimate of usage. [26991]

  Mr. Watts
  The number of vehicles using the midland links motorways on a daily basis varies between junctions. The busiest section, between junctions 8 and 9 of the M6, has an average weekday traffic flow of approximately 160,000 vehicles per day whereas the section between junctions 1 and 2 of the MS has an equivalent flow of 90,000 vehicles per day. A motorway of this standard would have been expected to carry traffic flows of around 70,000 vehicles per day.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts have been let for the repair of the parapet wall and rails of each viaduct on the midland links motorways in the past 10 years; and at what cost. [26992]

  Mr. Watts
  In the past 10 years, there have been six contracts let specifically for the repair of parapet rails. Three of these contracts were for work on Bromford viaduct, one for Gravelly Hill viaduct and two for Ray Hall viaduct. The total cost of this work was about £1.75 million.

  Since 1992, as a consequence of safety and traffic management considerations, the repair of parapets, where required, has been included within the major resurfacing. The cost of the parapet repairs included within these contracts cannot readily be identified.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which 10 companies have been the most successful tenderers for construction work of all descriptions on the midland links motorways in the past 10 years. [26993]
  231
  Mr. Watts
  Between 1985 and 1987, no significant contracts were awarded, apart from some minor repair trial contracts, painting contracts, term maintenance contracts and three contracts to provide and install gutters under the deck joints. The 10 companies which have been the most successful tenderers since 1987, in terms of the number of contracts awarded are:

  Name

  Number of contracts awarded

  R and C Williams

  15

  EPL

  9

  AMEC (Fairclough)

  6

  Curtail, Lewis and Martin

  6

  Tarmac

  6

  Galliford

  6

  Edmund Nuttall

  6

  Tilbury Douglas (R M Douglas)

  5

  Christiani and Nielsen

  5

  Kinmain

  5

  W. S. Atkins and Partners

  £ million

  Contract ref.

  Viaduct

  Contractor

  Tender sum

  Final account

  Con A

  Oldbury and Bescot

  John Laing

  0.677

  1.220

  R1

  Oldbury and Bescot

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  1.396

  1.572

  R3

  Oldbury

  Fairclough

  0.339

  0.342

  R5

  Oldbury

  R. M. Douglas

  0.809

  2—

  R7

  Ray Hall and Bescot

  Shand

  1.231

  1.216

  R9

  Wigmore

  M. J. Gleeson

  0.463

  0.457

  R11

  Oldbury

  Shephard Hill

  0.764

  0.727

  R13

  Wigmore

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  0.359

  0.466

  R15

  Oldbury

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  0.357

  0.358

  R17

  Oldbury

  Christiani and Nielsen

  1.354

  1—

  R19

  Oldbury

  Christiani and Nielsen

  1.120

  1—

  R21

  Oldbury

  Fairclough

  0.96

  1—

  R23

  Several

  Fairclough

  0.551

  0.577

  R25

  Ray Hall and Bescot

  Shand

  1.464

  1.579

  R27

  Several

  E. Williams

  0.065

  0.063

  R31

  Ray Hall

  Edmund Nuttall

  0.688

  1—

  R33

  Wigmore

  Trafalgar House

  0.586

  1—

  R35

  Bescott

  Trafalgar House

  0.598

  1—

  R37

  Oldbury

  Edmund Nuttall

  1.498

  1—

  R39

  Oldbury

  Shephard Hill

  1.231

  1—

  R41

  Ray Hall

  M. J. Gleeson

  0.937

  1—

  R43

  Bescot

  Taylor Woodrow

  1.183

  1—

  R45

  Ray Hall

  Christiani and Nielsen

  0.791

  1—

  R47

  Oldbury

  C. J. Pearce and Co.

  0.110

  0.111

  R49

  Titford and Junction 1

  Tarmac

  2.114

  1—

  R51

  Wigmore

  Taylor Woodrow

  1.644

  1—

  Routine Maintenance Contracts

  A

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.149

  C

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.161

  F

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.118

  H

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.289

  K

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.138

  M

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.186

  P

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.271

  R

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.398

  T

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.326

  V

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  1—

  1 Accounts not finalised.

  2 Schedule of rates contract.

  232
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out in respect of the substructure motorway maintenance contracts administered for his Department by W. S. Atkins and Partners and Maunsell and Partners(a) the numbers of contracts for each section of the midland links motorways since responsibility was removed from the former West Midlands county council, (b) the tender sum of each contract, (c) the final account of each contract and (d) the successful tenderer in each contract. [27030]

  Mr. Watts
  The substructure motorway maintenance contracts administered by G. Maunsell and Partners and W. S. Atkins are listed in the table. In addition to those contracts listed, the consultants have administered contracts for the hire of access equipment, some minor repair trial contracts and three contracts to provide and install gutters under the deck joints.
  233

  G. Mansell and Partners

  £ million

  Contract reference

  Viaduct

  Contractor

  Tender Sum

  Final Account

  B

  Gravelly Hill

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  0.299

  0.343

  R2

  Gravelly Hill

  Galliford

  0.284

  0.316

  R4

  Gravelly Hill

  Galliford

  0.281

  0.549

  R6

  Gravelly Hill

  Fairclough

  0.506

  0.516

  R8

  Thornbridge

  Tarmac

  0.372

  0.593

  RIO

  Witton

  Tarmac

  0.232

  0.340

  R12

  Gravelly Hill

  Edmund Nuttall

  0.876

  0.888

  R14

  Gravelly Hill

  Norwest Hoist

  0.405

  0.509

  R16

  Gravelly Hill

  Fairclough

  0.400

  0.461

  R18

  Queslett

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  0.342

  1—

  R20

  Thornbridge

  Fairclough

  0.504

  0.583

  R22

  Witton

  Galliford

  0.408

  1—

  R26

  Bromford

  Ian Williams and Co.

  0.055

  0.074

  R28

  Gravelly Hill

  Norwest Hoist

  0.495

  0.606

  R30

  Gravelly Hill

  A Monk

  0.599

  1—

  R32

  Bromford

  Balvac Whitley Moran

  0,299

  1—

  R34

  Gravelly Hill

  Trafalgar House

  0.579

  0.619

  R38

  Bromford

  Kier

  0.965

  1—

  R40

  Bromford

  Tarmac

  0.398

  1—

  R42

  Gravelly Hill

  Christiani and Nielsen

  0.667

  1—

  R44

  Gravelly Hill

  Tarmac

  0.620

  1—

  R46

  Bromford

  Currall, Lewis and Martin

  0.330

  1—

  R50

  Bromford

  Balvac Whitley Moran

  1.415

  1—

  R52

  Thornbridge

  Tarmac

  0.596

  1—

  R54

  Bromford

  Tilbury Douglas

  1.397

  1—

  R56

  Gravelly Hill

  Balvac Whitley Moran

  1.215

  1—

  Routing Maintenance Contracts

  B

  n/a

  Clee Hill/R and C Williams

  2—

  0.218

  D

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.118

  E

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.082

  G

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.262

  J

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.150

  L

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.195

  N

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.173

  Q

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.185

  S

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  0.427

  U

  n/a

  Prismo

  2—

  0.719

  w

  n/a

  R and C Williams

  2—

  1—

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the area of responsibility of Sir Owen Williams and Partners as agents of his Department in respect of the midland links motorways; how many contracts they have issued since 1983; and what was the tender value of each, the final account of each and the successful tenderer in each case. [27031]

  Mr. Watts
  Owen Williams Consulting Engineers—formerly Sir Owen Williams and Partners—responsible for the day-to-day routine maintenance of the

  £ million

  Scheme

  Contractor

  Tender value

  Final account

  Term Maintenance Contract 3

  Prismo

  2—

  3.983

  Term Maintenance Contract 4

  Prismo

  2—

  1—

  Verge Safety Fencing M6 J6-J7

  Invicta Fencing

  0.060

  0.056

  Central Reserve Renewal

  Wrekin Construction

  0.616

  1—

  M5 Palisade Scheme 1

  A and A Lamb

  0.030

  0.025

  M5 Palisade Scheme 2

  A and A Lamb

  0.104

  1—

  Perry Barr Salt/Urea store

  Droicon Plc.

  0.438

  1—

  M6 Noise Barrier

  Royston Steel Fencing Ltd.

  0.137

  1—

  1— Accounts not yet finalised.

  2— Schedule of rates contract.

  234
  carriageways of the whole of the midland links network. In addition, its responsibilities cover the major maintenance contracts on the earthworks sections of the links. Also, on the viaducts, it is responsible for the design and supervision of the traffic management, carriageway surfacing and drainage and street furniture above deck waterproofing as part of major hybrid contracts co-ordinated by the structural consultants.

  Since 1991, when Owen Williams was first appointed to the maintenance commission, eight contracts have been awarded for which it has sole responsibility, as listed in the table.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state each specific benefit he expects to arise from the privatisation of train operations that could not be achieved by public enterprise in each case specifying where such features exist outside the United Kingdom, under which current railway administration and the extent to which that administration is directly or indirectly in receipt of public funds. [26738]

  Mr. Watts
  I expect that the advantages of privatisation and competition that we have seen in other industries—improved service to the customer at lower cost—will be achieved by our plans for the railway industry. Great Britain is at the forefront of railway privatisation and liberalisation so the lessons of privatised industries in this country are more relevant than international comparisons.

  Railways (Information)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that it is not to the financial disadvantage of those responsible for passenger train services for there to be a comprehensive display of all their services calling at stations operated by Railtrack at at least one central location on each station. [27317]

  Mr. Watts
  The financial arrangements for meeting the cost of information displays is a commercial matter for the parties concerned, which is subject to regulation by the rail regulator through station access agreements and licensing.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what(a) statutory obligations and (b) non-statutory obligations apply to train operators in respect of advertising and displaying at the stations served by their services the timetables and fares relating to those services and for these to be changed substantially at times determined on a national basis. [27315]

  Mr. Watts
  In the new railway, station access agreements will impose contractual rather than statutory obligations on the station operator to provide and display up-to-date timetable information at the station. Meanwhile, BR's policy is that all its units should provide appropriate timetable information for passengers at all relevant points.

  Retirements and Redundancies
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the annual cost to his Department of staff leaving under redundancy/early retirement schemes to incorporate(a) added years lump sum payments, (b) redundancy payments, (c) pension payments, including enhancements and(d) any other special arrangements for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) projected for 1995–96 and (iv) projected for 1996–97. [25666]

  Mr. Norris
  The detailed breakdown of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of(a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993–94 and (2) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25499]
  236
  Mr. Norris
  The figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 in the following table, are taken from the Department's personnel computer system. The figures for 1995–96 are our latest projections.

  Central Transport Group

  Agencies

  1993–94

  Early retirement

  31

  32

  Voluntary redundancy

  3

  93

  Compulsory redundancy

  0

  0

  Medical retirement

  36

  95

  1994–95

  Early retirement

  29

  222

  Voluntary redundancy

  11

  181

  Compulsory redundancy

  1

  32

  Medical retirement

  20

  103

  1995–96

  Early retirement

  320

  10

  Voluntary redundancy

  2

  5601

  Compulsory redundancy

  0

  56

  Medical retirement2

  1

  20

  1 Some of these staff may go under early retirement.

  2 These are actuals—it is not possible to forecast medical retirements.

  Fishing Vessels (Ownership)
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vessels on the United Kingdom register of fishing vessels are owned by interests based in each EU member state. [25139]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Offshore Licensing
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to introduce regulations regarding the implementation of the EU hydrocarbon directive, onshore petroleum licensing and further amendments to the offshore licensing regime. [27563]

  Mr. Eggar
  The following sets of regulations which are due to come into force on 30 June were laid before the House yesterday.

  The Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 1434);

  The Petroleum (Production) (Seward Areas) (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 1435);

  The Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 1436);

  The EU hydrocarbons licensing directive—94/22/EC—was adopted in May 1994. It is designed to extend the single market principles of transparency and non-discrimination to the award of licences to explore for and develop oil and gas. The directive received the whole-hearted support of Her Majesty's Government. It will provide United Kingdom companies with opportunities to compete on equal terms for licences and contracts in other EU member states and thereby put to good use their hard-won experience and expertise in offshore petroleum production. The directive is being implemented through the three sets of regulations announced today. The Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive

  237
  Regulations set out the criteria for the award of licences. The Seaward Areas (Amendment) Regulations, and the Landward Area Regulations reflect the detailed changes needed to implement the directive.

  In addition, the new landward areas regulations, which follow discussions with the industry, introduce a new framework for onshore licensing. This will comprise a single licence, the petroleum exploration and development licence or, PEDL, which replaces the separate exploration, appraisal and development licences. Returns relating to the progress of operations under a licence will in future be required annually rather than every six months. The introduction of a single licence covering all stages of activity, together with the reduced reporting requirement, will make the licensing system more flexible, reduce bureaucracy and thereby lessen the burden on the industry.

  Applications for PEDLs will be invited in licensing rounds, as is under the current system. Later this year I will publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities a formal announcement giving the detailed financial terms for new landward licences and the basis on which awards will be made. The notice will invite applications for a new round of onshore licensing.

  In parallel with the new round, I will be inviting holders of existing exploration, appraisal and production licences to transfer acreage in these licences to the new style PEDL.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what effect the implementation of EU directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessments in respect of offshore oil and gas licensing will have on the 16th offshore licensing round; and if he will make a statement; [26548]

  (2) when he will bring forward regulations to implement EU directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessments in respect of offshore oil and gas licensing. [26550]

  Mr. Eggar
  I intend to introduce the necessary regulations by April 1996, in accordance with the confirmation given to the European Commission on 18 April 1995. It is intended that these regulations will, when in force, apply to developments under licences awarded in the 16th round. It has been the Government's policy since 1988 to attach special conditions to licences for blocks within 25 miles of the coast or in other sensitive areas requiring companies to carry out environmental impact assessments before any consent for development is given. Such conditions will be attached to those blocks awarded in the 16th round which are within 25 miles of the coast or in other sensitive areas.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department informed the EU Commission that it would enact EU directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessment in respect of offshore oil and gas licensing; and if he will place a copy of that response in the Library. [26549]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government confirmed to the European Commission on 18 April 1995 that legislation to implement directive 85/337 in respect of oil and gas licensing would be introduced within the next year. This was in response to a letter from the Commission following up a complaint by a third party. The detail of correspondence between the Commission and member states relating to complaints of this kind is confidential 238
  between the parties and I shall not, therefore, be depositing a copy in the Library of the House.

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's National Weights and Measures Laboratory for 1995–96. [27564]

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have set NWML the following targets for 1995–96:

  to ensure that all fee earning activities are self-financing;

  to increase output per person employed by 5 per cent.;

  to reduce the real cost of a programme hour by 2 per cent.;

  to complete 95 per cent. of all type examinations within 12 weeks; and

  to complete 95 per cent. of all calibration jobs within 18 days of acceptance of the work.

  In addition, I expect the chief executive of NWML to continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

  Price Marking Order 1991
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he proposes to defer the requirement in the Price Marking Order 1991 for certain products to display unit price from 7 June. [27565]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms has today laid before Parliament legislation to defer until 7 June 1997 the requirement in the Price Marking Order 1991 for certain consumer products to display their unit price from 7 June 1995.

  Trade organisations, consumer groups, and local authority trading standards departments have been consulted about this deferment.

  Departmental Budget
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to his Department's cash limits for 1995–96. [27566]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made. The cash limit for class IV, vote 1—programmes and administration—will be increased by £13,962,000 from £1,209,867,000 to £1,223,829,000. The increase is the net result of an increase of £15,000,000 for new initiatives primarily relating to locally delivered business services, international trade and industrial research and a reduction of £1,038,000 for assistance to collaborative research projects following a transfer to the Scottish Office. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The cash limit for class IV, vote 3—privatisation of the coal industry—will be increased by £10,499,000 from £3,629,000 to £14,128,000. The increase, which is expenditure outside the control total, mainly covers payments to purchasers of regional coal companies and of care and maintenance collieries in accordance with the sale contracts.

  Cinema Ownership
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of concentration of cinema chains entails referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement. [27080]
  239
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The is no level of concentration, whether of cinema chains or of other businesses, which automatically triggers reference to the MMC. Under the Fair Trading Act 1973, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade may refer any merger which involves the acquisition of assets worth more than £70 million, or which creates or increases a 25 per cent. market share. Under the monopoly provisions of the Act, the Director General of Fair Trading referred the supply of films to cinemas to the MMC, whose report was published in October 1994.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries his Department has recently received in respect of references to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of cinema ownership. [27081]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Department has received a small amount of correspondence on the possible sale of MGM cinemas. This has been forwarded to the Director General of Fair Trading, who advises on possible merger references to the MMc. In addition, the Department has received a small amount of correspondence on the MMC's recent report on the supply of films to cinemas.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take into account the effect on competition in the regions in his consideration of the proposed bid for MGM cinemas by the Rank Organisation. [27161]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South on 15 May 1995,Official Report, column 29.

  Export Licences, Indonesia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what export credit rating is given to Indonesia by the Export Credits Guarantee Department measures; what is the total number of export licences granted for export to Indonesia in each of the past five years; and what is the number refused in each of those years. [26979]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: ECGD does not operate a system of credit ratings but is open for business in Indonesia under its normal range of facilities.

  The table shows the number of export licences granted and refused for export to Indonesia in the past five years:

  Year

  Granted

  Refused

  1990

  100

  0

  1991

  89

  2

  1992

  106

  1

  1993

  98

  0

  1994

  81

  5

  Financial Services Act 1986
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions have been mounted under the Financial Services Act 1986; and how many were successful. [26108]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  A number of organisations may bring prosecutions under the Financial Services Act. Details are not kept centrally. Information is being sought and I will write to the hon. Member further.

  Trade, Bangladesh
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when an official United Kingdom trade mission last visited Bangladesh. [26921]

  Mr. Needham
  The last official United Kingdom trade mission to visit Bangladesh was organised by the DTI's southern Asia advisory group and took place between 12 and 15 November 1994. The mission was led by the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the amount of trade between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh in each of the last three years. [26923]

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Trade figures: United Kingdom/Bangladesh 1992–94

  £ million

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Exports

  39.4

  54.3

  55.7

  Imports

  95.0

  140.1

  156.0

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when an official trade mission from Bangladesh last visited the United Kingdom. [26919]

  Mr. Needham
  The last official trade mission from Bangladesh to visit the UK was a Jute delegation led by Mr. M. Janibul Huq, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Jute, between 6 and 18 June 1993.

  Lyonnaise des Eaux
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions officials or ministers of his Department met Lyonnaise des Eaux before the announcement of the proposed bid for Northumbrian Water. [26317]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Officials from my Department and the Department of the Environment met representatives of Lyonnaise des Eaux on one occasion before the proposed bid was announced. The meeting was concerned with the regulatory issues which any bid would raise.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if Ministers or officials in his Department discussed the proposed bid for Northumbrian Water by Lyonnaise des Eaux with Ofwat prior to the announcement taking place. [26318]

  Mr. Heseltine
  In view of the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1991, there were contacts between officials from the Department of the Environment and the Director General of Ofwat about the legal and regulatory implications of the proposed bid. DTI officials were present at one meeting.

  Shipbuilding
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money was paid to United Kingdom shipyards by way of European Union's seventh directive
  241
  on shipbuilding intervention fund in the last year for which records are available, and how much has been paid to United Kingdom shipyards since the intervention fund was introduced. [26159]

  Mr. Eggar
  Shipbuilding intervention fund payments to United Kingdom merchant shipyards amount to £15.3 million from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995 and £604.7 million since the scheme was introduced.

  Steel Industry
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  (Sheffield Hillsborough): To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new recruits have been taken on in the steel industry in each of the last three years. [26392]

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of new recruits who have been taken on in the steel industry in each of the last three years was:

  thousands

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Number of entrants

  3.1

  2.3

  n/a

  Source:

  Eurostat.

  Industrial Federations
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by industry the industrial federations with which he has held meetings since 1993. [26681]

  Mr. Heseltine
  My ministerial colleagues and I have had meetings with a wide range of industrial and commercial representative bodies.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had in the past 12 months from(a) the Engineering Employers Federation and (b) the Confederation of British Industry's national manufacturing council. [26680]

  Mr. Eggar
  Ministers and officials of my Department have frequent contact with the EEF and the CBI national manufacturing council.

  Employer's Organisations
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the employers' organisations with which he meets. [26682]

  Mr. Heseltine
  My ministerial colleagues and I meet industrial and commercial representative bodies when issues of mutual interest arise.

  Export Values
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, columns 902–3, concerning the percentage change in United Kingdom export unit values for manufacturers relative to those of the Six, if he will publish the corresponding figures for Italy. [26560]
  242
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The information is given in the table.

  Percentage change on previous quarter in Italian export unit values relative to others in the other EEC61

  Change on previous quarter

  1987ql

  -1.5

  1987q2

  0.0

  1987q3

  0.0

  1987q4

  0.6

  1988ql

  -0.4

  1988q2

  -0.9

  1988q3

  -2.7

  1988q4

  0.4

  1989ql

  0.4

  1989q2

  0.6

  1989q3

  1.8

  1989q4

  -0.9

  1990ql

  0.5

  1990q2

  1.5

  1991ql

  2.1

  1991q2

  1.1

  1991q3

  0.5

  1991q4

  -0.5

  1992ql

  2.0

  1992q2

  -0.4

  1992q3

  -1.4

  1992q4

  -9.9

  1993ql

  -1.1

  1993q2

  4.0

  1993q3

  0.5

  1993q4

  -1.7

  1994ql

  2.3

  1994q2

  1.6

  1 UK, Belgium/Luxembourg, France, Netherlands and Germany. 1. Unit value indices in US$ for EEC(6) are weighted together using total trade weights.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, column 902–3, concerning the percentage change in United Kingdom export unit values relative to those of the Six, if he will list the increase in relative unit values between the fourth quarter of 1976 and (a) the fourth quarter of 1986 and (b) the second quarter of 1994; and if he will provide comparable information for the non-Six EEC countries and the non-EEC countries. [27083]

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested relating to EEC Six and non-EEC countries are given in the table. Unit value indices for manufactured goods are readily available only for those EEC countries listed in table D6 of the monthly review of external trade statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Percentage change in the UK export unit values for manufacturing relative to EEC 61 and non-EEC2 countries between 1976 Q4 and a) 1986 Q4 and b) 1994 Q2

  a

  b

  EEC 61

  17.1

  29.6

  Non-EEC2

  10.7

  20.4

  1 United Kingdom, Belgium/Luxembourg, France, Netherlands and Germany.

  2 United States, Japan, Canada, Sweden and Switzerland.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, columns 902–3, concerning the percentage change in United Kingdom export unit values for manufactures relative to those of the Six, if he will publish for the corresponding quarters the changes in the volume of

  243
  exports of manufactures by the United Kingdom and the EEC Six respectively. [26561]

  United Kingdom

  Belgium/Luxemburg

  France

  Germany

  Italy

  Netherlands

  1987 q1

  2.6

  1.3

  3.1

  2.9

  -2.7

  3.9

  1987 q2

  8.2

  8.7

  7.0

  3.8

  3.7

  7.3

  1987 q3

  -1.7

  -13.3

  -6.9

  -3.1

  2.8

  -8.1

  1987 q4

  23.7

  27.5

  24.5

  21.1

  19.2

  25.6

  1988 ql

  -8.5

  -0.4

  4.6

  -9.1

  -14.0

  -1.7

  1988 q2

  11.4

  3.9

  4.4

  8.3

  18.9

  5.2

  1988 q3

  -8.0

  -16.4

  -16.5

  -10.3

  -15.7

  -9.8

  1988 q4

  14.7

  23.6

  18.8

  21.2

  23.9

  16.5

  1989 ql

  -4.4

  2.4

  5.4

  -6.1

  -11.5

  -2.0

  1989 q2

  0.7

  1.0

  1.6

  1.0

  13.9

  -1.0

  1989 q3

  -5.9

  -13.0

  -15.8

  -6.2

  -7.4

  -9.0

  1989 q4

  17.6

  18.2

  26.5

  14.3

  18.6

  17.5

  1990 ql

  -1.7

  10.7

  8.5

  9.6

  -3.8

  9.9

  1990 q2

  8.6

  -2.6

  -1.6

  -5.2

  13.6

  -1.0

  1990 q3

  0.5

  -2.0

  -4.7

  0.1

  -7.3

  0.1

  1990 q4

  19.4

  18.4

  22.6

  16.6

  21.5

  15.5

  1991 ql

  -14.7

  -1.0

  -2.5

  -2.9

  -10.6

  -2.9

  1991 q2

  0.6

  -10.8

  -8.0

  -13.4

  -4.0

  -11.2

  1991 q3

  -7.1

  -13.1

  -7.5

  0.2

  -12.3

  -2.9

  1991 q4

  17.3

  18.5

  21.0

  14.2

  26.4

  13.8

  1992 ql

  -9.5

  2.7

  1.3

  -0.6

  -6.8

  -1.0

  1992 q2

  8.8

  0.5

  -0.8

  -4.7

  4.4

  -0.4

  1992 q3

  -3.7

  -5.0

  -2.4

  10.3

  -0.9

  3.4

  1992 q4

  -0.8

  3.7

  3.4

  -1.6

  -1.7

  -0.5

  1993 ql

  -3.5

  n/a

  n/a

  -16.8

  n/a

  -13.2

  1993 q2

  2.5

  n/a

  n/a

  -1.0

  n/a

  5.3

  1993 q3

  -5.4

  n/a

  n/a

  -6.7

  n/a

  -5.7

  1993 q4

  10.4

  n/a

  n/a

  16.4

  n/a

  11.4

  1994 ql

  -2.6

  n/a

  n/a

  -7.2

  n/a

  -4.5

  1994 q2

  5.1

  n/a

  n/a

  14.2

  n/a

  1.1

  1994 q3

  0.3

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1.9

  1994 q4

  13.3

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Source:

  OECD Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade—adjusted for trade in miscellaneous goods.

  UN Monthly Bulletin of Statistics

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 3 April, Official Report, column 909, concerning the percentage change in the UK export unit values relative to those of the Six, what effect the reduction in relative exports unit values between the second quarter of 1988 and the first quarter of 1990 had on the volume of imports from the exports to(a) the EEC and (b) the EEC Six, and if he will list in

  UK trade with the EC-12 (percentage change on previous quarter)

  Six-month lag

  Twelve-month lag

  UK export unit values1

  Import volume

  Export volume

  Import volume

  Export volume

  1988 Q2

  2.0

  6.1

  -2.5

  1.3

  -1.0

  1988 Q3

  -0.5

  0.2

  3.5

  -0.3

  5.5

  1988 Q4

  -1.7

  1.3

  -1.0

  0.5

  2.7

  1989 Q1

  -1.5

  -0.3

  5.5

  0.4

  1.4

  1989 Q2

  -2.5

  0.5

  2.7

  -0.3

  2.6

  1989 Q3

  -0.6

  0.4

  1.4

  -1.2

  3.0

  1989 Q4

  -4.3

  -0.3

  2.6

  -3.9

  2.9

  1990 Ql

  -3.1

  -1.2

  3.0

  -2.5

  1.8

  1 UK export unit value indices in $US, relative to those for EC6.

  Departmental Performance
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what performance indicators and performance targets there are for measuring the performance of his Department in(a) answering letters from members of the public and (b) answering telephone calls from members of the public; how performance is monitored; and what
  244
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The information requested is given in the table.

  each case the corresponding increase in imports and exports time-lagged by (c) six months and(d) 12 months. [26930]

  Mr. Needham
  The available information on relative export unit values and the volumes of trade with the other 11 EC countries is given in the table. Estimates for the effects on imports and exports, of unit values in isolation from the other relevant factors, are not readily available.

  are the latest figures for performance measured against the target set. [26231]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  All DTI management units and agencies are required to set specific performance targets in MINIS. These targets vary from unit to unit to reflect the diversity of activities undertaken by the Department, and are designed to ensure high performance and quality
  245
  of service. All performance measures and targets are monitored and reviewed annually in MINIS to ensure that they are challenging and will lead to continued improvements in output and performance.

  More detailed information about individual management units' performance measures are published annually in the Department's MINIS documents. A copy of MINIS 94 is available in the Library of the House. MINIS 95 will be available next month. Agencies' targets are published in their annual reports.

  Consumer and Export Prices
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring up to the present date the information contained in the answer of 19 December 1980,Official Report, column 361, comparing the rise in consumer prices and export prices in Japan and the United Kingdom from 1952 to 1979; and if he will list the corresponding figures for the average annual rate of growth of GDP for each of the last 30 years. [27127]

  Mr. Needham
  The information is in the table:

  UK and Japan—changes in consumer and export prices 1952 to 1993

  Percentage change 1952–93

  Consumer prices

  Export unit values1

  United Kingdom

  1,243

  795

  Japan

  553

  11

  1 In terms of US dollars. Comparable figures in terms of national currencies are not readily available.

  United Kingdom and Japan—growth of real GDP 1964 to 1994

  Per cent.

  UK

  Japan

  1964

  5.4

  11.7

  1965

  2.9

  5.8

  1966

  1.9

  10.6

  1967

  2.3

  11.1

  1968

  4.4

  12.9

  1969

  2.4

  12.5

  1970

  2.1

  10.7

  1971

  1.6

  4.3

  1972

  2.8

  8.2

  1973

  7.6

  7.6

  1974

  -1.5

  -0.6

  1975

  -0.7

  2.9

  1976

  2.7

  4.2

  1977

  2.6

  4.7

  1978

  2.7

  4.9

  1979

  2.7

  5.5

  1980

  -2.0

  3.6

  1981

  -1.2

  3.6

  1982

  1.8

  3.2

  1983

  3.7

  2.7

  1984

  2.0

  4.3

  1985

  4.0

  5.0

  1986

  4.0

  2.6

  1987

  4.6

  4.1

  1988

  5.0

  6.2

  1989

  2.2

  4.7

  1990

  0.6

  4.8

  246

  United Kingdom and Japan—growth of real GDP 1964 to 1994

  Per cent.

  UK

  Japan

  1991

  -2.1

  4.3

  1992

  -0.5

  1.1

  1993

  2.2

  0.1

  1994

  3.9

  1.0

  Source:

  IMF International Financial Statistics.

  OECD Main Economic Indicators.

  OECD Economic Outlook.

  OECD Annual National Accounts Vol. 1.

  CSO.

  Social Audit
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research is being undertaken into the development of a social audit for companies; what action is being considered to support the publication of a social audit by companies or to include the provision of this information within the annual report; and if he will make a statement. [26917]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  My Department is not undertaking any research into the development of a social audit for companies or considering any action to support the publication of a social audit by companies.

  Community Business Sector
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what figures are available on the community business sector of the economy; what action he is taking to collect further information on the extent of the community business sector; what discussions he has undertaken with the representatives of community business in the United Kingdom; what proposals he has under consideration to improve the climate for developing community business further; and if he will make a statement. [26916]

  Mr. Page
  My Department does not keep statistics on the community business sector of the economy and has no plans at present to collect this information. The formation of community businesses is essentially a matter for the members of the individual community.

  Co-operative Sector
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the main types of organisation involved in the co-operative, mutual and non-profit sectors of the economy; what comparisons by size he has made between those sectors with the company sector for comparable industrial and commercial categories including banking, insurance and retailing; what action the Government are taking to foster and develop the co-operative, mutual and non-profit section of the economy; and if he will make a statement. [26925]

  Mr. Page
  The main types of organisations involved in the co-operative, mutual and non-profit sectors of the economy are building societies, friendly societies, credit unions and industrial and provident societies. Directly comparable figures for this sector and for company sectors in similar categories are not available.

  As part of the deregulation initiative, the Government have reviewed the legislation governing the activities of building societies, industrial and provident societies, credit unions and friendly societies. New draft legislation

  247
  for building societies is proposed for early in the next Session, which will allow them to operate more flexibly and to offer a wide range of products and services. Amendments to legislation governing industrial and provident societies, credit unions and friendly societies will be laid before Parliament on 26 June under the order-making power of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.

  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to fund innovative co-operative projects along the lines of those provided in the three years following the demise of the co-operative development agency; what funding is available for this type of project in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. [26927]

  Mr. Page
  My Department supported projects to the value of over £100,000 in 1993–94. There are no plans to fund development projects specifically related to co-operative businesses in the current financial year.

  Local Enterprise Agencies
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance is being provided through the offices of the local enterprise agencies to the development of the co-operative form of enterprise; what contacts exist between the local enterprise agencies and co-operative development agencies; and what action the Government are taking to ensure that those providing information and advice on the setting up of new business are aware of the co-operative alternative and can provide such information and advice where that is appropriate or requested; and if he will make a statement. [26918]

  Mr. Page
  Local enterprise agencies advise start-up businesses about the opportunities available to them locally. This will include access to finance, counselling, training and impartial advice on a range of subjects including the co-operative form of enterprise.

  The network of enterprise agencies has local links with co-operative development agencies. Individuals seeking self-employment may be referred from one to the other. A number of co-operative development agencies also operate as local enterprise agencies in their own right.

  My Department has funded the development of a resource pack related to co-operatives for business advisers working with micro-businesses. It is being disseminated through a number of regional seminars to which the main providers of information and advice, business links, training and enterprise councils and enterprise agencies, have been invited.

  Recorded Deliveries
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Post Office recorded delivery(a) letters and (b) packages were lost or failed to reach their destination in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland, for each of the last three years. [26588]

  Mr. Page
  The Post Office tells me that this information is not available. Recorded delivery items travel with first and second class post and are segregated only at the point of delivery so that a signature can be obtained. Details of inquiries and complaints about recorded delivery items are not recorded separately but are held with queries about standard postal services.

  Oil Exploration, Falkland Islands
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on negotiations between British Gas and YPF for oil exploration and exploitation in waters around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [27257]

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 6 June 1995]: None.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rural White Paper
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers local authorities have to impose(a) an operational tie and (b) other restrictions on occupancy where these did not exist previously; what changes have been made in these powers since 1987; and what representations he has received on this subject in the context of the forthcoming rural White Paper. [26641]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Section 70 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 enables the local planning authority to impose conditions on the grant of planning permission—similar powers were contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 which preceded this legislation. Our policy on planning conditions is contained in Department of the Environment circular 1/85—Welsh Office 1/85. Among other things, this makes it clear that conditions should be imposed only where they are necessary, relevant to planning, relevant to the development to be permitted, precise, and reasonable in all other respects.

  Additional guidance on the use of conditions in respect of agricultural and forestry dwellings is contained in annex E to planning policy guidance note 7: "The Countryside and the Rural Economy". This explains that when granting permission for a new agricultural dwelling, local planning authorities may impose an occupancy condition not only on the dwelling itself but on any existing dwellings on the unit which are under the control of the applicant, do not have occupancy conditions, and need at the time of the application to be used in connection with the farm. Such a condition may help to protect the countryside against the risk of pressure for new houses.

  A number of responses to the rural White Paper have included comments on restrictions on occupancy.

  Planning Guidance
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he gives to local authorities as to the legitimacy of planning decisions made when councillors taking part in the decision-making process had acted contrary to the common law principles of natural justice; [27022]

  (2) what guidance he gives to local authorities as to the legitimacy of planning decisions made when councillors taking part in the decision-making process had acted contrary to guidance contained in DOE circular 8/90 "The National Code of Local Government Conduct". [27021]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Planning policy guidance note 1 advises on the approach which decision makers should take when considering planning applications. In addition, a copy of the 1993 report, "Enquiry into the Planning System in North Cornwall District", was sent by this
  249
  Department to all English planning authorities. This gives advice on the need to follow proper procedures when dealing with planning applications and contains a summary of the sanctions available to the Secretary of State and others where national policy guidance is ignored.

  Local Authority Housing
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by region for each local authority(a) the housing revenue account subsidy in 1995–96, (b) the total amount of rent rebates to be paid to local authority tenants during 1995–96, (c) the number of local authority tenants and(d) the difference between the total amount of rent rebates and the housing revenue account subsidy in 1995–96; and what is this difference expressed as an amount per tenant. [27010]

  Mr. Curry
  I have today placed in the Library a copy of a table setting out the information requested, based on the latest estimates provided by local authorities.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the total amount of rent rebates to be paid to local authority tenants in England in 1995–96, the total housing revenue account subsidy for local authorities in England during 1995–96, the difference between these two amounts, and this difference expressed as an amount per local authority tenant. [27009]

  Mr. Curry
  Based on the latest subsidy claims from local authorities, the figures are as follows:

  £

  (a) Estimated cost of rent rebates in 1995–96

  4,460 million

  (b) Estimated Housing Revenue Account subsidy in 1995–96

  4,071 million

  (c) The difference between (a) and (b)

  389 million

  (d) The difference (c) expressed as an estimated amount per tenant

  113

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list total central government financial support to(a) Pendle, (b) Bath and (c) Bournemouth in 1994–95. [26974]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Central Government support comprises support for capital spending as well as revenue spending. The latest available figures for 1994–95 are as follows. Differences between districts' overall level of revenue support depend on a large number of factors including the size of the tax base from which council tax can be raised, as well as the Government's assessment of relative expenditure needs.

  £000's

  Pendle

  Bath

  Bournemouth

  Revenue Support Grant

  3,700

  3,694

  8,591

  Redistributed Non-domestic Rates

  2,758

  2,704

  5,133

  Specific and Special Grants inside AEF (excluding SSA Reduction Grant)

  195

  247

  683

  SSA Reduction Grant (SSA review)

  726

  0

  1,037

  Specific and Special Grants outside of AEF

  9,187

  10,618

  33,652

  250

  £000's

  Pendle

  Bath

  Bournemouth

  Total Revenue Support

  16,566

  17,263

  49,096

  Credit Approvals

  1,246

  3,422

  2,489

  Capital Grants

  1,392

  946

  850

  Total Central Government Support

  19,204

  21,631

  52,435

  Source:

  Revenue Support items: Revised Estimates from RA96 return.

  Note:

  Credit Approvals and Capital Grants: most recent Capital Payments Return. The figures for credit approvals relate to basic and supplementary credit approvals issued, less receipts of specified capital grant.

  Sludge
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the regulations for the application of sludge to farm land. [26939]

  Mr. Atkins
  The use of sewage sludge on farm land is controlled by the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989, SI 1989/1263, as amended (SI 1990/880).

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to his Department's cash and running costs limits in 1995–96. [27751]

  Mr. Gununer
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and supplementary estimates, the following cash and running cost limits will be revised.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 1, housing and construction, covering sections B C D and H of that vote in original estimates, will be reduced by £135,214,000 from £247,204,000 to £111,990,000. This change reflects the transfer of responsibility for net expenditure by the Energy Efficiency Office from class VII, vote 1 to class VII, vote 3.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 2, regeneration and countryside and wildlife, will be increased by £450,000 from £1,499,883,000 to £1,500,333,000. The change reflects an increase of £450,000 for the national parks supplementary grant to finance the setting up costs of the new national parks authorities which will be funded from retained PES provision.

  The non-voted cash limit DOE/RCW will be increased by £1,350,000 from £1,480,883,000 to £1,482,233,000. This reflects the increase of £450,000 in class VII, vote 2 and a further increase of £900,000 in respect of non-voted derelict land grant supplementary credit approvals which were omitted from the original cash limit.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 3, environmental protection and water, will be increased by £140,214,000 from £171,321,000 to £311,535,000. The change reflects a transfer of £135,214,000 from the cash limit for class VII, vote 1 in respect of net provision for energy office expenditure; and provision of £5,000,000 to cover the initial starting up costs of the new Environment Agency.

  The cash limit for class VII, vote 4, local government and planning, will be reduced by £33,000 from £30,087,143,000 to £30,087,110,000 to reflect savings in expenditure by the Valuation Office agency and valuation tribunals. The savings will be used within vote 4, to cover a residual payment of unaccompanied children grant, which is part of the non-cash-limited section of the vote.
  251
  The cash limit for class VII, vote 9, PSA Services, will be reduced by £10,534,000 from £46,905,000 to £36,371,000 and the gross running cost limit on this vote will be reduced by £12,931,000 from £52,931,000 to £40,000,000. The reduction reflects savings achieved in the residuary functions in severance figures and secondee numbers arising out of the most recent forecasts.

  Increases on votes 2 and 3 will be fully offset by reductions in other cash-limited expenditure and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Second World War Bomb (Island of Portland)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide financial assistance to Weymouth and Portland borough council under the Bellwin scheme for the costs incurred in dealing with the second world war bomb on the Island of Portland between 1 and 3 April 1995. [27841]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I am satisfied that financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme is justified given the exceptional nature of this incident. A scheme will therefore be established under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Grant will be paid to cover 85 per cent. of eligible costs which are above a threshold, and which have been incurred by Weymouth and Portland borough council in dealing with the bomb and evacuating residents from the Island of Portland between 1 and 3 April 1995.

  Pollution Control
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to make amendments to the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations as they affect boat builders and similar industries. [27859]

  Mr. Atkins
  The systems of integrated pollution control and air pollution control brought in by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 have successfully taken root. The industries they regulate are set down in the prescribed processes and substances regulations.

  It is important that th6 regulations are regularly reviewed, to take account of experience of operating the two systems, changing industrial practices, new information about the pollution potential of different industries, and the like. I have today issued a consultation paper which contains proposals for a relatively small number of adjustments to these regulations arising out of just such a review.

  The consultation paper is being circulated widely to relevant industry and trade associations, local authorities, and environmental groups, with a request for comments by 21 July. I am placing a copy of the paper in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to revise the minimum and maximum contract periods for services subject to compulsory competitive tendering under the Local Government Act 1988. [27860]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  In August 1994, my Department issued a consultation paper inviting comment on the minimum and maximum contract periods for work then subject to the Local Government Act 1988. In it, we asked 252
  whether, in the light of experience, the existing statutory minimum and maximum contract periods need to be changed. The responses were mixed, but after careful consideration I have decided that changes to the existing contract periods are needed.

  I have today issued to the local authority and trade associations for consultation a draft set of regulations which will increase the minimum and maximum contract periods for a number of defined activities subject to CCT. The new periods will apply except where the work consists wholly or mainly of work for education establishments.

  The new contract periods are as follows, with old periods in brackets:

  Years

  New Minimum period

  New Maximum period

  Collection of refuse

  6(5)

  10(7)

  Other Cleaning

  5(4)

  10(6)

  Maintenance of grounds

  5(4)

  7(5)

  Repair and Maintenance of vehicles

  5(4)

  7(5)

  Managing sports and leisure

  5(4)

  10(6)

  There will be no change to the minimum and maximum contract periods for building cleaning, school and welfare catering or other catering services. The changes will also not affect the recently introduced new manual services or white collar services. The contract periods which will apply to contracts for work wholly or mainly at educational establishments shall be unchanged from those which previously applied to authorities with educational functions.

  A number of respondents observed that it seems illogical that, for some services, shorter contract periods apply to work tendered by an authority with education functions even where the contract in question does not involve any work at an educational establishment. Therefore, separate contract periods will no longer be specified for local education authorities as a whole. Instead the shorter contract periods shall apply only to contracts consisting wholly or substantially of work for educational establishments.

  There can be no doubt that longer contracts will provide a greater incentive to contractors to invest in the services which they provide and thus improve the quality of those services. They will also reduce the average cost of that investment by allowing it to be spread over a longer period. In addition, contractors have indicated that, as longer contracts are of greater value to them, they would be more likely to bid for work if contract periods were to be increased. Improved levels of competition will ensure that bids are more competitive and local authorities will have more choice in deciding who to invite to bid. The combined effect will be to improve greatly the value for money which is obtained in the provision of local authority services.

  Longer contract periods will also encourage local authorities and tenderers to take a longer view when making plans for service provision. The greater stability and continuity which longer contracts provide will assist in the planning of long-term projects such as recycling schemes.
  253
  However, we do not intend to increase the minimum contract period of any service by more than one year. Instead, we propose to make significant increases to the maximum contract periods for certain services to allow local authorities the discretion to tender longer contracts where it is beneficial to do so.

  These changes will not affect tenders in progress for which a tender notice specifying a contract period has already been published.

  An announcement about Wales will be made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales shortly.

WALES

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris) of 16 March,Official Report, column 692, and the letter of 5 April placed in the Library from the chief executive of the Welsh Development Agency concerning joint venture agreements entered into by the agency (1) if he will

  £000

  Medical and front-line support

  (1) Administrative and clerical

  (2) Directly employed NHS staff

  (3) FHSA contractual staff

  (4) Total columns (2) and (3)

  1979–80

  27,837

  159,593

  27,238

  186,831

  1980–81

  33,986

  220,857

  36,434

  257,291

  1981–82

  36,702

  239,751

  40,921

  280,672

  1982–83

  37,504

  261,243

  46,444

  307,687

  1983–84

  42,697

  278,551

  50,538

  329,089

  1984–85

  46,136

  303,396

  56,803

  360,199

  1985–86

  48,130

  327,455

  55,020

  382,475

  1986–87

  50,430

  360,269

  63,485

  423,754

  1987–88

  57,170

  408,732

  70,996

  479,728

  1988–89

  63,526

  475,481

  82,607

  558,088

  1989–90

  73,630

  542,564

  86,186

  628,750

  1990–91

  87,367

  593,407

  91,753

  685,160

  1991–92

  107,018

  626,260

  121,454

  747,714

  1992–93

  124,152

  683,080

  124,219

  807,299

  1993–94

  141,321

  697,545

  128,429

  825,974

  Source:

  Annual Accounts/Financial Returns of HAs, SHAs, FHSAs, NHS Trusts, and Welsh Office records.

  Notes:

  1. Column (1) figures include the salaries and wages of general and senior managers, and administrators and clerks in health authorities, SHAs, FHSAs and NHS trusts, including agency staff. The figures exclude the costs of GPs' administrative staff as this information is not separately collected.

  2. Column (2) figures include the salaries of medical, dental, nursing, professional and technical staff employed in HAs, SHAs, FHSAs and NHS trusts. They exclude the costs of ancillary, maintenance and ambulance staff. They also include in 1993–94 £14.3 million associated with the pre-registration salary/bursary costs of nurses. In previous years these cost were reflected in health body accounts, and are in the figures above for earlier years. From 1993–94 these funds have been managed by the Welsh Office.

  3. Column (3) figures include the estimated earnings of dentists, and GP's and their staff costs, (medical and administrative as information to allow splitting of these costs is not collected). Those for pharmaceutical and ophthalmic contractors cannot be disaggregated from service costs and are not included.

  4. The reduction in administrative and managerial numbers in health authorities resulting form current policy will be reflected in the 1994–95 figures available shortly. Total numbers of administrative and managerial staff are now 193 below the peak level.
  254
  list the total costs to public funds of those projects listed in each of the financial years given; [25295]

  (2) what was the cost to public funds of agency involvement for each project listed. [25296]

  Mr. Redwood
  I will arrange for the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Health Service Costs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the costs of(a) managers, (b) administration and (c) medical staff in the health service in Wales for each year since 1979 in current prices.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information relating to managerial and administrative staff is not collected separately, and is shown Collectively as column 1 of the following table.

  Figures previously given in my reply to the hon. Gentleman on 13 December 1994 are restated, and the amount for 1992–93 in column 1 revised, due to an error in the accounts of one health authority. The adjustment has been notified and confirmed by the authority concerned.

  The information is as follows:
  255

  Retirements and Redundancies
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual cost to his Department of staff leaving under redundancy or early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payments, (ii) redundancy payments, (iii) pension payments, including enhancements and (iv) any other special arrangements for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) projected for 1995–96 and(d) projected for 1996–97. [25472]

  Mr. Redwood
  The costs to the Department of early retirement and redundancies are borne from the Department's running costs provision.

  A detailed breakdown of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The total costs borne on the Department's running costs in 1993–94 and 1994–95 were £100,789 and £823,558 respectively. For 1995–96, the amount is estimated at £220,000. Projections for 1996–97 will be determined during the coming public expenditure survey.

  Life Styles
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research into rural Welsh life styles his Department has commissioned since 1 January 1990. [26498]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office together with the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Development Agency commissioned a study on life styles in rural Wales in April 1991. The work was undertaken by Professor Paul Cloke, then of the geography department at the University College of Wales, Lampeter, and supported by a team of his colleagues. A final version of this report was presented to the Welsh Office in April 1994.

  Rural Wales
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's estimate of the estimated percentage of people in rural Wales living on the poverty line; and what statistics his Department publishes on these data. [26500]

  Mr. Redwood
  Statistics on patterns of household disposal income, for the United Kingdom as a whole, are provided in "Households Below Average Income 1979–1991/92", published in July 1994, a copy of which is in the Library. Information is not available on a regional basis.

  Brock plc—Contaminated Soil
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet residents at Sea View farm to hear their views concerning proposals to dump contaminated soil by Brock plc. [26357]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. Brock plc has appealed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the public inquiry is to be reconvened on 19 June. Residents should make their views known to the inspector in writing at the planning inspectorate, Welsh Office, Cathays park, Cardiff CF1 3NQ.

  Staff
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of civil service posts, including positions in executive agencies but excluding technical appointments at grades 1 to 6 which have been 256
  advertised, together with the number of applicants, interviewees and appointees broken down to show (a) civil servants and (b) non-civil servants for each year from 1 January 1990 to 31 December as a whole in Wales. [26943]

  Mr. Redwood
  Information is not available in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Office of Public Service and Science on 6 June 1995 at column 138.

  Draft Local Plans
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of the draft local plans that have been submitted to his Department to date and those that he has approved. [27138]

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department is consulted about local plans at draft and deposit stage. To date, draft area-wide local plans have been prepared for the Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire coast national parks and for the districts of Ceredigion, Colwyn, Cynon Valley, Dwyfor, Merthyr Tydfil, Montgomeryshire, Newport, Port Talbot, Radnorshire, South Pembrokeshire, Taff Ely and Torfaen. Area-wide local plans have reached deposit stage in Alyn and Deeside, Bleanau Gwent, Brecknock, Carmarthen, Cardiff, Dinefwr, Islwyn, Monmouth, Preseli Pembrokeshire, Rhondda, Rhymney Valley, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham Naelor and Ynys Mon. Local plans, adopted by the authorities concerned, currently cover Arfon, Blaenau Gwent, Delyn, Glyndwr, Lliw Valley, Neath, Ogwr, Rhuddlan, Rhondda, Swansea and Wrexham Maelor. In due course, some of these will be replaced by new area-wide plans.

  Full monitoring of local plan preparation is carried out by the Welsh Office every six months and the results of the latest survey will be published soon.

  Skills
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on estimates of skills shortage recorded in private or public surveys which he has evaluated; what measures are being taken to tackle existing skills shortages; and if he will make a statement. [25765]

  Mr. Richards
  The 1994 Welsh employers survey covered nearly 3,000 employers in Wales. It found that 5 per cent. of establishments had vacancies that were hard to fill and 2 per cent had hard-to-fill vacancies due to lack of skilled applicants.

  Reports of other recent surveys conducted for employers organisations suggest that the percentage of firms expecting a shortage of skilled labour to limit output is increasing. However caution must be attached to the findings of regional analyses based on small samples which are liable to significant margins of error. "People and Prosperity: and Agenda for Action in Wales" published on 20 March sets out a concerted plan of action to improve skills levels in Wales.

  Privatised Utilities
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make an order requiring British Gas, British Telecom, MANWEB, SWALEC, Dwr Cymru and other major privatised utilities to prepare schemes for the implementation of the Welsh language Act 1993, and if he will make a statement; [26552]
  257
  (2) what assessment he has made of the judgments of the House of Lords and European Court of Justice in respect of the cases of Foster and ORS v. British Gas (1994) ICR 84, and ORS v. South West Water Services Ltd. (1994) with regard to the operation of the Welsh Language Act 1993, and if he will make a statement. [26553]

  Mr. Richards
  It was not intended that the provisions of part II of the Welsh Language Act should be applied to the private sector. The Government remain of the view that, despite recent legal judgments, even if it is within the Secretary of State's power to specify some or all of the privatised utilities under section 6(1)(o) of the Act, those bodies should not be so specified.

  However, many private companies, including privatised utilities, have produced Welsh language schemes voluntarily and in response to customer demand. The privatised utilities have, I believe, a particularly good record of operating bilingual policies successfully.

  Asthma
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure on anti-asthma medication and preparations, per family health service authority, for the last two years for which figures are available. [27178]

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  £ million

  Expenditure

  Family Health Services Authority

  1993

  1994

  Clwyd

  3.260

  3.702

  Gwynedd

  2.024

  2.345

  Powys

  0.766

  1.046

  Dyfed

  3.259

  3.691

  West Glamorgan

  3.551

  3.902

  South Glamorgan

  3.553

  3.536

  Mid Glamorgan

  3.382

  6.182

  Gwent

  3.549

  3.997

  These figures show expenditure on bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, cromoglycate and related therapy. Some of these preparations are prescribed for indications other than asthma.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure per capita in Wales on anti-asthma medication and preparations for the last five years for which figures are available. [27179]

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Total expenditure per capital £

  July-December 19891

  2.49

  1990

  5.49

  1991

  6.52

  1992

  7.63

  1993

  8.78

  1994

  9.89

  1 Information not collected prior to July 1989.

  258
  These figures show expenditure on bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, cromoglycate and related therapy. Some of these preparations are prescribed for indications other then asthma.

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue a consultative draft of new policy planning guidance notes for Wales; and if he will make a statement. [27225]

  Mr. Redwood
  I shall be issuing such a draft shortly.

  Police Diving Teams
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information his Department holds on police diving teams. [27139]

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  In connection with its responsibilities, Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary holds details of the number of full-time police officers, and civilian police staff, involved in underwater search duties in each force in England and Wales.

  There are 18 underwater search teams in England and Wales. Forces which do not have their own unit, or share one, may arrange for diving support to be brought in from neighbouring forces.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Intestate Estates
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people have died intestate in the latest years for which figures are available whose estates have transferred to the Duchy of Lancaster. [26731]

  Mr. David Hunt
  Records are maintained by reference to the date of reporting and of closing of cases, not necessarily by reference to the date of death.

  During the last three years for which figures are available, the number of intestate estates the value of which after disposal of assets was transferred to the Duchy of Lancaster, was, for the year commencing 1 October in each case:

  1991–92: 148

  1992–93: 148

  1993–94: 131

  These are also referred to as "closed cases".

  The number of cases reported to the solicitor for the affairs of the Duchy of Lancaster for the same three years were:

  1991–92: 425

  1992–93: 421

  1993–94: 388

  The cases referred to as "closed" above were not necessarily included in those reported in the relevant three years.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many estates under the intestacy
  259
  provisions in the County Palatine passed to the Duchy in 1993–94 and 1994–95; and how many devolved, after investigation, to surviving blood relatives. [26725]

  Mr. David Hunt
  The number of estates which passed to the Duchy in 1993–94 were 131. The figures are not yet available for 1994–95.

  The number of estates which devolved to surviving blood relatives—kin—in 1993–94 were 32.

  These 32 estates were not necessarily reported as closed during the year 1993–94. Of the total number of cases reported in 1993–94–388—some will be included in the "closed cases" for that year; some in the cases which devolved to surviving blood relatives—kin—after administration; some would have remained under administration at the end of the year; and the balance would have been transferred to blood relatives before administration was completed.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals there are to change the 1995–96 cash limit and running costs limit for the Office of Public Service and Science. [27756]

  Mr. Horam
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of Public Service and Science—class XVIII, vote 1—will be increased by £2,123,000 from £50,590,000 to £52,713,000 and the gross running cost limit will be increased by £13,003,000 from £69,846,000 to £82,849,000. Net running costs for the Civil Service College will decrease by £1,849,000 from £1,849,000 to zero. The increases result from a transfer of civil service management of superannuation functions, and provision from Her Majesty's Treasury—class XVII, vote 1. The increase will be offset by a transfer and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  UK/US Aviation Agreement
  UK/US Aviation Agreement
  Unit Price Marking
  Unit Price Marking