Written Answers of 19 June 1995

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Food Research
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total number of scientists employed by the Agricultural and Food Research Council for(a) 1979 and (b) at present. [28567]

  Mr. Horam
  The number of scientists employed by the Agricultural and Food Research Council in 1979 was 3,417. As at March 1995, the number employed in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, as it is now known, has fallen to 1,988.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many scientists were employed at the Institute of Food Research for each year since 1986; and what was the total expenditure for each year since 1986 in(a) cash and (b) constant prices. [28599]

  Mr. Horam
  The number of scientists employed at the Institute of Food Research since 1986, and the total expenditure for each year since 1986 in(a) cash and (b) constant prices are as follows:

  Expenditure £ million

  Year

  Number of Scientists

  Cash

  Constant

  1985–86

  534

  9.6

  14.3

  1986–87

  514

  10.7

  15.4

  1987–88

  517

  10.9

  15.0

  1988–89

  463

  11.4

  14.5

  1989–90

  425

  11.4

  13.6

  1990–91

  308

  11.3

  12.8

  1991–92

  338

  10.9

  11.3

  1992–93

  335

  11.8

  11.8

  1993–94

  303

  11.7

  11.4

  1994–95

  313

  11.8

  11.2

  Research Councils
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people employed on research council grants have funding from the research councils for telephone bills; and how many do not. [28678]

  Mr. Horam
  Research councils' databases do not hold data at this level of disaggregation. Telephone bills are covered within the indirect costs element of research grants, except where the telephone cost dedicated to a specific project exceeds £1000 per annum.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking or has taken to ensure that funds provided by research councils to meet overhead costs to universities associated with the employment of those funded by such grants are used for the purposes for which they are intended. [28679]
  2
  Mr. Horam
  The funds provided to universities by the research councils to meet overhead or indirect costs are intended to cover central and departmental costs that underpin research activities, but that cannot readily be uniquely assigned to particular research projects. The funding for indirect costs is therefore not earmarked in any way for particular purposes.

  The Government are currently funding an independent review of new arrangements introduced in 1992 for the funding of research council work in universities to examine whether these are operating as intended.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 4 May, Official Report, column 264, if he will provide comparable details on civil service retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29283]

  Mr. David Hunt
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been no departures on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years from the Cabinet Office, including OPSS and its agencies, HMSO, or the COI.

  Charter Week
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his current estimate of the total cost to public funds of Charter Week 1995. [29178]

  Mr. Horam
  A number of public service events have been timed to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the charter programme, including the publication of several new or revised charters. There will be no extra cost from holding these events in July.

TRANSPORT

  Road Inquiries
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the results of the inquiry on(a) Kidderminster, Hagley, Blakedown bypass and (b) the western orbital route; and when he will announce a decision as to the timetable for the building of these schemes. [28274]

  Mr. Watts
  The Secretaries of State are considering the inspector's report on the A449/A456 Kidderminister, Blakedown and Hagley bypass following public inquiry and will announce their decision in due course. No draft orders for the western orbital route, which could be the subject of an inquiry, have been published. It is not possible, therefore, to give a timetable for either scheme.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for closure of rail services have been submitted to him in(a) the last five years and (b) the last 10 years; and how many of those he has accepted. [28618]

  Mr. Watts
  Over the past five years, 14 closure proposals have been submitted to the Secretary of State for his consent for closure. Consent was given in 13 cases and one proposal is outstanding. Thirty-six proposals have been submitted to the Secretary of State over the past 10 years. Consent for closure has been given in 30 cases, one has been refused, one is outstanding and four were withdrawn.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure improvements in the provision for(a) cycles and (b) disabled persons on all rail services and in all rail stations; and if he will make a statement. [29253]

  Mr. Watts
  The franchising director is minded to include in franchise agreements the provision that, as far as is reasonably practicable, and subject to the availability of appropriate space on their rolling stock, franchise operators should ensure that facilities for the carriage of cycles on trains are provided.

  The rail regulator has responsibility under the Railways Act 1993 for the protection of the interests of disabled passengers. He has included in passenger and station licences a requirement to establish and comply with a disabled persons' protection policy; and in July 1994 he issued a code of practice on meeting the needs of the disabled which offers practical guidance to the rail industry on improving accessibility to the rail network.

  Motor Cars (Glass)
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent the test for excessively dark or smoked glass in the windows in motor cars depends on whether the driver of another vehicle can see the occupants of the vehicle fitted with such glass; and if he will introduce further regulations to define the criteria. [28977]

  Mr. Norris
  Regulations require the glass in motor cars first used from 1 June 1978 to have at least 70 per cent. light transmittance. This allows only a light tint. Whether one can see the occupants of another vehicle depends on overall light conditions as well as the light transmittance of the glass.

  National Superdome
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made as to the impact of the new proposed national superdome on the traffic flow of the M606, M62 and other related road systems; [29002]

  (2) how many places are proposed for the car park for the proposed national superdome; and what estimate he has made of the length of time it would take to clear; [29003]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the likely increase in exhaust emissions in the area should the proposed national superdome be constructed. [29001]
  4
  Mr. Watts
  These are operational matters for the Highways Agency.

  I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gerry Sutcliffe, dated 19 June 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your 3 recent Parliamentary Questions asking the Secretary of State for Transport about the proposed National Superdome.

  i) The developer has made a traffic impact assessment of the effect of the proposed National Superdome on the adjacent road network. The Highways Agency has examined the effects on the M606 Euroway Junction, M606 between M62 and the Euroway, M606/M62 Junction 26 and M62 main carriageways.

  ii) The proposal is for 8,750 car parking spaces at the National Superdome and a further 1,250 spaces at the nearby Richard Dunn site. The developer predicts that spectators will leave over a three hour period with half leaving in the first hour.

  iii) We have made no estimate of the increase in exhaust emissions in the area. The developer's consultant has produced an environmental statement which concludes that:

  `Although it will have a contribution to the levels of noise and pollution on the road network, its overall contribution is so small as to be immeasurable'.
  I hope this answers your questions.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to progress on the construction of the Jubilee line. [28990]

  Mr. Norris
  Progress continues to be made with construction of the line. London Underground is still aiming for it to be completed in early 1998.

  Trust Ports
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take concerning privatisation of the larger trust ports. [289617]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ports privatised under the Ports Act 1991 are showing already the increased efficiency which comes from full commercial management and competition on an equal footing with other ports. Both ports and port users benefit from such increased efficiency. All trust ports can, at any time, use the Ports Act 1991 to take action to privatise themselves. Five—Forth, Clyde, Tees and Hartlepool, Medway and Tilbury—have done so already. Dundee is now in the process of privatisation. I welcome this, and hope more will follow.

  Under the Act, following consultation, I am able to direct a trust port with an annual turnover of more than £5.4 million in two of its last three accounting years to form a successor company and to prepare a scheme for transferring the undertaking to that company, with a view to the sale of the company to the commercial sector.

  I am considering giving a direction to the Dover Harbour Board, the Port of Tyne Authority and the Ipswich Port Authority directing each to form a company and to prepare a scheme for transferring the authority's undertaking to it. I have accordingly written separately today to the chairmen of those authorities to consult them on my proposal.
  5
  I have no plans at present to consult the other ports with annual turnover above the threshold.

  Railways (Vandalism)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) railway employees and (b) railway passengers have suffered injury as a result of acts of vandalism or other aspects of criminal activities on railway lines in each year since 1990. [28161]

  Mr. Watts
  The table shows the number of passengers and staff who have suffered injury on the railways, as a result of criminal activity, since 1991. Comparable figures for 1990 are not available.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Passengers

  3,316

  3,523

  3,745

  3,742

  Staff

  428

  442

  449

  344

  Disabled Parking, Great Minster House
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how the number of car parking spaces that are available at Great Minster house and the Horseferry road will affect the representation of disabled people's view points by people who are themselves disabled at meetings of(a) the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and (b) the joint committee on mobility for disabled people; [28105]

  (2) how many car parking spaces the city of Westminster will make available on Horseferry road for disabled orange badge holders visiting Great Minster house; [28104]

  (3) how many car parking spaces are available at Great Minster house (a) for disabled employees and (b) disabled visitors. [28100]

  Mr. Norris
  The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is the statutory adviser to the Department of Transport on matters affecting the transport of disabled people. The needs of that committee will continue to be met when the Department moves to Great Minster house. The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation was commissioned to carry out an access audit of the new building to ensure that it will meet the needs of disabled staff and visitors, including members of the DPTAC.

  The joint committee on mobility for disabled people is a non-statutory body whose meetings the Department has accommodated on an informal basis for a number of years. However, the parking requirements for that committee far exceed the capacity at Great Minster house and we have regrettably had to tell the organisers that we will be unable to continue the arrangements beyond the end of July 1995. Officials will, however, continue to attend meetings of the JCMD at their new venue and to work closely with them.

  Of the 21 parking spaces at Great Minster, seven will be reserved for disabled people whether staff or visitors.

  Westminster City council has also agreed to make two bays available for orange badge holders in Horseferry road outside Great Minster House.
  6
  The needs of disabled staff and visitors will continue to be assessed once the new building is operational.

  Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he now makes of the life expectancy of the existing Al2 Bascule bridge at Lowestoft; and if he will make a statement; [28911]

  (2) what contingency he has for moving traffic from north to south Lowestoft and vice versa, when breakdowns of the Bascule bridge of Al2 at Lowestoft occur for (a) 24 hours or less, (b) up to three days, (c) up to a month and (d) longer than a month; and if he will make a statement. [28912]

  Mr. Watts
  The Al2 Bascule bridge is now 22 years old and should continue to operate satisfactorily for many more years.

  For planned maintenance closures, and in the event of a breakdown of the Bascule bridge, contingency arrangements are in place to divert local and through traffic via the A1117 Mutford Lock bridge. Associated British Ports, which operates the bridge, liaises closely with the police and Waveney district council to install diversion signing and managing traffic on the diversion route.

  The Highways Agency and Suffolk county council are considering the possibility of a permanent diversion signing scheme to cater for closures of either the Al2 Bascule bridge on the A1117 Mutford Lock bridge.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 2 May, Official Report, column 152, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29290]

  Mr. Norris
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been four departures on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years. Details are contained in the table.

  Benefits payable at age 60

  Year

  Number of cases

  Immediate compensation lump sum £

  Annual pension £

  Pension lump sum £

  1990–91

  11

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1991–92 to 1993–94

  Nil

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1994–95

  3

  12,221

  1,932

  5,798

  4,476

  1,253

  3,759

  19,256

  3,770

  11,059

  1 The officer had under two years service and did not qualify for benefits.

  Unadopted Roads
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to end the system of unadopted roads and pathways and to incorporate such thoroughfares within the responsibilities of local authorities. [29018]

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if lorry checks now include a requirement to ensure that where appropriate the connector on the brake pipe is connected to the trailer; and what spot checks are taking place to ensure that this piece of equipment is attached. [28870]

  Mr. Norris
  All heavy goods vehicle inspections by the Vehicle Inspectorate include a check of brake performance. Regulations requiring operating adaptors to be fitted to all heavy goods vehicles will be made shortly. In the meantime we are running a publicity campaign to alert operators to the dangers of not fitting them. In addition, the Vehicle Inspectorate is obtaining equipment with which checks for fitment can be made at annual and roadside tests.

  Track Access Charges
  Miss Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the track access subsidy paid to a private rail franchise will be tax deductible as a trading expense. [28671]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 15 June]: The payment of track access charges by a franchisee to Railtrack will be deductible as a trading expense. The receipt of track access charges by Railtrack will be taxable in Railtrack's hands.

  Road Pricing
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the transport and information technology industries of the Government's postponement of road pricing. [28815]

  Mr. Watts
  No decision has been taken about the introduction of road pricing in urban areas, so the question of postponement does not arise.

TREASURY

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Customs and Excise has responded to the open government initiative. [29943]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Notice 950, entitled "Open Government: Access to information held by Customs and Excise", has just been published. The notice sets out what Customs and Excise is doing about the open government code of practice, and explains the kinds of information available and how to obtain it. It also sets out Customs's charging policy and the procedures for complaining to the Department, the independent adjudicator and the 8
  Parliamentary Ombudsman should the applicant be dissatisfied with the way Customs has handled their request for information. The notice includes an application form for requesting information from Customs and is available, on request, from all Customs and Excise inquiry offices.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal advice he has sought from solicitors or barristers in respect of draft conclusions reached by the Scott inquiry; what is the estiamted cost of such legal expenses to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [28900]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 15 June 1995]: The Government do not consider it right to publish the nature or costs of any advice which may have been given to individual witnesses to the Scott inquiry. This is a matter of confidence between them and any legal advisers they may have retained.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estiamte of the net government capital expenditure, less net sales of public sector assets, including privatised entities, for the fiscal years(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) 1995–96, (d) 1996–97 and (e) 1997–98. [28199]

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: The table gives public sector capital expenditure, net of depreciation and receipts from disposals of capital assets, for fiscal years 1993–94 to 1997–98.

  £ million

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Net Capital Expenditure

  11,668

  12,934

  11,404

  11,277

  10,663

  Figures for receipts from privatisation are given in table 5.6 of the statistical supplement of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" (Cm 2821). In addition, since its launch in 1992, the private finance initiative has harnessed an increasing amount of private sector finance. This increase is set to continue, leading to more and better infrastructure projects and improved services.

  Consultants
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what policies he intends to implement in order to reduce the expenditure of Government Departments on external consultants. [281581

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: It is for individual Government Departments to decide how much of their cash provision to spend on external consultants. A report by the efficiency unit on the Government's use of external consultants, published in August 1994, indicated a number of ways in which Departments could optimise their use of consultants. Implementation of those measures, combined with continued firm control of

  9
  provision available for public expenditure, should enhance the value for money Departments obtain from the services of external consultants.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals in Scotland are currently receiving mortgage tax relief; what estimates he has of the regional distribution of mortgagors and mortgage interest relief in each year since 1988; and what is the current cost to the Exchequer of paying mortgage interest relief in Scotland; [27369]

  (2) what was the cost of mortgage tax relief (a) at basic rate and (b) in excess of the basic rate in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96. [27370]

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 9 June 1995]: Information for the years 1988–89 to 1992–93 was published in table 5.3 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1994". Updated figures for 1993–94 and figures for 1994–95 are given in the tables.

  Cost of mortgage interest tax relief and numbers of mortgagors, by region and country:

  Amounts: £ million

  Cost

  1993–94

  1994–951

  Northern

  200

  160

  Yorkshire

  300

  240

  North West

  430

  350

  East Midlands

  280

  230

  West Midlands

  340

  280

  East Anglia

  170

  140

  Greater London

  580

  470

  Other South East

  1,090

  890

  South West

  400

  320

  England

  3,790

  3,080

  Wales

  150

  130

  Scotland

  300

  240

  Northern Ireland

  60

  50

  United Kingdom

  4,300

  3,500

  1 Provisional.

  Numbers: thousands1

  Mortgagors

  1993–94

  1994–951

  Northern

  560

  570

  Yorkshire

  840

  850

  North West

  1,190

  1,200

  East Midlands

  730

  740

  West Midlands

  910

  920

  East Anglia

  380

  380

  Greater London

  1,060

  1,070

  Other South East

  2,120

  2,140

  South West

  890

  900

  England

  8,680

  8,770

  Wales

  450

  450

  Scotland

  720

  730

  Northern Ireland

  150

  150

  United Kingdom

  10,000

  10,100

  1 Provisional.

  No mortgage interest relief in excess of the basic rate is available for the years specified. In 1994–95 the rate of relief was 20 per cent. and in 1995–96 the rate of relief is 15 per cent. The estimated total cost of mortgage relief
  10
  in 1995–96 is about £2.8 billion with about 10.1 million married couples and single people receiving the relief. This is based on the assumption, by convention, of no change from the current estimated average building society interest rate of 8 per cent. The regional distribution for 1993–94 is a broad estimate based on analyses of family expenditure surveys up to 1993. The regional distribution for 1994–95, which is shown in the table, is a projection based on applying the same regional percentages to the total figures for 1994–95. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of regional distributions for 1995–96.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

  British Coal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the chairman of the Public Accounts Commission (1) if the National Audit Office will publish an interim report into its findings into the British Coal privatisation by N. M. Rothschild; and if he will make a statement; [28278]

  (2) when the National Audit Office will publish its findings into the British Coal privatisation handled by N. M. Rothschild; and if he will make a statement. [28276]

  Sir Peter Hordern
  The National Audit Office is currently examining the sale by the Department of Trade and Industry of British Coal's mining activities. This examination will consider the steps taken by the Department in pursuit of its objectives for the sale, and the costs of the sale, including advisers' costs. When the examination has been completed, the National Audit Office will report to Parliament. I understand that it currently has no plans to make interim reports on any particular aspect of the sale.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 232, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29281]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not held by my Department in a readily accessible form. The information which the hon. Member has requested is being collated and I will provide him with a substantive answer shortly.

  Mr. Reda Hanna
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of the legal aid given to Mr. Reda Hanna; what was his contribution; and what account was taken of his parents' wealth as a means of assessing his contribution. [28364]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The trial of Mr. Hanna has only just ended and the costs have not yet been determined. Mr. Hanna was not required to contribute towards the costs of his legal aid, but was ordered to pay £200 towards the costs of the prosecution. Current legal aid regulations do
  11
  not provide for a parent's resources to be included in the means assessment of applicants for legal aid. However, the Lord Chancellor has indicated that he intends to amend the legal aid regulations to provide those conducting means assessments with a discretionary power to include in the means assessment the assets of friends, relatives and children where these appear to be providing a significant material advantage to the applicant.

PRIME MINISTER

  Committee on Standards in Public Life
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister what has been the cost to date of the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life. [28931]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale, (Mr. Greenway), 22 May,Official Report, columns 377–78.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Liverpool Police
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside, and adeputation from the Merseyside police authority concerning recent troubles on Liverpool streets and the funding for the police. [29279]

  Mr. Howard
  This was a useful meeting, at which I was able to receive a personal briefing on the position in the hon. Member's constituency and to hear the views of the police authority. My Department continues to keep in close touch with events in the area.

  Probation Officers
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 1 May from the hon. Member for Hammersmith concerning training of probation officers. [29103]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 16 June.

  Inquests
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time between a death occurring and an inquest being completed in(a) south Northumberland and (b) nationally; [29256]

  (2) on how many occasions over the past five years the coroner for south Northumberland has failed to issue a death certificate within 12 months of death occurring. [29255]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information collected on deaths reported to coroners is published in an annual Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin "Statistics of Deaths reported to Coroners: England and Wales, 1994", issue 6/95, was published on 20 April 1995 and is 12
  available in the Library. This covers information on deaths reported, post-mortems, inquests held and verdicts returned at inquests.

  Overseas Domestic Workers
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the contractual enforceability of conditions of employment which apply to overseas domestic workers. [29493]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The position of overseas domestic workers is no different from that of other employees in this respect. Contractual terms are matters for employers and employees to agree. Once agreed they are legally binding and, in cases of non-compliance, employees can take action for breach of contract through the civil courts or, in certain circumstances, through industrial tribunals.

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bonuses were paid to prison officers at Blakenhurst prison by United Kingdom Detention Services following the riots of February 1994; and what conditions were applied to them. [28831]

  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 A. J. Butler to Mr. George Howarth, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about bonuses paid to prison officers at Blakenhurst prison by United Kingdom Detention Services following the riots of February 1994; and what conditions were applied to them.
  No bonuses were paid to prisoner custody officers following the disturbances at Blakenhurst prison on 24 February 1994.
  Three prisoner custody officers were presented with £50 meritorious conduct awards by United Kingdom Detention Services for their conduct during the disturbance.

  Immigration
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information is recorded when a person who entered the United Kingdom as a visitor, without need for a visitor's visa, leaves the United Kingdom; [28789]

  (2) what information is recorded, and how this information is stored, when a visitor to the United Kingdom who is not required to possess a visitor's visa is admitted at a port of entry; [29787]

  (3) what information is recorded, and how this information is stored, when a visitor to the United Kingdom with a valid visitor's visa is admitted at a port of entry; [28786]

  (4) what information is recorded when a person who entered the United Kingdom in possession of a valid visitor's visa, leaves the United Kingdom. [28788]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information about bona fide visitors, whether or not they require a visa, is not routinely recorded either on arrival or departure. Details of a
  13
  person's limited leave to enter, and subsequent departure, may, however, be recorded on the Immigration and Nationality Department electronic computer system depending upon individual circumstances. In such cases, information given on arrival will be recorded on an arrival card for input on INDECS. Where a detailed interview is required, any supplementary notes will be filed at the port and the outcome may be reported to the Immigration and Nationality Department for information.

  Prisons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of staff to prisoners at each prison in England and Wales at the latest available date; and what were the figures for 12 months ago. [28254]

  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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the ratio of staff to prisoners at each prison in England and Wales at the latest available date; and what were the figures for 12 months ago.
  The figures were given in a reply to a Question from Mr. Hoyle, the Member for Warrington North, on 23 March 1995 (Col 315).

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the number of dogs destroyed under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. [27855]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 12 June 1995]: During 1992 and 1993, a total of 630 people were convicted either of offences under section 1 of the Act, or of aggravated offences under section 3. In each of these cases, the court would have had no option but to order the destruction of the dog concerned. This figure is therefore likely to be close to the actual number of dogs put down under the Act in that period.

  Figures for 1994 are likely to be available in the autumn.

  Chief Inspector of Prisons
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure he intends to adopt for appointing a successor to Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons following the recent announcement of Judge Tumim's retirement. [28313]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: The post will be filled by open competition using both advertisement and executive research to identify suitable candidates.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers, former Minsters or civil servants in his Department have sought independent legal advice in assisting their response to draft extracts from Sir Richard Scott's report; in each case from whom the advice 14
  has been sought; and what limit has been placed on payment for such advice from public funds. [28390]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minster to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), on June, col. 374.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Third-World Debt
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further progress is being made in concert with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to assist in the reduction of third-world debt. [28622]

  Mr. Baldry
  Ten countries have benefited from debt reduction under Naples terms since these were agreed by the Paris Club in December 1994. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the Chancellor's proposals on multilateral debt at the G7 summit.

  Seychelles
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what bilateral agreements currently exist between the United Kingdom and the Seychelles. [28785]

  Mr. Baldry
  The following bilateral agreements are in force:

  (i) Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles concerning the return to Seychelles of the Islands of Aldabra, Desroches and Farquhar.

  Signed at Victoria on 29 June 1976

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 6713)

  (ii) Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles concerning public officers' pensions.

  Signed at Victoria on 29 June 1976

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 6635)

  (iii) Letters of understanding concerning the United Kingdom/Seychelles loan 1977.

  Signed at Victoria on 10 March 1977

  (iv) Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles constituting the Overseas Service Aid Scheme (Seychelles) Agreement 1981.

  Signed at Victoria on 31 March 1981. Amended by No. 6 of 6 May 1986 to 3 June 1986.

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 8343)

  (v) Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles constituting the British Expatriates Supplementation (Seychelles) Agreement 1981.

  Signed at Victoria on 31 March 1981. Amended by No. 7 of 6 May 1986 to 3 June 1986.

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 6635)

  15

  (vi) Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles amending the Overseas Service Aid Scheme (Seychelles) Agreement 1981/86).

  Signed at Victoria on 6 May 1986 to 3 June 1986.

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 217)

  (vii) Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Seychelles amending the British Expatriates Supplementation (Seychelles) Agreement 1981 (The British Expatriates Supplementation (Seychelles) Agreement 1981/86).

  Signed at Victoria on 6 May 1986 to 3 June 1986.

  Published in the Treaty Series (Command 217)

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what technical assistance and aid the United Kingdom gives to the Seychelles. [28784]

  Mr. Baldry
  Our aid programme consists of training awards, small projects and gifts under the British partnership and heads of mission gifts schemes, and residual assistance to the fire service. In addition, the UK share of EC aid to the Seychelles under Lomé IV is over £600,000.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, columns 289–94, what was the nature of the technical co-operation given under the radio/rehabilitation and radio studios projects concluded with Indonesia in (a) 1988 and (b) 1989, respectively, involving David Whittle Associates, and what was the outcome of that technical co-operation. [29537]

  Mr. Baldry
  The appointment of David Whittle Associates was linked to the project to rehabilitate the radio studios in Jakarta.

  The company was initially engaged in February 1988 to advise the ODA on the scope of project and to advise Indonesia Radio, RRI, on its implementation. Its 1989 contract covered specialist advice to RRI on studio building, acoustics and fire safety.

  The technical co-operation improved the capabilities of the Indonesian team working on the project.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 June,Official Report, columns 58–59, if he will list the sites in Indonesia at which diesel generating sets supplied under the isolated diesels project and the scattered diesels project were installed. [28185]

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 12 June 1995]: In my reply to the hon. Lady's earlier question, I stated that the isolated diesels project consisted of 45 diesel generating sets at 14 sites. However, further research has revealed that the scope of the project was subsequently modified. The modification was at the request of the Government of Indonesia, and was primarily for financial reasons. The revised project provided 23 generating sets at seven sites. These were located at:
  16

  Lhok Seumawe

  Dumai

  Bengkulu

  Jambi

  Pangkal Pinang

  Samarinda

  Kupang

  The locations of the three sites covered by the scattered diesels project were:

  Sungai Penuh

  Ketapang

  Kebayoran Senayan

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 704, to the hon. Member for Eccles, (Miss Lestor) regarding the national overview of land resources in Indonesia, if he will list the forestry officers trained under the project, in each case specifying the position of the officer within the Ministry of Forestry; and whom the Government engaged to carry out the training. [27827]

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: The national overview of land resources was a synopsis of the land resources and land use of Indonesia. On the job training under the project was provided to project staff in the department of transmigration as follows:

  Mrs. Donna Sipahutar: Co-team leader/agriculture team member

  Dr. Wahyudi: Land resources team member

  Dr. Eko Budiman: Remote sensing team member

  Mr. Herniono Sigit: Soil team member

  Dr. Sukardi: Hydrology team member

  Dr. Sarjono: Social Demography team member

  Mr. Wirawan: Cartography team member

  Mr. Tobing: Cartographer

  Mr. Sarono: Cartographer

  Mr. Dasimi: Cartographer

  Mr. Sudirman: Cartographer

  Mr. Mulyoto: Cartographer

  Mr. Mulyoto: Cartographer

  Mr. Effendi: Cartographer

  Mr. Sutaryo: Cartographer

  Mr. Maruwi: Cartographer

  Mr. Sunarta: Cartographer

  Mr. Subiono: Cartographer

  Mr. Puji Yuwono: Cartographer

  Mr. Pujo CH: Cartographer

  Mrs. Sipahutar, Dr. Budiman and Mrs. Lillak Winami, secretary, also undertook training in the United Kingdom.

  The land resources department of the Natural Resources Institute was engaged as project manager.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 704, to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor), regarding the regional physical planning, map improvement and training project in Indonesia, what were the outer islands and other geographical area covered by the project; what was the nature of the training provided

  17
  under the project; what were the names of the trainees and what was their status within the directorate general of settlement preparations; and whom the Government engaged to carry out the project. [27828]

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: The project covered 26 provinces of Indonesia, and excluded Jakarta. Training was provided in Indonesia on the interpretation and improvement of land use maps and a database for land systems. Officials from all district govyernment organisations and universities concerned with land use planning attended. In total 1,237 people were trained in Indonesia. In addition, seven people involved in mapping and land use planning were trained in UK. Their details are:

  Name

  Nature of training

  Mr. Herson

  MSc (Econ) Development Policy Planning

  Mr. K. Supraplo

  Postgraduate diploma in Human Resource Development

  Mr. M. Effendi

  MSc Geographical Information System

  Ms Diah Kirana

  MSc Geographical Information System

  Mr. Marsono Yullanto

  Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Mapping and Automated Cartography

  Mr. Syaliul Anwar

  MSc in Resource Management

  Mr. Muhtadl Ganda Sutrisna

  MSc in Geology

  The Natural Resources Institute was engaged as project manager.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 704, to the hon. Member for Eccles, (Miss Lestor) regarding the forestry project identification mission in Indonesia, whom the Government engaged to carry out the mission; what was the outcome of the mission and what further forestry development has been, or will be, funded in Indonesia by the Government. [27829]

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: The mission in 1989 was led by one of the Overseas Development Administration's senior natural resources advisers, and included a forestry specialist and commodities economist from the Natural Resources Institute as well as a private forestry consultant. The report of the mission set the future framework for UK aid to the forestry sector in Indonesia. We are now implementing the projects the mission identified, known collectively as the Indonesian tropical forest management project.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 704, to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) regarding the regional physical planning project for transmigration in Indonesia, for which specific geographical areas maps and data were provided under the project; and whom the Government engaged to carry out the project. [27830]
  18
  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 June 1995]: The project mapped the land resources and land use of the whole of Indonesia. The project was implemented by the land resources department of the Natural Resources Institute with the Department of Transmigration.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Jim Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment of the implications for the future stability of the non-proliferation regime of agreement to the extension decision of the non-proliferation treaty by majority vote rather than by consensus.

  Mr. David Davis
  On 11 May the states parties to the non-proliferation treaty participating in the NPT review and extension conference decided without a vote to extend the treaty indefinitely. This decision will send the strongest possible signal of the international community's determination to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

  Maastricht Negotiations
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the statement of 24 May in European Standing Committee B,Official Report, column 12, by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), on the 16 new areas of competence sought by the European Commission during the Maastricht negotiations, if he will list the areas of competence to which he referred; and which were conceded at Maastricht. [27493]

  Mr. David Davis
  During the Maastricht negotiations, new or extended Community competence was proposed in the following 16 areas: education and training; health; environment; research and technological development; development co-operation; civil protection; tourism, culture, industry; energy; trans-European networks; consumer protection; external trade in services; social policy; free movement of persons; the common foreign and security policy.

  The result of the negotiation was complicated: for example the CFSP has been established in a separate pillar outside Community competence and social policy was covered in a separate protocol. It was decided not to introduce new chapters on energy, tourism or consumer protection. Community action in the majority of new chapters which were included in the treaty is either subject to unanimity or to limitations on the scope for harmonising legislation.

  Seychelles
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a Minister last visited the Seychelles. [28785]

  Mr. Baldry
  My hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman), a Government Whip, attended the inauguration of President Rene in July 1993.

  We look forward to a visit to Britain by the Foreign Minister of the Seychelles in July.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Spanish Government about their recent requirement that a person seeking to cross the Spain-Gibraltar border on an Isle of Man passport must also obtain a visa. [28606]

  Mr. David Davis
  None. We are investigating the incident.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions in the last five years a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister has visited Gibraltar. [28608]

  Mr. David Davis
  Francis Maude MP, Minister of State, visited Gibraltar on 23–25 January 1990.

  Tristan Garel-Jones MP, Minister of State, visited Gibraltar on 26–28 July 1991.

  David Heathcoat-Amory MP, Minister of State, visited Gibraltar on 30 November to 1 December 1993.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he proposes to ensure the swift access into Gibraltar for athletes and officials travelling to Gibraltar for the Island Games in July via Malaga airport or other locations in Spain. [28610]

  Mr. David Davis
  The majority of teams are expected to fly to Gibraltar. But we shall of course continue to press Spain to bring an end to the unacceptable delays at the Spain—Gibraltar frontier.

  European Parliament
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the European Parliament in 1995. [28680]

  Mr. David Davis
  The total amount in the 1995 European Community Budget for the European Parliament is 843 mecu—705 million—*.

  *The figure for the European Community budget has been converted to sterling at the rate of 1 ecu = £0.8361 being the rate notified in the EC Official Journal as prevailing on the last working day of last month (31 May).

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will now release the names of British supplier companies to the Iraqi nuclear programme listed in the International Atomic Energy Agency report. [28998]

  Mr. David Davis
  No. I have nothing to add to previous replies on this matter.

  Japan
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Japanese authorities concerning a Japanese apology for events during the second world war. [29068]
  20
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to secure a full apology from the Japanese Government for the conduct of its troops towards British prisoners of war during world war II. [29257]

  Mr. Goodlad
  When my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister visited Japan in September 1993, the Prime Minister of Japan expressed his deep remorse as well as apologies for the fact that Japan's past actions had inflicted deep wounds on many people including former prisoners of war.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 150, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29291]

  Mr. Goodlad
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over the age of 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. Details of the departures on inefficiency grounds are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  China
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigation his Department has(a) instigated and (b) evaluated into the allegations made by Fr. Joseph Jin Dechen in respect of forced abortions in the Chinese population control programme. [28964]

  Mr. Goodlad
  We are deeply concerned by the reports of enforced abortion in China on which we receive information from a number of sources including NGOs. We raise these matters with the relevant Chinese authorities, and we are in contact with the UN agencies working in this area in China. We will continue to monitor the activities of the Chinese population control programme.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what written briefing material he will be making available to those attending the UN conference on women in Beijing in respect of human rights abuses against women by the Chinese Government. [28947]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The UK delegation will be provided with briefing covering issues to be raised at the conference. A general background brief is also being prepared and will be available to other participants.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current arrangements for non-governmental organisations in respect of the UN conference on women in Beijing. [28949]
  21
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcome the conclusion of recent negotiations and the acceptance of Huairou as the site for Forum '95 by the convenor of the non-governmental organisations facilitating committee. The provision of additional accommodation and transport should facilitate the effective exchange of views between the United Kingdom delegation and British NGOs.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make further representations to the Chinese Government to request them to lift all restrictions on the movement and freedom of Fr. Joseph Jin Dechen. [28950]

  Mr. Goodlad
  We continue to be extremely concerned about abuses of human rights in China, including the persecution of religious believers such as Fr. Joseph Jin Dechen. We will continue to use every suitable opportunity to express our concerns to the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally and in conjunction with our European partners.

  Joyce Kiiza
  Ms Harriet Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to give permission for Joyce Kiiza—Ref: 95 21 70—to come from Uganda to the United Kingdom. [29509]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the high commission at Kampala for details and will arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit as soon as possible.

EDUCATION

  Standard Assessment Tests
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what has been the actual cost of totally funding supply cover during standard assessment tests(a) nationally (i) for seven-year-olds and (ii) for 11-year-olds and (b) in Nottinghamshire schools for (i) seven-year-olds and (ii) 11-year-olds; [28915]

  (2) what is the total amount that has been (a) offered and (b) accepted in government grants by schools to subsidise the cost of standard assessment tests; [28914]

  (3) what was the total projected cost of total funding supply cover during standard assessment tests (a) nationally (i) for seven-year-olds and (ii) for 11-year-olds and (b) in Nottinghamshire schools for (i) seven-year-olds and (ii) 11-year-olds. [28916]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave him on 6 June,Official Report, columns 10–11.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the projected cost of assessing pupils of too low an academic standard to take the formal standard assessment tasks. [28917]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 6 June,Official Report, column 10. No information is available at present in respect of the projected costs of the national curriculum tasks to be used in the 1995–96 school year.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 2 May,Official Report, columns 153–54, if she will provide comparable details on Civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29289]

  Mr. Boswell
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. There have been no departures from the Department for Education on inefficiency grounds with retirement packages in the last five years.

  St. James School, Farnworth
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much public money has been paid to St. James school, Farnworth, since it opted out; what effect there has been on spending from public funds as a result of problems in financial management at the school; and if she will make a statement. [28963]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  St. James is a grant-maintained school. Responsibility for payment of grants to the school and for monitoring its financial management therefore rests with the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the agency's chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the forecast for expenditure on mandatory awards and loans given to students from Wales during the current year; and if she will make a statement. [29028]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department's plans for expenditure in the 1995–96 financial year on mandatory awards and on student loans are £2,095 million and £644 million respectively. The plans relate to expenditure for students domiciled in England and Wales; separate forecasts are not made for students from Wales.

  LEA Finances, Hampshire
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total amount of local education authority holdback in Hampshire in 1994. [29561]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A total of £125,952,000. This figure is derived from the budget statement for 1994–95 published by the local education authority under section 42 of the Education Reform Act, and relates to all planned expenditure on mandatory and discretionary "excepted items".

  Mature Students Allowance
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many continuing students commencing a degree course or post-graduate teacher training course in the autumn of 1995 will he eligible for the mature students allowance(a) in England and (b) in Wales. [29249]

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Overseas Students
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 12 June,Official Report, column 415, if she will give details of the 20 countries that send most students to the United Kingdom to study in advanced education. [28926]

  Mr. Boswell
  The requested information is given in the table.

  Full-time higher education students from overseas 1992–931

  (thousands)

  Rank

  Countries

  Postgraduate

  Undergraduate

  Total higher education

  1.

  Malaysia

  1.7

  6.9

  8.5

  2.

  Germany2

  1.4

  5.6

  7.1

  3.

  Irish Republic

  0.9

  5.9

  6.8

  4.

  Hong Kong

  1.3

  5.3

  6.6

  5.

  France

  1.2

  5.1

  6.3

  6.

  Greece

  2.4

  3.5

  5.9

  7.

  USA

  1.6

  3.5

  5.2

  8.

  Singapore

  0.6

  2.8

  3.4

  9.

  Spain

  0.7

  2.1

  2.8

  10.

  Italy

  0.6

  1.5

  2.1

  11.

  Japan

  0.9

  1.1

  2.0

  12.

  Cyprus

  0.3

  1.6

  1.9

  13.

  Norway

  0.3

  1.5

  1.9

  14.

  China

  1.3

  0.1

  1.4

  15.

  Netherlands

  0.3

  1.1

  1.4

  16.

  Kenya

  0.3

  0.9

  1.3

  17.

  Canada

  0.8

  0.5

  1.3

  18.

  Belgium

  0.3

  0.9

  1.2

  19.

  Pakistan

  0.7

  0.4

  1.1

  20.

  India

  0.7

  0.4

  1.1

  Source:

  Education Statistics for the United Kingdom, 1994 Edition, HMSO.

  Notes:

  1 Enrolments.

  2 Includes the former East Germany.

  School Safety
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health regarding the safety of schools with fewer than five pupils, with particular reference to schools in Coventry; and what proposals she has for the registration of private preparatory schools with a class of up to four pupils. [29008]

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the responsibility for registration of independent schools; she works closely with the Secretary of State for Health who has responsibility for registration of other services for young children, including those with fewer than five full-time pupils of compulsory school age who by law are not independent schools. They keep under regular review the arrangements for ensuring appropriate standards of child care and education for young children in all settings.

  Pupil-teacher Ratios
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the pupil teacher ratio in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools for the first six months of 1995; and if she will make a statement. [28995]
  24
  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information about pupil-teacher ratios in maintained schools in England in January 1995 will be published in a statistical press notice on 29 June.

  Autistic Children
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of London education authorities provide educational support services for children with autism; and if she will make a statement. [29086]

  Mr. Forth
  All LEAs are required to arrange any special educational provision specified in a statement of SEN for a child for whom they have responsibility. They have the power to provide support services for children with special educational needs in their or any other area. How these services are organised is a matter to be determined by each LEA.

  Innovation Grants
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to provide innovation grants to universities to fund innovation projects in their communities. [29152]

  Mr. Boswell
  Under the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act my right hon. Friend provides grants to the Higher Education Funding Council for England to distribute to universities and colleges to fund teaching and research. She has asked the Council to take into account in its funding for research the Government's policies on competitiveness, including those concerned with innovation. Separately the HEFCE provides HE institutions with grants to promote innovation areas such as: teaching, learning and technology, teaching practices; the organisation of the academic year; improving access to local groups traditionally under represented in HE; and providing continuing professional development for local employers.

  School Meals
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what nutritional quality standards are regulated by her Department in respect of school meals; and when was the last change in these standards. [28819]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under the Education Acts, the nutritional quality of school meals in England is the responsibility of local education authorities or, where applicable, the governing bodies of schools, and is not subject to regulation by the Department.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the net expenditure on free school meals for each year since 1987 broken down by county. [28820]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department does not collect this information.

  Confectionery Sales (Schools)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education under what authority the selling of confectionery in schools may be prohibited; and which schools have prohibited its sale. [28830]
  25
  Mr. Robin Squire
  Decisions about the sale of confectionery are the responsibility of local education authorities or, where applicable, the governing bodies of schools in England. We do not collect information on school which have prohibited the sale of confectionery.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Facilities for Honourable Members
  Mr. McShane
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what assessment he has made of the adequacy of facilities for hon. Members to carry out their duties. [27635]

  Mr. Newton
  In the structure introduced following the Ibbs report at the start of the 1991–92 Session the facilities available to hon. Members are generally a matter for the domestic committees and the House of Commons Commission. A number of further improvements are in hand, for example, to provide additional office accommodation and to enhance the availability of information technology.

  Short Money
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what studies he has made of the accounting for, and application of, Short money following the Nolan report.

  Mr. Newton
  The present procedures by which a party claims financial assistance and subsequently accounts for these sums to the House, are set out in the Resolution of the House of 4 November 1993. I have made no study of these procedures since the Nolan report.

  Committee on Standards in Public Life
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to propose the membership of the Select Committee to consider the first report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [27637]

  Mr. Newton
  The Select Committee on Standards in Public Life was nominated on 13 June.

  All-night Sittings
  Harry Greenway
  41. Mr. To ask the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to seek a ban on all-night sittings of the House; and if he will make a statement. [27640]

  Mr. Newton
  One of the aims of the current experiment with revised sitting arrangements, which the House approved on 19 December 1994, is to avoid late sittings wherever possible. There have been no all-night sittings since the experiment began, and only one occasion when the House has sat after 1 am. The experiment is at present being reviewed by the Procedure Committee.

  European Union (Parliamentary Scrutiny)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of parliamentary scrutiny of the activities of the European Union. [27641]
  26
  Mr. Newton
  Our scrutiny arrangements are amongst the most rigorous in the European Union, and generally work well. However, they continue to be kept under review.

  Select Committee Reports
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many Select Committee reports have been debated on the Floor of the House during the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [27639]

  Mr. Newton
  Since 19 June 1991 222 Select Committee reports have been debated on the Floor of the House. A further 84 reports have been "tagged" on the Order Paper as relevant to a debate.

  Written Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  BMARC
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that all the documents(a) seized by the Ministry of Defence police from the offices of British Manufacture and Research Company in April 1990 and (b) held by the receivers of Astra Holding and British Manufacture and Research Company are made available to the Scott inquiry.

  Mr. Newton
  Pursuant to the answer I gave on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 4 April 1995,Official Report, column 987. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces earlier today.

  Public Access (Debates)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what financial provision exists to increase the number of seats available to members of the public to observe House of Commons debates. [27630]

  Mr. Beith
  None.

  Recalling the House
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the direct cost of recalling the House for its special sitting on Wednesday 31 May.

  Mr. Beith
  The cost of provision of the papers in the Vote Bundle and the Official Report was £11,500.

  27
  Travelling expenses and overtime payments relating to the sitting are expected to produce further costs. To date, claims totalling some £1,000 have been made.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Judicial Committee
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what discussions he has had with the Commonwealth countries as to the current make up of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. [27638]

  Mr. Newton
  None.

  UN Conference on Women
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forward the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the fourth UN conference on women; and if he will agree to incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his department's annual report.

  Mr. Newton
  The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the conference in question, and have pursued these through a wide range of programmes and initiatives. As indicated in my reply to the hon. Lady of 4 May, 60 per cent. of staff in my Department are women. I am considering the recommendation in the White Paper "Taking Forward Continuity and Change" regarding the publication of material on equal opportunities.

EMPLOYMENT

  Social Charter
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assurances he has given to the committee of independent experts in respect of the Government guaranteeing in practice complete and effective protection against anti-trade union discrimination based on trade union membership or activities. [27657]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government, in reporting to the Council of Europe in respect of the Council's social charter, have on a number of occasions, most recently in its 15th report which was submitted in 1994, provided information on the provisions in UK law which protect:

  (a) employees against dismissal or action short of dismissal on grounds related to trade union membership or activities; and

  (b) people against refusal of employment on grounds related to union membership.

  Under the Council's reporting procedures, the committee of independent experts will give their opinion on the 15th report in 1996. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has given to the committee of independent experts concerning(a) the
  28
  proportion of the working population employed under atypical contracts, including fixed-term contracts, casual short-term work, part-time work and home-based work and (b) the entitlement to paid annual holiday of such workers. [27659]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information was provided in 1994 in the UK Government's 15th report to the Council of Europe in respect of the Council's social charter, on the number of part-time workers in Great Britain. The report states that the seasonally adjusted level of part-time employment in December 1993 was 6,789,000 million, to the nearest thousand, of which 5,297,000 were women.

  The experts have now asked for information on the proportion of the working population employed under fixed-term contracts, in casual, home-based and part-time work and the entitlements to paid annual holidays of such workers, and in line with the current reporting procedures the UK will seek to provide this information in its 17th report in 1996.

  Youth Unemployment
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of(a) boys and (b) girls leaving school and not continuing in full-time education or training became unemployed in the Rotherham and Mexborough travel-to-work area in 1993 and in 1994. [27914]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 15 June 19951: The information is not available in the form requested. Figures are available only by the areas covered by the Rotheram careers service and the Doncaster careers service. The information is taken from figures published by the local authority associations.

  The following table shows the total number of statutory school leavers in both Rotherham and Doncaster in 1993 and 1994, and the numbers who at the date the information was collected were known to have been unemployed.

  Total number of school leavers

  Known to have been unemployed

  Date information collected

  Boys

  Girls

  Boys

  Girls

  Rotherham

  October 1993

  1,537

  1,460

  97

  60

  November 1994

  1,617

  1,524

  112

  75

  Doncaster

  November 1993

  1,622

  1,657

  112

  74

  November 1994

  1,790

  1,618

  129

  80

  Transsexuals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what employment protection is specifically available for transsexuals; and if he will make a statement. [29548]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Transsexuals have the same employment protection rights as other employees.

  Cheetham Jobcentre
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what positions in rank order of employment service offices has been achieved by the Manchester Cheetham employment service office in respect of the number of people successfully removed from benefit. [29340]

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Ken Eastham, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the number of people disallowed benefit at the Cheetham Hill Employment Service Jobcentre, and how this office compares with other offices.
  Clients may not receive Unemployment Benefit (UB) for a number of reasons. Some people through their own actions disqualify themselves to benefit by leaving their employment
  30
  without good cause, or because of misconduct, or because they refuse employment. Others are disallowed because they fail to satisfy conditions of entitlement because they are not available for, capable of, or actively seeking work.
  Decisions to stop UB being paid are made by independent Adjudication Officers appointed by the Secretary of State for Employment. Decisions to disallow other Social Security benefits are made by officers of the Department of Social Security and its various executive agencies.
  It is the responsibility of my people to refer client claims to the Adjudication authorities when they have doubts about their entitlement, or that they may qualify for benefit payments.
  In the period 1 April 1995 to 31 May 1995 the total number of decisions to disallow UB made by the Adjudication Officers for offices in the Manchester Employment Service District were 628. Of these, 89 were referred from the Jobcentre at Cheetham Hill and 2 have subsequently been allowed on review.
  We do not rank order our offices on the basis of the number of people whose benefit is stopped. This is because many variables need to be taken into account when looking at office performance in this area, for example the size of the office. However, I can tell you that of seven offices in Manchester district Cheetham Hill Jobcentre was fourth in the number of disallowances made.
  I hope this is helpful.

DEFENCE

  BMARC
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department took possession of documents taken from the company BMARC; on what date these documents were handed over to the Scott inquiry; and if he will list the Ministers who had access to these documents within his Department. [18300]

  Mr. Soames
  [pursuant to his answer, 4 April 1995, Official Report col 1097–98]: The Ministry of Defence Police announced on Saturday 17 June 1995, that they had found additional documents, which the force obtained in 1990 during the course of an investigation into corruption involving Astra Holdings and its subsidiaries, including BMARC. This investigation was with regard to corruption in MOD procurement contracts and resulted in successful prosecutions. The discovery was made during the course of a re-sorting of all the property stores at the MDP's headquarters at Wethersfield in Essex, which commenced in January 1995, following its relocation there. Some of these items were documents which previously belonged to Astra/BMARC. These were returned to the liquidators for Astra Holdings, to whom they belong, on 15 June 1995. Additional documents belonging to the liquidators were discovered on 16 June and will be sent to the liquidators. Other documents found, which were obtained during the original investigation, belong to the Ministry of Defence and to companies other than Astra/BMARC. The latter are being examined to verify their rightful ownership. HM Customs and Excise and the Scott inquiry have been informed. This was an operational matter for the Ministry of Defence police. A copy of their statement of 17 June 1995 is being placed in the Library of the House.

  The deputy chief constable has also made it clear that he has initiated an immediate inquiry to ensure that no further documents relating to the corruption investigation remain in MDP custody; to establish how the documents came to be wrongly located and why their retention by the MDP was not recognised; and to establish what action needs to be taken to ensure that similar mistakes do not recur.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British nuclear test participants with a blue book entry in records currently held show a zero dosage of radiation. [27943]

  Mr. Soames
  Of the 14,290 UK nationals with entries in the blue books, 3,865 fall into the lowest category of measured dose. This includes all doses from zero to 0.2 millisieverts. A further 8,340 entries concern UK nationals for whom no measurements were entries concern UK nationals for whom no measurements were recorded but who are assessed as having zero dose.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what number of service personnel, present at British nuclear tests, were treated during their service after 1965 for skin disorders. [27972]

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  32
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been conducted to investigate potential effects on human immune systems arising in British nuclear test participants who had a recorded level of contamination. [27973]

  Mr. Soames
  Although high levels of radiation exposure have been shown to affect the human immune system, there is no scientific evidence of any detrimental effect arising from exposure to the low radiation levels experienced by British nuclear test participants. It has therefore not been necessary to conduct any specific research in this area.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether grounds exist for an investigation into genetic effects and deformities arising from British nuclear tests and medical conditions in participants' families. [27974]

  Mr. Soames
  We consider there to be no grounds for such an investigation.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is available on the health monitoring activities of Mr. Frank Morgan at Aldermaston for participants invovled in British nuclear tests. [28001]

  Mr. Soames
  The late Dr. Morgan worked in the chemistry division at Aldermaston until the mid-1980s and was involved in radiochemical aspects of British nuclear tests. He had no responsibility for health monitoring programmes.

  Devonport
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated additional cost of continuing hunter-killer refitting at Rosyth due to the unavailability of drydock facilities at Devonport. [28238]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, South-East (Mr. Hicks) on 17 May 1995,Official Report, column 229. Discussions with the dockyard companies are on-going and costs will be one of the considerations taken into account before any final decisions are made.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the deadline for nuclear installations inspectorate approval of the Trident submarine refitting drydock facility at Devonport. [28236]

  Mr. Freeman
  The nuclear installations inspectorate is involved during all stages of approval and the aim remains to have the necessary approvals in place in time to meet the Trident refit programme, around the turn of the century.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the accepted price of the construction of drydock facilities for Trident refitting at Devonport when the contract was awarded; what is the current estimated total cost of building the facilities; and what is the permissible margin for increased costs on the contract. [28237]
  33
  Mr. Freeman
  No contract has yet been awarded for the construction of the Trident refitting facilities. Negotiations are continuing and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome in respect of costs, details of which remain commercially confidential.

  RAF Harrier (Crash)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which unit the Royal Air Force Harrier which crashed in the Solway firth on 1 June belonged; what was the nature of the trial in which it was engaged at the time; and if the aircraft was operating in concert with other aircraft or on its own. [28239]

  Mr. Soames
  The aircraft, from the strike attack operational evaluation unit, Boscombe Down, was on a singleton sortie to trial a new ground proximity warning system. It is not yet known whether the equipment was in use at the time of the crash.

  RAF Finningley
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the same consideration and help will be given to(a) the staff and (b) the local community of Royal Air Force Finningley when it is closed as is available to the staff and local communities of the Royal Air Force stations to be closed in Lincolnshire; and if he will make a statement. [28277]

  Mr. Soames
  In accordance with normal departmental practice, careful and sympathetic consideration is being given to the individual preferences of staff at RAF Finningley, and every effort is being made to find them alternative employment elsewhere in MOD or in other Government Departments. Any staff who are made redundant will be compensated under the appropriate regulations, and the MOD redundancy, counselling and outplacement service will be available to help those concerned to identify new work opportunities.

  No final decision has yet been made on alternative military uses for RAF Finningley. However, my officials have recently held their second meeting with Doncaster metropolitan borough council at which local aspirations for the site were discussed, and a joint planning brief will be prepared which takes these into account.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies. are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28494]

  Mr. Soames
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Minister by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard below the Minister's reply.

  Training Areas
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the weapons which are permitted to be fired in the Garelochhead training area; and what changes have occurred to the list of permitted weaponry since 1990;

  (2) how many training man-days were spent on the Garelochhead training area in each of the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95;

  (3) how many training man-days have been spent in each financial year since 1989–90 on (a) Tighnablair training area, (b) Cape Wrath training area, (c) Auchallater training area, (d) Barry Buddon training area, (e) Dreghorn training area, (f) Milton Bridge training area, (g) the Galloway training area and (h) Cambusbarron training area. [29072]

  Mr. Soames
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  HMS Roebuck
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Roebuck was commissioned; when she is to be decommissioned; what factors led to the decision to decommission her; what is to be the future strength of the Royal Navy's hydrographic service; what proportion of such ships is to be taken up from trade or newly constructed; and what decision has been taken as to where new orders are to be placed. [29552]

  Mr. Soames
  HMS Roebuck was commissioned on 3 October 1986. On current plans, she will be withdrawn from service around the end of the century, as the capability of the hydrographic service is upgraded with the introduction of new vessels. We envisage that the future hydrographic surveying squadron will comprise five survey vessels, including the new ocean survey vessel, HMS Scott, an order for which was placed in January. No decisions have yet been taken on the procurement of further vessels.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 200, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29286]

  Mr. Freeman
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. Early retirement packages are not offered to staff leaving the Department on the grounds of inefficiency, although an immediate lump payment of up to two years' salary may be made where the Department judges that the payment of compensation is appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over the age of 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age.

HEALTH

  Dental Services
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each of the last five years(a) the number of dental practitioners, (b) the number of NHS patients registered with dental practitioners and (c) the proportion NHS patients were of the total numbers of patients treated, for (i) City and East London FHSA and (ii) the London borough of Newham. [27337]

  Mr. Malone
  Patients are free to visit or register with dentists outside their family health services authority area. Therefore the total number of patients resident in City and East London Family Health Services Authority who visit dentists either privately or on a national health service basis is not known. The available information is shown in the table.

  General Dental Service: number of dentists1 and the number of patients registered with a dentist practising in City and East London Family Health Services Authority at 30 September2 from 1990 to 1994

  Dentists

  Patients registered

  1990

  189

  —

  1991

  173

  166,940

  1992

  175

  281,951

  1993

  169

  288,397

  1994

  168

  282,484

  1 Some dentists have contracts in more than one Family Health Services Authority. These dentists have been counted only once.

  2 Prior to the introduction of the new contract in October 1990, patients were not required to be registered, therefore the figures for September 1991 are not strictly comparable with later years.

  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was funding per capita on NHS dentistry for each year since 1990. [28090]

  Mr. Malone
  Information for the general dental services is shown in the table.

  General Dental Services: Gross and net cost per capita from 1988–89; to 1994–95.

  England

  £

  Year

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  1989–90

  19.87

  12.19

  1990–91

  21.74

  13.80

  1991–92

  25.85

  17.47

  1992–93

  26.99

  18.83

  1993–94

  25.17

  17.61

  1994–95

  26.42

  18.49

  Expenditure for 1994–95 is provisional.

  Population estimates at June.

  Emergency Admissions
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the reasons for the increase in emergency hospital admissions in recent years. [27387]

  Mr. Sackville
  Studies are currently being undertaken within the national health service and associated organisations looking at the numbers and causes of emergency admissions. The NHS Executive will be circulating details of these and will, later this year, be issuing good practice guidance on contracting for emergencies, drawing on the work currently being done in five sites.

  Managers (Termination Payments)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the individual termination payments made to general and senior managers in health authorities in the most recent years for which figures are available. [27502]

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many termination payments have been made by health authorities and FHSAs to(a) chief executives, (b) general managers and (c) senior managers; and what was the total amount for each authority over the last two years. [28448]

  Mr. Malone
  a Information is not available centrally in the form requested. The available information for 1994–95 relating to ex-gratia and contractual severance payments is shown in the table.

  £

  South Thames RHA

  23,575

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA

  14,000

  North Thames RHA

  75,435

  Barking and Havering HA

  106,808

  North West RHA

  108,089

  North West Lancashire HA

  64,549

  Lancashire FHSA

  26,079

  Trent RHA

  73,435

  Nottingham HA

  49,611

  Anglia and Oxford RHA

  74,482

  Walsall HA

  51,033

  NHS Supplies

  72,881

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 2 February,Official Report, columns 840–41, if she will update the information on termination payments made to trust chief executives and managers. [27533]

  Mr. Malone
  The table shows the latest information about termination payments made since April 1994 which national health service trusts have notified to the National Health Service Executive, under the arrangements in TEL(94)3, copies of which are available in the Library.

  4,487

  7,323

  Broadgreen Hospital NHS Trust

  31.078

  23,128

  63,039

  Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust

  1

  25,400

  Burnley Health Care NHS Trust

  1

  245,000

  Burton Hospitals NHS Trust

  1

  7,053

  Cheviot and Wansbeck NHS Trust

  10,086

  6,329

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  1

  28,749

  Cornwall and Isles of Stilly Learning

  Disabilities NHS Trust

  1

  11,000

  37,222

  Dudley Priority Health NHS Trust

  7,481

  9,639

  East Hertfordshire NHS Trust

  1

  22,500

  East Surrey Learning Disability and

  Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  1

  36,677

  Enfield Community Care NHS Trust

  1

  35,522

  Epsom Healthcare NHS Trust

  1

  15,000

  Fosse Health NHS Trust

  1

  19,500

  37

  NHS Trust

  Number of payments

  Amount £

  Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust

  1

  6,328

  Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust

  47,616

  75,073

  Herefordshire Community Health NHS

  Trust

  1

  28,416

  Healthlands Mental Health NHS Trust

  1

  25,008

  Hertfordshire Health Agency NHS

  Trust

  3,000

  3,000

  3,000

  55,573

  Kings Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,005

  23,627

  10,261

  Kingston Hospital NHS Trust

  4,365

  14,903

  7,873

  12,991

  The Medway NHS Trust

  12,803

  13,501

  Mid Anglia Community Health NHS

  Trust

  1

  5,449

  Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  1

  31,549

  New Possibilities NHS Trust

  1

  65,199

  North East Essex Mental Health

  Service NHS Trust

  1

  26,188

  North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  1

  30,000

  North Mersey Community NHS Trust

  1

  11,300

  North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust

  1

  11,328

  North Tees Health NHS Trust

  1

  27,764

  North West London Mental Health

  NHS Trust

  1

  6,500

  Northern Birmingham Mental Health

  NHS Trust

  45,155

  29,372

  Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

  1

  25,000

  Northampton Community Healthcare

  NHS Trust

  20,259

  19,540

  Northgate and Prudhoe NHS Trust

  1

  6,500

  13,814

  Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust

  23,642

  13,556

  3,948

  Nottinghamshire Ambulance Service

  NHS Trust

  1

  17,500

  Pilgrim Health NHS Trust

  1

  7,864

  Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust

  7,865

  21,900

  Queens Medical Centre Nottingham

  University NHS Trust

  1

  77,715

  Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust

  1

  35,295

  47,355

  Royal Liverpool University Hospital

  7,242

  28,384

  Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust

  18,466

  12,122

  Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

  NHS Trust

  1

  7,130

  Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust

  1

  19,343

  Salford Mental Health Services NHS

  Trust

  1

  15,874

  South Bedfordshire Community

  Healthcare NHS Trust

  1

  17,771

  South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

  1

  37,740

  South Downs Health NHS Trust

  1

  8,727

  South Kent Community Healthcare

  NHS Trust

  1

  30,636

  South Kent Hospitals NHS Trust

  1

  8,626

  South Warwickshire General Hospital

  NHS Trust

  1

  34,829

  43,908

  Southend Healthcare NHS Trust

  29,901

  7,031

  Southmead Health Services NHS Trust

  1

  30,649

  Stockport Healthcare NHS Trust

  1

  21,940

  38

  NHS Trust

  Number of payments

  Amount £

  Teddington Memorial Hospital NHS

  Trust

  1

  18,750

  United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS

  Trust

  1

  30,000

  Walsall Community NHS Trust

  1

  35,000

  Walsall Hospital NHS Trust

  1

  6,926

  West Herts Community Health NHS

  Trust

  2,633

  2,276

  29,505

  40,000

  Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS

  Trust

  1

  27,314

  Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Trust

  1

  19,504

  Worcester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  1

  22,167

  Worthing and Southlands Hospitals

  NHS Trust

  34,547

  18,200

  York Health Services NHS Trust

  1

  55,000

  Secure Residential Care
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will add the police to the list of those persons the local authority must notify before a child is placed in secure residential care under the Arrangements for Placement of Children (General) Regulations 1991, Regulation 5, where that child is a known offender. [27986]

  Mr. Bowis
  If the hon. Gentleman wishes to write to me to set out reasons for such a change, I should be happy to consider them.

  NHS Management Costs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she proposes to take regarding the management costs of the national health service benevolent fund. [28268]

  Mr. Malone
  I am unaware of this organisation.

  Minocycline
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases have been recorded of severe rheumatic side effects from the use of acne tablets containing the drug minocycline. [28347]

  Mr. Sackville
  Since the introduction of minocycline in 1973, 119 cases of rheumatic symptoms suspected as associated with minocycline have been reported through the United Kingdom's spontaneous adverse drug reaction scheme. A report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug. Rheumatic reactions are a well-recognised side effect of minocycline, but are uncommon in relation to the wide usage of the product.

  The majority of the patients experienced transient joint pains which resolved when minocycline was stopped. Systemic lupus erythematosus, a multi-system condition which may present with severe joint pains, was reported in

  39
  13 cases. The current product information for minocycline provided to doctors includes joint pain and SLE as side effects.

  "The Patient's Charter and You"
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of preparation, production, printing and distribution of "The Patient's Charter and You", (F82/005 1687 1P 25m Jan 95). [28546]

  Mr. Malone
  The cost of producing, printing and distributing "The Patient's Charter and You" was £376,000.

  Naltrexone
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests have been carried out on the use of naltrexone to treat heroin addiction and avoid death from heroin misuse; and when naltrexone will become available under prescription for such treatment. [28544]

  Mr. Bowis
  In the United Kingdom naltrexone is not recommended by the British National Formulary in the treatment of patients who are currently addicted to heroin, although recent studies, mainly in the United States of America, have used naltrexone in combination with other drugs to assist rapid detoxification. In the United Kingdom, naltrexone may be prescribed to prevent relapse in detoxified, formerly opiate dependent, addicts. Its prescription is a matter for individual clinicians in discussion with their patients.

  Pregnant Women (Diet)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific research her Department has commissioned into food purchasing and food consumption patterns of pregnant women in receipt of income support. [28805]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Marriages
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to control the level of charges for the performance of civil marriage services by registrars away from their normal offices; what recent estimate she has made of these charges; and what representations she has received on this subject since 1994. [28833]

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans to control the level of charges levied by local authorities for the attendance of registration officers at civil marriage ceremonies on approved premises under the Marriage Act 1994, beyond the provisions of The Marriage (Approved Premises) Regulations 1995 which limit such fees to an amount, determined by local authorities, as reasonably representing the costs to them of providing a registrar and superintendent registrar to attend at a solemnization. Difference fess may he set for different cases and circumstances.

  No information is available centrally about these charges, and. to date, one representation has been received on this subject.
  40
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has(a) to regulate and (b) to review the charges made by local authorities for inspection of premises under the Marriage Act 1994. [28835]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Regulations made under the provisions of the Marriage Act 1994 empower local authorities to charge a fee for a particular application for the approval of premises or for applications generally. The fee charged shall not exceed the amount which reasonably represents the costs incurred in the former case or which reasonably represents the average costs incurred in the latter.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the highest and lowest charge made for inspection of premises under the Marriage Act 1994. [28834]

  Mr. Sackville
  Information about the fees charged by local authorities in respect of applications for the approval of premises under the Marriage Act 1994 is not available centrally.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average charge made by a registrar for a wedding service(a) in their own offices and (b) at licensed premises outside. [28832]

  Mr. Sackville
  The fee payable for the attendance of a registrar at a register office wedding is set centrally and currently stands at £23.

  The fee payable for civil ceremonies conducted on premises approved under the Marriage Act 1994 is one determined by each local authority as reasonably representing all the costs to it of providing both a registrar and superintendent registrar to attend the solemnization. The local authority may set different fees for different cases and circumstances. Information about the level of fees set by local authorities is not available centrally.

  Miscarriages
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the rates of miscarriages(a) in terms of total numbers and (b) as a percentage for the individual groups for (i) pregnant women in receipt of income support and (ii) pregnant women not in receipt of income support. [28802]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Food Safety
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of food poisoning notifications to the Office of Populations Censuses and Surveys in each year since 1982 and for 1995 to date. [28614]

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the numbers of food poisoning cases reported to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is published annually in the MB2 series, communicable disease statistics, copies of which are available in the Library. For the years 1982–94, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 October 1994 at cols.684–85.
  41
  The final figure for 1993 and provisional figures for 1994 and 1995 to date are given in the table:

  Numbers of cases of food poisoning in England and Wales reported to OPCS

  Number

  1993 (final)

  68,587

  1994 (provisional)

  82,587

  1995 (provisional) to 12 May 1995

  22,275

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what financial assistance will be given to local environmental health officers to ensure that additional training measures are met to comply with the Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995; [28591]

  (2) what estimate she has made of the total administrative costs in enforcing the new Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995. [28593]

  Mr. Sackville
  We expect there to be no net cost for local authorities arising from the introduction of the new regulations, since they will replace broadly similar existing regulations. The Department has provided training seminars, free of charge, for local environmental health officers to learn the content of the new regulations.

  £30 million, which was index-linked, was added to the revenue support grant on a continuing basis following the passage of the Food Safety Act 1990. The new regulations will be enforced under the provisions of the Act.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that training regulations are met by food handlers handling high-risk foods following the introduction of the new Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995. [28595]

  Mr. Sackville
  The regulations will require food handlers to be"supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities"

  The Department is preparing detailed guidance on this, including a revision of Food Safety Act code of practice No. 9 on food hygiene inspections and a free booklet, to explain the requirements of the Regulations.

  In addition, voluntary industry guides to good practice, which are being developed by sectors of the food industry in consultation with Government. enforcement and consumer interests will provide guidance on the level of training required by staff engaged on various duties.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued in respect of additional training for environmental health officers which she will be required to meet in order to comply with the new Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995. [28592]
  42
  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health has held a series of training seminars on the new regulations. Two environmental health officers were invited from each environmental health department in England and Wales. One lecturer from each academic establishment running courses leading to qualification as an environmental health officer was also invited.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the introduction of the new Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995. [28594]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department issued the draft regulations for consultation on 18 February 1994 and received representations from 225 organisations and individuals. The vast majority welcomed the proposed regulations.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued to outline what requirements hygiene hazard analysis systems should meet in food businesses following the introduction to the new Food Safety (General Food) Regulations 1995. [28596]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department is preparing a revision of Food Safety Act code of practice No. 9 on food hygiene inspections and a free booklet explaining the requirements of the regulations. In addition, voluntary industry guides to good hygiene practice, which are being developed by sectors of the food industry, in consultation with Government, enforcement and consumer interests will provide more specific guidance.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many environmental health officers were employed in England and Wales(a) for each year since 1979 and (b) at the latest available date; [28589]

  (2) how many trainee environmental health officers there were in England and Wales (a) for each year since 1979 and (b) for the latest available date. [28590]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  Salmonella
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many laboratory reports of salmonella in foodstuffs have been received by the Public Health Laboratory Service in England and Wales for 1995; and what was the final figure for 1994. [28615]

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1994, the Public Health Laboratory Service identified 2076 salmonella strains from foodstuffs. In the first five months of 1995, 451 salmonella strains were identified.

  Breast Cancer
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the mortality and five-year survival rates for women diagnosed as having breast cancer for each year since 1989. [28089]

  Mr. Sackville
  The mortality rates for England and Wales are shown in the table.
  43

  Mortality, from malignant neoplasm of the female breast (ICD1 174): deaths per 100,000 women 1989–1993.

  1989

  54.0

  1990

  52.4

  1991

  52.8

  1992

  52.2

  1993

  49.5

  1 International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.

  The latest available information for England and Wales indicates that in the mid-1980s the five-year relative survival was 63 per cent.

  Epilepsy
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from epilepsy in the Dulwich constituency; and what is the average national incidence. [28091]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally, for particular or average constituencies.

  Richmond House
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many car parking spaces are available at Richmond house for(a) disabled employees and (b) disabled visitors. [28099]

  Mr. Sackville
  Two parking spaces at Richmond house are designated as being for disabled people, whether staff or visitors. If more spaces are needed on a particular day they will be found.

  Committee on Safety of Medicines
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names, positions and declared personal interests of the current membership of the Committee on Safety of Medicines; and if she will make a statement. [28913]

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

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children had tuberculosis in each health authority area in England and Wales for each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [28714]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys receives reports of cases of tuberculosis notified to proper officers of local authorities. Information is not available on notified cases by district health authority. The approximate numbers of cases for regional health authorities are published in the series "MB2: Communicable Disease Statistics" and are placed in the Library. A table giving the number of reports of tuberculosis in children aged under 16 by local authority in England and Wales has been placed in the Library.

  BCG immunisation to protect against tuberculosis is normally given to children between the ages of 10 and 14
  44
  but is recommended at birth for children born into high-risk families.

  NHS Bodies
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS bodies have a publicised system of informing staff whom they should contact if they suspect wrong-doing; what measures are in place to encourage NHS bodies to offer such advice; and if she will make a statement. [28719]

  Mr. Malone
  The codes of conduct and accountability for national health service boards, published in April 1994, make plain that all NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that staff have a proper and widely publicised procedure for voicing complaints or concerns about maladministration, breaches of the code and other concerns of any ethical nature. The NHS executive's guidance to staff on relations with the public and the media—EL(93)51—clearly indicates the manner by which staff concerns about health care issues should be raised. Copies of all documents are available in the Library.

  NHS Appointments
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for how many appointments within the NHS she has direct responsibility; if she will express the number of appointments per title of the position and if she will make a statement. [28721]

  Mr. Malone
  A number of appointments for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has direct responsibility if listed in the table:

  Chairmen

  Non-executives

  Executives

  Regional Health Authorities

  8

  40

  —

  District Health Authorities

  104

  —

  —

  Family Heath Services Authorities

  90

  —

  —

  National Health Service Trusts

  440

  1,291

  —

  Special Trustees

  —

  137

  —

  National Blood Authority

  1

  5

  —

  National Health Service Supplies Authority

  1

  5

  —

  Special Hospital Services Authority

  1

  4

  —

  United Kingdom Transplant

  Support Services Authority

  1

  4

  1

  Dental Vocational Training Authority

  1

  40

  —

  Dental Practice Board

  1

  6

  —

  Mental Health Act Commission

  1

  90

  —

  Prescription Pricing Authority

  1

  6

  —

  Health Education Authority

  1

  7

  2

  Microbiological Research Authority

  1

  4

  —

  Special Health Authorities for London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals

  2

  11

  —

  Pharmaceuticals
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for changing the arrangements whereby the public is precluded under the amended
  45
  National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 from making representations on appeals against applicants to the pharmaceutical list. [29017]

  Mr. Malone
  None. Members of the public can make their views known through the community health council which the family health services authority is required by the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 to consult on applications for entry to the pharmaceutical list. Community health councils can also comment on appeals that are made against FHSAs' decisions under the regulations.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the procedures by which Newchurch was awarded the contract to advise the NHS executive on the private finance initiative. [29016]

  Mr. Sackville
  Newchurch and Company was awarded the contract to provide a private finance database service which brings the national health service and potential private sector together. Registration on the database and searches are free of charge to NHS users.

  Nine companies and the NHS Supplies authority were invited to tender. They were sent details of the aim and objectives of the private finance database project, the main tasks to be undertaken, the performance criteria and a specification of tenders.

  Six tenders were received. These were considered and three of the bidders were shortlisted for interview. A selection panel of four conducted the interviews at which Newchurch was successful.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were subject to a guardianship order under the Mental Health Act 1983 for each of the past 12 years. [29556]

  Mr. Bowis
  The centrally available information on the number of orders at the end of each financial year and the number of cases opened and closed during the year, was published in "Guardianship under the Mental Health Act (1983) Year Ending 31 March 1994, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures by region for the number of doctors approved under section 12 of the Mental Health Act 1983 currently working within the NHS per head of population; and what proportion of these are registered psychiatrists. [29558]

  Mr. Bowis
  Regional directors of public health are responsible for ensuring that sufficient suitably trained and experienced doctors are approved under the Act and we are satisfied 'that this requirement is being properly met.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to reply to the letter sent to her on 3 April by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton 46
  with regard to Mr. K. McGeever, a further copy of which was sent to her on 11 May. [29346]

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied today.

  Transsexuals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the availability of treatment in the NHS for transsexuals. [29549]

  Mr. Sackville
  Transsexualism is a clinically recognised condition for which, in certain cases, gender reassignment is considered appropriate. A system of referral exists within the national health service for patients to be seen by specialists through the recommendation of their general practitioner. The decision on whether a particular course of treatment should be given is based on the assessment made by the consultant in charge of each case.

  Charter Week
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department, to health authorities and to NHS trusts of the current year's Charter Week celebrations, including the costs of publicity. [29557]

  Mr. Malone
  Health authorities and national health service trusts already inform their local communities about performance against the patients charter initiative and about local services more generally. The fourth anniversary of the citizens charter gives them an opportunity to further strengthen this important communication process. We do not collect data on the cost of these local management initiatives centrally.

  Gender Dysphoria
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that patients undergoing treatment for gender dysphoria benefit from the same medical confidentiality as other patients; and if she will make a statement. [29547]

  Mr. Sackville
  All involved in the treatment of patients in the National Health Service have a legal duty, reinforced by their contracts of employment, of confidentiality in respect of their patients.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 169, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29287]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued
  47
  superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been no departures on inefficiency grounds from the Departments of National Heritage since its creation in April 1992.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information(a) could only be obtained at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered now due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28512]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mount Grace Priory
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what research and action he had taken in conjunction with English Heritage over the archaeological findings at Mount Grace priory, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire on the making of liqueur by the Carthusian monks at the priory; and if he will make a statement. [27934]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Mount Grace priory is an historic property managed by English Heritage. I understand that, using general archaeological evidence, English Heritage has planted a herb garden which, for 1995, contains many of the plants likely to have been used in the manufacture of herbal beverages in the 15th century, but that there is no direct archaeological evidence for the manufacture of any particular liqueur by Carthusian monks at Mount Grace priory.

  Broadcasting Sponsorship Unit
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the membership, aims and strategy of broadcasting sponsorship unit. [27361]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: I established a new division in my Department in April to sponsor the broadcasting and audiovisual industry.

  The recent White Paper "Competitiveness: Forging Ahead" (Cmd 2867) set out the Government's principal aim for, and general approach to, industrial sponsorship: working with UK industry to help it compete more effectively at home and abroad. Over the coming months, the new division, in consultation with the industry, will be developing a detailed strategy for its work with the broadcasting and audiovisual sector.

  The division is headed by a grade 5 on loan from the Department of Trade and Industry who currently has two other staff in post. Further staff are being recruited. I envisage a mix of officials and those with practical experience of the industry.

  Island Games
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which Minister will be attending the Island games in Gibraltar in July. [28609]

  Mr. Sproat
  No Ministers will be attending the games.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which islands of the United Kingdom will be represented at the Island games to be held in Gibraltar in July. [28607]

  Mr. Sproat
  Alderney, Guernsey, isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Orkney, Sark, Shetlands and Ynys Môns, Anglesey.

  Office of the National Lottery
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what was the cost of the move of the office of the National Lottery to 2 Monck street, London SW1; [28265]

  (2) if he will list by month since its inception the cost of (a) rent, (b) rates and (c) staff for the office of the national lottery; and if he will make a statement. [28267]

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is an operational matter for the Office of the National Lottery I have therefore asked the Director General of the National Lottery, to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Smoking
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what facilities are provided and arrangements made for the well-being and comfort of staff who(a) smoke and (b) do not wish to be affected by smoking at (i) the workstation and (ii) rest, recreation and refreshment facilities at the Northern Ireland Office, Whitehall, London. [27085]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Northern Ireland Office in Whitehall has a smoking policy which states that staff are not allowed to smoke anywhere in the accommodation occupied by the Department, other than in the smoking room provided. This ensures a smoke-free environment for non-smokers. Line managers are responsible for ensuring that the smoking room facility is not abused. The smoking room is equipped with a desk and telephone as well as easy chairs to enable smokers to carry on working.

  The refreshment facilities are shared with other Government Departments and have separate smoking and non-smoking areas.

  Northern Ireland Tourist Board
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the businesses in which the Northern Ireland tourist board has taken the preference share options and indicate(a) the amount of each investment, (b) which of these businesses have received within the past three years development grants from schemes directly administered by the hoard from

  49
  European Union funds, (c) the amount of grant awarded in total and expressed as percentage of the approved cost of each development, (d) the number of additional jobs created in each of the businesses which benefited from the preference share option scheme or the development grants; and what monitoring he has carried out to ensure that these businesses have not received any more preferential support or advice in the marketing and promotion of their activities from the Northern Ireland tourist board, either directly or indirectly, to that which is available to other hotels in Northern Ireland. [26629]

  Mr. Ancram
  The businesses in which the Northern Ireland tourist board has taken preference share options are:

  1. Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor: £250,000

  2. Radisson Roe Park Hotel, Limavady: £550,000

  3. Manor House Hotel, Killadeas: £330,000

  Of these businesses, the following accepted offers of assistance under European Union funds:

  Radisson Roe Park Hotel, Limavady: £1,250,000

  Manor House Hotel, Killadeas: £200,000

  The amount of grant awarded in total from NITB and EU sources and expressed as a percentage of approved costs is as follows:
  Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor: £450,000, representing 30 per cent. of approved costs and 13.5 per cent. of approved costs on redemption of the preference shares, ignoring any redemption premium.
  Radisson Roe Park Hotel, Limavady: £3,450,000, representing 41 per cent. of approved costs and 34.7 per cent. of approved costs on redemption of the preference shares, ignoring any redemption premium.
  Manor House Hotel, Killadeas: £630,000, representing 34 per cent. of approved costs and 16 per cent. of approved costs on redemption of the preference shares, ignoring any redemption premium.

  The number of jobs created in each of the businesses is as follows:

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor

  22

  15

  Radisson Roe Park, Limavady

  60

  50

  Manor House Hotel, Killadeas

  20

  34

  Applications for support for marketing and promotional activities are considered by NITB on an individual basis and on ability to meet the established published criteria. Companies which have not been financially assisted through the NITB are equally able to apply for support or advice on marketing or promotional activities.

  Firearms
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many weapons are currently on issue for personal protection purposes in Northern Ireland. [28224]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The total number of firearms held at 30 April 1995, on foot of firearms certificates issued by the Chief Constable under article 28 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. for personal protection purposes, was 10.418. Firearms certificates for personal 50
  protection weapons are issued only where the Chief Constable judges that the individual's life is at serious risk, and where other legal criteria have been satisfied.

  Framework Agreement
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if any unqualified commitment has been given to the Government of the Irish Republic to incorporate(a) some or all of the principles set out in the new framework for agreement. [28365]

  Mr. Ancram
  The proposals in "A New Framework for Agreement" are"A shared understanding between the British and Irish Governments to assist discussion and negotiation involving the Northern Ireland parties".

  The proposals are based firmly on the principle of consent of the people of Northern Ireland to any political settlement negotiated with the parties. There is therefore no predetermined outcome.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action his Department is taking to prevent organophosphate poisoning among those involved in sheep dipping. [28452]

  Mr. Ancram
  The controls in Northern Ireland on the sale and supply of organophosphorous sheep dip products are similar to those in Great Britain. From 1 April 1995, such products can be sold only to people holding a certificate of competence in the safe use of sheep dips or the representatives of those people. A one-day training course on the use of sheep dips is available at the Department's agricultural colleges free of charge to farmers. The Department of Agriculture has written to sheep farms providing information about the certificate of competence scheme and has issued a leaflet on the Health and Safety aspects of using organophosphorous sheep dip products.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because of the information(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered now due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28507]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28488]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters
  51
  which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document, normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Member by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard below the Minister's reply.

  Health
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he operates upon the World Health Organisation definition of health in carrying out his health responsibilities in Northern Ireland. [28543]

  Mr. Moss
  The regional strategy for the Northern Ireland health and personal social services 1992 to 1997, with its emphasis on the promotion of health and the prevention of disease, is based on the principles of the World Health Organisation's "Health for All" concept.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much national lottery money is expected to be distributed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland in the current financial year. [28542]

  Mr. Ancram
  Based on current forecast information, the proceeds in the national lottery distribution fund for each council are expected to be in the region of £7 million in 1995–96.

  Landfill Project, Magheramorne
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if a decision has been taken within the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment to support landfill at Magheramorne prior to the public inquiry. [29172]

  Mr. Moss
  No.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the US Trade and Development Agency or Louis Berger International Inc. was advised that the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment had announced that a public inquiry would be held into the Blue Circle, Magheramorne quarry landfill application later in 1995 when briefed by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment town and country planning service prior to the Washington conference; [29176]

  (2) if Louis Berger International Inc. was advised of the likelihood of a public inquiry into the suitability of the limestone based quarry at Magheramorne, Country Antrim and of its timing; [29174]

  (3) what information the US Trade and Development Agency or Louis Berger International Inc. was given by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment officials on their assessment of the viability of the Blue Circle landfill proposed project; [29173]

  (4) what advice was given by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment to (a) the US Trade and Development Agency or (b) Louis Berger International Inc. regarding the Magheramorne quarry landfill project prior to the White House conference held in Washington on 24 to 26 March. [29171]
  52
  Mr. Moss
  The chief scientist, Louis Berger International Inc. (Engineers, Scientists, Economists, Planners) was part of a trade delegation from the United States of America visiting Northern Ireland prior to the Washington conference. He met an official of the town and country planning service of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment to discuss environmental information, including prospective developments.

  Arising from the general discussion the chief scientist expressed interest in the Blue Circle Magheramorne landfill project and was then shown the environmental statement which accompanied the planning application relating to the project. The environmental statement is a document available for public scrutiny. He was told that a local public inquiry would be held later this year. No further advice was given either on the likely outcome of the application nor on the viability of the project.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the town and country planning service will complete its environmental impact assessment of the magheramorne quarry landfill project. [29175]

  Mr. Moss
  Assessment of the environmental effects of the proposal will not be completed until after the local public inquiry into the planning application and consideration of the report of the Planning Appeals Commission which is not expected until late spring 1996.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students were attending Northern Irish higher education institutions in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement. [29022]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number of students

  1993–94

  32,608

  1994–95

  37,247 (provisional)

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the proportion of students obtaining(a) first class and (b) upper second class degrees at Northern Irish higher education institutions in (i) 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93; and if he will make a statement. [29025]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Per cent.

  Year

  First class honours

  Upper second class honours

  1991–92

  5.5

  44.6

  1992–93

  6.4

  42.3

  Student Grants and Loans
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the forecast for expenditure on mandatory awards and loans given to students from Northern Ireland during the current year; and if he will make a statement. [29029]
  53
  Mr. Ancram
  Expenditure for the 1995–96 financial year is estimated at £118.3 million.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, columns 161–62, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29288]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made in respect of non-industrial personnel where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is payable and the person dismissed is over age 55, the compensation payment may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of accrued superannuation benefits which would normally be preserved for payment at retiring age. The latter would usually be more beneficial to the officer.

  For staff departures from the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office the relevant information is not available for the financial years 199091 and 1991–92. The information of subsequent years is as follows:

  Year

  Number of departures

  Total compensation paid £

  1992–93

  5

  38,395.07

  1993–94

  9

  41,233.15

  1994–95

  6

  60,494.90

  Training and Employment Agency
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for Northern Ireland for the period 1995 to 1998; and if he will make a statement about the agency's future. [29852]

  Mr. Ancram
  The following targets have been set for the agency:

  1. Within the company development programme to increase the percentage of companies using national vocational qualification based training to raise the competence of their work forces from 35 per cent. at March 1995 to 75 per cent. by March 1998.

  2. To encourage the commitment of Northern Ireland industry and commerce to the Investors in People standard with the aim of increasing the number of recognitions from 20 in March 1995 to 50 in March 1996, 100 in March 1997 and 150 in March 1998. At least 50 per cent. of the companies to be in manufacturing and tradeable services.

  3. To provide a range of relevant. high quality management development programmes and to achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 80 per cent. as reviewed at the end of each year, that such provision will increase individual and/or business performance.

  4. To support the IDB's objective of attracting 20 inward investment projects with 4.500 job promotions by 31 March 1996 and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's aim of attracting strategically important investment which strengthens the tourism and hospitality infrastructure.

  5. In the first year of operation, 1995–96, 25 per cent. of mainstream participants in lobskills will achieve NVQ level 2
  54
  or above, increasing to at least 35 per cent. in 1996–97 and 45 per cent. in 1997–98.

  6. To provide an average of 9,400 temporary employment places with training through the ACE programme with the aim of increasing the number of leavers into jobs, training or further education within three months of leaving from 41 per cent. in 1994–95 to 43 per cent. in 1995–96 to 45 per cent. in 1996–97 to 47 per cent. in 1997–98.

  7. By 1998 to agree and implement at least 40 modern apprenticeships frameworks with the appropriate sectoral representative bodies—20 in 1995–96, 15 in 1996–97 and five in 1997–98.

  8. To carry out a full evaluation of the community work programme pilots by March 1997.

  9. Over the next three years the agency will place a total of 114,000 people into jobs—36,000 in 1995–96, 38,000 in 199697 and 40,000 in 1997–98.

  10. The agency will review its customer service standards, publish a revised customer charter by December 1995, have identified appropriate areas for entry for the nation-wide Chartermark competition for services in the public sector by March 1996 and have reached the standard in these areas by March 1998.

  11. To revise by March 1997 the agency management accounting system to provide full cost management accounts and improve the integration of unit costs with performance measures.

  12. To achieve Investors in People national standard for employers by September 1995.

  13. To achieve annual efficiency savings of at least 4 per cent. over the period 1995 to 1998.

  14. To complete by end 1995 the equality and equity benchmarking of the agency's programmes and services, set targets for action to redress imbalances, and by March 1998 to demonstrate progress by meeting the targets established.

  15. To ensure that the objectives of the targeting social need and policy appraisal and fair treatment initiatives are reflected in all reviews of the agency's programmes and services carried out over the period of this plan.

  Copies of the agency's published corporate plan, 1995–98, will be placed in the Library.

  In accordance with next steps principles, the agency has been subject to an evaluation review and the case for its continuaton assessed. The evaluation report confirms that, since its inception in 1990, the agency has been a success, both in terms of bringing together a central operational focus for training and employment services and as a next steps agency. It will continue as a next steps agency with the same operational responsibilities. Work is presently in hand to revise its framework document in the light of the findings of the evaluation report and changes in next steps policy and procedures.

  A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the parliamentary Library.

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland in 1995–96. [29851]

  Mr. Moss
  For 1995–96 the following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland:

  1. to survey 32,000 house units in the continuous revision programme:

  2. to complete 850 data capture units representing 1,630 basic scale map sheets converted to digital format:

  55

  3. to update the digital topographical database with 91 per cent. of the surveyed change within seven days of receipt of the field data;

  4. to dispatch, within seven working days, 91 per cent. of orders for folded and basic scale maps;

  5. to reduce unit costs so that the weighted mean percentage reduction of selected representative activities is three per cent.; and

  6. to recover from the supply of goods and services, 28 per cent of the total cots incurred by OSNI.

  Gross Indecency
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were convicted of gross indecency in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [28222]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information in respect of persons found guilty of gross indecency, attempted gross indecency and gross indecency with a child, is as follows:

  Offence

  Year 1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Gross indecency

  35

  7

  2

  9

  3

  Attempted gross indecency

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gross indecency with a child

  17

  12

  10

  4

  7

  Total

  54

  19

  12

  13

  10

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all areas within(a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28650]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 15 June 1993]: The Crown is not bound by any NI legislation unless the contrary intention is clearly stated, or there is a necessary implication that the Crown is to be bound.

  Whether Crown immunity applies to statutory bodies other than Government Departments and agencies depends on whether they are carrying out functions on behalf of the Crown. The legislative provisions establishing many statutory bodies expressly state that they are not emanations of the Crown and shall not act or he treated as servants or agents of the Crown. For such bodies, no question of Crown immunity arises.

  The Government's policy on Crown immunity, as set out in the Cm 1599, "The Citizens Charter—Raising the Standard", is that Crown immunity is being progressively reduced as legislative opportunities arise. In the meantime, Crown bodies are expected to behave as though they were bound by regulations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Military Exports
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5020 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27487]

  (2) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 1 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27460]

  (3) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 5 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27464]

  (4) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 9 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No.3092; [27468]

  (5) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 14 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27472]

  (6) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 16 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI. 1992 No. 3092; [27474]

  (7) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 23 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27478]

  (8) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5021 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27483]

  (9) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5028 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27491]

  (10) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 26 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27480]

  (11) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5002 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27481]

  (12) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5001 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27490]

  (13) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 3 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27462]
  57
  (14) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 7 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27466]

  (15) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 11 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27470]

  (16) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 18 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27476]

  (17) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5029 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27485]

  (18) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5017 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27488]

  (19) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 2 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27461]

  (20) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 6 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27465]

  (21) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 10 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI 1992 No. 3092; [27469]

  (22) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 15 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27473]

  (23) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 17 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27475]

  (24) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 24 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27479]

  (25) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5006 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27484]

  (26) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 20 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27477]

  (27) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5018 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 or S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27482]
  58
  (28) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5027 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27489]

  (29) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 4 in group 4 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27463]

  (30) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 8 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27467]

  (31) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as ML 13 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092; [27471]

  (32) how many export licence applications, by country, were approved in 1993 for the export of goods defined as PL 5014 in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of S.I. 1992 No. 3092. [27486]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that his questions involve a very large quantity of statistical information. I shall provide the information which he has asked for, to the extent that it is available on my Department's databases. However, the task involved in gathering and collating the data is a considerable one. I shall therefore send the information, in tabular form, to the hon. Gentleman. I shall also arrange to have a copy placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 24 May,Official Report, column 676, if he will state the number of cases in which end-use certificates, end-use statements or international import certificates were not insisted upon for military list goods; if he will identify the companies concerned; and if he will make a statement. [27701]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 9 June 1995]: A full answer to the hon. Member's question could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, some work has been done on this issue in my Department on a sample basis. I refer the hon. Member to my answer given today to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) for further details of the sample survey commissioned last month by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade into the supporting documentation supplied with export licence applications for military list goods during the period 1986–90.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how may occasions between 1985 and 1990 his Department received representations from right hon. or hon. Members in support of applications for export licences in respect of military list goods for export to Iran and Iraq. [27550]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 9 June 1995]: It would be possible to determine on how many occasions between 1985 and 1990 my Department received representations from right hon. or hon. Members in support of applications for export licences in respect of military list goods for export to Iran and Iraq only by combing a very large number of files, and each individual export licence over the period. This exercise could be undertaken only at seriously disproportionate cost.
  59
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 24 May,Official Report, column 676, how many applications for export licences in respect of military list goods to Iran and Iraq between 1985 to 1990 were specifically drawn to the attention of Ministers; and how many of those approved by Ministers did not provide end-use certificates, end-use statements or international import certificates. [27702]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 9 June 1995]: It would be possible to determine how many applications for export licences, in respect of military list goods to Iran and Iraq between 1985 and 1990, were specifically drawn to the attention of Ministers only by combing a very large number of files, and each individual export licence over the period. This exercise could be undertaken only at seriously disproportionate cost and time.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many military list export licences applications were the subject of his recent internal inquiries into the possible absence of full documentation; and if that sample was focused on particular countries or types of product. [29166]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The full results are set out of the sample survey commissioned last month by the President of the Board of Trade into the supporting documentation supplied with export licences.

  The survey was set up as follows. A randomly selected sample was taken of 10 per cent. of all military list export licence applications for the following destinations: Pakistan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Portugal, Thailand and Cyprus. There was no focus on particular types of product. The figure of 74 per cent. quoted in the President's statement was an average of the figures for 1986 to 1989.

  Military list licences 1986–90

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Government applications

  19

  24

  20

  23

  7

  Private applications

  25

  37

  45

  29

  25

  Total

  44

  61

  65

  52

  32

  Number supporting documents (Governments)

  13

  19

  12

  7

  4

  Number supporting documents (private)

  25

  30

  40

  19

  22

  Number supporting documents (total)

  38

  49

  52

  26

  26

  Percentage of applications with no supporting documents

  86

  80

  80

  50

  81

  The results are also set out of a similar survey commissioned last month by the President of the Board of Trade for all BMARC export licence applications between 1986 and 1989. The figure of 36 per cent. quoted in the President's statement is an average of the figures for BMARC for 1986 to 1989.
  60

  BMARC licences 1986–89

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989 (BMARC)

  1989 (ASTRA)

  Government applications

  59

  96

  70

  31

  24

  Private applications

  65

  73

  58

  15

  13

  Total

  124

  169

  128

  46

  37

  Number of supporting documents (Government)

  14

  8

  4

  5

  3

  Number of supporting documents (private)

  43

  46

  42

  9

  9

  Number of supporting documents (total)

  57

  54

  46

  14

  12

  Percentage of applications with no supporting documents

  46

  32

  36

  30

  32

  Mr. Miller
  to ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 June,Official Report, columns 595–606, if he will list those cases amongst the 74 per cent. of the applications to which he referred which have subsequently been discovered to have an end use in a nation with which his Government have an arms embargo. [29102]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer given today to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) for further details of the sample survey commissioned last month by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade into the supporting documentation supplied with export licence applications for military list goods during the period 1986–90.

  All licence application forms contain a question requiring a statement of end use and the ultimate consignee.

  The purpose of my officials in examining this relatively small random sample of 254 export licences was to take a quick check on the state of export licence administration in the DTI over the period 1986–90. They were not asked to investigate the final destination of the goods covered by the licences. This would not have been part of their duties. The investigation of alleged breaches of export controls is a matter for Customs and Excise in its role as an independent prosecuting authority of the Crown.

  There are boxes on the export licences application forms which ask the applicant to state both the end use and the end user of the goods in question. My Department has no evidence to suggest that the goods relating to any of the licences sampled ended up anywhere other than as stated on the application form. It would be entirely wrong to assume from the figure of 74 per cent. given in my right hon. Friend's oral statement on 13 June that a large proportion of exporters misled my Department.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Minister, former Minister or civil servants in his Department have sought independent legal advice in assisting their response to draft extracts from Sir Richard Scott's report; in each case from whom the advice has been sought; and what limit has been placed on the cost of such advice to public funds. [28384]
  61
  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 June 1995, Official Report, column 530.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria for determining increased effectiveness apart from the issue of benchmarking costs, will be applied in awarding contracts for work currently carried out by civil servants in his Department. [29191]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The criteria vary depending on the particular exercise but commonly include the quality of service offered, the bidder's understanding of the Department's needs, their ability to bring new innovative approaches to the delivery of the services, the continuity of service offered on taking over the work, their commitment to developing a co-operative partnership with the DTI, and the overall value for money offered.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the projected cost of the Insolvency Service's local office ledger accounting computer system. [29245]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The set-up cost of the LOLA—local office ledger accounting system—is estimated to he £1,543,000.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he proposes taking to ensure creditors' meetings take place in areas affected by particular insolvencies in the event of official receivers' offices being closed as a result of contracting out. [29189]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The venue of a creditors meeting will still be governed by rules 4.60 and 6.86 of the Insolvency Rules 1986, which states:"the person summoning the meeting is to have regard for the convenience of persons (other than the chairman) invited to attend".

  There is no obligation to hold meetings at official receivers' offices; and they may be held at any convenient venue considered appropriate.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he plans to take to conserve the training investment in the specialist accountancy staff in the organisation in the event of the work of the Insolvency Service being contracted out. [29192]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  In the event of any contracting out of official receiver's functions, the residual work of the Insolvency Service would require the continued employment of the bulk of its specialist staff.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, following the implementation of current proposals to contract out the work of the Insolvency Service, which offices he proposes to close. [29190]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  No decisions have yet been taken in relation to the size and location of the Insolvency Service. It is not expected that such decisions will be made until conclusions on contracting out have been reached.
  62
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to raise the standards of conduct for private insolvency practitioners to(a) the current performance level and (b) the current targets set for official receivers' staff as condition for proceeding further with contracting out proposals for the Insolvency Service. [29186]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The requirement scoping document recently issued to potential bidders set out levels of experience and competencies of staff that will be required. Any provider, who may or may not be an insolvency practitioner, must satisfy these requirements. In addition, the performance of contractors would he closely monitored to ensure that standards were being consistently maintained to an equal or better level than the standards of expertise and performance currently achieved by the Insolvency Service.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) bankruptcy orders and (b) winding up orders were dealt with by the Sheffield official receiver's office during each of the last five years. [28797]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The total numbers of bankruptcy orders and winding up orders dealt with by the official receiver's Sheffield office in each of the last five years were as follows:

  Financial year

  Bankruptcy

  Winding up

  1990–91

  288

  102

  1991–92

  570

  110

  1992–93

  640

  120

  1993–94

  559

  94

  1994–95

  488

  98

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans the Insolvency Service has to administer those cases not finalised by 31 March 1996 following contractorisation of the official receiver. [28799]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Official are exploring arrangements which would enable existing cases at 1 April 1996 to be transferred to contractors to complete their administration.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if staff of the official receiver's office transferred to the private sector will have their salaries enhanced to compensate for the absence of non-contributory pensions for the purpose of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. [28827]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Although TUPE does not cover the transfer of occupational pension rights, a new employer will be required to provide broadly comparable pension arrangements. These arrangements would be considered by the Department as part of the preparations for any transfer. The Government Actuary will provide an independent analysis of comparability and will need to approve the new arrangements as offering broadly comparable benefits. The Government Actuary will assess the arrangements as a whole to ascertain their comparability to the principal civil service pension scheme and these arrangements may
  63
  include compensation, for example, for employee contributions or different levels of benefit.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many permanent staff were employed by the Insolvency Service in the Sheffield office on 31 March for each year since 1990. [28795]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Numbers of permanent staff employed at the official receiver Sheffield office as at 1 April in each of the last five years were as follows:

  Year

  Number of permanent staff

  1 April 1990

  24

  1 April 1991

  23.5

  1 April 1992

  22.5

  1 April 1993

  23.5

  1 April 1994

  21.5

  1 April 1995

  20

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members of the Insolvency Service are solely engaged on work surrounding the contracting out proposals; and what is the cost of their work. [28803]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  There are currently five members of the Insolvency Service solely engaged in work concerning the proposed contracting out of the functions of the official receiver. Other members of staff spend varying proportions of their time dealing with the issues associated with this work.

  It is estimated that the cost to the Insolvency Service of the options exercise will be approximately £1.35 million in the 1995–96 financial year.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the effects the contracting out of the administrative functions of the official receiver will have on the Sheffield office. [28798]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Any decisions and any effects of contracting out in relation to the Sheffield office of the official receiver will be known only once decisions are reached regarding the whole of the Insolvency Service.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many directors were disqualified from managing a limited company under section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 in the courts covered by the official receiver's office, Sheffield during the past eight years. [28794]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The numbers of disqualification orders made under section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 in the Sheffield, Doncaster, Chesterfield and Barnsley courts covered by the official receiver Sheffield office in each of the last eight years were as follows:

  Financial year

  Number of orders made

  1 April 1987–31 March 1988

  0

  1 April 1988–31 March 1989

  3

  1 April 1989–31 March 1990

  1

  1 April 1990–31 March 1991

  6

  1 April 1991–31 March 1992

  2

  1 April 1992–31 March 1993

  3

  1 April 1993–31 March 1994

  0

  1 April 1994–31 March 1995

  1

  64
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members of the Sheffield office will be surplus of requirement following contractorisation of the functions of the functions of the official receiver. [28826]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Any decisions in relation to the staff in the official receiver's office in Sheffield will be made in the light of decisions taken on contracting out.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firms or companies resident in Sheffield have expressed an interest in bidding for some of the functions of the official receiver. [28800]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  No firm responding to the advertisements calling for expressions of interest in the contracting out of functions of the official receiver listed a Sheffield address.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has for providing information to staff regarding their future employment options following contractorisation of the functions of the official receiver. [28824]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  A communications strategy is currently in place within the Insolvency Service with the aim of keeping the staff as up to date with the status of contracting out as possible. The intention is to provide information on the options available to staff as it becomes known.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many casual and short-term contract staff were engaged at the official receiver's office in Sheffield in each of the past four years. [28796]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The number of casual and short-term contract staff employed at the official receiver Sheffield office as at 1 April in each of the last four years was as follows:

  Year

  Casual staff

  Staff on loan from other Government Departments

  1 April 1992

  3

  0

  1 April 1993

  1

  0

  1 April 1994

  2

  2

  1 April 1995

  0

  2

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional resources the Insolvency Service has been given to enable the contracting out process to be completed. [28804]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Approximately an additional £1.3 million has been allocated to cover the Insolvency Service's costs for the contracting out exercise.

  Departmental Grants
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the amounts received by each organisation which receives a grant from his Department for each of the last five years. [28967]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information sought could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of potential(a) conflicts of interest and (b) breaches of confidentiality in respect of the contractorising of functions of the Patent Office. [28684]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Patent Office is looking at the potential for contractorisation where that is compatible with its statutory role and good value for money. Issues such as possible conflicts of interest and risks to confidentiality are considered when areas which might in principle be handled by the private sector are assessed and, if appropriate, will he addressed when detailed specifications are drawn up.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if all areas within the Patent Office apart from the core functions will be considered for contractorisation; and if he will make a statement. [28688]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade stated in his announcement of 14 December 1994,Official Report, columns 657–58 about the Patent Office review, the Patent Office will be encouraged to contract out activities wherever this is compatible with its statutory role and good value for money.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many representations he has received during the last six months on the question of the contractorisation of the Patent Office; of those, how many were(a) in favour and (b) against the proposals; and if he will make a statement. [28682]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Since my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced the outcome of the Patent Office review on 14 December,Official Report, columns 657–58, he has received 11 letters specifically referring to the contractorisation of Patent Office functions. Of these, three asked for information about the process of contractorisation, and eight covered correspondence from the Patent Office trade unions expressing their concerns.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many members of staff are currently employed in the registration of trademark section of the Patent Office; what was the figure for 1991; and if he will make a statement. [28686]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  A total of 237 Patent Office members of staff are currently engaged in the administration of trademarks. The equivalent figure in June 1991 was 308.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members of staff were employed in the core functions of the Patent Office in 1990; and if he will make a statement. [28681]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  In June 1990 the Patent Office employed 1,134 staff. The number of staff in branches which award intellectual property rights under statutory powers was 851.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members of staff are currently employed in the core function activities of the Patent Office. [28685]
  66
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  In June 1995 the Patent Office employs 954 staff. The number of staff in branches which award intellectual property rights under statutory powers is 673.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors precluded the staff at the Patent Office from eligibility to form an in-house bid; and if he will make a statement. [28689]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Since bids for contracted-out services will be assessed against benchmarks for the forecast cost and quality of service from in-house provision, staff already have the opportunity to prove that they can match or beat the private sector if the services remain in-house. Additionally, staff may choose to enter a bid on the same basis as the private sector, with the corollary that they will cease to be civil servants if their bids is successful.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members of staff are employed in the patents and deigns section of the Patent Office; what was the figure for 1992; and if he will make a statement. [28687]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  A total of 436 Patent Office members of staff are currently engaged in the administration of patents and designs. The equivalent figure in June 1992 was 474.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the private consultants engaged in respect of the Patent Office; what are their precise terms of reference and their agreed remuneration for carrying out those functions; and if he will make a statement. [28683]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Three firms of private sector consultants are currently engaged by the Patent Office.

  Apex Planning and Design is advising the office on accommodation issues, and in particular on means to accommodate within the principal building—Concept house—staff currently housed at two smaller locations.

  Marketing Improvements plc has been retained to explore market potential for Patent Office services, focusing on demand for non-statutory serves such as commercial searches and technical advice, and means of realising it. Coopers and Lybrand has been retained to advise on the feasibility of contracting out the Patent Office's front office in London, which receives, logs and forwards incoming mail, and the terms on which such contractorisation might take place. In neither case have specifications to tender for the work involved yet been drawn up.

  Levels of remuneration associated with these individual consultancy contracts are commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many letters were received by the Patent Office during 1994; how may of these were replied to within seven days; and if he will make a statement. [28699]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Patent Office does not hold central records of individual letters received except in the case of letters from Members of Parliament to the chief executive, and letters of complaint under its chartermark procedures. The target for response in both of these cases is 10 working days. In 1994 six letters from Members of Parliament were received and five were answered within the deadline. Fourteen letters of complaint were received and all were answered within the deadline.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28500]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document, normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Member by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard after the Minister's reply.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now he answered now due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28517]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Chernobyl Nuclear Plant
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information Her Majesty's Government possess on the current safety of the Chernobyl nuclear plant; and if he will make a statement. [28603]

  Mr. Page
  The safety of the Chernobyl nuclear plant is the responsibility of the relevant Ukrainian authorities. Only they would be able to provide detailed information on the current safety situation at the plant.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much contaminated debris is estimated to he present inside the concrete sarcophagus built around the remains of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor number 4; [28604]

  (2) what is his latest estimate of the time necessary to clean up the Chernobyl nuclear plant. [28605]

  Mr. Page
  A recent interim report from an on-going EU funded study estimated that 500,000 cu m of short-lived radioactive waste and 40,000 cu m of long-lived high level waste, including over 200 tonnes of the reactor's original fuel, lie inside the sarcophagus built over the destroyed unit 4 at Chernobyl.

  While no precise estimate of the time necessary to clean up Chernobyl has been made, the same report indicated that it could take up to 100 years to complete the segregation, treatment, conditioning, storage and ultimate disposal of all the radioactive arisings from the remains of unit 4. Copies of the executive summary of this report—"Stabilisation of the existing shelter and the containment
  68
  of both the existing shelter and the damaged remains of reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant"—have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Post Office
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the Post Office performance review and if he will make a statement. [28705]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 15 June 19951: Work started on the performance review on 22 May and is on schedule for completion by 31 August 1995.

  Nuclear Industry Privatisation
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions he intends to impose on any foreign Government, corporation or individual purchasing shares in a privatised nuclear industry. [28665]

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 15 June 1995]: The full details of the sale have yet to be finalised. It is, however, the Government's intention to hold special shares in the holding company and in its two subsidiary companies, Scottish Nuclear and the successor to Nuclear Electric.

  Land Mines
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations led to the exclusion of Smart mines from the Government's recent mine export ban. [28229]

  Mr. David Davis
  I have been asked to reply.

  Our moratorium bans the export of non-self-destructing and non-detectable anti-personnel mines, which are the most dangerous to civilians. It also prohibits the export of any anti-personnel mines to countries which have not ratified the UN weaponry convention, thereby ensuring that even self-destructing mines are acquired only by responsible countries.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 142, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29293]

  The Attorney-General
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits, which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been 15 departures on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years in the Departments for which I am responsible. Of these, there were four cases when no compensation payment was made. The remaining 11 cases are shown in the table:
  69

  Year

  Compensation payment £

  1991–92

  4,000

  1992–93

  2,436

  3,220

  18,384

  19,798

  31,634

  1993–94

  7,492

  9,608

  11,044

  1994–95

  3,037

  10,403

  Mr. Roger Levitt
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has anything to add to his answer to the hon. Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) of 9 December 1993,Official Report, columns 332–33, concerning the conduct of the case against Mr. Roger Levitt. [27886]

  The Attorney-General
  The Serious Fraud Office and prosecuting counsel have been asked to re-examine the events that led up to Mr. Levitt's plea in the light of recent media reports and questions from hon. Members.

  Various counsel-to-counsel discussions about possible pleas, of the sort indicated to the hon. Member for Hendon, South in my answer on 17 December 1993, Official Report, column 1046, took place before 22 November. Such informal discussions are not unusual and would normally be confidential. They were not fully noted and there is no agreed record of what took place. I am, however, informed by prosecuting counsel that the discussions were initiated by counsel for only one of the defendants—not Mr. Levitt—and, following a later approach by counsel for another defendant, not Mr. Levitt, were necessarily expanded by counsel for the Crown to cover the position of all the defendants by 2 November 1993.

  The discussions consequential on these initial approaches from the defence included a discussion which is believed to have taken place between leading counsel for the Crown and for Mr. Levitt around 5 November and a discussion between junior counsel for the Crown and leading counsel for Mr. Levitt on 9 November 1993 stating what the Crown's attitude was likely to be if Mr. Levitt tendered particular pleas. Prosecuting counsel continues, however, to reject the notion that it at any stage "suggested" that Mr. Levitt plead guilty to only some of the charges.

  The Serious Fraud Office was aware of the discussions that were taking place. The Director of the Serious Fraud Office and prosecuting counsel have now considered together a copy letter from the solicitor for Mr. Levitt to his client dated 5 November 1993, which was handed to the director in the course of his appearance before the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on 12 June 1995. They have recalled that the director and case controller had a meeting with prosecuting counsel on 5 November 1993. The joint recollection of all present is that the director was then informed of possible pleas which leading counsel for the Crown advised should, in the event that they were tendered, be accepted. The director and prosecuting counsel inform me that, although the director was minded to accept such pleas, he did not give instructions that the pleas should be accepted if tendered and would have needed to consider the position
  70
  further in that event. He expected discussions on a counsel-to-counsel basis to continue. The director is writing to the Select Committee about this and to offer to give further evidence if requested.

  The plea ultimately accepted from Mr. Levitt was in the judgment of prosecuting counsel and the Serious Fraud Office significantly different from those under consideration on 5 and 9 November in that it did not include Mr. Levitt's admitting knowledge of, and participation in, any of the false valuations sent to private investors in TLG Ltd.

  Prosecuting counsel and the Serious Fraud Office have again assured me that the Crown did not know the sentence which the judge was minded to impose for the relevant offence at the time it committed itself to accepting this plea on 22 November, prior to the visit to the judge, and did not know whether or not Mr. Levitt intended to proceed with the plea if the judge indicated an intention to impose a custodial sentence. As was made clear by the director in his evidence to the Select Committee, it would not in any event have been open to the Crown to resile from its acceptance of the plea because the judge indicated an intention to impose a non-custodial sentence.

WALES

  NHS Administration Costs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the administration costs incurred by(a) NHS purchasers and (b) NHS providers in Wales in each year since 1990–91, in cash prices and real terms. [27776]

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  Administrative costs of the NHS in Wales

  £000

  NHS Trusts

  Other health bodies

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  1991–92

  —

  —

  107,018

  114,685

  1992–93

  4,188

  4,316

  119,964

  123,635

  1993–94

  50,107

  50,107

  91,214

  91,214

  Source: Annual accounts/Financial returns of DHA's, SHAs, FHSA's, NHS Trusts and Welsh Office records.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was(a) the total budget spent and (b) the total administrative budget spent for the environmentally sensitive area grants. [28305]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  (a) Total grants paid under the environmentally sensitive area schemes in 1994-95 was £1,533,000; (b) precise administrative costs are not available, because staff combine work on this area and others schemes. However, the costs of relevant administrative work alone will have amounted to around £276,000. In addition, professional ADAS staff provided scientific and technical advice at a cost of around £1,965,000. Most staff time was devoted to developing detailed rules and regulations for the new scheme, in preparing scheme literature, and in providing farmers with assistance in drawing up whole farm plans and preparing their management agreements.
  71
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales(a) what percentage of the total land area of Wales was designated as environmentally sensitive; (b) what financial provision his Department allocated to environmentally sensitive areas in the years 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96; (c) what percentage of the total land area of Wales will be designated as environmentally sensitive; and (d) what financial provision his Department will allocate to environmentally sensitive areas in each of the years 1996–97 and 1997–98. [29327]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) 25 per cent.

  (b) Total payments for years:

  1993–94: £5.8 million

  1994–95: £6.9 million

  1995–96: £7.0 million

  (c) 25 per cent. There are no plans at present to designate further areas of Wales as environmentally sensitive.

  (d) 1996–97: £6.9 million

  1997–98: £6.9 million

  These are planned figures which may be subject to change.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the(a) total annual budget (b) annual budget for administration and (c) number of administrative staff for the environmentally sensitive area grants. [28301]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The total programme budget for 1995–96 is £6,971,000. Precise administrative staff figures and costs cannot be given, because staff combine work on this area and other schemes. However, relevant administrative work alone is likely to account for approximately 18 staff years at a cost of around £264,000. In addition, professional ADAS staff are expected to provide scientific and technical advice at a cost of around £1,798,000. Most staff time in 1995–96 will be devoted to advising farmers on the key habitats to be included in their agreements; in drawing up maps of their farms showing the relevant features; and in negotiating and preparing their written management agreements.

  Housing
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh households are on local authority and housing association waiting lists. [28444]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  European Council of Ministers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he now has to attend the Council of Ministers; on what occasions in the past he has planned to do so; and if he will make a statement. [28698]

  Mr. Redwood
  I shall be attending the next Transport Council meeting on 19 June for one day and previously, as a Department of Trade and Industry Minister, I have attended some 22 other Council meetings.

  School Meals
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage and number of children receiving(a) free school meals and (b) parentally paid for school meals for the last 10 years. [28443]

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Percentage of pupils receiving1

  Number of pupils receiving2

  Free meals

  Paid meals

  Free meals

  Paid meals

  1984–85

  22.8

  36.3

  97,437

  155,132

  1985–86

  21.3

  33.0

  90,739

  140,416

  1986–87

  22.1

  32.6

  92,416

  136,020

  1987–88

  21.7

  33.1

  89,550

  136,290

  1988–89

  14.6

  37.4

  59,802

  153,539

  1989–90

  14.1

  38.0

  58,303

  156,675

  1990–91

  14.4

  38.1

  59,338

  156,951

  1991–92

  16.6

  34.6

  70,088

  145,938

  1992–93

  18.5

  35.3

  79,934

  152,299

  1993–94

  20.7

  35.8

  90,875

  157,481

  1 The number of pupils taking meals as a percentage of all pupils present on enumeration day.

  1On enumeration day.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the net expenditure on school catering services(a) in total and (b) in respect of free school meals for each year since 1987 broken down by county. [28822]

  Mr. Richards
  The available information is given in the following tables. Separate information on the costs of free school meals is not held centrally.

  Net current expenditure on school meals and milk1

  £ million

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Clywd

  4.4

  3.0

  3.2

  Dyfed

  3.5

  3.1

  3.4

  Gwent

  5.7

  4.3

  4.9

  Gwynedd

  2.9

  2.8

  2.3

  Mid Glamorgan

  7.5

  5.8

  7.5

  Powys

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  South Glamorgan

  2.1

  1.9

  1.8

  West Glamorgan

  2.9

  2.9

  2.9

  Total Wales

  30.2

  24.7

  27.1

  1990–1991

  1991–1992

  1992–1993

  Clywd

  3.3

  3.8

  4.0

  Dyfed

  4.5

  6.3

  6.1

  Gwent

  5.3

  5.1

  5.5

  Gwynedd

  3.0

  3.6

  3.9

  Mid Glamorgan

  8.3

  9.2

  10.1

  Powys

  1.3

  1.5

  1.4

  South Glamorgan

  2.2

  2.9

  4.8

  West Glamorgan

  2.7

  3.2

  3.5

  Total Wales

  30.5

  35.6

  39.9

  21993–94

  21994–95

  21995–96

  Clywd

  2.2

  2.7

  2.7

  Dyfed

  5.7

  5.6

  5.7

  Gwent

  6.2

  6.0

  5.7

  Gwynedd

  3.5

  2.9

  2.9

  Mid Glamorgan

  9.8

  10.1

  10.2

  Powys

  1.3

  1.2

  1.2

  South Glamorgan

  3.9

  3.7

  3.8

  73

  21993–94

  21994–95

  31995–96

  West Glamorgan

  3.4

  3.4

  3.3

  Total

  35.9

  35.7

  35.4

  Source: Local authority.

  Notes:

  1 Excludes grant maintained schools.

  2 Revised Estimates.

  3 Budgets.

  Countryside Council For Wales
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available the results of the financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales initiated in 1994, and if he will make a statement. [28477]

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 June 19951: The financial management policy review of the Countryside Council for Wales was overtaken by the review of the council's functions which I announced in my response to the question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Conwy (Sir W. Roberts) on 3 November 1994, columns 1331–32. The action plan resulting from that review has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Charter Week
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the total cost to public funds to Charter Week in Wales in 1995; [28637]

  (2) how many civil servants are engaged in preparations for Charter Week; what are their grades; and in which sections of his Department they are working; [29237]

  (3) what was the total cost of Charter Week in Wales. [29229]

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 June 19951: A number of public service events have been timed to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the charter programme, including the publication of NHS performance tables. In Wales there will be no significant staff or cost implications, apart from the work on NHS performance tables which would have taken place anyway.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the length of time his office takes to reply to letters, what difference there is in the time taken to respond to letters written in the Welsh language, and if he will make a statement. [28479]

  Mr. Redwood
  From time to time my Department receives representations about delays in answering letters. The Welsh Office target for replying to letters to Ministers is 12 working days. The target for replying to all other correspondence is 15 working days. These targets apply to letters in Welsh and in English.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) of 12 June, column 483 if he will list(a) the calculations and (b) the assumptions he has made in arriving at his estimated cost of the Labour party's proposed directly elected Welsh Assembly. [28879]
  74
  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the information I put out in my press notice on Friday 16 June.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) of 12 June,Official Report, column 483, what information he has sought from the Labour party Wales concerning the detail of its proposed Welsh Assembly. [28878]

  Mr. Redwood
  I have seen a copy of the Labour party proposals for a Welsh Assembly, and have often asked the hon. Member to clarify matters.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) of 12 June,Official Report, column 483, if he will make a statement in the work carried out by his departmental officials on the likely cost of the Labour party's proposals for a directly elected Welsh Assembly. [28880]

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Thursday 15 June, column 660.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) of 12 June,Official Report, column 483, if he will list those organisations in Wales he has consulted on the desirability of creating a directly elected Welsh Assembly. [28877]

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not Government policy to create an assembly.

  Earnings
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average wage for(a) full-time manual males, (b) full-time non-manual males, (c) full-time manual females and (d) full-time non-manual females in (i) Wales and (ii) each county in Wales for the last two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [28720]

  Mr. Redwood
  Average gross weekly earnings in each of the requested categories and for each county of Wales are published in part E of the "New Earnings Survey", published annually by the Employment Department, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Council of Europe Chapter
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 269, if he will list the Government Departments with an interest in the Council of Europe charter for regional or minority languages which are involved in the consideration of its implications; and if he will make a statement. [28871]

  Mr. Redwood
  Apart from the Welsh Office, the Departments which have an interest in the charter are the Northern Ireland Office, the Scottish Office, the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the consultation with
  75
  the members of the Cardiff bay coalition about proposals to acquire suitable land for the creation of wetlands in the Severn estuary to compensate for the loss of the Cardiff bay site of special scientific interest; and if all members of the coalition were consulted. [29254]

  Mr. Redwood
  This is an operational matter for the corporation and I have asked the chief executive to reply.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on the monitoring exercise of United Kingdom populations of the dunlin and redshank and their use of estuarine mud flat habitat as part of the compensatory measures agreed with the European Commission in respect of the Cardiff bay barrage project. [29232]

  Mr. Redwood
  The United Kingdom population of dunlin and redshank are constantly monitored under programmes coordinated by the wetland bird surveys which are endorsed by the Government. Good progress is being made by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology on its long-term study on wading birds and their use of estuarine mud flats.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much is remaining of the money allocated for the creation of wetland habitat in the Severn to compensate for the loss of the Cardiff bay SSSI; and if he will report progress on the acquisition of suitable coastal land and mud flats for this purpose. [29233]

  Mr. Redwood
  About £350,000 has been incurred on expenditure related to the bird compensation/mitigation measures for the loss of the Cardiff hay habitat out of the £5.7 million provision. On progress I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 22 May 1995, column 461.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 12 June,Official Report, col. 414, if his Department received the application for authorisation from the Welsh Development Agency for the redundancy costs to be approved separately from the other elements of the package agreed by his Department on 27 March 1990. [29250]

  Mr. Redwood
  Separate agreement to elements of the transfer cost was not sought.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of identifiable Government expenditure on education in Wales, including mandatory loans and awards to students, is devoted to(a) primary education, (b) secondary education, (c) further education and (d) higher education; and if he will make a statement. [29024]

  Mr. Richards
  Identifiable Government expenditure on education in Wales in 1993–94, the most recent year for which complete data are available was £1,688 million, of which £165 million was expenditure by Department for Education on mandatory student awards for further and higher education. I will write to the hon. Member with further details of the breakdown of Welsh Office expenditure between sectors, and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

  NHS Performance Tables
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the arrangements for informing the media of(a) the publication of the 1995 NHS performance tables and (b) ancillary events during Charter Week. [29230]

  Mr. Redwood
  The media have been given the opportunity to receive advance embargoed copies of the performance tables on 30 June. A press release will also be issued by my Department. It will be for local service providers to publicise any events held during Charter Week.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the chief executives of health authorities and trusts requesting the provision of good news stories about patients charter achievements in connection with the publication of the 1995 performance tables during Charter Week. [29236]

  Mr. Redwood
  Chief executives of health authorities and trusts have been asked to announce to the press and public what action they are taking to improve performance where this is needed and to take this opportunity to set out their successes, where this is merited. I have not asked them to spend extra money on publicity or advertising.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the total cost to public funds of the NHS 1995 performance tables publication and the media exercise connected with it during Charter Week. [29228]

  Mr. Redwood
  The total Welsh Office budget for the 1995 NHS comparative performance tables is £45,000.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the number of doctors and nurses to be involved in the press launches for the publication of the NHS patients charter 1995 performance tables during Charter Week; and how much time they will be required to spend(a) in total and (b) away from their regular medical duties. [29231]

  Mr. Redwood
  The degree to which health professionals are involved in publicising some of their achievements, as illustrated by patients charter comparative performance tables, is an issue for each NHS trust.

  Dr. Audrey Giles
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, columns 374-75, what was the grade of the civil servant who signed the acknowledgement of receipt of the recorded delivery package of documents sent by Dr. Audrey Giles on 10 March 1992 to his Department for the purposes of the appeal hearing subsequent to her forensic examination of those documents; what record his Department still holds of acknowledgement of the receipt of the package sent by the forensic scientist; and if he will make a statement; [29252]

  (2) if he will list the documents contained in the recorded delivery package sent to his Department by Dr. Audrey Giles on 10 March subsequent to her forensic examination of them; and on what date they were received in his Department. [29251]
  77
  Mr. Redwood
  I am advised that no such package was received by my Department on or around this date.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the proportion of young people from Wales entering HE in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement. [29012]

  Mr. Richards
  Information for Wales for 1993–94 and 1994–95 is not yet available. The most recent data show that in 1992–93 an estimated 26 per cent. of young persons from Wales entered higher education.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students were studying at a Welsh higher education institution in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement. [29100]

  Mr. Richards
  Information on the number of students studying at Welsh higher education institutions in 1993–94 and 1994–95 is shown in the following table.

  Students studying at Welsh Higher Education Institutions

  11993–94

  21994–95

  University of Wales

  36,390

  39,499

  Open University

  4,376

  n/a

  Other publicly funded higher education institutions:

  higher education courses

  30,538

  38,900

  further education courses

  4,205

  n/a

  Sources: 1 Welsh Office Further Education Student Record, Universities Statistical Record, Open University. At November for publicly funded higher education institutions, December for University of Wales and January for Open University. Data provisional pending publication.

  Source: 2 Higher Education Statistics Agency. Data are provisional and exclude students on further education and open university courses. At December.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Welsh higher education departments received a research rating of(a) three or above and (b) five during the recent research assessment exercise; and if he will make a statement. [29027]

  Mr. Richards
  Sixty-three per cent. of Welsh higher education departments assessed during the 1992 research assessment exercise received a research rating of three or above; 4 per cent. of the departments received the top rating of five. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has as one of its objectives to "double the units of assessment graded four and five in the research assessment exercise conducted every four years".

  The HEFCW has been allocated an additional £2 million in support of this objective in each public expenditure survey round since 1992. The next research assessment exercise is to be undertaken in 1996.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 139, if he will provide comparable details of civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29294]

  Mr. Redwood
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years'78
  salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring ages. Three people have left the Welsh Office on inefficiency grounds during the last five years. Details are as follows:

  Compensation lump sum

  £

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  —

  6,926

  —

  —

  4,162

  —

  1,683

  —

  —

  —

  Welsh Office Buildings
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total running cost of Gwydyr house in the last year for which figures are available. [29554]

  Mr. Redwood
  The cost for 1994–95 was £334,780.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he hosted in the last year in(a) Gwydyr house and (b) Cathays park and what are the associated costs of these meetings. [29553]

  Mr. Redwood
  I have hosted a wide range of meetings throughout the year including delegations from Members of Parliament, local authorities and representatives from industry and other groups. A precise breakdown of the figures is not available. The cost of these meetings is small. My office provides tea or coffee or occasionally cold drinks to all visitors.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the European Fisheries Council meeting of 15 June. [29594]

  Mr. Jack
  I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 15 June with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro).

  The Council agreed unanimously ceilings on fishing effort in western waters as required by the agreement reached in December on the integration of Spain and Portugal into the common fisheries policy. The figures agreed reflect actual recent fishing effort and will enable UK fishermen to continue their normal patterns and levels of fishing activity without new restriction, provided effort does not increase. Limitations on the disposition of the Spanish fleet in the Irish box were also introduced with the result a maximum of eight vessels are allowed in the northern part and a maximum of 32 in the south.

  The Commission presented to the Council its proposals for monitoring and inspection arrangements in western waters. These measures are important because they will provide the basis for enforcing effort controls. I confirmed to the Council that these proposals must be both practicable and realistic in terms of their application. The

  79
  Council agreed to consider them urgently so that they can be adopted before the end of this year and come into operation along with the effort controls from 1 January 1996.

  Most member states indicated they could agree to a presidency compromise concerning a proposal for funds from the existing financial instrument for fisheries guidance to be used to support national early retirement schemes for fishermen and for compensation payments to crews of decommissioned vessels. The Commission's original proposals relating to bad weather payments and additional support for market price fluctuation were excluded. The United Kingdom continued to argue that such measures should be covered by national social polices and were not appropriate use of FIFG funds.

  There was a discussion of drift net fishing and, once again, no conclusions were reached on the Commission's proposal, dating from last year, to phase out the use of drift nets. I emphasised the importance of drift net fishing to British fishermen. I also set out the arrangements, which we have in hand to ensure compliance with the rules in this summer's tuna fishery in the north-east Atlantic, and to discourage any possible disruption of fishing. The Council noted with satisfaction the measures being implemented by member states and the deployment of a vessel carrying Commission inspectors.

  The Council discussed progress in the United Nations conference on straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. This conference is looking at ways of improving co-operation between states in the management of international fisheries. I stressed the importance of achieving a binding convention which will lead to more effective conservation of fish stocks in international waters and should reduce the risk of disputes. The Council agreed that the Community should continue to play a constructive role in the negotiations and decided that further work should he done in defining its position before the next session of the Conference.

  The Council confirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the April agreement reached between the Community and Canada on fishing in the north-west Atlantic, including the important new provisions to secure effective enforcement. It agreed unanimously to adopt a regulation fixing the 1995 Community quota for Greenland halibut at 5,013 tonnes for the period from 16 April onwards.

  The Council unanimously agreed a presidency compromise setting quotas for imports of fish into the Community at reduced rates of import duty for the remainder of 1995. The quotas on cod and haddock were set lower than proposed by the Commission, reflecting concern about weak market prices.

  I drew the Council's attention to a Commission proposal to be considered by the Agriculture Council which would introduce harmonisation of inspection charges for fish. I said that, in the absence of distortion of the market, this is an unnecessary measure which could increase costs. I pressed my colleagues to look at the proposal critically, involving fisheries experts to the full.

  I also took the opportunity of this meeting of the Council to invite Fisheries Ministers to consider a proposal made by the Government's panel on sustainable development that there should be an intergovernmental
  80
  panel on the oceans. The panel would be set the task of examining the science, assessing the human impact and putting in place a framework for the responsible management of the world's oceans. It would cover fish stocks, other marine resources and measures to cope with pollution. The Government are currently studying this proposal and wish to take into account the views of other member states before reaching conclusions.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total land area of England was designated as environmentally sensitive; what financial provision his Department allocated to environmentally sensitive areas in the years 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96; what percentage of the total land area of England will be designated as environmentally sensitive; and what financial provisions his Department will allocate to environmentally sensitive areas in each of the years 1996–97 and 1997–98. [29326]

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  The 22 currently designated English environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) cover 1,149,217 hectares. This is 8.8 per cent. of the total land area of England, excluding inland waters, and includes approximately 10 per cent. of agricultural land in England. Provision for payments to farmers was £30 million in 1993–94, £31 million in 1994–95 and is £43 million per annum for 1995–96 to 199798. There are no plans at present to increase the area designated.

  Soya Milk
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the levels of oestrogen in soya milk. [29457]

  Mr. Jack
  MAFF has commissioned two projects and a further project is under discussion. All these projects include measurement of plant oestrogens in soya milk, but no results from them are available for evaluation at present.

  Spitzbergen (Spanish Fishing Rights)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how long Spain has been fishing off Sptizbergen; and what considerations underlie the different allocations for Spain and the United Kingdom. [29207]

  Mr. Jack
  Spain, like the United Kingdom, is a signatory to the Treaty of Paris 1920, which determined the status of Spitzbergen and Bear Island—Svalbard—and has been fishing at Svalbard since before her accession to the European Community in 1986. The relative stability keys for cod at Svalbard were laid down in 1987 and reflects historic track records in the fishery.

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all areas within(a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what

  81
  consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28655]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 15 June 1995]: The Government's policy on Crown immunity as set out in CM 1599—"The Citizen's Charter—Raising the Standard" is that Crown immunity is being progressively reduced, as legislative opportunities arise. In the meantime, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, its agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which it has responsibility, behave as though bound by regulations.

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in England are still affected by restriction notices imposed due to contamination following the Chernobyl nuclear accident; what land area these farms constitute; and what percentage of available farmland in England this represents. [28600]

  Mrs. Browning
  When restrictions were first introduced, they covered about 197,000 hectares which affected over 1,670 holdings. Restrictions now apply to 66 farms occupying a land area of around 14,568 hectares, which represents about 0.1 per cent. of available farmland in England. An intensive survey is taking place this summer to establish the scope for further derestrictions.

  Agricultural and Food Research Council
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many commissions his Department entered into with the Agricultural and Food Research Council for each year since 1979; how many such commissions he expects to make this year; and what is the value of those commissions in(a) cash and (b) constant prices. [28598]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department issued a single commission each year for its research and development requirements from the institutes of the Agricultural and Food Research Council. Details of the amounts spent in cash and constant prices are set out in the table:

  £ million

  Year

  Cash

  Constant prices1

  1979–80

  30.4

  74.6

  1980–81

  37.4

  77.6

  1981–82

  44.3

  83.8

  1982–83

  48.6

  85.8

  1983–84

  51.3

  86.6

  1984–85

  52.8

  84.9

  1985–86

  51.8

  78.9

  1986–87

  47.9

  70.8

  1987–88

  44.2

  62.1

  1988–89

  46.4

  61.1

  1989–90

  46.0

  56.6

  1990–91

  45.6

  51.9

  1991–92

  34.5

  37.0

  1992–93

  34.8

  35.9

  1993–94

  36.0

  36.0

  MAFF Commission with BBSRC

  1994–95

  34.6

  33.9

  1 Using the GDP deflator (1993–94 - 100).

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28504]

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Tobacco Industry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of financial support has been given to the Italian and Greek tobacco industry over the last five years from the European Community, and what is the forecast of funding for each of the next three years. [28156]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: Details of expenditure on the tobacco regime by the EU, broken down by member state, are contained in annex 2 of the annual financial reports of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund—EAGGF—guarantee section, copies of which have been deposited in the Library of the House. The latest report available relates to 1993. Figures for 1994, taken from the draft annual financial report are set out in the table.

  Greece: 426.06 mecu (£326.481)

  Italy: 394.53 mecu (£302.321)

  The CAP budget is drawn up only a year in advance and is set in relation to forecast expenditure throughout the Community and not on the basis of allocations to individual member states. The figures for 1995 and 1996 are as follows:

  1995: EU 15 1,132 mecu (£914 million1)

  1996: EU 15 1,087 mecu (£909 million1)

  Since 1992, the Commission has been conducting a detailed investigation into EC tobacco expenditure in member states. Disallowance—costs not being met from the EC budget—has been applied to Greece and Italy to the value of 16 mecu—£12 million—and 8 mecu—£6 million—in respect of the 1990 budget, and 35 mecu£28 million—and 22 mecu—£17 million—respectively, with regard to 1991, the last year where the accounts have been cleared. Concerns about tobacco expenditure have, of course, been covered in European Court of Auditors special report 8/93. Earlier this year, the Commission undertook to submit a report on the operation of the new regime agreed in 1992, together with an account of irregularities and fraud committed, and of measures already taken or to be taken in the clearance of accounts procedures.

  1 £1 = 1.3050 ecu. 2 £1 = 1.2389 ecu. £1 = 1.1960 ecu.

  Goosanders
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Minister of
  83
  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of the conditions attached to a licence to shoot goosanders, as an aid to scaring, as issued by his Department, together with a specimen of the sample daily return issued by the Agricultural Development Advisory Service. [27440]

  Mrs. Browning
  I have arranged to be placed in the Library of the House information as to the conditions that might be attached to a licence to shoot goosanders under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. No licences to shoot goosanders were issued in 1994–95 by MAFF.

  An example of the daily return issued by ADAS has also been placed in the Library of the House.

  Structural Fund
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with his ministerial counterpart in Northern Ireland about the grant allocations from the European Community structural funds for infrastructure and fish diversification projects; and if he will make a statement. [27150]

  Mr. Jack
  Northern Ireland is a designated objective 1 area for EC structural purposes. A breakdown of the 15.12 mecu—£12.72 million at 15 May green rate prices—allocation for infrastructure measures and other fisheries measures is set out in the Northern Ireland single programming document 1994–99, a copy of which is available in the Library. The Northern Ireland expenditure on these measures is also set out in the UK fisheries sectoral plan 1994–99 required under EC regulation No.3699/93, which I am arranging to be placed in the Library. These documents were the subject of normal inter-departmental consultation and reflect an agreed view.

  Northern Ireland plans on PESCA initiative for fish diversification projects were subject to similar consultation and are contained within the UK integrated operation programme 1994–99 which has been submitted to the European Commission for approval. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Quotas
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will undertake a review of the quota situation for first-time applicants who wish to participate in the dairy and sheep sectors of the industry, and if he will make a statement. [27149]

  Mr. Jack
  The quota schemes in the sheep and dairy sectors are based on EC legislation and the Government's ability to review operational aspects of those schemes is constrained by the requirements of the legislation. There are no plans to review the quota provisions for first-time applicants for sheep annual premium, who are able to apply to the national reserves of quota under one of three categories: newcomers to farming under 40; newcomers to farming over 40; other first-time applicants for premium. Nor do the Government have any plans to make special provision for new entrants under the milk quota system. We have, however, indicated that we would be prepared to consider any plans that the NFU and others may have for assisting new entrants to the dairy industry.

  Disposal at Sea
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what responsibilities his Department has for monitoring sites where military chemicals and surplus explosives have been disposed at sea. [26699]

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry has a major monitoring programme with a network of locations at which samples of biota, sediments and the water column are taken. Measurements are made of a wide range of substances and biological responses to assess the impact on the marine environment of human activities, on land and at sea. The results of this monitoring are published annually.

  Pest, Disease and Weed Control
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the costs of(a) bio-control, (b) mechanical weeding and (c) use of pesticides for the needs of agriculture in the United Kingdom. [26329]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 13 June 1995]: The needs of agriculture are addressed in the research and development programmes of the agriculture departments, which include examination of various methods of pest, disease and weed control. The results are widely published and help guide agricultural and environmental policy and practice. I will write to the hon. Member shortly with details of work on integrated crop management.

  Multi-annual Guidance Programmes
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the maritime member states of the European Union which have met their obligations under the terms of the multi-annual guidance programmes in the past five years; which such nations have failed to match the criteria specified in the programmes; and if he will make a statement. [26193]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 7 June 1995]: At their inception, multi-annual guidance programmes involved member states setting objectives in agreement with the Commission in order to help re-establish the balance between resources and their exploitation. These objectives were subsequently made mandatory as a result of Council decision 94/15/EC, which set a deadline of 31 December for compliance

  The Commission report to the Council and to the European Parliament on the progress of MAGPs for the fishing fleet at the end of 1993, a copy of which is in the Library of each House, showed that Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain and Portugal had achieved their interim targets at that date. France had done so for tonnage, but not for vessel power. Documents had been submitted showing that the Italian targets had been met, but the Commission was unable to verify this prior to publication. Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom had not met their interim targets.

  Compliance with interim targets is not mandatory. A further report, detailing the position at the end of 1994, is expected to be published soon.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to assist disabled people. [27611]

  Mr. Hague
  Substantial help is given to disabled people through the social security system. Expenditure on disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance for 1993–94 was more than £4.5 billion and estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is more than £5 billion. In excess of £530 million was spent on benefits for those caring for disabled people in 1994–95.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent discussions he has had with people with disabilities on the level of benefits. [27623]

  Mr. Hague
  No such discussions have taken place recently. Benefit levels are kept under review and we are confident that current policies are targeting available resources where they are most needed.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what new measures the Government are taking to help disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [27971]

  Mr. Hague
  The Government's Disability Discrimination Bill, currently being considered in another place, will do much to end discrimination against disabled people. The Bill will give disabled people new rights of non-discrimination in employment and access to goods and services as well as creating a National Disability Council to advise the Government on the elimination of discrimination. The Government have extended their proposals to protect people who have had a disability but since recovered; to set access standards for taxis; and to place extra duties on schools and colleges to have regard to their arrangements for disabled pupils and students. We also propose a power in the Bill to set accessibility standards for land-based public transport vehicles.

  Funded Pension Schemes
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what other EU countries have funded pension schemes. [27616]

  Mr. Lilley
  All other EU countries have some funded pension provision. The UK has more assets invested in pension funds than the rest of Europe put together. Many EU countries are taking steps to develop further their funded pension provision.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from right hon. and hon. Members on(a) the future of the Child Support Agency and (b) the efficiency of its present administration. [27619]

  Mr. Burt
  I have received a large number of representations from hon. Members over time on all matters relating to the CSA, although in recent months there has been a reduction in the numbers of such representations.
  86
  On the future of the agency, I can assure the hon. Member that the agency is here to stay. We shall, of course, continue to monitor and evaluate the effects of the Child Support Act 1991 and continue to listen.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are presently in receipt of means-tested benefits; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago. [27621]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The latest available information indicates that an estimated 8.53 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit in May 1993, after taking into account those receiving more than one benefit. The earliest directly comparable data is for May 1989, which indicates that an estimated 6.65 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to prescribe chronic bronchitis and emphysema in respect of industries other than the coal industry. [27622]

  Mr. Hague
  We have no such plans. The Secretary of State is advised on the prescription of diseases under the industrial injuries scheme by the independent Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The council has recommended prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema only in respect of underground coal mining.

  Social Security Card
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a further statement on his plans to introduce a social security card for the payment of benefits. [27625]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It was announced last year that a new system would be developed to automate the payment of benefits at post offices. Order books and girocheques will be phased out and replaced by a benefit payment card which will allow access to payment information held electronically. This will reduce costs for taxpayers, be more secure for customers and support the future of the post office network.

  This important project is being taken forward under the private finance initiative. In December 1994, five companies or consortia were invited to develop their proposals and all five have now submitted detailed plans. These are being evaluated by a team of experts from both Post Office Counter Ltd. and the DSS to determine which of the suppliers will be invited to take part in the next stage of the development; detailed demonstrations and contractual negotiations.

  Post Office Payment of Pensions
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the means by which pensioners will be able to choose to have their benefits paid through the Post Office. [27627]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Pensioners will continue to be able to choose to have their benefits paid directly into their bank
  87
  or building society accounts by automated credit transfer or to collect it at the post office.

  Plans are well advanced to automate the system for paying benefit at post offices. This will mean the phasing out of orderbooks and giros, and replacing them with a benefit payment card. It is envisaged that the pensioner will hand his card to the post office clerk who will use it to access information about benefit entitlement which will be held electronically on a database. The customer will sign a receipt at the counter to confirm receipt of the cash.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the most recent estimate he has made of the cost of fraud by benefit claimants. [27608]

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington).

  Mortgage Arrears
  Ms Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he next intends to meet the Council of Mortgage lenders to discuss the current level of arrears. [27620]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We have regular meetings with the council in order to discuss issues of mutual interest.

  Performance Measurement
  Mrs. Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) 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 are the latest figures for performance measured against the target set; [26227]

  (2) 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 complaints are not satisfied with his Department's response to a complaint. [26211]

  Mr. Hague
  DSS headquarters aims to answer all correspondence within 20 working days of receipt. For the period 1 January 1995 to 31 May 1995, a total of 12,317 replies to letters from members of the public were sent, of which 83 per cent. were answered within this target. The public inquiry line handles telephone calls from members of the public. It aims to provide good quality answers to customers' inquiries rather than process a set quantity of telephone calls. Quality performance is continually monitored by electronically tracking the number of calls dealt with and by a supervisor routinely listening in to a number of calls. Staff also receive continuous training on information available in addition to regular specific assessment of their individual performance.

  The responsibility for day-to-day operations, including the handling of letters, telephone calls and complaints from members of the public, rests with the chief executive
  88
  of each agency. Each of them will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Paul Winstanley to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  I have been asked by the Department's Parliamentary Branch to provide you with further information about the Resettlement Agency's handling of telephone calls and letters from members of the public.
  Before answering the specific questions that you raise I should explain that in terms of this Agency members of the public are the residents of our resettlement units.
  On arrival at resettlement units residents are advised that if they are not satisfied with the service or feel that they have been treated unfairly they should tell a member of the management team who will investigate and report back to them the same day.
  If they are still unhappy, the are invited to contact the Chief Executive who undertakes to acknowledge any letter and reply within ten working days. Telephone complaints to the Chief Executive care answered either on the same day or the next.
  All residents receive a pamphlet on arrival that explains the procedures. The message is reinforced by Standards of Service posters and posters that deal exclusively with the complaints procedure. These are situated prominently in all units.
  The achievement is monitored through records kept at Headquarters on behalf of the Chief Executive. In 1994/95 100% of letters and telephone calls were answered within the prescribed time limits.
  The last independent Customer Care Survey (1944) found that 84% of residents were satisfied with the complaints procedure.
  Where a customer is not satisfied with the outcome of a complaint dealt with by the Chief Executive they may ask their Member of Parliament to submit the complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for investigation and review.
  The Resettlement Agency complaint procedure was last reviewed in June 1994.
  If I can be of any further assistance do not hesitate to contact me.

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the Agency and the National Insurance scheme. I have been asked to reply to your questions concerning performance indicators, targets for answering letters and telephone calls, and the Agency's policy and procedures for dealing with complaints. In view of the nature of the questions I have combined the responses.
  The Contributions Agency Charter standard for written enquiries is to despatch either a full reply, or an informative response to 95% of customer enquiries within 10 working days of receipt.
  Performance in answering written enquiries is measured using information from the Agency's management information systems which is subsequently independently validated using sampling techniques. In 1994/95 the target was met in 90.8% of cases.
  In the case of telephone enquiries, we aim to answer these immediately where we can. Where this is not possible we will advise why and inform the customer when a full reply can be expected. Our target is to provide an overall level of customer service considered to be satisfactory by at least 90% of our customers. We measure this by an annual customer satisfaction survey and this showed that in 1994 a satisfaction rate of 83% was achieved.
  With regard to your second question, in April 1995 the Contributions Agency updated its policy and procedures for dealing with complaints from members of the public.
  Our system is publicised in a new complaints leaflet for customers entitled "Unhappy with Our Service?" The leaflet is displayed in all Social Security and Contributions Agency offices and I enclose a copy for your information.
  Customers can use any method (letter, telephone, fax) to make a complaint and it can be made to anyone in Contributions Agency

  89
  who will immediately pass it on to the person dealing with that area of work. All expressions of dissatisfaction are recorded and dealt with immediately where practical. An interim response is issued to the customer if the query cannot be resolved quickly. If it relates solely to another Government Department it is acknowledged and passed to the appropriate area. Managers are encouraged to review cases locally to identify trends/problems and to record any changes or improvements made.
  Agency staff in Contributions Agency aim to deal with customer complaints within 5 working days. They will provide information on the next stage in the complaints procedure if the complainant is not satisfied. Those customers who are still dissatisfied may complain directly to me and I will normally reply within 10 working days.
  From 1 June 1995, customers who have had their cases investigated by myself but feel that it has not been satisfactorily resolved can have it investigated by an Independent Adjudicator.
  Where the customer is still not satisfied with the outcome, they may ask their Member of Parliament to submit the complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for investigation and review.
  There is a separate route of complaint to the Office for the Determination of Contribution Questions (ODCQ) in the case of disagreements with a Secretary of State decision or a ruling on a contribution question.
  I hope that you will find this information useful. If I can be of any further assistance please let me know.

  Letter from K. C. Caldwell to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about:

  performance indicators and targets for measuring performance in answering letters and telephone calls from members of the public and

  what policy and procedures exist for dealing with complaints from members of the public; when this policy was last updated; what time limit there is for dealing with complaints and what follow-up procedure exists where complainants are not satisfied with the given response.

  The Information Technology Services Agency provides computer systems and support to all DSS Agencies, DSS Headquarters, Employment Services and the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, to enable them to provide services to their direct customers. Contracts, in the form of Service Agreements, are in place to cover the supply of these services to our internal customers and to enable them, in turn, to meet their performance targets.
  If a member of the public had an enquiry or complaint this would be addressed to the branch of the Department that handles their business. For example, the Benefits Agency, Contributions Agency, Employment Service, would have lead responsibility and, if the topic involved information technology, we would be asked to provide comment and support. We would do this within timescales and targets that are set by the branch taking the lead for the Department.
  This Agency participates in Open Government and has one point of contact for this, ITSA Public Relations.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Letter from Ann Chant to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency's procedures and performance in dealing with correspondence and telephone calls.
  The Agency's Charter includes standards to be achieved in responding to letters and telephone calls from clients.
  Performance on telephone calls is measured by the British Telecom call handling service, and we aim to respond to 80 per cent. of telephone calls to the National Enquiry Line (NEL) or Child Support Agency Centres (CSAC) within 20 seconds. NEL is a
  90
  dedicated service which provides advice and information on more straightforward enquiries. More detailed and case specific enquiries are generally referred to the CSACs. During the year ending 31 March 1995, over 90 per cent. of telephone calls to NEL and 66 per cent. to CSACs were answered within 20 seconds.
  We aim to reply to clients' written enquiries within 10 days and performance is monitored centrally within the Agency. During the year ending 31 March 1995 the Agency replied to 34 per cent. of written enquiries within 10 days.
  We aim to acknowledge clients' complaints within 2 days and to send a full response within 10 days. Complaints procedures were reviewed in January 1994. Customer Services Managers record correspondence received from clients or their representatives indicating dissatisfaction with the Agency's service or procedures. If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, they may write to the CSAC Manager, or, in field offices to the Divisional Manager. If, following their response, the complainant is still not satisfied, our Charter invites them to write to me at the Child Support Agency, Room 2420, Millbank Tower, 21–24 Millbank, London SW1 4QU.
  Clients may, of course, also request their Member of Parliament to submit their complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for investigation and review.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about what performance indicators and targets there are for measuring the performance of his Department in answering letters and telephone calls and what policy and procedures exist for dealing with complaints by members of the public. I will explain the performance and target indicators and the policy and procedures that exist for the Benefits Agency (BA).
  As stated in the BA Customer Charter, we aim to reply to correspondence within 10 working days. The BA carries out an annual National Customer Survey which includes a question about the length of time customers have had to wait for a reply to their letters. The 1994 National Customer Survey showed, on average, that customers waited 12 days compared to 13 days in 1993. The BA is continuing to look at ways of improving the service provided in order to fully meet our Charter commitment.
  All BA offices have their own standard for how quickly they answer telephone calls. As BA customers increasingly prefer to conduct their business by telephone, traffic volumes have risen. The capacity of many office switchboards has not been adequate to keep pace with the increase and a programme is under way to replace or upgrade all switchboards to provide easier and faster access. The programme is scheduled for completion during the year beginning April 1997 when National guidelines will be set.
  Telephone performance is currently monitored by Area Directors' staff who telephone every office in their area 20 times a quarter. The aim is to measure response times and quality of greeting; in addition one of these calls asks a question and measures staff knowledge. Results show that the average response time is 8 rings for an office to answer the telephone and three rings for an extension within the office to respond.
  The complaints system is also explained in the BA's Customer Charter as well as the Tell Us About It leaflets. I enclose a copy of both leaflets for your information and they have also been placed in the Library. They are available in eleven languages including Urdu, Punjabi, Turkish, Chinese and Welsh.
  The BA's complaints policy was revised in 1991 with the appointment of Customer Service Managers.
  If a customer is dissatisfied with the level of service they receive from the BA they can complain to the appropriate Customer Service Manager. The Customer Service Manager's name and telephone number is displayed in the public caller area of each BA office. The customer will receive a response within 7 days.
  If the customer remains dissatisfied, they can write to the District Office Manager whose name will be provided by the office on request.

  91
  You may also be interested to know that the BA is currently reviewing its complaints procedures and we expect to have completed this by July 1995.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 19 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about our performance targets for answering telephone calls and letters, and our complaints procedure.
  Over the past two years we have made many improvements in the service we can give to war pensioners. The launch of the War Pensions Agency in April 1994 included the publication of our first Charter Standard Statement, which defines service targets and standards including a complaints procedure if we fail to deliver the service we promise. Our published targets are:

  Telephone calls to War pensions Helpline answered within 30 seconds. If we cannot answer the question straight away, we will call back at a time convenient to the pensioner.

  letters from the public acknowledged within 5 working days followed by a full response by letter or telephone within 10 working days.

  The War Pensions Agency telephone Helpline provides the main point of contact for the whole of the Agency and is the number quoted on all correspondence and publicity material. It includes a new automatic call distribution system which amongst other things provides statistics for monitoring and target purposes.
  Six months after Helpline was set up, we started a rolling programme of customer perception surveys. In December 1994, these showed that 93% of those asked said the service they received was either very good or good. In 1994/5 calls were answered with an average wait time of only 6.9 seconds and 95% of calls were answered within 30 seconds.
  As part of our continued drive to improve standards of service, the use of customer satisfaction surveys are reflected in our business plans. We are currently awaiting results of the 1995 survey, including the area of correspondence, which will be carefully examined and improvement initiatives coordinated by the Total Quality Management team.
  In 1994/95, 1,781 replies were sent by our operational sections in respect of letters addressed to Ministers or myself within 95 per cent. being sent within the 10 day target. The complaints system we now have in place, including a database of information, will enable us to monitor our targets for acknowledgement and replies in other areas of correspondence.
  Turning to our complaints system, pensioners with concerns can telephone the War Pensions Helpline on 01253 858858, the Helpline staff will be only too pleased to answer the query.
  Our Charter Standard Statement states that if things go wrong, any written complaint will be acknowledged within 5 working days, and a full reply sent within 10 working days. If we think it will take longer than this, we will write or telephone the person concerned to explain why and let them know when to expect a full reply to their complaint.
  If a person is dissatisfied with the way the complaint has been dealt with, they can contact our Customer Service Manager. If, however, they are still not satisfied they can get in touch with me. Details of how to do this are contained within the Charter Standard Statement. In addition to this, a person can also ask their MP to refer their case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration for investigation and review.
  In addition to the formal complaints procedure, pensioners can discuss any concerns with the many ex-service organisations and we fully investigate any matters referred to us as a result. People can also, if they wish, discuss their cases with their local War Pensions Committee (WPC). These are independent of the Agency and are made up of members who are disabled ex-service persons, some of whom work for voluntary associations. Again, any recommendations mady by the WPCs are fully considered. Information on how to contact ex-service organisations or the WPCs is contained in leaflets
  92
  available from the Agency and our national network of War Pensioner's Welfare Service offices.
  I hope you have found this information useful.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many invalidity benefit awards have been(a) reviewed, (b) disallowed following review and (c) reinstated on appeal in each of the last 12 months in the Doncaster and Mexborough area of the Benefits Agency. [28262]

  Mr. Hague
  This is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 15 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Invalidity Benefit (IVB) awards in Doncaster and Mexborough in each of the last 12 months. As you may know, Incapacity Benefit (IB) replaced IVB on 13 April 1995.
  The Benefits Agency's (BA) Doncaster District has offices on two sites at Castle House and St Peters House. Unfortunately, statistics of IVB decisions reviewed, and IVB decisions disallowed on review at Doncaster District are not available for the period June 1994 to September 1994 because they have been destroyed.
  Mexborough BO is part of the BA'S Rother and Dearne District which comprises offices at Rotherham, Goldthorpe, Mexborough and Rotherham North. Reviews of IVB/IB cases for customers of Mexborough BO are dealt with at that office.
  The available information is provided in the table at Appendix 1.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Appendix 1

  Month

  IVB/IB awards applications for review/awards reviewed

  IVB/IB awards disallowed following review

  IVB/IB awards reinstated on appeal

  June 1994

  Doncaster DO

  1—

  1—

  24

  Mexborough

  BO

  49

  30

  14

  July 1994

  Doncaster DO

  1—

  1—

  17

  Mexborough

  BO

  28

  22

  7

  August 1994

  Doncaster DO

  1—

  1—

  21

  Mexborough

  BO

  42

  23

  9

  September 1994

  Doncaster DO

  1—

  1—

  26

  Mexborough

  BO

  49

  43

  7

  October 1994

  Doncaster DO

  107

  67

  31

  Mexborough

  BO

  25

  11

  5

  November 1994

  Doncaster DO

  124

  89

  28

  Mexborough

  BO

  37

  22

  6

  93

  Appendix 1

  Month

  IVB/IB awards applications for review/awards reviewed

  IVB/IB awards disallowed following review

  IVB/IB awards reinstated on appeal

  December 1994

  Doncaster DO

  75

  54

  23

  Mexborough

  BO

  18

  4

  2

  January 1995

  Doncaster DO

  161

  127

  14

  Mexborough

  BO

  37

  16

  0

  February 1995

  Doncaster DO

  93

  68

  22

  Mexborough

  BO

  45

  19

  0

  March 1995

  Doncaster DO

  177

  125

  8

  Mexborough

  BO

  40

  18

  0

  April 1995

  Doncaster DO

  36

  26

  1

  Mexborough

  BO

  7

  0

  0

  May 1995

  Doncaster DO

  4

  2

  0

  Mexborough

  BO

  3

  3

  0

  1 Records not available.

  Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals applied for benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis or emphysema by Benefits Agency area directorate for the year 1994–95; how many

  Appendix A September 1993–October 1994

  Area

  Claims

  Successful

  Failed (20 year rule)

  Per cent.

  Scotland and Northern Territorial Directorate

  AD1 Tyne Tees

  7,142

  583

  148

  2

  AD2 South Yorkshire and Humberside

  6,521

  773

  171

  3

  AD3 North and West Yorkshire

  2,676

  420

  90

  3

  AD4 Glasgow

  242

  8

  20

  8

  AD5 North, Central and West Scotland

  1,895

  60

  93

  5

  AD6 East Scotland

  2,394

  94

  86

  4

  Wales and Central Territorial Directorate

  AD1 East Midlands

  5,685

  611

  135

  2

  AD2 Midlands South West

  652

  55

  29

  4

  AD3 West Mercia

  3,668

  381

  217

  6

  AD4 Wales

  9,388

  1,316

  616

  7

  AD5 Merseyside

  501

  49

  25

  5

  AD6 Greater Manchester

  328

  31

  15

  5

  AD7 Lancashire and Cumbria

  2,270

  147

  148

  7

  Southern Territorial Directorate

  AD1 Anglia

  25

  3

  5

  20

  AD2 Chilterns

  22

  4

  6

  27

  AD3 South London and West Sussex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  AD4 West Country

  144

  3

  11

  8

  AD5 East London and Essex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  94
  of those claims have been successful; how many of the claims were refused on the basis of (a) insufficient lung function loss; (b) insufficient length of service and (c) non-diagnosis of class 1 pneumoconiosis; and what were the percentages of those whose claims were refused by each directorate. [28261]

  Mr.Hague
  The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 15 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about claims made for chronic bronchitis and emphysema in each Benefits Agency (BA) area directorate in 1994–95.
  Information about the number of claims, their success rate and the number disallowed for various reasons is not available in the exact format requested. This is because figures for the number of claims made in the 6 months since the end of the initial 12 month take-on period, September 1993–October 1994, have been collected separately and in a slightly different format. This is because during the take-on period some claim details were collected by the BA's Disability Benefit Centres for ease of reference.
  The available information is shown at Appendices A, B and C. Appendix A outlines the numbers of claims made, those successful and the numbers and percentage refused on the basis of insufficient length of service ie 20 year rule. This information was collated at Area Directorate (AD) level and covers the period from September 1993–October 1994. Appendix B outlines the numbers and percentages of claims disallowed as a result of insufficient lung function loss and non-diagnosis of Class 1 pneumoconiosis. This information was collated by the Disability Benefit Centres.
  Since October 1994, information on the number of customers who did not meet the criteria for lung function loss and category 1 pneumoconiosis has been collated by the AD's. Appendix C details information about the number of claims made, those successful and the claims disallowed as a result of the three categories. This information covers the 6 month period October 1994 to March 1995, the end of the 94/95 statistical year.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.
  95

  Appendix A September 1993–October 1994

  Area

  Claims

  Successful

  Failed (20 year rule)

  Per cent.

  AD6 South East

  470

  32

  35

  7

  AD7 Wessex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All tables include claims received but not decided within the period.

  Source: 100 per cent. Count and subject to amendment.

  Appendix B September 1993–October 1994: Claims disallowed due to insufficient lung function loss or less than category 1 pneumoconiosis—by disability benefit centre

  DBC

  Failed lung test

  Per cent.

  Less than category 1

  Per cent.

  Edinburgh

  1,296

  49

  1,113

  42

  Glasgow

  855

  48

  754

  43

  Leeds

  6,551

  50

  3,957

  30

  Leeds (Appeals)

  780

  40

  1,161

  59

  Llanishen

  2,142

  49

  1,358

  31

  Manchester

  1,187

  48

  900

  36

  Euston

  221

  46

  204

  42

  Stoke

  1,926

  51

  2,250

  60

  Newcastle

  3,965

  53

  2,598

  35

  Appendix C: October 1994–March 1995

  Area

  Claims

  Success

  20 year rule

  Fail (reason) Lung test

  Pneumo. category

  Scotland and Northern Territorial Directorate

  ADI Tyne Tees

  185

  31

  5

  81

  65

  AD2 South Yorkshire and Humberside

  214

  33

  9

  127

  95

  AD3 North and West Yorkshire

  121

  21

  9

  59

  23

  AD4 Glasgow

  5

  0

  1

  9

  10

  AD5 North, Central and West Scotland

  24

  1

  6

  20

  10

  AD6 East Scotland

  29

  2

  1

  20

  24

  Wales and Central Territorial Directorate

  AD1 East Midlands

  223

  53

  11

  109

  96

  AD2 Midlands and South West

  8

  1

  3

  0

  4

  AD3 West Mercia

  100

  9

  11

  55

  35

  AD4 Wales

  387

  92

  54

  332

  206

  AD5 Merseyside

  14

  0

  6

  9

  7

  AD6 Greater Manchester

  14

  1

  0

  2

  0

  AD7 Lancashire and Cumbria

  53

  6

  13

  37

  18

  Southern Territorial Directorate

  AD1 Anglia

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  AD2 Chilterns

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  AD3 South London and West Sussex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  AD4 West Country

  8

  3

  1

  4

  3

  AD5 East London and Essex

  42

  0

  3

  1

  0

  AD6 South East

  17

  1

  4

  15

  8

  AD7 Wessex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All tables include claims received but not decided within the period. Similarly some claims received in the earlier period will have been decided later. For this reason percentages of unsuccessful claims are not included as they would be misleading.

  Income Support
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the outcome of the audit of the administration of income support discretionary severe hardship payments to persons aged 16 and 17 years and what changes in policy or practice have resulted. [28303]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 15 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the outcome of
  96
  the audit of the administration of Income Support discretionary severe hardship payments to persons aged 16 and 17 years.
  Prior to 3 May 1994, all decisions on claims for Income Support from 16/17 year olds, under the severe hardship provision, were made by the Severe Hardship Claims Unit (SHCU) in Glasgow. These decisions, with the exception of likely nil and complex decisions, were devolved during April 1994 to the District Offices. I have attached, at Annex A, a list of the cases that are now referred to SHCU.
  During May 1994, the Benefits Agency Internal Audit carried out a review of the procedures for dealing with claims for Income Support from 16/17 year olds under the severe hardship provision. Their report was produced in July 1994. Annex B outlines the main findings.
  As a result of the report the Benefits Agency has introduced one procedural change involving the introduction of a register of officers

  97
  who are authorised by the Secretary of State to make decisions under the severe hardship provisions. We have also reminded staff of previously issued advice on best practices to follow in administrating claims from 16/17 year olds.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  ANNEX A

  Cases to be referred to SHCU for decision

  1. Likely nil decisions

  2. Likely revocations

  3. Where a care order is currently in force

  4. Partner cases

  5. If payment is not appropriate from the date of claim

  6. If backdating because of good cause is appropriate

  7. If severe hardship payments have been made for 16 weeks continuously

  8. All cases if an authorised officer is unavailable

  9. If a young person has not registered for Youth Training after a short term direction has expired

  ANNEX B

  Findings of the Benefit Agency Internal Audit Report on Income Support for 16/17 year olds

  1. Development of decision making in the pilot exercise was extremely successful and there is no reason to doubt effective national devolution.

  2. From the sample of cases examined, the average time from receipt of claim to interview was 2.74 days. This delay was compounded by the number of claims which were not identified on receipt.

  3. Audit established a payment accuracy rate of 93.17 per cent. from the cases examined which was in line with Agency targets despite the devolution of some of the decision making from the Severe Hardship Claims Unit (SHCU).

  4. Development of decision making has produced an administrative saving for the Agency.

  Changes in the proportion of lone mothers in employment 1977–79 to 1991–93

  Percentage

  1977–79

  1979–81

  1981–83

  1983–85

  1985–87

  1987–89

  1989–91

  1991–93

  Working full—time

  22

  23

  19

  17

  18

  17

  18

  17

  Working part-time

  24

  25

  23

  22

  24

  23

  24

  23

  All working

  47

  49

  42

  39

  42

  40

  43

  41

  Notes:

  Part-time work is defined as work for less than 30 hours per week.

  Source:

  1. Table 5.9 General Household Survey 1993.

  2. Policy Studies Institute, "Changes in Lone Parenthood 1989 to 1993" (awaiting publication). General Household Survey 1977–79 and 1991–93.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to assist families in the private rented sector whose levels of housing benefit have been restricted. [28307]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  As a part of the October changes to housing benefit, we have proposed that local authorities should have discretion to pay more than the restricted rent in cases where they believe failure to do so would cause exceptional hardship. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee, together with representations received from the local authority associations.
  98

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research he has undertaken into the halving of the population of single parents who work rather than draw income support; and if he will make a statement. [27220]

  Mr. Burt
  Research commissioned by this Department on changes in lone parenthood between 1989 to 1993, due to be published shortly, suggests that the proportion of lone parents in work is now increasing steadily and that the increase is directly associated with the 1992 change in the qualifying hours condition in family credit. Benefit statistics show that in 1988 there was one lone parent on family credit for every 10 on income support; by 1994, this ratio had improved to around one for every four.

  The Department commissions extensive research on lone parenthood and the barriers to working for all those on income support. A large part of the reduction in the proportion of lone mothers in employment since the 1970s is accounted for by an increase in the proportion of lone mothers with a child below school age. The introduction of assistance with child care costs in family credit housing benefit and council tax benefit in October 1994 should help to address changes caused by changes in the composition of lone parenthood.

  The table shows that the proportion of lone mothers in work fell from 47 per cent. in 1977 to 1979 to 41 per cent. in 1991 to 1993—general household survey data. These figures include those working part time within the rules of income support and supplementary benefit. However, the number of lone parents in work is now actually increasing—from around 375,000 in 1980 to around 500,000 in 1992.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from landlords about the impact of the proposed housing benefit changes on the availability of private rented accommodation to people on housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. [28304]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Department has received a number of representations from landlords. These have expressed concerns about a number of aspects of the proposals. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee, together with representations received as a result of consultation with the local authority associations.
  99
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reconsider his plans to tighten restrictions in housing benefit rent levels. [29084]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently considering the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee on the proposed changes. He is also considering views expressed by the local authority associations.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of children who live in a family which is in receipt of(a) income support and (b) family credit. [28807]

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

  Benefit

  Number of children1

  Income Support

  23,185,000

  Family Credit

  31,180,000

  1 Figures include dependent children up to the age of 18.

  2 Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry May 1994.

  3Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Enquiry October 1994.

  Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) refugees and (b) of those seeking refugee status are in receipt of one or more social security benefits; and what is the cost of (a) and (b). [28882]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  In May 1994, there was 42,140 asylum seekers in receipt of income support. The estimated annual cost of providing income support and housing benefit is £210 million. Information about asylum seekers receiving other social security benefits is not collected. Information is not available in respect of refugees who are not separately identified within the social security scheme.

  Motability
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for

  £ per week

  less than 58

  58 to 104.99

  105 to 149.99

  150 to 204.99

  205 to 439.99

  Above 440

  Number in millions

  3.1

  1.8

  1.7

  2.6

  8.9

  3.3

  Source: Government Actuary's Department

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total revenue yield from employers' national insurance contributions for 1994–95. [29009]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The total yield is estimated at £23.4 billion.

  Source: Government Actuary's Department.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the revenue which would be raised by charging employers national insurance contributions at 20 per cent. for weekly incomes in excess of £1,500. [29011]
  100
  Social Security (1) if he will institute an independent review of the necessity and size of the contingency reserve held in respect of car leasing facilitated by Motability; and if he will make a statement; [28715]

  (2) what is the current level of the contingency reserve held in respect of car leasing facilitated by Motability; and if he will make a statement; [28716]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the arrangements for the financing of car leasing for disabled people via Motability; and if he will make a statement; [28717]

  (4) what assessment he has made of the relationship between Motability and Motability Finance Ltd. in connection with the provision of mobility services for disabled people to whom mobility allowance is paid. [28718]

  Mr. Hague
  The level of the contingency reserves held by Motability Finance Ltd. are a matter for discussion between MFL and Motability, an independent charity. When Motability and MFL reviewed the level needed early last year they agreed that £25 million, including tax credit, should be transferred by way of gift aid into Motability charitable funds. MFL states that the current level of the combined contingency reserves for car leasing and hire purchase schemes is £37.1 million. The level required is currently being considered as part of an annual review of financial arrangements by Motability and MFL. The Department and Motability have recently finalised a financial memorandum, the aim of which is to ensure that Motability can continue to build on its success in providing some 5,000,000 vehicles to disabled people at good value for money.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of employees for whom employers' national insurance contributions are paid in the ranges of weekly earnings from(a) below £58, (b) £58 to £104.99, (c) £105 to £149.99, (d) £150 to £204.99, (e) £205 to £440 and (fi above £440. [29010]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information in respect of the 1995–96 year is in the table:

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The additional revenue is estimated at £650 million in a full year.

  Source: Government Actuary's Department.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances his Department or the Contributions Agency is informing people in receipt of invalidity or incapacity benefit that they have insufficient national insurance credits or contributions to entitle them to the retirement pension; for what reasons; and if he will make a statement. [29015]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Fifteen months after the end of each contribution year, the Department's national insurance recording system examines more than 59 million records
  101
  to identify those accounts where it appears that insufficient contributions have been recorded to make the year a qualifying one for retirement pension purposes. When this happens, a computer-produced letter is issued to the contributor.

  The purpose of this letter is to keep contributors informed of their national insurance contribution record position and, in particular, to advise them of the deficiency. If they feel that their record should reflect more contributions that those recorded, it invites them to let the Contributions Agency know so that it can investigate the matter. Alternatively, it gives contributors the opportunity to pay sufficient voluntary contributions for the year to count towards their retirement pension.

  Additionally, the Benefits Agency provides a retirement pension forecast service to all customers on request provided that the customer is not within six months of state retirement age.

  Funeral Expenses
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to reply to a letter from Mr.

  Public expenditure on housing (including new towns)

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  (a) Gross including capital receipts + NLF repayments

  698.9

  781.0

  703.4

  727.2

  836.4

  704.7

  693.6

  710.4

  887.5

  913.4

  (b) Net of capital receipts + NLF repayments

  660.2

  706.6

  717.5

  687.8

  717.4

  523.8

  517.4

  558.5

  658.3

  589.6

  (c) Gross capital investment

  421.0

  477.0

  480.1

  561.3

  706.0

  583.0

  565.7

  605.1

  791.4

  800.7

  Public expenditure on housing (including new towns)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  (a) Gross including capital receipts + NLF repayments

  1,122.4

  11,082.5

  11,212.9

  11,303.9

  1,047.7

  1,040.0

  992.2

  954.2

  926.6

  (b) Net of capital receipts + NLF repayments

  602.5

  662.4

  710.7

  665.2

  654.5

  690.9

  623.0

  608.8

  600.7

  (c) Gross Capital Investment

  954.8

  942.7

  954.2

  947.5

  965.0

  963.3

  908.6

  871.1

  847.7

  1Figures are high due to large National Loans Fund repayments by Scottish Homes in 1991–92 and 1992–93

  Primary School, Grangemouth
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what health and safety constraints apply to any application from Central regional council or its successor to build a school to replace Zetland primary school in Dalgrain park in Grangemouth. [27669]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Any new school building work is subject to planning permission requirements; the provisions of building regulations; regulations relating to the general requirements and standards for school premises; and to general health and safety legislation.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the percentages of contracts, both by number and by value, won by in-house direct service organisations in Scotland since 1988, in the areas of(a) building cleaning, (b) refuse collection, (c) other
  102
  Derek Case, president of the Birmingham Funeral Directors' Guild, on his proposals for the capping of funeral expenses for social security claimants. [29450]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  A reply was sent today.

SCOTLAND

  Housing Expenditure
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the outturn public expenditure on housing in Scotland for each year since 1979–80, expressed as(a) a gross figure, including capital receipts, (b) net of capital receipts and (c) gross capital investment only, combining local authority non-housing revenue account, local authority HRA, Scottish Homes/Housing Corporation development programme, Scottish Homes/Scottish Special housing association own stock and new towns; and what is the planned public expenditure on housing in Scotland for each year between 1995–96 to 1997–98 expressed in the same way. [27930]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The available information is set out in the table.

  cleaning, (d) vehicle maintenance, (e) catering, educational and welfare, (f) catering other, (g) grounds maintenance and (h) sports and leisure; and what where the average percentages for each category for Scotland as a whole. [28122]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My Department does not collect this information. However, the CCT information service survey report No. 10 December 1994 published by the Local Government Management Board provides information in this area. This report shows the following in relation to current contracts:

  Per cent.

  Activity

  Number of contracts won-in-house

  Value of contracts won-in-house

  Building

  Client

  cleaning

  authority's DSO Other

  87.9

  97.9

  authority's DSO

  0.9

  —

  103

  Per cent.

  Activity

  Number of contracts won-in- house

  Value of contracts won-in-house

  Refuse collection

  88.7

  1100

  Other cleaning2

  100

  100

  Vehicle maintenance

  Client authority's DSO Other

  86.3

  97.4

  authority's DSO

  2.7

  0.5

  Catering (education and welfare)

  91.1

  397.4

  Other catering4

  29.7

  571.7

  Ground maintenance

  Client authority's DSO Other

  77.5

  94.3

  authority's DSO

  9.1

  2.6

  Sports and leisure management

  98.0

  99.4

  Notes:

  1 The contracts won by private contractors were won by individuals and have an average value of £2,186 pa. As such, DSOs have won effectively 100 per cent. of work by value.

  2 In 23 contacts other cleaning has been packaged in by authorities with refuse collection.

  3 This figure does not take account of one contract held by the private sector, for which the value is unknown.

  4 In a number of cases other catering may be packaged in with catering (education and welfare).

  5 Many of the contracts held by the private sector are held by individuals and are of relatively low value.

  A copy of the LGMB report is available in the library.

  Civil Servant Secondment
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which senior Scottish Office official is currently on secondment with the British Linen Bank Group; what position that official has within the Scottish Office; and what is the purpose of the secondment. [27931]

  Mr. Lang
  Dr. W. Moyes began a two years' secondment with the British Linen Bank in October 1994. He is a grade 5 officer and prior to his secondment was head of the purchasing strategy division in the NHS management executive. This move is part of a civil service-wide initiative to encourage interchange between Government, commerce and industry; its purpose is to develop staff by widening their skills and experience, and to promote greater understanding between these sectors.

  Food Safety
  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases before Scottish courts have been dismissed by reason of a successful due diligence defence in relation to the Food Safety Act 1990. [28291]

  Sir Hector Monro
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what United Kingdom industry guides to good hygiene practice will be approved prior to the introduction of the New Food Safety (General Food 104
  Hygiene) Regulations to assist enforcement authorities in the application of the legislation. [28283]

  Sir Hector Monro
  In line with the EC food hygiene directive, UK Government Departments have encouraged the food industry to set up working groups to draft voluntary guides for different sectors of the industry in collaboration with enforcement and consumer interests. To date, 10 sectors of the UK food industry have indicated their willingness to prepare such guides. It is not possible to forecast how many guides will have been recognised by the time the regulations are expected to come into force. One guide—on catering—has already been subject to full consultation and is likely to be submitted for recognition shortly.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when legislation in Scotland will be brought into line with that in England and Wales in respect of the temperature control requirements for food. [28287]

  Sir Hector Monro
  There are no plans to align the present Scottish legislation on food temperature controls with that in England and Wales. It may, however, be necessary to amend the Scottish provisions when the European Community harmonises legislation in this area.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce legislation, in accordance with the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990, in relation to the licensing by enforcement authorities of premises for the purpose of a food business. [28289]

  Sir Hector Monro
  There are no plans to amend the current legislation made under the Food Safety Act 1990 relating to the licensing of food premises.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many emergency prohibition notices and prohibition orders have been imposed in Scotland in respect of premises in terms of the Food Safety Act 1990 since the Act came into force. [28285]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The number of emergency prohibition notices or orders and prohibition orders that have been imposed in Scotland since the Food Safety Act 1990 came into force are as follows:

  Year

  Emergency prohibition notices or orders

  Prohibition orders

  1991

  10

  1

  1992

  13

  1

  1993

  9

  0

  Information prior to 1991 is not held centrally and figures for 1994 are not yet available.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the proposed date for the introduction of the new Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations in Scotland. [28288]

  Sir Hector Monro
  We aim to introduce these regulations within the next few weeks.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons in Scotland have been prohibited from
  105
  managing a food business in terms of the Food Safety Act 1990 since the Act came into force. [28286]

  Sir Hector Monro
  This information is not held centrally.

  Food Labelling
  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases have been successfully prosecuted in Scotland since 1990 with regard to offences in relation to the food labelling legislation; and what has been the average fine in such cases. [28284]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not separately identifiable within the Scottish Office Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation which will make it an offence to sell food after the best-before date relating to it. [28290]

  Sir Hector Monro
  Best-before dates do not relate to the safety of food but indicate how long the quality of the food can reasonably be expected to be retained. My right hon. Friend does not believe that there is any need to change the existing provisions prohibiting the sale of food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser or where the use-by date has expired.

  Hospices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he, or any of his Ministers last visited a hospice in Scotland. [28554]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State visited the Prince and Princess of Wales hospice in Glasgow on 18 February 1994. I am due to visit St. Columba's hospice in Edinburgh next month.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names and locations of hospices in Scotland; which of them have been required to pay for prescriptions for terminally ill patients since the introduction of the new funding arrangements; what are the reasons for this; what plans he has to review these arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [28532]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The adult voluntary hospices in Scotland, and their locations, are as follows:

  Health board area

  Hospice

  Argyll and Clyde

  Accord, Paisley Ardgowan, Greenock St. Vincent's Johnstone

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Ayrshire, Ayr

  Forth Valley

  Strathcarron, Denny

  Greater Glasgow

  Hunter's Hill Marie Curie

  Centre, Glasgow Prince and Princess of Wales, Glasgow St. Margaret's Clydebank

  Highland

  Highland, Inverness

  Lanarkshire

  St. Andrew's, Airdrie

  Lothian

  Fairmile Marie Curie Centre, Edinburgh St. Columba's, Edinburgh

  Western Isles

  Bethesda, Stornoway

  106
  From 1995–96, each health board's general allocation contains funding for purchasing specialist palliative care of the type provided by the voluntary hospices, including an element in respect of the cost of medication. Information is not held centrally on the arrangements for the provision of pharmaceutical services which have been entered into by health boards and hospices under the new arrangements.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which elements of public expenditure are excluded from his calculation of identifiable public expenditure per head in Scotland. [28553]

  Mr. Lang
  Chapter 7 of the statistical supplement to the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", which gives figures for identifiable public expenditure per head by country, illustrates those elements of general Government expenditure which cannot be separated between individual countries. A breakdown of the 1993–94 total is as follows:

  £ billion

  Defence

  22.9

  Overseas Services

  3.5

  Current transfers abroad (excluding above)

  1.8

  Nationalised Industries EFLs

  4.4

  Law, order and protective services

  1.0

  Other unidentifiable expenditure

  11.2

  Of which:

  Agriculture market regulation and production support

  1.1

  Scientific and technological assistance

  0.4

  Functioning of the labour market

  0.2

  Arts

  0.2

  Higher and further education

  0.3

  Non-contributory pensions benefits

  0.7

  Unemployment, incapacity and other benefits

  0.7

  Contributory family benefits

  0.4

  Parliamentary and Privy Council

  0.3

  Economic and financial administration

  3.3

  Central Management of Civil Service

  1.3

  44.8

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by his Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could be answered now due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if he will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28508]

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of parliamentary questions
  107
  which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28489]

  Mr. Lang
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Member by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard, following the Minister's reply.

  Local Government Allowances
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the(a) allowances, (b) special responsibility payments, (c) travelling allowances, (d) subsistence rates and (e) other allowances payable to elected members of (i) regional, (ii) district and (iii) unitary authorities; how any changes will extend to civic heads, deputy civic heads, majority leaders, deputy majority leaders, majority group officers, committee chairpersons, committee vice-chairpersons, minority leaders and those with special responsibility in minority parties; and if he will make a statement. [28525]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The annual uprating of allowances for members of existing regional and district councils has been carried out and implemented by the Local Authorities etc (Allowances) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1995. Allowances for members of the new unitary authorities are set down in the Local Authorities etc (Allowances) (Scotland) Regulations 1995.

  Local authorities already have discretion to determine the amounts paid to chairmen and vice-chairmen. This principle is retained for conveners and depute conveners of the new councils. The new councils will also have discretion to determine the level of special responsibility allowance. The obligation upon authorities to pay special responsibility allowance to at least one member of a minority group is retained. Guidance on suggested levels of special responsibility has been issued by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

  Travel and subsistence allowances have been revised and, where possible, aligned with the rates available for officials. The revised rates came into effect from 1 April 1994.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision exists for objectors to a planning application to appeal against planning approval if it is granted; and if he will make a statement. [28578]

  Mr. Kynoch
  No provision exists in planning legislation for objectors to a planning application to appeal against a planning consent.

  Comments on such third party appeals were received in some of the responses to the review of the planning system in Scotland and these are under consideration.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on how the role of the new unitary authorities is likely to differ from their predecessor authorities in seeking and obtaining funds from the European regional development fund and European social fund; how the additionality rules will apply; and if he will make a statement. [28566]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The role of the new unitary authorities will not differ from that of their predecessor authorities in seeking and obtaining funds from the European regional development fund and European social fund. The same additionality rules will apply.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list in rank order the population of each unitary authority in Scotland. [28568]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is as follows:

  Population

  City of Glasgow

  623,850

  City of Edinburgh

  441,620

  Fife

  351,200

  North Lanarkshire

  326,750

  South Lanarkshire

  307,100

  Aberdeenshire

  223,630

  Aberdeen City

  218,220

  Highland

  206,900

  Renfrewshire

  176,970

  City of Dundee

  153,710

  Dumfries and Galloway

  147,900

  West Lothian

  146,730

  Falkirk

  142,610

  North Ayrshire

  139,020

  Perthshire and Kinross

  130,470

  East Ayrshire

  123,820

  South Ayrshire

  113,960

  Angus

  111,020

  East Dunbartonshire

  110,220

  Scottish Borders

  105,300

  Dumbarton and Clydebank

  97,790

  Argyll and Bute

  90,550

  Inverclyde

  89,990

  East Lothian

  85,640

  East Renfrewshire

  86,780

  Moray

  86,250

  Stirling

  81,630

  Midlothian

  79,910

  Clackmannanshire

  48,660

  Western Isles

  29,410

  Shetland Isles

  22,830

  Orkney Isles

  19,760

  Source: "The New Councils-Statistical Report" May 1995.

  EU Committee of the Regions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the(a) name, (b) nominating organisation and (c) attendance record of each full and substitute member of the European Committee of the Regions; and if he will make a statement. [28572]

  Mr. Lang
  The name of each Scottish member and alternate of the Committee of the Regions is given in the
  109
  table. In accordance with article 198a of the Maastricht treaty, members are nominated by member states and appointed by the Council for a period of four years. Members were elected representatives from both tiers of Scottish local government.

  Member

  Alternate

  Charles Gray

  Keith Geddes

  Rosemary McKenna

  Jean McFadden

  Brain Meek

  Marcus Humphrey

  Duncan McPherson

  Peter Peacock

  Daniel Coffey

  Clive Sneddon

  Details of members' attendance at meetings is not notified to the Scottish Office and is a matter best taken up with the Committee of the Regions secretariat at the following address: Committee of the Regions, Rue Ravenstein 2, 1000 Brussels, telephone Brussels 00 32 2 546 2211.

  Tourism
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish tourist board on the potential for joint promotions with the Northern Ireland tourist board; and if he will make a statement. [28552]

  Number of justices by politics

  Commission area

  Com

  Con

  Ind

  Lab

  Lib Dem

  SNP

  Not known

  All

  Aberdeen City

  0

  39

  0

  43

  15

  1

  26

  124

  Angus

  0

  29

  17

  3

  1

  7

  16

  73

  Annandale and Eskdale

  0

  20

  3

  2

  5

  3

  8

  41

  Argyll and Bute

  0

  35

  9

  13

  9

  2

  24

  92

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  0

  6

  6

  3

  10

  1

  3

  29

  Banff and Buchan

  0

  47

  37

  6

  4

  9

  15

  118

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0

  10

  14

  5

  3

  3

  5

  40

  Berwickshire

  0

  22

  1

  6

  6

  2

  0

  37

  Caithness

  0

  17

  14

  7

  11

  3

  10

  62

  Clackmannan

  0

  7

  5

  17

  1

  2

  7

  39

  Clydebank

  0

  6

  2

  20

  2

  4

  6

  40

  Clydesdale

  0

  31

  1

  29

  3

  1

  9

  74

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  0

  10

  10

  26

  2

  1

  13

  62

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  0

  6

  2

  21

  0

  6

  10

  45

  Cunninghame

  0

  37

  15

  43

  6

  3

  7

  111

  Dumbarton

  0

  20

  1

  21

  2

  1

  12

  57

  Dundee City

  0

  32

  18

  34

  5

  2

  11

  102

  Dunfermline

  2

  9

  15

  39

  3

  4

  14

  86

  Edinburgh

  0

  59

  12

  68

  19

  6

  40

  204

  East Kilbride

  0

  5

  10

  25

  1

  2

  8

  51

  East Lothian

  0

  29

  7

  23

  4

  2

  35

  100

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  0

  13

  9

  1

  9

  1

  6

  39

  Eastwood

  0

  12

  8

  3

  4

  0

  2

  29

  Falkirk

  0

  6

  19

  30

  2

  7

  16

  80

  Glasgow City

  0

  48

  13

  125

  3

  2

  45

  236

  Gordon

  0

  57

  29

  5

  31

  1

  15

  138

  Hamilton

  0

  16

  3

  36

  3

  1

  9

  68

  Inverclyde

  0

  14

  9

  19

  14

  0

  6

  62

  Inverness

  0

  13

  26

  4

  9

  0

  5

  57

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  0

  14

  5

  16

  1

  2

  13

  51

  Kincardine and Deeside

  0

  26

  6

  5

  11

  1

  8

  57

  Kirkcaldy

  0

  18

  25

  33

  5

  1

  6

  88

  Kyle and Carrick

  0

  37

  18

  19

  2

  1

  15

  92

  Lochaber

  0

  9

  11

  7

  8

  1

  5

  41

  Midlothian

  0

  20

  19

  19

  1

  1

  9

  69

  Monklands

  0

  15

  6

  35

  1

  1

  10

  68

  110
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.

  Magistrates
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the political balance of magistrates in each Scottish district; and if he will make a statement. [28573]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The office of magistrate was removed in Scotland by the District Courts (Scotland) Act 1975. Magistrates in office in 1975 became justices of the peace and that is the office which predominately administers the lay justice system in Scotland.

  JPs are appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland on the basis of nominations by local authorities for ex officio appointment of elected members or on the recommendation of local advisory committees. JPs are not paid and are not compelled to declare their political views. The primary consideration in the appointment of a JP is the individual's personal suitability for the office.

  The District Courts (Scotland) Act 1975 also provides for the appointment of stipendiary magistrates. There are nine stipendiary magistrates in Scotland operating in Glasgow district court. Their political views are not known.

  The table shows the political affiliations, declared at the time of their appointment, of all justices of the peace in Scotland by each commission area.
  111

  Number of justices by politics

  Commission area

  Com

  Con

  Ind

  Lab

  Lib Dem

  SNP

  Not known

  All

  Moray

  0

  57

  4

  16

  7

  15

  51

  150

  Motherwell

  0

  17

  2

  53

  0

  3

  12

  87

  Nairn

  0

  4

  7

  1

  1

  1

  6

  20

  North East Fife

  0

  27

  18

  11

  12

  1

  10

  79

  Nithsdale

  0

  12

  13

  7

  2

  2

  15

  51

  Orkney

  0

  12

  4

  5

  28

  2

  15

  66

  Perth and Kinross

  0

  76

  3

  21

  13

  10

  81

  204

  Renfrew

  0

  38

  5

  45

  9

  7

  15

  119

  Ross and Cromarty

  0

  33

  22

  2

  12

  0

  12

  81

  Roxburgh

  0

  16

  10

  2

  4

  0

  9

  41

  Shetland

  0

  11

  7

  7

  22

  0

  7

  54

  Skye and Lochalsh

  0

  9

  8

  7

  5

  1

  3

  33

  Stewartry

  0

  13

  2

  3

  4

  1

  14

  37

  Stirling

  0

  33

  22

  20

  6

  7

  8

  96

  Strathkelvin

  0

  17

  4

  21

  2

  1

  17

  62

  Sutherland

  0

  9

  6

  2

  15

  2

  17

  51

  Tweeddale

  0

  7

  10

  2

  7

  0

  2

  28

  Wigtown

  0

  16

  14

  5

  7

  5

  10

  57

  Western Isles

  0

  13

  25

  12

  6

  10

  20

  86

  West Lothian

  0

  5

  13

  21

  2

  10

  18

  69

  All Scotland

  0

  1,219

  604

  1,074

  380

  163

  791

  4,233

  Rent Assessment Panel
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the arrangements in Scotland corresponding to the English system of rent assessment panels; what salary and allowances are payable; who serves on such a body in Scotland; what are the expected time commitment of such appointees, including presidents, vice-presidents, chairmen, professional members and lay members; and if he will make a statement. [28577]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The rent assessment panel for Scotland was established under the Rent Act 1965 which is now consolidated in the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984. The purpose of the panel is to provide chairpeople and other members for rent assessment committees. The duties of a rent assessment committee are set out in:

  (i) Section 48(1) of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984;

  (ii) Sections 25 and 34 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988;

  (iii) Statutory Instrument 1980 No. 1665 (S.129) The Rent Assessment Committee (Scotland) Regulations 1980

  (iv) Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 81 (S.12) The Rent Assessment Committee (Assured Tenancies) Scotland Regulations 1989.

  The 62 members of the rent assessment panel are appointed by my right hon. Friend and are solicitors, surveyors and lay people. The members are:

  Chairmen

  J. M. Barton WS

  Mrs. L. J. M. Campbell BL

  Mrs. J. Catto LLB NP

  Miss A. Chisholm LLB

  Miss Carol A. Cooper

  Miss M. Crighton

  C. J. Forrest WS

  J. R. Gardiner BL NP WS

  Miss S. T. Givens MA LLB

  J. M. D. Graham LLB NP

  The Hon. Simon E. G. Guest LLB WS

  112

  Miss C. S. Henderson MA LLB NP

  E. G. Kennedy LLB NP

  Miss D. McGhie LLB

  J. G. Malcolm-Smith

  Mr. E. Mochar

  N. J. A. Robertson BL

  J. G. L. Robinson BA LLB

  E. O. St. John BL WS

  O. H. Speirs MA

  Mrs. M. L. J. Walker MA LLB NP (Vice-President)

  B. C. T. Wood BL

  Professional members

  Mrs. Lesley Anderson ARICS

  J. M. Bennet FRCIS ARVA

  Miss Karen Gillies BSc ARICS

  F. M. Halliday FRICS

  Mrs. U. L. Heaney MA FRICS

  M. Kay FRICS

  A. C. Love FRICS

  E. Milne FRICS

  W. W. Mitchell FRICS FRVA

  J. B Pettinger FRICS ARVA

  J. D. O. Ramsay FRICS FFS

  G. F. Robertson FRICS FCIArb (President)

  G. Scott FRICS FRVA

  J. G. Smith FRICS

  I. D. Sutherland

  J. T. Sutherland FRICS

  Lay members

  Mrs. P. Bolton

  S. J. Boyd AIPD

  Mrs. H. Charlton

  Ms A. S. Daghlian

  I. S. Davidson

  M. Fleming

  J. Forbes

  113

  Mrs. C. K. Fraser

  W. G. Fyfe MA BD STM

  A. Gray

  Mrs. E. R. Innes

  A. McQuaker

  Mrs. S. B. Mathieson

  J. S. Methven

  Mrs. J. Murray

  Mrs. E. Park

  Mrs. D. Rankin

  Mrs. S. Ritchie

  R. C. Robinson

  Mrs. M. M. Roxburgh

  J. I. Stevenson

  Mrs. A. Tankel

  J. Thomson MBE JP

  Mrs. A. Woodward-Nutt

  The president and vice-president are part-time appointments. The president is expected to spend one and a half days a week on duties relating to his position as president. The vice president is expected to spend one day a week on hers. Both are also required to serve on a set number of rent assessment committees a year. Other panel members are normally asked to serve on rent assessment committees on average once every three weeks. This does, however, vary from area to area.

  Net expenditure on school meals service in Scotland in each financial year

  £000

  Education Authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Borders

  558

  548

  744

  732

  756

  789

  789

  Central

  2,692

  2,905

  2,546

  2,810

  2,305

  2,250

  2,502

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,287

  1,245

  1,240

  1,585

  1,793

  1,962

  1,979

  Fife

  2,665

  2,341

  3,081

  4,305

  4,135

  4,144

  4,452

  Grampian

  2,579

  2,376

  2,911

  2,821

  3,041

  3,051

  3,013

  Highland

  1,992

  1,919

  2,164

  2,485

  2,507

  2,735

  2,802

  Lothian

  6,797

  6,304

  7,136

  7,620

  8,664

  8,819

  8,606

  Strathclyde

  23,491

  24,032

  24,489

  25,770

  29,469

  30,710

  30,881

  Tayside

  3,005

  2,995

  4,446

  3,965

  4,412

  4,992

  4,849

  Orkney

  282

  258

  295

  413

  425

  394

  453

  Shetland

  448

  478

  334

  n/a

  1,084

  1,143

  1,147

  Western Isles

  657

  645

  733

  836

  812

  796

  800

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what nutritional quality standards there are for school meals; and when was the last change in these standards. [28811]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Specific nutritional standards for school meals are not prescribed in Scotland. The Government's policy is that education authorities should be responsible for the school meals service which they administer, including nutritional aspects.

  Schools (Confectionery Sales)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Sctoland under what authority the selling of confectionery
  114
  Details about panel members' remuneration are published in the annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies".

  These arrangements are broadly similar to those affecting English rent assessment panels.

  Witness Costs
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases under summary procedure in the most recent(a) three and (b) five years for which figures are available have involved (i) a witness, (ii) the travelling costs of a witness and (iii) the accommodation costs of a witness being paid to come from waters furth of the British Isles to attend a court hearing, and if he will make a statement. [28633]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested by the hon. Member is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  School Meals
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the net expenditure on school catering services(a) in total and (b) in respect of free school meals in each year since 1987, broken down by country. [28821]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Net expenditures on the school meals service by each education authority in Scotland from financial year 1987–88 to financial year 1993–94—the lates year for which actual expenditure figures are available—are given in the table. Separate information on expenditure on free school is not held centrally.

  in schools may be prohibited; and which schools have prohibited its sale. [28829]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The sale, or prohibition of Sale, of confectionery in schools is entirely a matter for each education authority. The information on the police of individual authorities is not held centrally.

  Scottish Court Service
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment techniques he has employed to evaluate the benefits and operational efficiency of the Scottish Court Service as an executive agency; what are the specific responsibilities and duties of this agency;
  115
  whom he appointed as the chief executive of this agency; and if he will make a statement. [28631]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Court Service was established as an executive agency on 3 April 1995. The key performance targets for the agency were set out by my right hon. Friend in his reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) on 31 March 1995,Official Report, columns 804–5. The responsibilities and duties of the agency are set out in the framework document, which is available in the Library. The chief executive of the agency is Michael Ewart, who was appointed following open competition for the post.

  Glasgow Regeneration Alliance
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the members of the board of the Glasgow Regeneration Alliance; and which organisation each member represents. [29276]

  (2) what parliamentary representation there is on, and input to, the board of the Glasgow Regeneration Alliance; and if he will make a statement. [29277]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  While the Scottish Office has recently accepted an invitation to attend, as observers, the executive officers group of the Glasgow Regeneration Alliance, the composition and workings of the various groups of the alliance are matters for its four member organisations; Strathclyde regional council, Glasgow district council, Glasgow development agency and Scottish Homes.

  Mature Students
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many continuing students, commencing a degree course, or postgraduate teacher training course, in Scotland in the autumn of 1995, will be eligible for the mature students allowance. [29194]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available at this time. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland, which is responsible for offering assistance to Scottish domiciled students undertaking full-time courses of higher education of the kind referred to, is still receiving student award applications for session 1995–96.

  The mature students allowance is a supplementary, age-related, means-tested, allowance administered as an integral part of the student allowances scheme. In session 1995–96, it will be available to those students who commenced a continuous programme of assisted full-time study before session 1995–96, and who meet all the other criteria of the scheme, provided they are continuing with their current course or proceeding direct to another eligible course in session 1995–96 without a gap. The allowance will not be available to new students who commence a programme of full-time study in session 1995–96.

  The responsibility for the provision of student support for those students domiciled in England and Wales and Northern Ireland who may be attending institutions in Scotland rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.

  RMAS Salmaster (Fatality)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the fatal accident inquiry into the death of a crew member of the RMAS Salmaster to be held; and where it will take place. [27917]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The procurator fiscal at Lochmaddy is inquiring into the death of Philip John McPate who died on board RMAS Salmaster off the coast of South Uist on 16 May 1995. A decision on whether to hold a fatal accident inquiry and, if so, on the place at which any inquiry would be held, will be taken by Crown counsel, to whom the procurator fiscal will report when he has completed his inquiries.

  Sexual Deviancy Testing
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to introduce the penile plesythmograph as a means of testing sexual deviancy in prisoners who have been convicted of serious sexual offences; and if he will make a statement. [27918]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The subject of the question relates 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 19 June 1995:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question about any proposals to introduce the penile plesythmograph as a means of testing sexual deviancy in prisoners who have been convicted of serious sexual offences.
  There are no proposals to introduce such tests in Scotland. The sex offender treatment programme in Peterhead Prison encourages prisoners to address their offending behaviour and to recognise the consequences of their actions for their victims. Emphasis is placed on recognising the cycle of offending and on developing relapse prevention strategies to reduce the number of victims in the future.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the accident and emergency departments in Scotland. [28164]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The table lists NHS establishments with 100 or more accident and emergency attendances in the year ending 31 December 1994. Not all hospitals listed will have full accident and emergency departments.

  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

  Aberfeldy Cottage Hospital

  Aboyne Hospital, Aboyne

  Adamson Hospital, Cupar

  Arbroath Infirmary

  Arduthie Hospital

  Arran War Memorial Hospital

  Lamlash, Isle of Arran

  Aviemore Health Centre

  Balfour Hospital, Kirkwall

  Belford Hospital, Fort William

  Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital

  Borders General Hospital

  Brechin Infirmary

  Caithness General Hospital Wick

  117

  Campbeltown Health Centre

  Campbeltown Hospital

  Castle Douglas Hospital

  Chalmers Hospital, Banff

  Coldstream Cottage Hospital

  Crieff Cottage Hospital

  Crosshouse Hospital

  Daliburgh Hospital

  Davidson Cottage Hospital

  Dr. Gray's Hospital

  Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

  Dunbar Hospital, Thurso

  Dundee Royal Infirmary

  Dunoon and District General Hospital

  Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary

  Fleming Cottage Hospital, Aberlour

  Forfar Infirmary

  Fraserburgh Hospital

  Garrick Hospital, Stranraer

  Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick

  Glasgow Dental Hospital and School

  Glasgow Eye Infirmary Out-patient Clinic

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary

  Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride

  Hawick Cottage Hospital

  Hay Lodge Hospital, Peebles

  Huntly Jubilee Hospital

  Ian Charles Hospital, Grantown on Spey

  Insch and District War Memorial

  Hospital, Insch

  Inverclyde Royal Hospital

  Inverurie Hospital

  Irvine Memorial Hospital, Pitlochry

  Islay Hospital

  Kello Hospital, Biggar

  Kelso Hospital

  Kirkcudbright Hospital

  Knoll Hospital, Duns

  Lady Home Hospital, Douglas

  Lady Margaret Hospital, Millport

  Law Hospital, Carluke

  Lawson Memorial Hospital, Golspie

  Leanchoil Hospital

  Mackinnon Memorial Hospital, Broadford, Skye

  Mid Argyll Hospital, Lochgilphead

  Monkslands District General Hospital

  Montrose Royal Infirmary

  Nairn Town and County Hospital

  Newton Stewart Hospital

  Ninewells Hospital, Dundee

  Perth Royal Infirmary

  Peterhead Cottage Hospital

  Portree Hospital

  Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline

  Raigmore Hospital

  Ross Memorial Hospital, Dingwall

  Rothesay Victoria Hospital

  118

  Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital

  Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley

  Royal Hospital Sick Children, Edinburgh

  Royal Hospital Sick Children, Glasgow

  Seafield Hospital, Buckie

  Sister Margaret Cottage Hospital, Jedburgh

  Southern General Hospital, Glasgow

  St. Andrew's Memorial Hospital, St. Andrews

  St. John's Hospital at Howden

  St. Margaret's Hospital, Auchterarder

  Stephen Cottage Hospital, Dufftown

  Stirling Royal Infirmary

  Stobhill Hospital

  Stonehouse Hospital

  Stracathro Hospital

  The Ayr Hospital

  Turner Memorial Hospital, Keith

  Turriff Cottage Hospital, Turriff

  Vale of Leven District General Hospital

  Victoria Cottage Hospital, Kilsyth

  Victoria Cottage Hospital, Kilsyth

  Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy

  Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

  West Highland Hospital, Oban

  Western General Hospital, Edinburgh

  Western Infirmary, Glasgow

  Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway

  Chief Social Work Officers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those persons appointed to the position of chief social work officer by the 29 new unitary authorities under the terms of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 with their salaries and present occupational positions and employers; and if he will make a statement. [28092]

  Lord James Douglas- Hamilton
  Of the 32 new unitary authorities only one has officially confirmed the appointment of a chief social work officer. Angus council has appointed Mr. William B. Robertson. Mr. Robertson is currently deputy director of social work with Tayside regional council. His salary will be £59,571. Details of the outstanding appointments will be reported to the Secretary of State in due course.

  Disabled People
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has recently taken to ensure access for disabled citizens to(a) cinemas (b) theatres and (c) sport grounds; and if he will make a statement. [28093]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Sports Council are already committed to helping to remove physical barriers and increase access for disabled people. Furthermore, in issuing directions to the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Sports Council under the National Lotteries etc. Act 1993, my right hon. and learned Friend made it clear that they should seek to ensure suitable access for those with physical or other disabilities to assets or facilities acquired through lottery funding. The provisions in the Disability Discrimination
  119
  Bill would require service providers, including those who operate cultural and entertainment facilities and sports stadiums, to remove physical barriers, where reasonable, in order to improve access for disabled people to their service.

  Ambulance Service
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made on the frequency of 999 emergency ambulance calls in the past seven years in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole; and if he will make a statement. [28096]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Regular monitoring of the performance of the Scottish Ambulance Service NHS trust by officials in the Home and Health Department includes an assessment of levels of demand. This information is also available to health boards as purchasers of the accident and emergency ambulance service. Figures for the last seven years are as follows:

  Strathclyde1

  Scotland

  Year

  Number of calls

  Variance (per cent.)

  Number of calls

  Variance (per cent.)

  1988–89

  79,876

  —

  156,813

  —

  1989–902

  82,633

  +3.5

  167,981

  +7.1

  1990–912

  83,503

  +1.1

  163,704

  -2.5

  1991–92

  99,909

  +19.6

  190,608

  -16.4

  1992–93

  105,410

  +5.5

  203,415

  +6.7

  1993–94

  107,212

  +1.7

  209,146

  +2.8

  1994–95

  111,101

  +3.6

  216,562

  +3.6

  Notes:

  1 Information is not held in this form. These figures cover Ayrshire and Arran, Argyll and Clyde, Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire Health Boards.

  2 The Industrial dispute had an unquantifiable effect on the volume and accuracy of records in these years.

  Noisy Neighbours
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to deal with the problem of noise nuisance by neighbours; if he intends to introduce legislation on the issue; and if he will make a statement. [28094]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Environment Bill will extend to Scotland part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which covers all forms of statutory nuisance, including neighbour noise.

  Service type

  Contractor

  Number of contracts

  Start date

  Previous cost (£000)

  Tender value (£000)

  Catering

  In-house

  1

  1 August 1995

  1,337

  1,324

  Hospital Beds
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dedicated private wards have opened in NHS hospital trusts in each of the past three years. [28098]
  120
  The conclusions and recommendations of a UK interdepartmental working party on the effectiveness of current neighbour noise controls were issued for consultation in March. They include a proposal for a new night-time noise offence. We will consider the comments received before deciding if further legislation for Scotland would be appropriate.

  Homeless Mentally Ill
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made about the number of mentally ill citizens who are currently homeless in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole; and if he will make a statement. [28095]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  In 1993 the Chief Medical Officer wrote to health boards asking them to assess the health needs of homeless people within their resident populations and to develop strategies to meet the identified need. Their progress in doing so will be monitored through the annual NHS accountability review process.

  Homelessness is also a national priority issue for housing authorities and for Scottish Homes. An aim of the Chief Medical Officer's initiative was to establish inter-agency arrangements to ensure homeless people who have health problems, including mental health problems, are referred for help to appropriate health agencies. However, homeless mentally ill people cannot be compelled to accept assistance unless their condition justifies compulsory detention under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering Scheme
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he holds centrally in respect of contracts for health and hospital services awarded by health boards and NHS trusts under the compulsory competitive tendering scheme; and if he will make a statement. [28097]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 29 March 1995,Official Report, column 581 which stated that the information requested had been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Since that date information has been received on the award of a catering service contract by the Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS trust. The details of that contract are as follows:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no dedicated private wards in any NHS trust hospital in Scotland. A number of trusts have beds which may be made available for use by private patients provided that they are not required for NHS patients.

  Health Service Pay Negotiations
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials of(a) Shetland health board and (b) Orkney health board have received formal training in conducting wage negotiations with representations of nursing staff; and if he will make a statement. [29020]

  Mr. Lang
  Two senior officials from Shetland health board and one from Orkney health board attended a seminar on local pay bargaining in May. These seminars were part of a programme offered to all health boards in Scotland.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department issued guidance to the Orkney and Shetland health boards in respect of the local negotiation with nursing staff and other professions allied to medicine concerning 1995–96 wages and salaries. [29019]

  Mr. Lang
  No such guidance has issued.

  My Department is in regular contact with all health boards on a range of issues including local pay bargaining.

  Civil Service Retirements
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 396, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29282]

  Mr. Lang
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been seven departures from the Scottish Office on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years. Details are as follows:

  1 in 1990–91

  2 in 1991–92

  2 in 1992–93

  2 in 1993–94

  0 in 1994–95

  Of the seven, compensation was agreed for only one officer and paid as a lump sum compensation payment approximately equivalent to two years' salary.

  Drug-related Deaths
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what arrangements have been made to improve the collection of information about drug-related deaths in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [29765]

  Mr. Lang
  The General Register Officer for Scotland, in consultation with forensic pathologists, the Crown Office and my Department, introduced new arrangements in 1994 for checking and classifying such deaths. The improved procedures are described in a publication issued today by the General Register Office for Scotland. The publication also gives information about drug-related deaths in 1994, collected under the new system, and, for 122
  comparative purposes, provides available data for 1992 and 1993. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  The new arrangements have significantly improved the collection and reliability of information on drug-related deaths in Scotland. The figures tragically illustrate the dangers of misusing drugs and underline the importance of the concerted action now being taken to tackle drug misuse on the basis of the report of the drugs task force, led by my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State. The improved data now available will help inform the development of policy and services within the framework of the task force report.

ENVIRONMENT

  Territorial Waters
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he plans to take to protect(a) the North sea and (b) all United Kingdom waters, out to the 200-mile limit of territorial waters. [28116]

  Mr. Atkins
  Under international law, territorial waters, and their accompanying jurisdiction, only extend to a maximum of 12 nautical miles from the baseline—that is, the coast or in certain circumstances a line drawn between two headlands. More limited jurisdictions can be claimed in a region up to 200 nautical miles from those baselines. With the other North sea states, the Government set out their intention in the 1992 Paris declaration of extending jurisdiction in this way in respect of shipping. The Government therefore will make regulations under the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Pollution) Act 1994 to extend our coastal state jurisdiction over pollution from shipping. In exercising these jurisdictions, the Government comply with the United Kingdom's obligations under the comprehensive system for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic contained in the Oslo, Paris and OSPAR conventions and applies the policies agreed in the North sea conferences, both to the North sea and other UK waters.

  Council Estates
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further plans he has for greater private sector involvement in the management and ownership of council estates; and if he will make a statement. [28885]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We wish more local authorities, especially in urban areas, to consider the benefits which they and their tenants can obtain from transferring the ownership of council housing to new landlords; and we wish a wider range of bodies to be involved in receiving such transfers. We hope to announce soon our proposals for bringing this about. We have put in place the legislative framework extending our compulsory competitive tendering to housing management. The first contracts are due to be in operation from April 1996. I am pleased to say that local authorities are making good progress with their preparations.

  Nuclear Safety
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a list of all reports
  123
  carried out by his Department's pollution inspectorate, or its consultants, which include reference to Nirex's research and safety analyses. [28583]

  Mr. Atkins
  I have asked the chief inspector to prepare a list of the reports and to make it available on request. A copy of the list will be placed in the House Library.

  Atmospheric Pollution
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the most recent figures on levels of ozone and nitrogen dioxide in Britain and each other country in the European Union. [28584]

  Mr. Atkins
  The most recent figures on levels of ozone and nitrogen dioxide are available as part of the Department of the Environment's air quality bulletin service. Information from the national automatic monitoring sites is used to provide air quality bulletins to the public, giving daily information on these and other air pollutants in both urban and rural areas across the United Kingdom via a freephone helpline, Ceefax, Teletext and a variety of other news media. The bulletin includes information on levels of pollutants together with a forecast and health advice on what to do should levels become high. The Ceefax and Teletext bulletin services have recently been upgraded and now provide hourly updates on nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide and benzene and 1,3—butadiene. In addition, information from the Department's non-automatic and automatic monitoring sites is published regularly.

  Information on levels of pollutants in other European countries is not held centrally.

  Local Authority Area Committees
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the rules on political balance set out in his reply to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. MacKinlay) on 21 July 1994,Official Report, column 464, apply to area committees established exclusively to discharge the authority's functions or to advise the authority in respect of the area and where all voting members are from wards wholly or partly within the area and either the area does not exceed two fifths of the authority's whole area or the population of the area does not exceed two fifths of the authority's total population. [28881]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The political balance rules would not apply in this case.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have established area committees exclusively to discharge the authority functions. [28823]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We do not hold information about which authorities have chosen to organise themselves in this way.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions there are on the functions which a local authority may devolve to area committees which it may set up to discharge council functions. [28818]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The area committee will be subject to the general limitations imposed by Local 124
  Government Act 1972 on all authorities arranging for discharge of their functions, in particular by section 101 of that Act. The committee's authority will also be restricted in terms of area.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of States for the Environment what is the total number of families in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation paid for by public funds; and what is his Department's budget for this. [28809]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  At 31 March 1995, 4,480 households were accommodated in bed-and-breakfast hotels by English local authorities in connection with their duties under the homelessness legislation. Provision for local authority expenditure on such matters is included within the all other services standard spending assessment, and is not separately identified.

  Local Authority Devolution
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to allowing district and borough councils greater flexibility in devolving functions to parish and town councils. [28817]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972 already gives principal authorities considerable scope to delegate functions to any other local authority, including parish councils.

  Sainsbury Superstore Application, Stoke Mandeville
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive his inspector's report on the application by J. Sainsbury plc to build a superstore at Lower road, Stoke Mandeville; and if he will make a statement. [28627]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The inspector's report was received on 3 April. The Secretary of State refused planning permission for the proposals on 14 June.

  Energy Saving Campaign
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what is the estimated amount of energy saved, to date, as a result of his Department's "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign. [28619]

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated amount of energy saved, to date, as a result of his Department's "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign. [29161]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign, launched in October last year, aims to raise public awareness and encourages action to save energy in the home, as part of the United Kingdom's climate change programme. A full assessment of the campaign's effectiveness will be made when it is completed.

  EU Funding, Merseyside
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names together with the previous and present jobs of the monitoring committee and technical committees appointed to assist with the
  125
  objective 1 funding of Merseyside; and if he will make a statement. [28703]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 15 June 1995]: Following is a list of the members both of the monitoring committee and of the two technical panels for, respectively, industrial development and the people of Merseyside, together with present positions. Details of the members' previous positions are not readily available.

  The membership reflects a wide-ranging partnership of public and private sector organisations on Merseyside.

  MONITORING COMMITTEE

  GO-M

  John Stoker—Chair, Regional Director

  Peter Houten, Director

  Pat Jackson, Director (T and I), DOE (ERP Division) Andre Bayer

  Employment Department

  Maureen De Viell

  MAFF

  Robert Bettley-Smith

  Local Authorities

  Councillor Harry Rimmer, Liverpool City Council

  Councillor Mike Storey, Liverpool City Council

  Councillor D. Knowles, Sefton BC

  Councillor Ron Watson, Sefton BC

  Councillor J. Keight, Knowsley BC

  Councillor T. J. Lyons, Knowsley BC

  Councillor Dave Jackson, Wirral BC

  Councillor John Hale, Wirral BC

  Councillor Dave Watts, St. Helens BC

  Councillor Mike Doyle, St. Helens BC

  MDC

  Bob Lane, Assistant Chief Executive

  Private Sector

  David Railton, MDHC Accounts Manager

  Terry Atherton, National Westminster Bank Plc, Regional Head of lending

  John Sharpley, Champion Spark Plugs, Director, Europe

  Ian Meadows, RS Clare, Managing Director

  Albert Mandell, GPT Ltd, Manager Customer Communications

  TRAINING ENTERPRISE COUNCILS

  Alan Moody, Chief Executive, CEWTEC

  Linda Bloomfield, Chief Executive, Merseyside Tec

  Peter Hulmes, Chief Executive, Qualitec

  Voluntary Sector

  Audrey Young, Liverpool 8 Law Centre, Management Committee

  Andy Churchill, Merseyside Coordinator, NW Network

  Further Education

  Tony Holloway, Assistant Director of Finance, Further Education

  Funding Council

  George Sweeney, Principal, Knowsley Community College

  English Partnerships

  Jim Gill, Regional Director

  MerseyTravel

  Roy Swainson, Chief Executive

  126
  Higher Education Sector

  Professor Philip Love, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Liverpool

  National Rivers Authority

  Chris Newton, Regulation Environmental Quality Manager

  TECHNICAL PANEL FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

  Pat Jackson: Chairman, Government Office for Merseyside, DTI Directorate

  Peter Ramsden: European Commission. DGXV1

  Alan Chape: Assistant Chief Executive, Liverpool City Council

  James Wilkie: Director of Planning and Economic Development, Wirral Borough Council

  Bob Hepworth: Assistant Chief Executive, St. Helens Borough Council

  Graham Smith: Director of Planning and Development, Knowsley

  Borough Council

  Chris Williamson: Head of European Affairs, Sefton Borough Council

  Peter Hey: Corporation Services Man. QUALITEC

  Richard Merritt: Deputy Chief Executive, CEWTEC

  Peter Fell: Director European Affairs, MERSEYTEC

  Jim Gill: Regional Director, English Partnerships

  Bob Lane: Assistant Chief Executive, External Affairs, Merseyside Development Corp.

  Paul Bunnell: Corporate Planning, Merseytravel

  David Railton: Accounts Manager, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

  Dr. David Prior: Director, Research Support and Industrial Liaison, Higher Education Institutions

  Audrey Young: Liverpool 8 Law Centre, Man. Committee

  Ian Lobley: Director, 3i Plc

  Muriel Downs: Managing Director, Daryl Industries

  Alan Ruddock: Managing Director, Giddings and Lewis

  Pat Collins: EPR Division, DoE

  TECHNICAL PANEL FOR THE PEOPLE OF MERSEYSIDE

  Peter Houten: Chairman, Director TEED, GO-M

  Dirk Meganck: European Commission, DGV

  Maureen De Viell: ESF Unit, DoE

  Nigel Tubman: ESF Unit, DoE

  Colette Turner: Objective 1 Secretariat, GO-M

  David Barrie: Head of Client Support, Education Department,

  Liverpool City Council

  Paul Lally: Senior Education Officer, Sefton Borough Council

  David Rigby: Director, Education Department, Wirral Borough Council

  Peter Wylie: Director, Education Department, Knowsley Borough Council

  Brian Mainwaring Director, Education Department, St. Helens Council

  Peter Fell: Director, European Affairs, MERSEYTEC

  Richard Merritt: Deputy Chief Executive, CEWTEC

  Cath Boullen: Training Services Manager, QUALITEC

  Joe West: Principal, St. Helens College

  Terry Jeves: Associate Development Director, Liverpool John Moores University

  Any Churchill: Merseyside Coordinator, NW Network

  Alex Murray: Operations Director, Contract Chemicals Knowsle

  Ltd.Chris Benson: Managing Director, Benson Signs Ltd.

  Bob Mottram: Chairman, Business Link Wirral

  Graham Helling: European Operations Manager, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all areas within(a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28649]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 15 June 1995]: An Act of Parliament is presumed not to bind the Crown unless the contrary intention is clearly stated, or there is a necessary implication that the Crown is to be bound. Ministers and civil servants will not necessarily share the Crown's immunity from criminal prosecution.

  The Government's policy on Crown immunity as set out in Cm 1599—"The Citizen's Charter—Raising the Standard" is that Crown immunity is being progressively reduced, as legislative opportunities arise. In the meantime, Crown bodies are expected to behave as though they were bound by regulations.

  In accordance with this policy, we have announced our intention to introduce legislation to place on a statutory footing the requirement for the Crown to observe town and country planning controls.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a regional breakdown of the number of public housing and housing association construction orders in the first quarter of 1995, together with a regional breakdown for the corresponding figures for 1994. [29197]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is published in table 4 of the information bulletin No. 224, "Orders for New Construction: March 1995", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a regional breakdown of the figures for output and employment in the construction industry in the first quarter of 1995, in the Department of Environment information bulletin 276, together with a regional breakdown for the corresponding figures for 1994. [29196]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Provisional contractor's output figures for 1994 are published by region in table 2.5 of the quarterly "Housing and Construction Statistics: Part 2: December quarter 1994", a copy of which is in the Library. Corresponding figures for the first quarter of 1995 will be published in the next issue. Regional figures for output by direct labour organisation and for total employment in the construction industry are not available.

  MINIS Return
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary for the Environment when he plans to publish his Department's annual MINIS return. [29154]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  It is planned that the MINIS returns for my Department will be published during July.

  Planning Policy Review
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State or the Environment what representations he has received regarding his review of planning policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I have received a number of representations about PPG6, to which I assume that the hon. Member is referring. A consultation draft of the revised planning policy guidance will be issued before the summer recess.

  Lower Severn Estuary
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the completion date of the classification of the lower Severn estuary special protection area pursuant to article 4 of directive 79/409/EEC. [29234]

  Mr. Atkins
  I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is his policy that chief executive posts in unitary authorities established under the Local Government Act 1992 should be filled by open competition. [29097]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Under the Local Government Changes for England (Staff) Regulations 1995, appointments to chief officer posts in unitary authorities established under the Local Government Act 1992 must be made by open competition.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he last met the chairman of the Local Government Commission; [29098]

  (2) whether he will call for a report from the Local Government Staff Commission on the steps being taken by shadow unitary authorities to appoint their chief executives. [29099]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Following my last meeting with the staff commission on 23 may 1995, I am satisfied that there is no need at present for fuller investigation of the appointment of chief executives by shadow unitary authorities.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of his Department's new draft guidance to the Local Government Commission, on the application of the South Hams district council for unitary status; and if he will make a statement. [29021]

  Mr. Curry
  There is none. The guidance will apply to the reviews of those districts which are selected for review, but it does not have any bearing on the selection process.

  Civil Service Retirement
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 126, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29296]
  129
  Sir Paul Beresford
  Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been six departures on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years. Details are as follows:

  Lump sum compensation payment

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  None

  1991–92

  None

  1992–93

  17,468

  1993–94

  None

  1994–95

  33,354

  National Park Authorities
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the representations he has received about the composition of new national park authorities. [29101]

  Mr. Atkins
  Yes, provided that the respondents have no objections.

  Water Companies (Windfall Profits)
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the conclusion of the Director of Water Services on who should decide whether windfall profits should be distributed in the form of rebates to customers. [29353]

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services, who has published his views.

  EU Urban Initiative
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has selected the areas to be included in the urban community initiative of the European structural funds.

  Mr. Curry
  Further to my right hon. Friend's answer of 29 March to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Heald),Official Report, columns 645–46, announcing the six non-objective 1 areas in England to participate in the urban community initiative, I have now selected the three areas from Merseyside—Liverpool Central, North Huyton—Knowsley—and Netherton—Sefton—which will be considered by the European Commission for funding the Urban initiative.

  Originally, five areas put themselves forward, but the Commission requirements meant that only three could be included on the final list, which I chose after consultations with the local authorities and careful consideration of all the evidence.

  The urban community initiative will bring an additional 80 million ecus—approximately £64 million—of European funding to Britain of which £13.5 million will go to the three Merseyside areas. The money will be used for new urban regeneration projects carried out by local partnerships, which will complement existing
  130
  programmes such as the single regeneration budget and the structural funds objectives 1 and 2.

  My announcement today means the programme of nine British non-objective 1 areas, three Merseyside objective 1 areas and the objective 1 area in Northern Ireland is now complete, and the first projects should start this summer.

  Council House Sales
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to implement measures to assist leaseholders of former council flats who are facing difficulties with high service charges and resale. [29857]

  Mr. Curry
  Recent research has shown that while nine out of 10 people who bought their flats under the right to buy were satisfied with their purchase, a small proportion was in particular difficulties with service charges, and an even smaller proportion has had difficulty in reselling because prospective buyers could not obtain a mortgage.

  Following public consultation, I am introducing three measures to assist local authority leaseholders:
  first, a wide-ranging good practice guide, to help councils improve their management of service charges in flats which they have sold. This will help to avoid leaseholders being presented with unexpectedly or unreasonably high bills;
  second, a more flexible form of mortgage indemnity agreement, which councils can use to guarantee commercial mortgages, including lending on ex-council flats. Mortgage indemnities can enhance councils' housing policies and encourage lending in areas where a resale market is not yet fully established;
  third, an exchange sale scheme, to help leaseholders who need to move from flats bought under the right to buy but cannot resell on the open market because of mortgageability problems. The scheme will help the authority to buy back the flat at the right-to-buy price, and to sell the leaseholder another property at a discount of up to 40 per cent.

  These measures, the first two of which are available now, will help local authorities to assist those leaseholders who face particular difficulty. The third measure requires regulations which I have laid before Parliament today. Subject to its views, the exchange sale scheme will come into effect on 10 July.

  We are issuing advice to local authorities today on these measures and how to use them to boost the local housing market in general, and help owners of former council flats in particular.

  North Sea Conference
  Sir Kenneth Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the main achievements of the recent North sea conference.

  Mr. Gummer
  The fourth international conference for the protection of the North sea was held in Esbjerg, Denmark on 8 to 9 June 1995. Ministers and senior officials from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, together with the members of the European Commission responsible for the environment, took part, under the chairmanship of the Danish Environment and Energy Minister, Mr. Svend Auken. I represented the United Kingdom.

  Since so much progress has been made since the third North sea conference, in 1990, in converting policy

  131
  commitments into binding international agreements and European legislation, the nature of the conference was different from its predecessors. It was more a question of reviewing progress and fine-tuning than of breaking new ground.

  The progress report for the conference showed how difficult it is to compare what is happening in the different states because of different methods of measuring or estimating the basic data. We therefore agreed to put emphasis in future on getting transparent, reliable and comparable reports on what is actually happening, making the fullest possible use of work in other international bodies.

  The most important problem facing the North sea that was identified by the recent quality status report was the impact of over-fishing. We achieved a commitment to the development and strict enforcement of a system of controls for fish stocks of all kinds, including the industrial fisheries, to keep exploitation rates within safe biological limits. Measures will now be brought forward in the appropriate forums to implement this commitment. We also agreed that North sea Fisheries and Environment Ministers will meet before the end of 1996 to review the progress of these measures.

  We also agreed to ask the Oslo and Paris Commission for the Protection of North East Atlantic to assess what measures are needed to improve the protection of wildlife in the areas beyond territorial waters—territorial waters being already covered by the EC birds and habitats directives—and to work out how best to harmonise such measures by the different North sea states.

  Since the 1990 North sea conference, the European Community has adopted measures which provide a comprehensive framework for controlling hazardous substance. At Esbjerg, we agreed on various actions within that framework to give priority to certain specific problems connected with hazardous substances. We also discussed the setting of a target for the cessation of all inputs of hazardous substances to the North sea within one generation—that is, 25 years. It made clear that the United Kingdom shares the ideal of such aims but does not consider them currently practicable.

  We confirmed support for the adoption and implementation by OSPAR of a strategy to combat and prevent eutrophication of the sea. Some North sea states wanted to see the whole of the North sea treated as a sensitive area for the purposes of the EC urban waste water treatment directive and its catchment as a vulnerable zone for the purposes of the EC nitrates directive, which would imply additional investment in sewage treatment to remove nutrients, and additional restrictions on agriculture. France and the United Kingdom took the view that the implementation of the Directives as they stand will address the problems that exist and that the suggested blanket approach would waste resources by installing plant and imposing restrictions that would have no practical effect on eutrophication problems.

  We reached agreement on how to proceed on the creation of a special area in the North sea under the Marpol convention to control discharges of oil from shipping; on completing the work on tightening the Marpol annex on air pollution from shipping to the problems of sulphur oxides in the North sea.
  132
  To reduce the impact of the offshore oil and gas industry, we agreed to ask OSPAR to revise its guidance on the management of produced water, to limit the use of oil-based muds to cases where this is necessary for geological or safety reasons and to get OSPAR to adopt a harmonised mandatory control system for the use and discharge of chemicals offshore. Some North sea states expressed their concern about the decision to permit the disposal of the Brent Spar at sea. I explained the reasons why we considered this the best practicable environmental option and reminded them that we were following the procedure agreed by all North sea states in 1992. France, Norway and the United Kingdom recorded their reasons for rejecting a commitment to dispose of all disused offshore installations on land; the other North sea states, which who do not have to consider the disposal of deep-sea installations, recorded their commitments to land disposal of all offshore installations.

  We confirmed our commitment to the safety fundamentals for the management of radioactive waste adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency in March and agreed to support the IAEA work to seek agreement for a global convention on this subject.

  Finally, we agreed that Norway should host the fifth North sea conference in 2000 to 2002, but that this should be much more closely integrated with OSPAR ministerial meetings.

  Local Government Ombudsman
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for reviewing the local government ombudsman service; and if he will make a statement. [29855]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We have today appointed Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield to carry out a fundamental review of the Commission for Local Administration in England. The review, which is part of a programme of reviews of bodies sponsored by the Department, will be conducted in two stages. During the first stage, Sir Geoffrey will consider fundamental questions about the necessity for the Commission and the functions it undertakes. Depending on the results of that stage, Sir Geoffrey will then look in more detail at the commission's internal organisation and procedures. Sir Geoffrey will report his findings to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and to the commission; he has been asked to do this for stage one by the end of November 1995.

  To assist Sir Geoffrey, we are establishing an advisory group on which we are inviting representatives of the local authority associations and citizens advice bureaux to serve; departmental officials and the chairman and secretary of the commission will also serve on the group. In addition, Sir Geoffrey will be seeking comments from a wide range of interested parties, and would welcome written representations from anyone who has views on the Commission and its work.

  The local government ombudsman service was established in 1974 to provide independent and impartial investigation of complaints by members of the public who felt that they had suffered injustice because their local council had done something wrong. After 20 years, it is now timely to review the ombudsman's role and the effectiveness of the service provided.

  Krakow: Proposal for British Consulate
  Krakow: Proposal for British Consulate
  Protection of the Archaeological Heritage: Ratification of Convention
  Protection of the Archaeological Heritage: Ratification of Convention
  Jobseekers Bill: Power to Designate Groups
  Jobseekers Bill: Power to Designate Groups
  Social Security Budget
  Social Security Budget
  Ammonium Nitrate: Transport through Channel Tunnel
  Ammonium Nitrate: Transport through Channel Tunnel
  Trust Ports: Privatisation
  Trust Ports: Privatisation
  Gringley Secure Training Centre
  Gringley Secure Training Centre
  Imprisonment for Fine Default
  Imprisonment for Fine Default
  Hospitals: Patient's Charter Guidelines
  Hospitals: Patient's Charter Guidelines
  Radiotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer
  Radiotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer
  Human Blood and Tissue: Ownership
  Human Blood and Tissue: Ownership
  Farmers: Suicide Statistics
  Farmers: Suicide Statistics