Written Answers of 29 June 1995

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Courts Charter
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish the new courts charter. [31322]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 29 June 1995:
  Costs of the New Courts Charter
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your question about when the new Courts Charter is expected to be published.
  The new Charter, called the Charter for Court Users, will be published on 25 July 1995.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the cost of compiling and publishing the new courts charters including consultancy fees. [31323]

  Mr. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 29 June 1995:
  Cost of the New Courts Charter
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your question about the cost of compiling and publishing the new Courts Charter, including consultation fees.
  The total cost for designing, printing, packaging and distributing the new Charter, called the Charter for Court Users, will be approximately £162,000 (exc. VAT). This sum includes £500 for artwork consultancy fees. Approximately £17,000 of the cost relates to the Welsh, Braille and audio versions of the Charter.

  Civil Enforcement Agencies
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of the organisation and management of civil enforcement agents. [32086]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has considered carefully the responses to his public consultation paper on this subject and is now considering how the regulation, licensing and control of those who enforce judgments of the courts in England and Wales might best be effected so as to ensure that both debtors and creditors receive a proper, efficient and professional service. He is anxious that those parts of the established system which work well should be preserved, and will 742
  now undertake detailed consultation with the under sheriffs' and sheriffs' officers' associations and other relevant bodies in order to determine how best this might be achieved within a new statutory framework. He will announce the outcome of these deliberations by the end of the year.

  Defamation
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to amend the law on defamation. [30597]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government have announced a number of reforms to defamation law and procedure. On 16 December 1992, the Lord Chancellor announced that the Government would introduce a package of mainly procedural reforms, following recommendations made by a working party under the chairmanship of Lord Justice Neill. On 28 November 1994, he announced that there would be a new summary procedure to provide an inexpensive fast track for the disposal of straightforward claims, and on 14 May 1991 he announced that the defence of innocent dissemination would be extended to printers and others. The reforms will be introduced as soon as there is a suitable legislative opportunity.

  Small Claims
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend the small claims courts' powers to cover consumers whose health has been prejudiced by food retailers. [30542]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Claims made by consumers who believe that their health has been prejudiced by food can already be dealt with in the small claims court, if the damages claimed do not exceed £1,000. No change in this limit is recommended by Lord Woolf.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his policy following Lord Woolf's recommendation that the small claims limit should be increased to £3,000, on whether a full consultation should take place before a final decision on a new limit is made; and if he will make a statement. [30699]

  Mr. Taylor
  Lord Woolf consulted widely in the preparation of his interim report. In view of this, the Lord Chancellor does not intend to undertake further public consultation on the question whether he should implement Lord Woolf s recommendation that the limit for small claims, other than those for personal injury, should be raised to £3,000. The power to make the necessary amendments rests with the County Court Rule Committee which, as part of its consideration of the matter, consults interested parties.

  Shared Residency Orders
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many shared residency orders under the Children Act 1989 have been granted to fathers when the order has been contested, for each year since 1989. [30514]
  743
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter form M. D. Huebner to Mr. Peter Luff dated 29 June 1995:
  RESIDENCE ORDERS UNDER THE CHILDREN ACT 1989
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of shared residence orders granted under the Children Act 1989 where the father has contested the application.
  I am sorry to have to tell you that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Contact Orders (Breaches)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many mothers have received custodial sentences for breaches of court contact orders in each year since 1989. [30513]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Peter Luff, dated 29 June 1995:
  BREACH OF CONTRACT ORDERS
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of mothers who have received a custodial sentence for breach of a contact order.
  I am sorry to have to tell you that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  State Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the definition of a state paper includes the manuscript notes by a Prime Minister of a speech delivered in the House of Commons. [30607]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  As I said in reply to the hon. Member on 11 May 1995,Official Report, column 566, state papers are those which are created or acquired by Ministers, officials or other Crown servants by virtue of the office they hold under, or their service to, the Crown. Whether notes such as those referred to by the hon. Member fall into this category would depend on the circumstances in which they were made.

  Actuarial Evidence
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to amend the Civil Evidence Bill to give effect to the Law Commission's recommendation on the admissibility of actuarial evidence, following the Lord Chancellor's announcement on 22 March. [30452]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A new clause giving effect to the Law Commission's recommendation on the admissibility of actuarial evidence was added to the Civil Evidence Bill at Committee stage in the House of Lords on 20 June.

  Judicial Pension Arrangements
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what comparisons he has made between the pension arrangements for full-time immigration adjudicators and judicial office holders of a similar status; and what plans he has to amend these arrangements. [30463]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993, which came into force on 31 March 1995, established uniform pension arrangements for all full-time judicial office holders, including immigration adjudicators, appointed on or after that date. Immigration adjudicators in office before that date continue to be pensionable under their previous terms, which differ in some respects from those of most other judicial office holders, subject to an option to elect to join the new pension scheme. The accrual rate for pension benefits for immigration adjudicators who exercise their option to join the new scheme is twice that of their previous arrangements and therefore this option constitutes a significant potential enhancement to the pension terms they accepted on appointment. The Lord Chancellor has no plans to amend further the pension arrangements for immigration adjudicators.

TRANSPORT

  Road Rage
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 13 June,Official Report, column 474, what recent representations he has received on the subject of road rage; and if he will make a statement. [31522]

  Mr. Norris
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 23 June,Official Report, column 442.

  Marine Safety Agency
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects to introduce the proposed 20 per cent. efficiency saving into the Marine Safety Agency. [31096]

  Mr. Norris
  As the Marine Safety Agency's published 1995–96 business plan makes clear, the agency is already contributing towards the Department's efficiency gains target.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the transport supplementary grant settlement for(a) south Yorkshire, (b) Humberside, (c) north Yorkshire and (d) west Yorkshire in each of the last 10 years. [31097]

  Mr. Norris
  Details of the total capital provision allocated to local authorities in these areas for roads and public transport in each of the last 10 years are given in the table.
  745

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  South Yorkshire

  13.909

  20.015

  16.070

  17.885

  31.829

  50.648

  82.862

  100.095

  98.184

  88.235

  Humberside

  7.480

  7.360

  12.479

  11.920

  12.989

  13.896

  17.427

  21.069

  17.385

  11.798

  North Yorkshire

  9.050

  8.870

  6.440

  7.330

  18.353

  15.478

  16.441

  23.240

  15.614

  13.215

  West Yorkshire

  22.874

  33.462

  22.420

  20.748

  24.015

  24.731

  37.732

  73.328

  56.568

  64.773

  Concrete Motorway Barriers
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safety of the proposed concrete motorway barriers on collision of cars and heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [30641]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Iain Mills, dated 29 June 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question, asking the Secretary of State for Transport about the adequacy of the safety of concrete safety motorway barriers on collision of cars and heavy goods vehicles.
  All safety barriers, including concrete safety barriers, that are deployed on our network fully meet the performance requirements for vehicle restraints that are set down in the Manual for Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW).
  With the help of the Transport Research Laboratory, the Highways Agency has carried out an extensive programme of research into the performance of vehicle restraints systems. In all tests carried out on Vertical Concrete Barriers the test vehicles have been safely contained and redirected along the line of the barrier.
  The performance requirements set out in the MCHW have been shown to be reasonable in service but the Highways Agency has a continuing commitment to keep the overall performance of all vehicles restraint systems under review and will amend its requirements in the light of operational experience.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Carttiss
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the most recent estimate of the number of small businesses in the United Kingdom. [32192]

  Mr. Page
  In order more clearly to evaluate the needs of small and medium-sized businesses, detailed research has been undertaken fully to understand the number and size of businesses in the UK. The research was the first to draw on the new official business register, the interdepartmental business register, as well as on estimates of self-employment.

  Figures released today show that there were 3.6 million businesses in the UK in 1993–800,000 more than estimated by previous research. The vast majority of them are small—99 per cent. have under 100 employees. The new figures confirm the huge increase in the number of small businesses—an extra 1.2 million—since 1979.

  Television Transmission Standards
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action was taken or requested at the Council of Telecommunication Ministers meeting in the week beginning 12 June to adopt a declaration limiting the application of the directive on standards of television transmission. [30242]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  No action was taken at the Telecommunications Council on 13 June in respect of a declaration on the draft directive on television standards.

  In the course of that meeting of the Telecommunications Council, Commissioner Bangemann made a brief oral presentation on a number of amendments to the draft directive adopted only that day by the European Parliament. Following a brief discussion in which a number of concerns were voiced by the United Kingdom and Germany, the question of the Council's response to the Parliament's amendments was deferred for further consideration in the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

  In the course of a subsequent preliminary meeting at official level, the presidency raised the question of whether UK and German concerns might, separately, be met by way of declaration by the Council, to which the Commission might be associated. These proposals are now being considered by member states, and by the Council legal service.

  Capital Spending
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the expected capital spending figure for his Department for 1994–95; and what is the latest budget figure. [30874]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: The estimated outturn for 1994–95 for trade and industry public sector capital expenditure is £1,297 million. This includes central Government's own capital expenditure, and the capital expenditure of local authorities and public corporations. As explained in paragraph 1.9 of Cm 2821, no departmental breakdown of capital spending by local authorities is available for 1995–96. Excluding local authority spending, planned public sector capital expenditure for 1995–96 is £1,120 million. These figures are consistent with those shown in table 1.7 of Cm 2821.

  Pseudo Oil-based Drill Muds
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what steps he has taken to assess the environmental effects of the use of pseudo oil-based drill muds by oil companies. [29935]

  Mr. Eggar
  Before any pseudo oil-based drill mud can be used it must be tested for its environmental effects in line with agreed Paris Commission protocols. On
  747
  satisfactory completion of these laboratory tests, the POBM will be given provisional approval for use offshore. Samples will be requested from cuttings piles and the area around the piles to assess the POBM' s actual behaviour in the sea. If performance in these offshore tests is not acceptable, the provisional approval may be withdrawn.

  Dounreay Explosion
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the report of the internal investigation carried out at Dounreay into the causes and effects of the explosion on 10 May 1977; and if he will publish the conclusion of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority study into a final solution for the disposal of the intermediate-level waste disposal shaft. [29795]

  Mr. Page
  Details of the internal investigation carried out at Dounreay into the explosion in the intermediate-level waste disposal shaft in 1977 have been supplied to the relevant regulatory and advisory bodies. These include Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate, the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment and the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee. UKAEA is required by HMIPI and the NII to investigate the options for the future management of the shaft and its contents, and the time scales for their implementation. The results of this investigation, together with details relating to the 1977 incident, will be presented to COMARE and RWMAC and information will be made public.

  Monetary and Exchange Rate Policies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's monetary and exchange rate policies since(a) 1979 and (b) 1988 on the import share of the United Kingdom market for manufactures. [29439]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  My Department has made no assessment of the specific factors listed.

  The import share of UK manufactures was increased from 27 per cent. in 1979 to 36 per cent. in 1988 and to around 40 per cent. in 1993; although it should be noted that the definition of manufacturing is not consistent between 1993 and earlier years. The rising share of imports in the UK market for manufactures reflect a number of influences, including the increasing specialisation of world production.

  The 1979, 1988 and 1993 figures are not directly comparable because of changes in the definition of manufacturing.

  The figure for 1993 excludes division 23—coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel. These industries are included in the SIC(92) definition of manufacturing but are excluded from the SIC(80) definition and so have been excluded from these tables to improve comparability.

  The extraction and preparation of metalliferous ores were included in the SIC(80) definition of manufacturing, but excluded from the SIC(92) definition. Import penetration for the extraction and preparation of metalliferous ores fell sharply between 1979 and 1985—
  748
  the latest year for which figures agree available. This means that the 1979 figure for manufactures is possibly overstated when compared to the 1988 and 1993 figures.

  The extraction of minerals was also included in the SIC(80) definition of manufacturing, but excluded from the SIC92) definition. Import penetration figures fell slightly between 1979 and 1988.

  Source:
  Annual Abstract of Statistics: Table 12.2. Monthly Digest of Statistics: Table 15.10.

  Exports
  Sir Irvine Patrick
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of United Kingdom exports for each quarter of each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [31146]

  Mr. Needham
  Detailed information is regularly published by the Central Statistical Office in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" which is available in the Library of the House. The value of United Kingdom exports in the first quarter of 1995 was 42 per cent. higher than three years earlier, and 17 per cent. higher than in the first quarter of 1994.

  Exports and Imports (European Community)
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the United Kingdom's total(a) exports and (b) imports was conducted with other member states of the European Community in the period 1990 to 1993; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the other 11 members of the European Community during the 1990 to 1993 period. [31115]

  Mr. Needham
  The data requested are in the table.

  Percentage of EU members visible trade with other EU members 1990–1993

  Imports per cent.

  Exports per cent.

  UK

  50

  55

  France

  65

  62

  Belgian-Luxembourg

  71

  75

  Netherlands

  58

  75

  Germany

  54

  53

  Italy

  58

  57

  Ireland

  69

  73

  Denmark

  54

  53

  Greece

  62

  62

  Portugal

  72

  75

  Spain

  60

  65

  Source:

  Eurostat Comext.

  Offshore Installations (Disposal)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he made of the number of jobs which could be created by the disposal of North sea oil platforms and rigs(a) in the Atlantic ocean and (b) on dry land, when deciding to give permission to Shell UK to dispose of the Brent Spar. [30720]

  Mr. Page
  The proposal to dispose of the Brent Spar in deep water is the best practicable environmental option.
  749
  In weighing their decision, Ministers considered a whole range of factors and concluded that none of these additional consideration outweighed the advantages of the best practicable environmental option.

DEFENCE

  Third Country Trading Relations
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information his Department holds on the trading relationship in M739 Al and M131 fuses by Licentec AG of Zug, Switzerland and Iran since 1987; [30605]

  (2) what information his Department holds on the trading relationship in military goods with Iran since 1984 of the companies Forex, Expal and Maarsu. [30537]

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not for my Department to comment on overseas companies' trading relations with third countries.

  Brize Norton Flights (Costs)
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the cost of each flight to the United States by the RAF from Brize Norton; and how many of these flights, on average, take place each year. [30629]

  Mr. Soames
  There are on average 102 return VC10 trooping flights to the United States from Brize Norton each year. The estimated average cost of each flight is £30,600 each way.

  In addition, there are in excess of 150 exercise flights to various parts of the United States which are undertaken by both VC10 and Tristar aircraft. Figures for the average cost of these flights are not available.

  Devonport Nuclear Refit Yard
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimate of the timetable for the proposed construction programme at the Devonport nuclear refit yard; and if he will make a statement. [30627]

  Mr. Freeman
  The future nuclear refitting facilities at Devonport are planned to be ready in time for the Trident refit programme around the turn of the century.

  Laser Weapon Programmes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of laser weapon programs in(a) China, (b) France, (c) Russia, (d) Israel and (e) Germany. [31203]

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the countries concerned.

  Royal Naval Surplus Equipment Sales
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the revenue received from the selling of Royal Navy surplus equipment in each of the last three years. [31371]
  750
  Mr. Freeman
  The revenue received from the sale of Royal Navy surplus equipment in each of the last three years is as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  24.6

  1993–94

  33.4

  1994–95

  36.2

  Nuclear Warheads (Transport)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy concerning the transportation of nuclear warheads through the Irish sea. [29940]

  Mr. Soames
  Nuclear weapons can be transported by sea, but as a matter of long-standing policy we do not comment on the routes used.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has held with representatives of local authorities along the Welsh coast concerning the use of the Irish sea for the transportation of nuclear warheads. [29938]

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no such discussions.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans exist for dealing with an accident involving nuclear warheads transported through the Irish sea. [29939]

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry of Defence has contingency plans to deal with a wide range of possible accidents involving the transportation of nuclear warheads, including an accident at sea.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trident nuclear warheads were transported by sea from Portsmouth to Coulport between 4 and 7 June. [31108]

  Mr. Soames
  As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on the presence of nuclear warheads at any particular place or time.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy for the transportation of Trident nuclear warheads carried by sea from Portsmouth to Coulport; and if he will make a statement. [31109]

  Mr. Soames
  Nuclear weapons can be transported by sea, but as a matter of long-standing policy we do not comment on the routes used.

  Royal Naval Air Station, Portland
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Royal Naval air station, Portland. [31111]

  Mr. Soames
  A consultative document on the proposal to close the Royal Naval air station, Portland, was issued on 17 October 1994 and the consultation period ended on 16 December 1994. A number of representations were received during this period, and these are being carefully evaluated before we reach any final decision. I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Gallantry Awards
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for which Royal Navy gallantry awards Merchant Navy personnel are eligible. [31535]

  Mr. Soames
  Merchant Navy personnel are eligible for the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross and mentions in dispatches.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Merchant Navy personnel were eligible for Royal Navy gallantry awards other than the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Distinguished Service Order before the practices of awarding the CGM and DSO for gallantry were abandoned. [31537]

  Mr. Soames
  Merchant Navy personnel were eligible for the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal and mentions in dispatches before the new regulations governing operational gallantry awards came into force.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Merchant Navy personnel are eligible for the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. [31534]

  Mr. Soames
  No.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the practices of awarding the Distinguished Service Medal, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry were abandoned; and who was consulted during the development of these changes. [31536]

  Mr. Soames
  A joint service review of operational gallantry awards was undertaken during 1993.

  A number of people were consulted during the course of this review including the Tri-Service Review Body, consisting of a number of senior service personnel of general rank and equivalent and a civilian, the principal personnel officers and the chiefs of staff and the Secretary of State for Defence.

  The recommendations were then seen and approved by the Prime Minister before being passed to the Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals, who, in turn, submitted the recommendations to the Queen for her approval.

  The Queen's formal approval was obtained on 6 September 1993 and the new regulations came into force from that date.

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has anything to add to his answer of 19 January 1994,Official Report, column 627, in regard to departmental knowledge of the trading relationship between Royal Ordnance and Chartered Chemical Industries Pte Ltd. of Singapore. [30519]

  Mr. Freeman
  DTI computerised records from 1992 do not show any export licences for which Royal Ordnance was the consignor and Chartered Chemical Industries Pte Ltd. the consignee but, in the course of recent researches, it has come to light that Singapore 752
  Technologies—the parent company of Chartered Chemical Industries Pte Ltd.—was, on occasion, a consignee of exports from Royal Ordnance.

  I would also take the opportunity to refer to a written answer given on the same day, Official Report, 19 January 1994, column 626, in relation to Allivane International Ltd. In the course of recent researches, it has come to light that Chartered Industries of Singapore—which belongs to the same group of companies as Chartered Chemical Industries Pte Ltd.—was, on occasion, a consignee of exports from Allivane.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visas-free Travel Arrangements
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visa-free travel arrangements which exist between the United Kingdom and other nations; and which of these arrangements are being repealed. [31531]

  Mr. Baldry
  I will arrange for my hon. Friend to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa department as soon as possible.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the provisions in the 1978 treaty between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates which provide for movement without visa between the two nations is being annulled; and when the change will come into effect. [31529]

  Mr. Baldry
  The 1978 understanding between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates facilitating travel between the respective countries is not being annulled.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the decision on the abolition of visa-free travel between the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates was taken; and what consultations have taken place with the British business group of Dubai and the northern emirates. [31622]

  Mr. Baldry
  No decision has been taken to abolish visa-free travel between the UK and the United Arab Emirates.

  The British business group of Dubai and the northern emirates has not been consulted about the existing mutual waiver of the visa requirement.

  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth if he will make it his policy to support the continued existence of UNCTAD. [31084]

  Mr. Needham
  I have been asked to reply.

  The UK has consistently supported and will continue to support those of UNCTAD's activities which make a positive contribution to trade and development. But the world, and its international institutions, has changed since UNCTAD was established in 1964 and UNCTAD must change too. This has been recognised by its members who, at the last Trade and Development Board, agreed

  753
  that the ninth conference, which is scheduled to be held in 1996, will consider the future role of UNCTAD. At its recent meeting in Halifax, the countries of the G7 also reaffirmed their commitment to change. The UK welcomes this opportunity for constructive reform and looks forward to achieving a satisfactory outcome.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Kent. [29838]

  The Prime Minister
  I will be making a visit to Kent shortly.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Prime Minister how much time was spent discussing the ecological sustainability of the world economy at the Group of Seven summit in the current year. [29934]

  The Prime Minister
  Sustainable development and safeguarding the environment formed an important part of our discussions at the Halifax summit. I refer the hon. Gentleman in particular to paragraphs 25, 26 and 31–33 of the G7 communiqué, which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Ministerial Salaries
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the current limit on the maximum amount of members of the Government, including whips and members of the House of Lords, who are entitled to ministerial salaries; what plans he has to change this; and if he will make a statement. [31391]

  The Prime Minister
  The Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 limits the number of salaries that may be paid to Government office holders to 110. I have no plans to change this.

  Former Prime Ministers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister in what circumstances visits overseas by former Prime Ministers are paid for from the public purse; if he will publish a table showing such visits since 1970; and if he will make a statement. [31392]

  The Prime Minister
  As for anyone else, visits overseas by former Prime Minister are paid for from public funds only when it is in the public interest to do so.

  Information about any such visits is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Knighthoods
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Conservative hon. Members have received knighthoods since 1979; and if he will list their names; and what are the criteria for the political services on which such awards are based. [31519]
  754
  The Prime Minister
  Some 122 Conservative hon. Members have received knighthoods since 1979. The names of the recipients have been published in the London Gazette. It is not the practice to reveal details of the criteria on which such awards are based.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29 June. [30057]

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

  Technology Foresight Initiative
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the research councils will be responding to the recommendations from the technology foresight initiative; and if he will make a statement. [31495]

  Mr. David Hunt
  The research councils have been working very hard to develop a response to the technology foresight recommendations and I have today placed copies of their response in the Libraries of both Houses. This is an excellent document which shows how well the councils are getting on with implementing foresight already. I recommend that others should follow their good example.

  Pupil-teacher Ratios
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the pupil to teacher ratio in January for each local education authority and for England as a whole in(a) the primary sector, (b) the secondary sector and (c) overall. [31426]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The provisional pupil-teacher ratios within maintained primary and secondary schools in England in January 1995 were 22.9 and 16.5 respectively. The provisional overall pupil-teacher ratio was 18.3. Information at local education authority level will be available in the autumn.

EMPLOYMENT

  Capital Spending
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the expected capital spending figure for his Department for 1994–95; and what is the latest budget figure. [30884]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: The Employment Department group capital expenditure figure for 1994–95 which is consistent with the published Statistical Supplements, Cm 2821, is £84 million. The final outturn figure to be published in the group's appropriation accounts is likely to total around £109 million. The budget figure for 1995–96 is £117 million.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Pests
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what complaints he has received about(a) the Security Offices Mess Room, Norman Shaw Building and (b) the Palm Court Mess concerning rats, mice, cockroaches and general conditions of the rooms. [31267]

  Mr. Beith
  There has been no recent complaints to the authorities of the Houses about pests in either the Norman Shaw buildings or the Palm Court mess area. A specialist pest control firm is under contract to make regular inspections in these areas and to deal with any vermin. I have asked the Director of Works to write to the hon. Member with more detailed information.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Condoms
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries condoms have been sent as part of the aid programme since 1990. [31006]

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom aid programme has provided condoms to the following countries since 1990: Angola, the Gambia, India, Kenya, Namibia, Pakistan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In addition, our contributions to the United Nations Population Fund—UNFPA—and the International Planned Parenthood Federation support the provision of condoms within the country programmes of these organisations.

  Global Environment Facility
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make arrangements for the United Kingdom representatives on the council of the Global Environment Facility to publish an annual report setting out(a) the main activities and plans of the GEF each year, (b) the users to which United Kingdom Government money has been put by the GEF and (c) the voting record of the United Kingdom in decision making about GEF plans. [29933]

  Mr. Baldry
  The Global Environment Facility is required to produce an annual report, which the GEF council has to approve. We expect such reports to include information on GEF activities, including the use of financial resources and the results of any votes. However, we expect votes to be rare as the GEF aims to take decisions by consensus. Copies of the reports will be placed in both Libraries of the House. The first annual report is expected to be available towards the end of 1995.

ENVIRONMENT

  Non-domestic Rating Appeals
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many appeals have been lodged by 756
  businesses in the north-west region in the last 12 months; how long it has taken to resolve each appeal; and what estimate he has made as to whether appeals will be resolved more quickly in future; [30509]

  (2) how many appeals are currently lodged with the district valuers office in Rochdale; and what is the waiting time for appeals to that office to be heard. [30508]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Some 42,838 proposals to alter the non-domestic rating lists have been received in the last 12 months in the north-west region of the Valuation Office agency. As at 31 May 1995, a total of 35,263 non-domestic rating appeals, including some made more than 12 months ago, were outstanding in the north-west region, and 2,277 at the Rochdale office.

  We expect that the vast majority of proposals received by the end of March this year will have been cleared by the end of 1995–96. Later appeals against the 1990 list will be settled as soon as possible thereafter. It is still too early to tell how many appeals against the 1995 list are likely to be received, and at what rate; and therefore, how quickly they are likely to be resolved.

  Council Tax Appeals
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council tax appeals lodged(a) before and (b) since 30 November 1993 have still to be determined by Aylesbury valuation office; and what target he has set for determinations to be completed. [30799]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  As at the end of May, 423 of the appeals lodged before 30 November 1993 at the Valuation Office agency at Aylesbury, and 1,838 of those lodged after that date remain to be determined. All but a handful of the first category are expected to be settled by the summer. As regards the second, the VOA would expect appeals made prior to 1 April 1995 to be resolved no later than 31 March 1996. Its target is to clear subsequent appeals, in co-operation with the valuation tribunals, within 12 months of receipt. Priority will be given to clearing cases in order of receipt.

  Standing Spending Assessment, Northumberland
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters his Department has received on the subject of the standard spending assessment for Northumberland as it affects education funding; and how many replies have been sent. [31198]

  Mr. Curry
  My Department has received and replied to over 3,500 letters in the past year on this issue.

  Councillors' Expenses, Kent
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he will take to cap councillors' expenses in excess of inflation in the county of Kent. [31206]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We no longer specify financial limits on the overall amounts that local authorities can spend on councillors' remuneration allowances. We continue to specify ceilings on councillors' travel and subsistence allowances, and where any payments exceed those ceilings that is a matter for the district auditor.

  Detergents
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take action to require manufacturers to supply the public with more information about the ingredients of detergents. [29930]

  Mr. Atkins
  The proposed eco-labelling scheme for detergents will amplify and reinforce the information provided on labels on detergent packaging. As the Government's response to the 16th report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution made clear, the Government will keep under review the need for any further guidance. My Department is encouraging consumer groups to discuss with the Soap and Detergent Industry Association their concerns about labelling.

  Compulsory Competitive Spending
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment what plans he has to amend the rules for treatment of direct service organisation redundancy costs for tender evaluation and accounting purposes under compulsory competitive tendering of local authority services. [31863]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  In August 1994, my Department issued a consultation paper inviting comments on possible changes to the way in which DSO redundancy costs should be handled for evaluation and accounting purposes under compulsory competitive tendering.

  The consultation paper proposed a number of ground rules: first, that the redundancy costs of any proposed reduction in DSO staff should be chargeable to the DSO revenue account—the date and point for this would be the time of notification to contractors of those eligible for transfer in the event of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 applying to the contract; secondly, that any further DSO redundancies made in the course of carrying out the work would be treated in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy code of practice for compulsory competition; and, thirdly, the consultation paper also proposed that where there was no revenue account in existence—which is currently the case, for example, with the white collar CCT—all prospective redundancy costs should be added to the DSO tender price for evaluation purposes.

  A number of responses were received. Broadly speaking, private contractors supported the proposed rules, while local authorities supported the rules to an extent but resisted the proposal that redundancy costs incurred in advance of the establishment of a revenue account should invariably be added to the DSO bid. The Audit Commission supported the local authority view.

  I have today written to the trade and local authority associations informing them of my conclusions. I have decided, first, that all costs relating to DSO redundancies should appear on the face of DSO accounts with an accompanying explanation, in accordance with current accounting practice. Redundancies during the course of the agreement between an authority and a DSO should be charged to the DSO revenue account, irrespective of whether those redundancies are triggered by the client side or the DSO management.
  758
  Secondly, redundancy costs incurred prior to an invitation to tender should be recorded in the appropriate local authority accounts but should not feature in the DSO bid. This is because these costs would need to be met whether or not the DSO was awarded the work; in addition, to charge these costs to the DSO would be a disincentive to local authorities to take action to restructure in advance of competition, since authorities would not only pick up the costs of redundancy when they were incurred but have these costs counted against the DSO bid.

  Where there is no existing DSO revenue account as with the first tenders for white collar CCT, redundancy costs incurred prior to the invitation to tender should be recorded in the local authority account to which the pay of the redundant staff has been traditionally charged but should not feature in the DSO bid.

  Thirdly, where a DSO submits a bid based on fewer staff than notified to external contractors for the purpose of TUPE, the cost of any consequential redundancies, which will fall after the date for the commencement of the work, should fall on the new trading account and the DSO should therefore have made adequate provision for these costs in its bid. The submission by a DSO of a bid based on fewer staff than notified to external contractors may call into the question the validity of the work force information provided by the authority. It may be appropriate to arrange the execution of redundancies for the costs to fall on the new account.

  Fourthly, although it was not an issue raised in consultation, I have also considered how far the Secretary of State should take action against DSOs subsequently failing to meet the financial objective solely because of redundancy costs. Historically, Ministers have been sympathetic to DSOs in these circumstances and statutory action has been initiated. However, where financial failure is incurred as a result of redundancy costs instigated by the DSO to enable it to live within its bid price, then there is no case for treating these costs as unusual in any way, and for withholding statutory action. However, if redundancies are, in effect, imposed on the DSO by client changes to the volume and specification for the work, then providing that these are allowable under the contract conditions, they should not be held against the DSO in assessing the case for statutory action. In future, therefore, the Secretary of State may take action in appropriate cases in which financial failure is attributable to redundancy costs.

  The Welsh Office conducted a parallel consultation exercise on these proposals. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales agrees with my conclusions and his Department will write to local authority associations in Wales in the near future.

  Planning Regulations
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider new planning regulation guidelines to assist existing shopping centres to compete with new supermarket developments. [31329]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I will be issuing a draft revised version of planning policy guidance note 6 "Town Centres and Retail Developments" for consultation before the summer recess.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the selection of a chief executive for the proposed Environment Agency. [32195]

  Mr. Gummer
  The Environment Agency advisory committee, chaired by Lord De Ramsey, has chosen Mr. Ed Gallagher, currently chief executive of the National Rivers Authority, to be the Environment Agency's first chief executive. Mr. Gallagher was selected following an open competition. Subject to enactment of the Environment Bill, he is expected to be appointed chief executive by the agency when it is established later this year.

  House Renovation Grants
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent by local authorities in England and Wales on renovation grants; and what percentage was spent by each authority on providing facilities for people with disabilities in privately owned houses, for the last five years for which figures are available. [29904]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 22 June 1995]: Information about house renovation grants for England and for Wales is shown in the quarterly publication "Housing and Construction Statistics". Figures for the last five years appear in table 2.17 of the issues listed in the table. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Year

  Issue

  1990–1991

  December 1993, Part 2

  1991–19941

  December 1994, Part 2

  1 Data for the third and fourth quarters of 1994 are provisional.

  A table has been placed in the Library giving figures of the percentage of grant spent on providing facilities for people with disabilities in privately owned houses, for each local authority area in England for the last five years.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will direct the Local Government Commission for England to carry out its new district reviews. [32275]

  Mr. Gummer
  I have today directed the Local Government Commission to carry out reviews of the 21 districts which I listed in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Sir J. Hannam) on 22 June 1995,Official Report, column 353. I have also directed the commission to have regard to revised policy and procedure guidance. I am placing copies of the guidance in the Library.

WALES

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by how much Government spending has changed in 1994–95 as a result of the private finance initiative; what is the 760
  estimated effect in 1995–96; how many jobs are to be created by schemes approved to date under the initiative and how many have been lost as a consequence in the public sector; and what is the forecast of transfer of employment from public to private sector over the last five years because of the initiative. [30827]

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: The Department's spending was not changed in 1994–95 as a result of approvals of private finance initiative—PHI—schemes costing over £1 million. Information on schemes costing less than £1 million is not collected centrally. For 1995–96, spending on the PFI is expected to be £250,000. Information on the number of public and private sector jobs affected by the PFI is not available.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schemes and to what value have been approved in 1994–95 under the private finance initiative; what are the estimates for the current financial year; how many schemes are currently being considered and at what value; for how long have they been considered and how many have been in the assessment process for over(a) six months and (b) 12 months; and what was the average length of time taken to assess schemes so far approved. [30826]

  Mr. Hunt
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: No schemes costing over £1 million were approved in 1994–95. Information on schemes costing less than £1 million is not collected. Under the latest plans in 1995–96, up to five schemes with a total capital cost of around £80 million are likely to be approved. Twenty-six potential schemes with a total capital cost of more than £700 million are being considered. Of these, nine have been in the assessment process for more than six months and 17 have been in the assessment process for more than 12 months.

  Legislative Powers and Duties
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Acts with reference to the pertinent clauses, which grant him responsibilities, powers of duties in relation to(a) local government, (b) industrial development, (c) employment and training, (d) Welsh language, arts and recreation, (e) transport, (f) environmental services, (g) relations with the EU, (h) agriculture and (i) health and personal social services. [29941]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office was established in 1964. Since that date, the main Acts under which the Secretary of State has been granted responsibilities, powers or duties and for which in Wales the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible in relation to(a) local government, (b) industrial development, (c) employment and training, (d) Welsh language, arts and recreation, (e) transport, (f) environmental services, (g) relations with Europe, (h) agriculture and (i) health and personal social services are given in the following list.

  With regard to the pertinent clauses, this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Local government

  Local Government Act 1966

  Local Government Grants (Social Need) Act 1969

  Local Authority Social Services Act 1970

  Local Government Act 1972

  761

  Local Government Act 1974

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Local Government Finance Act 1982

  Local Government Act 1985

  Local Government Act 1987

  Local Government Act 1988

  Local Government Finance Act 1988

  Local Government Act 1988

  Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  Town and Country Planning Act 1990

  Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991

  Local Government Finance and Valuation Act 1991

  Local Government Act 1992

  Local Government Finance Act 1992

  Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994

  Local Government (Wales) Act 1994

  Industrial development

  Industry Act 1975

  Welsh Development Agency Act 1975

  Development of Rural Wales Act 1976

  Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978

  Inner Urban Areas Act 1978

  Industry Act 1980

  Industrial Development Act 1982

  Miscellaneous Financial Provisions Act 1983

  Industrial Development Act 1984

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1990

  Welsh Development Agency Act 1991

  Employment and training

  Trade Act 1967

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970

  Development of Rural Wales Act 1976

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Employment and Training Act 1981

  Industrial Training Acts 1982–1986

  Education Reform Act 1988

  Town and Country Planning Act 1990

  Further and Higher Education Act 1992

  Sunday Trading Act 1994

  Welsh language, arts and recreation

  Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953

  Caravan Sites Act 1968

  Development of Tourism Act 1969

  European Communities Act 1972

  Local Government Act 1972

  Ancient Monuments and Archeological Areas Act 1979

  Education Acts 1980–1993

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

  Local Government Act 1988

  Football Spectators Act 1989

  Further and Higher Education Act 1992

  Welsh Language Act 1993

  Transport

  Transport Act 1968

  Highways Act 1980

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

  762

  Highways Act 1991

  Radioactive Substances Act 1993

  Local Government (Wales) Act 1994

  Environmental services

  Development of Tourism Act 1969

  European Communities Act 1972

  Control of Pollution Act 1974

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Foot and Environment Protection Act 1985

  Agriculture Act 1986

  Local Government Act 1988

  Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989

  Water Act 1989

  Environmental Protection Act 1990

  Town and Country Planning Act 1990

  Water Resources Act 1991

  Water Industry Act 1991

  Relations with the European Union

  European Communities Act 1972

  Agriculture

  Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964

  Cereals Marketing Act 1965

  Agriculture Act 1967

  Health Act 1967

  Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1968

  Agriculture Act 1970

  Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1972

  European Communities Act 1972

  Horticulture (Special Payments) Act 1974

  Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976

  Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976

  Agriculture Statistics Act 1979

  Agriculture Training Board Act 1982

  Agriculture Marketing Act 1983

  Agriculture (Amendment) Act 1984

  Agriculture Training Board Act 1985

  Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

  Agriculture Act 1986

  Agriculture Holdings Act 1986

  Horticultural Produce Act 1986

  Farm Land and Rural Development Act 1988

  Pesticides (Fees and Enforcement) Act 1989

  Agriculture and Forestry (Financial Provisions) Act 1991

  Agriculture Act 1993

  Health and Personal Services

  Clean Air Act 1968

  Water Act 1973

  Control of Pollution Act 1974

  Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976

  Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978

  Health and Social Security and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983

  Building Act 1984

  Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984

  Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

  Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987

  Environmental Protection Act 1990

  Clean Air Act 1993

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Theatres Act 1968 (Amendment)
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending the Theatres Act 1968 so that minors could be prevented from witnessing material considered to be of an adult nature; and if he will make a statement. [30859]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We do not believe it would be appropriate to amend the Theatres Act 1968 in the way described.

  Age classifications awarded to films and videos remain appropriate for each subsequent showing because of the unchanging recorded image. Each theatre performance is, however, unique because it is "live". As a result, different productions and performances of the same play may vary according to artistic interpretation, making a classification system unworkable.

  Electro-shock Equipment
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to follow up allegations made in January in relation to the illegal and unauthorised production, export and arrangement of sale of electro-shock weapons and equipment; what legal action has been and is being undertaken in consequence of such investigations; and if he will make a statement. [31030]

  Mr. Maclean
  Electric shock weapons are covered by section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, as amended, which prohibits the unauthorised possession, manufacture, purchase, acquisition, transfer and sale of any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing.

  Following the allegations made in January, my Department has reviewed the terms of all authorities which are currently on issue to companies in England and Wales under section 5(1)(b) of the 1968 Act. There is no company which has authority to possess electric shock weapons.

  Police investigations and the prosecution of alleged offences are matters for chief officers of police and for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General. The control of exports is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Prisoners (Statistics)
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) women and (b) men are currently imprisoned as a result of conviction for (i) murder and (ii) manslaughter; and how many of these offences in each case related to the killing of a partner of the opposite sex. [31270]

  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.
  764
  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Ms Short, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) women and (b) men are currently imprisoned as a result of conviction for (1) murder and (2) manslaughter; and how many of these offences in each case related to the killing of a partner of the opposite sex.
  The available information is given in the attached tables.

  Population under sentence for murder or manslaughter1. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994.

  Male

  Female

  Murder

  2,515

  95

  Manslaughter

  495

  40

  1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offence is not centrally recorded.

  Information about the relationship between the victim and perpetrator is available for those convicted of homicide from 1982. The table below shows the numbers held in Prison Service establishments on 31 December 1994 who had been sentenced since 1 January 1982 and, of those, the numbers where the victim was a spouse, lover or cohabitant of the opposite sex.

  Population sentenced since 1 January 1982 for murder or manslaughter1. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994.

  Male

  Female

  Murder

  2,021

  90

  Manslaughter

  447

  40

  Of which, victim was partner of opposite sex.2

  Male

  Female

  Murder

  292

  31

  Manslaughter

  57

  9

  1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offence is not centrally recorded.

  2 Spouse, lover or cohabitant. The figures are approximate and may include cases where the victim was a relative or acquaintance of the partner.

  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the length of custodial sentences imposed on(a) men and (b) women currently in prison who were convicted for manslaughter of a partner of the opposite sex. [31272]

  Mr. 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. Pearson to Ms Clare Short, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking if he will publish a breakdown of the length of custodial sentences imposed on (a) men and (b) women currently in prison who were convicted for manslaughter of a partner of the opposite sex.
  Information about the relationship between the victim and perpetrator of manslaughter is not available for those convicted before 1982. The available information since then is given in the attached table.
  765

  Population sentenced since 1 January 1982 for manslaughter1 of partner2 of opposite sex. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994

  Males

  Females

  Sentence length

  Under 1 year

  —

  —

  1 year under 4 years

  1

  2

  4 years under 7 years

  31

  7

  7 years less than life

  12

  —

  Life

  13

  —

  Total

  57

  9

  1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offences is not centrally recorded.

  2 Spouse, lover or cohabitant. The figures are approximate and may include cases where the victim was a relative or acquaintance of the partner.

  Mrs. Quereshi Bibi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 June,Official Report, column 488, when the report arising from the interview on 5 February with the sponsor of Mrs. Quereshi Bibi—Ref. BV 100/25109—was sent to his office; when it was sent to the post in Islamabad; what recommendation was made; when a decision is to be made on Mrs. Quereshi Bibi's application; and if he will make a statement. [31608]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Papers were sent from the immigration office at Leeds-Bradford airport to the entry clearance officer in Islamabad on 23 February and 7 April No recommendation was made. The decision on the application is a matter for the entry clearance officer.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter dated 6 April from the hon. member for Worsley regarding his constituent Mrs. Ava Fielden. [30617]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 June 1995]: I replied to the hon. Member yesterday.

  Mentally Ill Prisoners
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 April,Official Report, columns 92–94, if he will give a regional breakdown of the numbers of prisoners transferred to hospitals under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last 10 years. [31217]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 June 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a regional breakdown of the numbers of prisoners transferred to hospitals under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last 10 years.
  The information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only by disproportionate cost.

  Foundation for Business Responsibilities
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, columns 369–70, (1) what confirmatory evidence was sought by the Charity Commissioner's investigators that documents relative to their inquiry into whether the Foundation for Business Responsibilities had been used as a vehicle for political donations were stolen during burglaries at the offices of the foundation; [30952]

  (2) what were the addresses and dates of the series of thefts which limited the Charity Commissioner's ability to determine conclusively whether the Foundation for Business Responsibilities was used as a vehicle for political donations; [30951]

  (3) what confirmatory evidence was sought by the Charity Commissioner's investigators that thefts from the offices of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities had (a) occurred and (b) been reported to the police. [30953]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Charity Commission investigators sought and received confirmation from the police that a break-in at 40 Doughty street, London WC1, which resulted in the theft of records belonging to the Foundation for Business Responsibilities, was reported to them as having taken place between 29 and 30 April 1993. The Charity Commission did not seek other evidence to confirm that the break-in had occurred.

  There was no means of obtaining independent confirmation as to the actual records taken.

  CERN Project Employees
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist for British citizens employed on the CERN project and whose children were born in Switzerland between 1 January 1983 and 20 December 1994 to ensure that their grandchildren acquire British nationality if they too are born abroad; how many children were born with a reduced right of United Kingdom citizenship for their children; how many families have children with differing citizenship as a result of the exemption given to CERN under the 1984 designation order; what consideration was given to allowing all children born to British employees of CERN the opportunity of claiming full United Kingdom citizenship rights; and if he will make a statement. [30798]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No special provision applies to employees of CERN unless they are on secondment from the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council—PPARC, formerly the Science and Engineering Research Council, SERC. Service under SERC was designated under section 2(3) of the British Nationality Act 1981 on 21 December 1984. The effect of this designation is that any children born abroad after that date to British employees of SERC or PPARC become British citizens "otherwise than by descent" and may transmit their British citizenship to a second generation born abroad. The Home Office does not keep records of the numbers of children born in Switzerland who are affected by this designation since the transmission of citizenship to and from them is a matter of law requiring no official intervention. There is no provision in the 1981 Act for designations to have retrospective effect, nor is there any
  767
  discretionary power in the Act to vary a person's status from "by descent" to "otherwise than by descent".

  Overseas Domestic Workers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are made, and by whom, on the condition and status of overseas domestic workers while they are in the United Kingdom. [31102]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Detailed checks that the conditions of the overseas domestic worker scheme are met are carried out by the entry clearance officer before arrival. On arrival, the immigration officer must be satisfied that the domestic worker intends to leave the United Kingdom within the period of leave granted. Where the employer is here on a longer-term basis and the domestic worker applies for an extension of stay, the Department needs to be satisfied that the conditions of the scheme, including adequate maintenance and accommodation, continue to be met.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had in the last year to improve the status and rights of overseas domestic workers in the United Kingdom. [31104]

  Mr. Baker
  A review of the arrangements for overseas domestic workers was undertaken last year, resulting in the changes announced on 9 December 1994,Official Report, columns 379–80. Officials also recently met two organisations who speak on behalf of overseas domestic workers.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) visas and (b) work permits have been granted to overseas domestic workers for entry and work in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [31103]

  Mr. Baker
  Comprehensive figures for the number of overseas domestic workers granted entry clearance visas are not kept centrally. However, arrangements are being made to obtain some figures for the period 1 January to 30 June 1995 which I will let the hon. Member have when they become available. Work permits are not issued to overseas domestic workers.

  Pools (Deregulation)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to allow all retail outlets to pay out small winnings to pools customers and give promoters the opportunity to establish a pool based on sporting events on any day of the week. [30533]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am currently reviewing the scope for further deregulation of the pools as part of the deregulation initiative. My officials are consulting with the Pools Promoters Association and have just received a further letter from it elaborating its proposals, including the proposals referred to by the hon. Member.

  Government Escort Service (Cellular Vehicles)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many new cellular vehicles are required for the court escort contracts still to be let; and at what cost to the Prison Service; [29962]
  768
  (2) how many and on what dates new vehicles are still to be delivered to Group 4 and Securicor for the court escort service; [29961]

  (3) how was the cost of providing new cellular vehicles taken into account when calculating and publishing the Prison Service's savings through contracting out the court escort service; [29963]

  (4) what was the value of each of the unsuccessful bids to provide new cellular vehicles for the court escort service; [29982]

  (5) on what date the decision was taken to provide new cellular vehicles for the court escort services; which companies tendered for the supply of cellular vehicles; and which companies won contracts to supply cellular vehicles; [29959]

  (6) what is the cost to the Prison Service of the successful bid to provide new cellular vehicles for the court escort service. [29960]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about cellular vehicles used by court escort contractors.
  The vehicles used by private contractors for transporting prisoners to and from court are built to a specification required by the Prison Service. The procurement of the vehicles, whether purchased or leased, is undertaken by the court escort contractor.
  For those contracts still to be let, the tenderers' proposals will identify how many vehicles will be required and the type/size of vehicle best suited to the expected volume of prisoner movements, the geography of the contract area, the locations to be served and the detailed operational specification. These proposals will be compared and evaluated as part of the process leading up to contract award.
  Once the court escort service contract has been awarded, it is the responsibility of the contractor to acquire the vehicles required and have them ready for use by the required date. Although we check that the vehicle programme is proceeding to plan we do not monitor the detail of delivery schedules and consequently we do not hold information on the precise numbers and dates regarding new vehicles still to be delivered.
  The cost of vehicles, which the contractor may purchase or lease, forms part of the overall contract price. Information about the cost of the vehicles, or about any other individual element within the total contract price, is a matter for the contractor. This applies to successful and unsuccessful tenders alike.
  To calculate the savings from contracting out court escort services, the contract price for the first year of full operation was compared with the estimated cost in the same year of continuing the previous arrangements. In estimating the latter, account was taken of vehicle costs, inclusive of depreciation.

  Mr. Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what system the Prison Service has in place to monitor the standards of maintenance and general safety of the cellular vehicles used by Group 4 and Securicor; [29964]

  (2) what is the annual cost to the Prison Service of monitoring the standards of maintenance and general safety of the cellular vehicles used by Group 4 and Securicor; [29966]
  769
  (3) on whom will fall the cost of new safety measures for existing cellular vehicles; [29968]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the cost of providing safety measures, other than seat belts, for staff and prisoners in all existing cellular vehicles; [29981]

  (5) on what date and on what basis the decision was taken not to fit seat belts for staff and prisoners in new cellular vehicles in court escort; [29965]

  (6) what is the estimated cost of fitting seat belts to all existing cellular vehicles in the court escort service. [29967]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about safety in cellular vehicles used in court escort contracts.
  Contractors may only use cellular vehicles if they comply with the demanding vehicle performance specification set out both in the invitation to tender for court escort and custody services and in the contract. The specification is the same as the one used by the Prison Service for its own new cellular vehicles and takes account of all the relevant legislation, including that on safety.
  Once a contract has been awarded, it is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure the vehicles are always properly maintained and roadworthy. The contractor's responsibilities are the same as any other operator of a passenger carrying, or public services vehicle. This means that the vehicles must be awarded a certificate of initial fitness under the Public Service Vehicle (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981 and they must be inspected annually by the Department of Transport Vehicle Inspectorate Agency. In addition, the contractor's operational procedures, which have to be agreed with the Prison Service before operation, require vehicle crews to undertake daily checks before the vehicles can be used.
  The contractor's vehicles must comply with the performance specification laid down. The cost of those vehicles and their maintenance forms part of the overall cost of the contract to the Authority. Modifications are occasionally made to the specification, for example to take account of any new relevant legislation or in the light of developments in vehicle design. However, it would be unusual to apply such modifications retrospectively to existing vehicles. The cost of any modification to an existing vehicle would fall to the Authority if it represented a new requirement but to the contractor if the change was covered by the existing performance specification.
  Existing safety measures form part of the overall cost of a vehicle and the cost of providing any additional measures would depend upon their nature.
  Seat belts for passengers are not required by law to be fitted in cellular vehicles. Their installation has been considered but the view has been taken, since the first specification was drawn up in 1989, that seat belts might be used by prisoners to attempt suicide or inflict self harm or as a weapon.
  The cost of providing seat belts would depend on the type of belt used, the number of mounting points required and the type of construction employed on the vehicle. It is estimated that the cost could be between £75 and £300 per seat.

  Suicides (Prison)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans will be put into operation during the next business year to reduce suicides in prisons in England and Wales. [29953]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 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 what plans will be put into operation during the next business year to reduce suicides in prisons in England and Wales.
  The Prison Service regards every self-inflicted death in custody as a tragedy. A new strategy, Caring for the Suicidal in Custody, was introduced throughout the Prison Service in April 1994, based on research commissioned by the Prison Service and carried out by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology.
  We will be maintaining this strategy and continuing with a major programme of staff training and the expansion of Listener Schemes, as well as working with the Samaritans and other groups and disseminating good practice.
  The new strategy is currently being evaluated. When this is completed, we will introduce any improvements that are indicated by the evaluation.

  Category C Prisons (Razor Wire)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the cost of providing additional razor wire security to the perimeters of category C prisons. [29954]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the cost of providing additional razor wire security to the perimeters of Category C prisons.
  The Prison Service is looking at a number of new measures designed to improve physical security. One possible development involves the use of razor wire coils as a barrier to make it extremely difficult for a prisoner even to reach the perimeter fence.
  The use of razor wire on a significant scale would depend upon the results of current trials and further assessment in a pilot prison setting. The cost-effectiveness of alternative measures would also need to be assessed before any final decision was made.
  Although some preliminary work has been done on the cost of additional razor wire, specific estimates cannot be prepared until completion of the trials and our own evaluation of the precise needs of each individual establishment.

  Prisoners (Foreign Nationals)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in London which hold foreign nationals on(a) drugs offences and (b) immigration offences. [29544]

  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. Pearson to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking for a list of the prisons in London which hold foreign nationals on (a) drugs offences and (b) immigration offences.
  Prison Service establishments in London currently holding foreign nationals for drug offences are: Belmarsh, Brixton, Wandsworth, Pentonville, Holloway and Wormwood Scrubs. The only London establishment which now holds newly detained foreign nationals as immigration detainees is Holloway prison.
  However, Belmarsh, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs as well as Holloway have some foreign nationals in their custody who have recently completed prison sentences and are now held awaiting deportation or the results of appeals against deportation.

  Prison Farms
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison farms in England and Wales. [59540]

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

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 29 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 number of prison farms in England and Wales.
  There are 38 Prison Service establishments with major agricultural and horticultural enterprises. A further 24 establishments have smaller scale horticultural production units. All establishments have a ground maintenance enterprise.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prisons must purchase food and produce from prison farms from within their prison food budget expenditure; and if he will make a statement. [29559]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 29 June 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about prison farms.
  Prisons are required to spend 26 per cent of their daily food allowance on items supplied by prison farms.

TREASURY

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants in his department or its agencies are presently working on matters related to the Scott 772
  inquiry; if dedicated units have been established; and what is the estimated cost to date of civil servants dealing with matters relating to the Scott inquiry. [30293]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 22 June 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave him on 18 May 1994, Official Report, columns 481–82. Costs incurred by the Treasury since then have been very small.

  There are presently six staff of HM Customs and Excise dedicated to working on matters related to the Scott inquiry. The total staffing cost of the Department's Scott liaison unit is now estimated to be around £612,000 to date. This figure does not include the personal costs of current and former Customs and Excise officials who have been asked to give written and/or oral evidence to the Scott inquiry.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 108, if he will list those occasions since the start of the current parliamentary year when (a) he and (b) the Chief Secretary did not give prior warning to hon. Members of visits to their constituencies. [30751]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 26 June 1995]: My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary and I are not aware of any occasions during the current Session when we have visited hon. Members' constituencies on departmental business without giving them prior warning.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union. [30935]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I represented the UK at the Economic and Finance Council—ECOFIN—of the European Union in Luxembourg on 19 June.

  The Council agreed to a draft recommendation on the broad guidelines for the conduct of economic policy in the Community and in the member states; to the broad thrust of a report on member states' progress with employment policies by the Economic Policy Committee; to conclusions on trans-European networks; and discussed a draft presidency report on preparations for the third stage of economic and monetary union. These were submitted to the Cannes European Council.

  The Council reached political agreement on a draft regulation on the protection of the Community's financial interests. The Council also adopted substantive conclusions on the Commission's annual report on fraud for 1994 and work programme on fraud for 1995–96, and procedural conclusions on member states' reports on national measures to combat fraud, waste and mismanagement of Community funds.

  The Council agreed that all three new member states have an excessive deficit and that Germany's existing excessive deficit decisions should be abrogated. There was also broad agreement on a proposed regulation concerning harmonised indices of consumer prices across the Community.
  773
  The Council adopted conclusions emphasising the need to respect financial perspective ceilings and calling for regular Commission updates on the situation.

  The Council discussed Commission proposals for a reduced VAT rate on cut flowers and for mandatory tax relief for biofuels. There was little consensus on the latter proposal and I questioned the utility of further work on the issue.

  No formal votes were taken.

  EU Statistics
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each European Union member state the title and source of each state's equivalent documents to the United Kingdom(a) Budget Red Book, (b) public expenditure statistical supplement, (c) departmental expenditure reports and (d) documents showing the composition of the public sector borrowing requirement and national debt figures. [30954]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will announce the proposed changes to the housing benefit regulations; and if he will make a statement. [31822]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 are today being laid before the House. The changes will come into force on 2 January 1996, allowing local authorities time to make the necessary arrangements for implementation.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to respond to the Social Security Advisory Committee report on his proposals for income support mortgage interest; and if he will make a statement. [31750]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I am today laying regulations before the House which set out the new rules relating to the payment of income support mortgage interest and other related housing costs from 2 October 1995. I have also responded to the report by the Social Security Advisory Committee. I am grateful to the committee for its report.

  Although I have not been able to accept all the committee's recommendations, I have carefully considered its comments and those of the lending and insurance industries and others. I believe the package of measures I have presented today will ensure that private insurance and income support mesh together to provide more comprehensive cover for borrowers who lose their income. High-quality comprehensive insurance available to all borrowers will provide better protection than the current limited income support scheme, which stands to help only 30 per cent. of home owners who may find themselves out of work.
  774
  These measures will stimulate insurers and lenders to continue to develop and improve on the mortgage protection cover they offer, while ensuring that benefit provision is retained for those borrowers and circumstances which the insurance industry cannot realistically cover, at this time.

  We have already seen some in the lending industry responding positively to these measures. Now the final details have been settled, I look forward to seeing more lenders take similar steps. Indeed, it is their own interest as well as that of their borrowers to do so.

  Frozen Pensions
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the cost in 1996–97 of granting Britain's expatriate pensioners whose pensions are frozen(a) the same increment as they would receive were they to be resident in Great Britain and (b) of closing the gap between the frozen pension and the full amount to which they would be entitled were they to be resident in Great Britain by 20 per cent. [31538]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The estimated cost of paying a single year's uprating is about £16 million, based on 1994 rates.

  The estimated cost of paying 20 per cent. of the difference between the amount currently payable and the amount which would be payable were the pensioners resident in Great Britain is £47 million in the first year.

  Motability
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct independent accountants to advise him as to whether the current level of contingency reserves for car leasing held by Motability Finance Ltd. are set at too high a level; and if he will make a statement. [31488]

  Mr. Hague
  The level of contingency reserves held by Motability Finance Ltd. are a matter of discussion between MFL and Motability. The level required is reviewed annually by Motability and MFL. The Secretary of State has asked them to report to him when they are next reviewed.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund loan applications were refused on the grounds that claimants were unable to repay(a) in total and (b) as a percentage of applications in each year since 1990–91 by (i) district and (ii) area directorate. [29330]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of the social fund 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. Alan Milburn, dated 28 June 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Social Fund (SF) loan applications, for each year since 1990–91, which were refused on the grounds that customers were unable to repay.
  With the creation of the Benefits Agency in April 1991, offices were grouped into Districts. I have, therefore, provided at Annex A the information requested for the year 1990/91 by former Local

  775
  Office and Region. Annexes B and C provide the information by BA District and Area Directorate for the years 1991/92 and 1992/93 respectively.
  The new Social Fund Computer System (SFCS) introduced from February 1993 and during the course of 1993/94, collects statistics in a different way to the old system. The information provided for 1993/94 at Annex D is a combination of the old system's data, which provided the main reason for refusal against each application, and the new system which provides a reason for refusal against each individual item refused. A customer's application will usually include a number of individual items. The figures collected for 1994/95, and provided at Annex E, are for items only and it is therefore not possible for me to provide the percentage of applications refused on the grounds of a person's inability to repay. Copies of the tables have been placed in the Library.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Church Repairs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to discuss with Church authorities the need for repair grants arising from damage caused by atmospheric polluters; and if he will make a statement. [31105]

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has not discussed with Church authorities the specific need for repair grants arising from damage caused by atmospheric pollution. However, the position with regard to historic churches is that, provided other eligibility criteria are fulfilled, grant aid may be available from English Heritage towards repairs necessitated by atmospheric pollution.

  Amsterdam Wreck
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action his Department is taking to preserve the wreck of the East Indiaman Amsterdam buried in shingle off Hastings sea front; and if he will make a statement. [31499]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Amsterdam is afforded statutory protection from unauthorised interference as a designated wreck under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. I am aware of a report indicating that the timbers which are sometimes exposed are deteriorating through natural processes, but I have been advised that the wreck is under no immediate threat. My officials are currently in touch with the Dutch Government, who are the owners, about the future of the Amsterdam.

  Churchill Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) on what occasions his views were sought by the national heritage memorial fund on the valuation of the Churchill papers provided by Bernard Quaritch; [30599]

  (2) when he was first consulted by the national heritage memorial fund about the decision to acquire the Churchill papers. [30598]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The national heritage memorial fund, like all distributors of lottery funding, reaches its decisions independently of Government, as is provided for in the National Lottery etc. Act 1993.

  Heritage Green Paper
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) whether the heritage Green Paper will include proposals to reform the membership of, and guidance given by the Government to, the Millennium Commission; [29931]

  (2) whether the heritage Green Paper will include proposals to reform the national lottery. [29932]

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Arts Expenditure
  Mr. Jim Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the current level of expenditure per capita on the arts. [30980]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 June 1995]: Figures for total per capita spending on the arts are not currently available; my Department is supporting a research programme designed to produce an accurate overall measure of the level of creative artistic activity.

  My Department's tax-funded budget for the performing and contemporary visual arts in 1995–96 is £200.6 million. With only small exceptions, this money is spent within England, giving a per capita expenditure in the current year from central Government of £4.13. My Department is also responsible for the national lottery, which expects to make available up to £200 million to the arts in England in the current year. If the Department's expenditure on museums and galleries is also included, the per capita figure is £12.75.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Violent Crime
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change has taken place in the number and type of violent crimes committed in Northern Ireland since August 1994. [29811]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Statistics indicate that there has been an overall decrease of more than 16 per cent. in violent crime for the period September 1994 to May 1995 when compared to the previous nine months, with all types of crime showing a decrease to some extent.

  Arms Decommissioning
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made regarding decommissioning of weapons. [29814]

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on decommissioning terrorist arms and explosives. [29829]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink).

  Political Settlement
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress towards a political settlement in Northern Ireland. [29815]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Our aim remains the achievement of a comprehensive and widely acceptable political settlement. Democratically mandated parties committed to peaceful methods will be its principal architects. Therefore, the Government continue to encourage in the first instance, bilateral meetings between such parties and themselves.

  Education
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the integration of schools in Northern Ireland. [29817]

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) earlier today.

  Educational Exchanges
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to promote educational visits and exchanges with schools and colleges in the rest of the United Kingdom. [29818]

  Mr. Ancram
  School and colleges are responsible for organising their own educational visits and exchanges within the United Kingdom. The introduction of local management of schools and colleges allows for greater freedom to develop links appropriate to their needs.

  Union
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to further the union with Northern Ireland. [29819]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Northern Ireland is, in fact and in law, already a fully integral part of the Union. The Government gladly uphold this constitutional position, and have no intention of changing it while it continues to accord with the democratic wish of most of the people who live there.

  Framework Document
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on the framework document. [29820]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  "Frameworks for the Future" were published on 22 February. The Government believe that the two framework documents cover the issues which need to be addressed as part of a comprehensive political settlement. They are not intended as a blueprint, and both Governments have made it clear that they are happy to listen to other ideas.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to restructure the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [29821]
  778
  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 May,Official Report, column 749. We intend to publish more detailed proposals on the reform of the tripartite structure of policing later this year.

  Blue Circle Dump
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many objections were received by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) regarding the proposal from Blue Circle for a super-dump in the limestone-based quarry at Magheramorne, County Antrim. [29822]

  Mr. Moss
  The Department has received approximately 1,500 letters making representations about the planning application for a landfill site and associated works at the former Magheramorne quarry.

  Political Talks
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in the political talks concerning the future of Northern Ireland. [29823]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan) earlier today.

  Drug Abuse
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to combat drug abuse in Northern Ireland. [29824]

  Sir John Wheeler
  A wide range of activities to combat drug misuse in Northern Ireland is carried out by a variety of agencies, including those working in areas of health education, treatment and law enforcement.

  In addition, the Northern Ireland Committee on Drug Misuse, which advises the Department of Health and Social Services on issues relating to drug and solvent misuse, is current preparing a draft policy statement on drug misuse in Northern Ireland.

  The draft statement includes five main priority areas for action—education and prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, law enforcement, information and research and monitoring and evaluation—and has been the subject of a widespread consultation exercise, the responses to which are currently being evaluated. At the end of this process, the committee intends to submit a final draft to the Government for consideration as the basis of a policy framework for tackling drug misuse in Northern Ireland.

  This will be addressed by a new top-level committee which I have established and which I will chair to ensure that individual Government Departments contribute fully towards a properly co-ordinated approach to tackling the drugs problem.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. [29825]
  779
  Mr. Moss
  The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is the single regional housing authority in Northern Ireland and is responsible for the assessment of housing need and the development of programmes to meet that need.

  The Department of the Environment is currently undertaking a review of housing policy in Northern Ireland and will shortly publish a consultative paper. The review is of policies and programmes and is predicated on the continued existence of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive together with an expanding voluntary sector and a growing private sector.

  Water and Sewerage Privatisation
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of his proposals to privatise the water and sewerage industry in Northern Ireland. [29826]

  Mr. Moss
  As announced in the House on 29 June 1994,Official Report, columns 546–47, the Department of Environment's Water Executive will be established as a next steps agency by April 1996 as an interim stage to eventual privatisation. While the Government remain committed to the privatisation of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland at the earliest practicable date, it is recognised that, for a number of technical reasons, this will not be possible in the lifetime of the present Parliament.

  Sewage Treatment Plants
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sewage treatment plants in the Antrim, South constituency have not yet been upgraded under the Department's five-year programme. [29827]

  Mr. Moss
  Work still to be undertaken in the Department's programme of sewage treatment plants in the Antrim, South constituency consists of the diversion of sewage from existing works at Killead, Crumlin and Ballyduggenan Villas to neighbouring larger works.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about inward investment to the Province. [29828]

  Mr. Ancram
  In 1994–95, 10 new inward investment projects offering almost 2,000 jobs were negotiated by the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland and a target of 20 projects offering 4,500 jobs has been set for 1995–96.

  The peace process and growing business confidence are providing new opportunities to reposition Northern Ireland as a prime investment location. The new and more positive image of Northern Ireland is enhancing the credibility of the IDB in discussions with potential investors. Resources are being increased to capitalise upon this new business opportunity, particularly in the United States.

  Education Policy
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Scotland to discuss education policy in the United Kingdom. [29830]
  780
  Mr. Ancram
  There is regular contact at ministerial level on education policy as part of the normal processes of government.

  Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the 20th report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights, and if he will make a statement. [32244]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The report for the period 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995 has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament.

  The Commission has considered a range of important matters during the period under review. These include questions relating to the changing political circumstances following the ceasefire, notably the future of policing and possible changes in emergency legislation. The Commission also commented on the application of international standards for the protection of human rights.

  I would also like to thank the commission for its extensive report on disability in Northern Ireland, which was brought to the attention of Parliament in the form of Command Paper 2740 in December 1994.

  Copies of the commission's 20th report have been placed in the Library. Copies of my response to the report will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Licensed Firearms Dealers
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on licensed firearms dealers in Northern Ireland. [31286]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The registration and control of firearms dealers is governed by articles 34 to 41 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. There are presently 154 registered firearms dealers in Northern Ireland.

  The 1981 order requires the Chief Constable to maintain a register of firearms dealers, and only those persons granted a certificate of registration by the Chief Constable are permitted to trade as firearms dealers. Before issuing such a certificate, the Chief Constable must be satisfied that the person is not already prohibited from trading by order of a court in Northern Ireland or Great Britain, following the person's conviction on firearms offences or for an offence relating to the import and export of firearms or ammunition; that the person can safely trade in firearms without endangering the public or the peace; that the proposed place of business is suitable; and that there is a need at that place for such a business. The order empowers the Chief Constable to impose conditions on the certificate of registration. Failure to comply with those conditions may lead to the certificate being revoked. The Secretary of State can give directions to the Chief Constable as to the conditions to be imposed. The Chief Constable may also revoke the certificate of registration if he is satisfied that the person has ceased to trade as a firearms dealer; or has ceased to have a place of business in Northern Ireland; or cannot be permitted to continue trading as a firearms dealer without danger to the public safety or to the peace. Any firearms dealer or prospective firearms dealer aggrieved by the Chief

  781
  Constable's decision in such matters, may appeal to the Secretary of State under article 55 of the order.

  The Secretary of State is satisfied that the law governing the firearms trade is sufficient and is rigorously enforced by the Chief Constable in the interests of public safety.

  Sunday Observance
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if articles I, II, and III, of the Act for the Better Observation of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, AD 1695, are currently in force. [31285]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Articles I, II, and III of the Sunday Observance Act (Ireland) 1695 are still in force as set out in the latest version of the "Statutes Revised, Northern Ireland", Vol. A, pages 47 and 48.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many convictions there have been under the Act for the Better Observation of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, AD 1695, for the use or exercise on the Lord's day of(a) hurling, (b) commoning, (c) football playing, (d) cudgels, (e) wrestling and (f) any other games, pastimes or sports in each of the past 15 years; [31289]

  (2) how many individuals have been (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted, (c) fined, (d) subjected to the confiscation of goods or property or (e) set publicly in the stocks under any of the provisions of the Act for the Better Observation of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, AD 1695, in each of the past 15 years. [31287]

  Sir John Wheeler
  As far as the police are concerned, there have been no criminal prosecutions recorded in the past 15 years for offences under the Act for the Better Observation of the Lord's Day. There may have been private prosecutions, but no central records of these are available.

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets and been set for the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency during 1995–96. [32245]

  Mr. Moss
  For 1995–96 the following performance targets have been set:

  Performance targets

  Vehicle test appointments

  28 days average waiting time

  Driving test appointments

  56 days average waiting time

  Productivity (vehicle testing)

  16.35 units per man per day

  Productivity (driver testing)

  7.8 units per man per day

  Error Rate

  Faulty inspections not to exceed 0.25 per cent. of tests conducted

  Level of complaints about booking arrangements

  Less than 1 per cent. of applications received

  Level of complaints about conduct of tests

  Less than 1 per cent. of applications received

  782

  Performance targets

  Level of customer satisfaction with booking arrangements

  At least 85 per cent. plus or minus 2 per cent. within the range of sampling error

  Level of customer satisfaction with test procedures

  At least 90 per cent. plus or minus 2 per cent. within the range of sampling error

  Number of compensation payments for cancelled tests

  Less than 0.5 per cent. of applications received

  Composite unit cost of testing operations

  £16.95

  Educational Administration
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received on the paper "Educational Administration in Northern Ireland: Proposals for change". [29812]

  Mr. Ancram
  I have received some 1,300 written representations and have met a number of deputations. I will consider all these responses carefully before reaching any final decisions.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will respond to representations from the constituency of Strangford to the consultative document "Educational Administration in Northern Ireland: Proposals for Change"; and if he will make a statement. [29813]

  Mr. Ancram
  Representations for the constituencies of Strangford are among many received by my Department. I will consider them all carefully before reaching and announcing any final decisions.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Lord Farnham
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Attorney-General how many hours of(a) his time and (b) his staff's time was involved in dealing with the application of Lord Farnham to be allowed to sit in the House of Lords; what was the total cost of the case to his Department; and what proportion of those costs was subsequently met by the applicant. [31112]

  The Attorney-General
  Officials in the Treasury Solicitor's Department have spent 156.3 hours to date dealing with Lord Farnham's petition for a writ of summons to the House of Lords. The cost to the Department of such time is £13,757.40, in addition to which the Department has disbursed £18,000.32 by way of expenses attributable to the case. The petitioner has met his own costs and has paid an agreed contribution of £2,643.75 in respect of the costs of a private hearing before me. My officials and I worked on the case as part of normal duties and the time is not recorded.

  Thurrock Borough Council
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Attorney-General what action has been taken in respect of the video sent to him by the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) relating to Thurrock council; and if he will make a statement. [30472]
  783
  The Attorney-General
  I have written to the solicitors acting on behalf of the hon. Member for Billericay and to the chief executive of Thurrock borough council.

  Treasury Counsel Fees
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many barristers on the panel of Treasury counsel received more than £200,000 in fees from public funds for the latest year for which information is available; [25055]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 22 May, Official Report, column 451, how much each Treasury counsel retained for civil work received in fees from public funds in 199495; of the Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court, how many received between (i) £250,000 to £300,000, (ii) £300,000 to £350,000, (iii) £350,000 to £400,000, (iv) £400,000 to £500,000, (v) in excess of £500,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service for financial year 1994–95. [29928]

  The Attorney-General
  Pursuant to my answer of 22 May 1995,Official Report, column 451, and to my answer of 21 June 1995, Official Report, column 260, and further to my answer pursuant to that given on 21 June, the information given for fees paid to Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court requires correction. During the financial year 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995, the number of counsel in respect of whom payments were issued by the Crown Prosecution Service are set out in the table by reference to the bands referred to in the hon. Member's question:

  Column 1 (inc. vat)

  Column 2 (ex. vat)

  (I) £250,000 to £300,000

  3

  0

  (ii) £300,000 to £350,000

  0

  3

  (iii) £350,000 to £400,000

  3

  0

  (iv) £400,000 to £500,000

  0

  0

  (v) in excess of £500,000

  0

  0

  The figures given are shown in two columns. Column 1 relates to payments including value added tax. Column 2 shows the fees paid to counsel excluding value added tax.

  On the basis of the information now available to me, the number of Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court in respect of whom payments in excess of £200,000, inclusive of value added tax, were issued by the Crown Prosecution Service over the same financial year is 10. The number in respect of whom payments in excess of £200,000, exclusive of value added tax, were issued by the Crown Prosecution Service over the same period is six.

  The figures given, provided by the Crown Prosecution Service and taken from its computerised database, are calculated strictly by the date on which a particular payment is issued by the Crown Prosecution Service rather than the date on which the payment was received or processed by the individual counsel concerned.

HEALTH

  Management Costs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors led her to discontinue the management cost control strategy and the publishing of management cost accounts in the annual accounts. [28269]

  Mr. Malone
  Targets on management costs related to costs in regional health authorities, district health authorities and family practitioner committees. Introduction of the national health service reforms with increasing devolution of responsibilities to local level rendered those targets inappropriate.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national health service trusts or authorities currently operate within the 1987–88 Trent management cost of 4.9 per cent. of turnover. [28252]

  Mr. Malone
  The measures used by Trent regional health authority in 1987–88 preceded the creation of national health service trusts through the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. On 7 June my right hon. Friend announced that she was asking all trusts to publish in their annual reports information about their management costs based on definitions used by the Audit Commission. Information will be published centrally and the first set of information will be available in September 1995. As a result of the devolution of functions through our reforms of the NHS, we are now able to simplify and streamline the headquarters organisations. Savings are expected to approach £200 million by 1997–98 including some £150 million from reducing and slimming down health authorities and some £50 million in the running costs of the Department of Health. These savings will be ploughed back into patient care.

  Hepatitis C
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of blood products is now tested for hepatitis C; and what type of products are not. [30418]

  Mr. Sackville
  All blood collected from United Kingdom donors is tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus on each individual donation.

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what number of senior management are currently employed by NHS trusts. [30433]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 17 February,Official Report, columns 838–40, for the latest available information.

  Ambulance Response Times
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 480, how many times an ambulance has not arrived within the national charter standard time in total and by ambulance service in 1994–95 or part year thereof. [30432]
  785
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not yet available. Information on ambulance service performance will be published shortly as part of the national health service performance tables.

  Tenovus
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Tenovus charity to cancer research; and if she will make a statement. [31073]

  Mr. Malone
  The Government welcome the valuable contribution made by medical research charities such as Tenovus. We work closely with cancer charities to identify gaps in funding and opportunities for collaborating in funding cancer research. The Government are committed to ensuring the best use of resources for health and medical research and seek, in collaboration with the cancer charities, to avoid unnecessary duplication in this field.

  No specific assessment of this charity's contribution to cancer research has been made.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has made to ensure that cancer research which would have been funded by the Tenovus charity will receive funding from alternative sources. [31075]

  Mr. Malone
  None. The Government place a high priority on health and medical research and will spend about £385 million in 1994–95 on research and research-related expenditure. The Government also support biomedical and clinical research through the Medical Research Council, which receives its funding from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Charities provide an independent source of research funding.

  The Department of Health has established a national forum to advise Government and the NHS on research issues. The forum brings together the major funders of health and medical research, including the Association of Medical Research Charities, and provides an important means of establishing closer working links between research interests in the NHS and elsewhere. Within this framework, the Department is working with the Association of Medical Research Charities—of which Tenovus is a member—to promote better understanding of the charities' respective strategies and priorities.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for National Heritage regarding the impact of the national lottery on the Tenovus charity. [31076]

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring she has carried out of the income of medical research charities following the introduction of the national lottery, with particular reference to the Tenovus cancer research charity; and what has been the result to date. [31074]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is too early to assess the effect of the lottery in a number of areas, including charitable income. The Government are, however, committed to monitoring any changes in this respect. A programme of research is being
  786
  drawn up which will include surveys of individual charitable giving and analysis of the income of charities covering the periods before, during and after the introduction of the national lottery.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of finished consultant episodes for neurosurgery by region and district health authority for each of the last five years. [30815]

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

  Press Releases
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press releases have been issued and in which Minister's name in each of the last two years. [30784]

  Mr. Sackville
  There were 609 press releases issued in 1994. At 22 June 1995, 329 had been issued. These can be broken down as follows:

  Press releases

  1994

  Secretary of State

  134

  Minister for Health

  111

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—hon. Tom

  Sackville

  76

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—John Bowis

  OBE

  104

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—Baroness

  Cumberlege CBE

  51

  Miscellaneous

  133

  1995 (to 22 June)

  Secretary of State

  69

  Minister for Health

  86

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—hon. Tom

  Sackville

  29

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—John Bowis

  OBE

  55

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State—Baroness

  Cumberlege CBE

  31

  Miscellaneous

  59

  Complementary Medicine
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding European directives or regulations affecting provisions under United Kingdom common and statute law concerning complementary medicine. [30797]

  Mr. Sackville
  It is United Kingdom Government policy to implement all European directives and regulations in accordance with our treaty obligations. Any proposals for European legislation on complementary medicine will be examined as and when they emerge.

  Chemotherapy Treatment
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 8 June,Official Report, column 308, (1) when she was first written to by hon. Members regarding local charges for chemotherapy treatment; what action she took; and for what reasons the inappropriate application of guidelines continued; [30801]
  787
  (2) what assessment she has made of the reasons for the failure of Wigan hospital to implement properly guidelines on charging patients for chemotherapy treatment. [30800]

  Mr. Sackville
  The oversight within an individual trust was addressed by the trust itself, and refunds made. We have no record of correspondence from hon. Members on this issue.

  Springfield Clinic, Blakelaw
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS executive was first notified of an appeal about the general practice vacancy in Springfield clinic, Blakelaw, formerly run by Dr. Ahmed; when a decision is expected; and who is providing general practitioner services in the interim. [30810]

  Mr. Malone
  The national health service executive was first notified of an appeal against the decision of Newcastle family health services authority concerning the former practice of Dr. Ahmed by letter dated 10 February 1995. It is not possible to provide an expected date of decision and, in the meantime, it is a matter for the family health services authority to make temporary arrangements for the provision of general medical services to the patients of the practice.

  Publicity
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was her Department's publicity budget in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion has been spent on specific health promotion campaigns. [30814]

  Mr. Sackville
  Expenditure on publicity in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  £ million

  1985–86

  4.513

  1986–87

  12.627

  1987–88

  12.381

  1988–89

  10.799

  1989–90

  17.248

  1990–91

  21.008

  1991–92

  24.471

  1992–93

  20.710

  1993–94

  19.147

  11994–95

  18.177

  1 Estimated.

  Estimated expenditure in 1994–95 included major campaigns on drug and solvent misuse, £4.4 million; organ donation, £1.6 million; blood donor recruitment, £1.1 million; AIDS helpline, £2 million; and "The Health of the Nation", £1.7 million.

  Specific information on the proportion spent on health promotion campaigns could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Pulmonary Embolisms
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research and findings her Department carried out into pulmonary embolism prevention; and if she will make a statement. [31209]
  788
  Mr. Sackville
  We supported a major conference on the management of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism at the Royal College of Surgeons in June 1994. Following that conference, a joint working group of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was set up to produce guidelines for the profession. The working party is commissioning further analyses of existing data in order to produce evidence-based guidelines and to identify gaps in research.

  Steroids
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research and findings her Department has carried out into a double-blind, randomised comparison of(a) high dose inhaled steroids, (b) low dose inhaled steroids and low dose theophylline and (c) low dose inhaled steroids alone as treatment regimes for asthma; and if she will make a statement. [31208]

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Aspirin
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research and findings her Department carried out into a randomised placebo-controlled trial of the effects of low dose aspirin on mortality and major morbidity in patients with hip fracture; and if she will make a statement. [31210]

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand that the clinical trial service unit at the Radcliffe infirmary, Oxford is organising the pulmonary embolism prevention trial, funded by the British Heart Foundation. The PEP trial aims to determine whether any beneficial effects of aspirin given to patients with hip fracture outweigh any risks. The trial is still in progress and the findings have not yet been published.

  Cardiac Surgery
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of the conclusions and recommendations of the working party of the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons considering supra-regional funding for paediatric cardiac surgery. [31523]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has received no such report.

  Health Survey for England
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has carried out into a health survey for England; what were the findings of that research; and if she will make a statement. [31501]

  Mr. Sackville
  The health survey for England has been carried out since 1991. The findings of the 1991 to 1993 health surveys are contained in annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library. The 1994 report will he published in early 1996.

  GP Lists
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the right of patients to challenge the reasons for which their names have been removed from a general practitioner's list. [31374]

  Mr. Malone
  No. Under their terms of service, general practitioners are not required to give reasons when removing a patient from their list. Equally, patients are not required to give reasons when they wish to change doctors.

  St. Charles Youth Treatment Centre
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the future of the St. Charles youth treatment centre; and if she will make a statement. [32196]

  Mr. Bowis
  The St. Charles youth treatment centre at Brentwood, Essex has made an important and valued contribution to the treatment and care of some of the most disturbed and difficult young people with which the child care system has had to deal and has been influential in the lives of many young people.

  I am, however, no longer satisfied that the centre can continue in the future to provide properly for the best interests of the young people accommodated there or for those of the staff or for the security of the local community. The centre was designed and built in the 1960s and the buildings no longer meet accepted standards. There have also been problems of management and control which have proved difficult to resolve. In consequence, the centre has been operating far below its nominal capacity and currently accommodates only six young people. I therefore intend to close the centre, subject to consultation with the staff and their representatives on the implications of the closure for them. No decision has yet been taken on the future use of the site.

  When the centre was set up in 1971, there were no similar facilities to deal with the most difficult and disturbed young people. Since then, however, local authorities have developed their own secure accommodation and have become skilled and experienced in dealing with many young people needing secure care. The Department of Health already has in place a major building and refurbishment programme to strengthen still further the range and geographical spread of local authority secure accommodation. Working with local authorities, the Department of Health is funding a strategy in excess of £40 million to put in place high-quality facilities which are safe for the young people and for the public.

  The other youth treatment centre at Glenthorne in Birmingham will continue. It is being expanded to an overall capacity of 40 secure places within its present building stock and planning permissions.

  National Blood Service
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Plymouth blood transfusion centre will retain blood processing activities after the reorganisation of the national blood service. [30502]
  790
  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the National Blood Authority which will announce its revised proposals in due course.

  Art Therapy
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce a strategy to co-ordinate work on art therapy and similar activities involving arts and health in primary care; and if she will make a statement. [31488]

  Mr. Malone
  I have no plans to introduce such a strategy.

  GPs Deprivation Payments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those areas in which general practitioner's practices have qualified for additional payments for deprivation as defined under the Jarman index in each of the last five years and the current year. [28085]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 12 June 1995]: General practitioners' deprivation payments were introduced in April 1990 based on 1981 census data. A list will be placed in the Library of electoral wards where general practitioners became eligible for these payments in respect of patients living in those electoral wards.

SCOTLAND

  Scottish Natural Heritage
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times since its inception the chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage has addressed(a) conservation bodies, (b) farmers, (c) landowners, other than farmers, (d) countryside sports bodies and (e) any other bodies. [30701]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information is set out in the table. In addition, he has also delivered six addresses to joint landowners and countryside sports gatherings and one address when all five groups—a to e below—were represented.

  Type of body

  Number of addresses

  (a) Conservation bodies

  46

  (b) Farmers (including foresters)

  11

  (c) Landowners, other than farmers

  2

  (d) Countryside sports bodies

  1

  (e) Any other bodies

  48

  In Vitro Fertilisation
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to increase the number of IVF treatments in Scotland; and if he will make a statement; [31079]

  (2) how many people in each health board area have received IVF treatment from (a) their own health board area and (b) other health board areas in each of the last

  791
  five years; and what has been the cost to each health board. [31081]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for individual health boards to decide on the level of infertility service to purchase. Information on the number of patients who have received infertility treatment and its cost to health boards is not available centrally.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much Government spending has changed in 1994–95 as a result of the private finance initiative; what is the estimated effect in 1995–96; how many jobs are to be created by schemes approved to date under the initiative and how many have been lost as a consequence in the public sector; and what is the forecast of transfer of employment from public to private sector over the last five years because of the initiative. [30831]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: It is not possible for 1994–95 or 1995–96 to attribute to the private finance initiative changes in either actual or planned Government spending. Progress in using the PFI is only one of many factors to be taken into account in assessing the level of public sector capital spending in Scotland. Also, it is not possible on the information currently available to forecast the effect on employment of the PFI. There is, however, no evidence that any public sector jobs have been lost to date through the PFI. Many of the jobs involved in capital projects funded by the public sector at present are, of course, in the private sector. Where, however, the PFI funds projects which would not go ahead otherwise, additional jobs will be created.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schemes and to what value have been approved in 1994–95 under the private finance initiative; what are the estimates for the current financial year; how many schemes are currently being considered and at what value; for how long have they been considered and how many have been in the assessment process for over(a) six months and (b) 12 months; and what was the average length of time taken to assess schemes so far approved. [30830]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: Schemes to the value of £37.9 million were approved in 1994–95. Precise details for the current financial year are not yet available, but estimates suggest that projects with a value of more than £60 million will be approved. The Scottish Office document "Private Finance Partnership in Scotland" published in March 1995 identified potential projects with a total value of £2.68 billion. The Scottish Office does not have available centrally information on the length of the assessment process for individual projects which are the responsibility of a range of different public authorities.

  Scottish Nuclear
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that a golden share to protect the identity of Scottish Nuclear is included in the articles of association of the United Kingdom nuclear holding company; and if he will make a statement. [31254]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, in his
  792
  statement of 9 May, Official Report, columns 563–78, made it clear that Scottish Nuclear's continued existence will be protected by special shares in the holding company and in Scottish Nuclear itself.

  Nuclear Holding Company
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that the chief executive of the United Kingdom nuclear holding company will be based in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [31255]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 June 1995]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced on 9 May that the nuclear holding company would be registered, and its headquarters would be located, in Scotland. I would expect the chief executive of the company to be based at its headquarters.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much expenditure was granted in fee remission and incidental expenses on the assisted places scheme to pupils whose families had a residual income greater than £17,000 per annum in each of the past five years. [29794]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which schools accepted pupils under the assisted places scheme from families with a residual income of over £17,000. [29800]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Schools with assisted place pupils in school session 1994–95 where the residual family income was greater than £17,000 are given.

  Aberlour School

  Albyn School

  Beaconhurst School

  Belmont House School

  Butterstone School

  Cargilfield School

  Craigclowan School

  Craigholme School

  Crawfordton House School

  Dollar Academy

  Drumley House School

  Edinburgh Academy

  Fernhill School

  Fettes College

  George Heriot's School

  George Watson's College

  Glasgow Academy

  Glenalmond College

  Gordonstoun School

  Hamilton College

  High School of Dundee

  High School of Glasgow

  Hutchesons' Grammar School

  Keil School

  Kelvinside Academy

  Kilgraston School

  793

  Laurel Bank School

  Lomond School

  Loretto School

  Merchiston Castle School

  Morrison's Academy

  The Park School

  Rannoch School

  Robert Gordon's College

  Rudolf Steiner School, Edinburgh

  St. Aloysius College

  St. Columba's School

  St. Denis and Cranley School

  St. George's School

  St. Leonard's School

  St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh

  St. Mary's School

  Stewart's Melville College and The Mary Erkskine School

  Strathallan School

  Wellington College.

  Schools (Placing Requests)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance exists for local authorities on the acceptable reasons for refusing placing requests for schools. [29797]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under section 28A(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1981, where the parent of a child makes a placing request it is the duty of an education authority to place the child in the school specified in the request, being a school under its management. The only exceptions are as set out in section 28A(3). Guidance on section 28A was included in circular number 1074, issued by the Scottish Education Department in November 1981.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list cases of which he is aware where the history of placing requests for a school formerly accommodated within the one regional council will now involve cross-boundary placement from one unitary authority to another. [29798]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Schools (Catchment Areas)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had on the catchment areas for schools. [29799]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As with other aspects of the education service, representations are received from time to time on issues in relation to school catchment—or delineated—areas. However, while in certain cases the approval of the Secretary of State is required before a catchment area may be changed, catchment areas are primarily a matter for education authorities.

  Higher Education
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the purpose of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's request to higher education institutions 794
  that their strategic overview should include contingency plans, approved by governing bodies, for action in the event of unforeseen and highly adverse financial circumstances. [30709]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 28 June 1995,Official Report, column 732.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of funding for higher education in 1992–93; and what is the intended amount for 1997–98. [30710]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on expenditure for the years in question is given in the departmental report of March 1995 "Serving Scotland's Needs", Cm 2814, and is as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93 Outturn

  Recurrent and capital funding for the Centrally Funded

  Colleges

  140

  Student Allowance Scheme (tuition fees and maintenance grants)

  306

  Student loans

  22

  1997–98 Plans

  Recurrent and capital grants to SHEFC

  546

  Student Allowance Scheme (tuition fees and maintenance grants)

  285

  Student loans

  136

  The figures for 1997–98 are provisional and subject to review in the annual public expenditure surveys.

  Figures for 1992–93 and later years are not directly comparable because funding for teaching and research at the eight universities in Scotland previously funded by the Universities Funding Council was the responsibility until 31 March 1993 of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education, and because of changes in the balance between fees and grants for tuition.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent teachers/lectures were employed in further education colleges, universities, primary and secondary schools, in permanent posts, in each year since 1990. [30711]

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

  Number of teachers/lecturers (FTE) in Education Authority primary and secondary schools, further education colleges and higher education institutions

  Session

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  Further education colleges

  Higher education institutions

  1990–91

  21,650

  23,226

  6,986

  10,231

  1991–92

  n/a

  n/a

  6,744

  10,583

  1992–93

  21,752

  23,139

  6,890

  10,813

  1993–94

  n/a

  n/a

  6,818

  11,045

  1994–95

  121,686

  23,6791

  6,920

  n/a

  1 Provisional.

  School Boards
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what training is provided for members of school boards in interviewing of candidates for senior teaching posts. [30712]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for each education authority to determine what training should be provided for members of school boards in its area to assist them in carrying out their functions, including their duties in relation to interviewing candidates for senior teaching posts.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the results of his consultation paper on school boards circulated in April. [30713]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The consultation paper put forward changes which the Government would be disposed to make to the School Boards (Scotland) Act 1988 should a suitable legislative opportunity arise. Accordingly, if such an opportunity arises, the outcome of the consultation exercise will be reflected in the Bill presented to Parliament.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance is given to school boards on the publishing of brochures aimed at attracting parents. [30714]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. There is no requirement on school boards to publish brochures although the legislation does require a school board to make a report to parents of pupils in attendance at the school at least once in every year in order to inform parents of the board's activities. More generally, education authorities are required to produce a school handbook for each school under their management. School handbooks must contain information about the school as set out in regulations and may contain additional information at local discretion.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school boards have asked for wider powers. [30715]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under section 15 of and schedule 3 to the School Boards (Scotland) Act 1988, a school board may request the delegation to it of its education authority's functions in relation to a school, except those functions listed in section 15(2) of the Act. However, such requests are made to the education authority and information on the number of schools which have requested wider powers in this way is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Office Education Department recently consulted school boards and others on possible changes to the school boards legislation. The closing date for comments was 19 June. Over 350 responses were received, and are currently being analysed. A number of boards have made suggestions on wider powers.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what advice is given to schools boards on promoting academic freedom. [30753]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to change the name of chairman of a school board to convener. [30754]
  796
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. While the legislation requires every school board formally to appoint a chairman and vice-chairman, a number of boards already informally adopt different terminology, as they see fit.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of school boards in 1994 were returned in uncontested elections; and how many schools which formerly had a board no longer have one. [30755]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In the 1993–94 biennial school board elections 3,291 parent members of school boards were returned in uncontested elections. Some 310 school boards in existence at the start of school session 1993–94 were disestablished as a result of insufficient parents coming forward for election. Of these, 21 had been re-established by 31 May 1994 as a result of parental request.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of conducting school board elections in 1994. [30756]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Expenditure on conducting school board elections is a matter for the education authorities. Under the legislation, the last biennial round of elections was held in school session 1993–94. Information on the expenditure incurred by authorities in that round of elections or in subsequent by-elections is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had on the composition of school boards. [30757]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Many of the 350 or so responses received on the recent consultation paper on school boards commented on composition.

  Offshore Installations (Disposal)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what sanctions are at his disposal to ensure compliance with environmental directives by any company wishing to decommission North sea oil platforms and rigs; [30716]

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the environmental audit that was conducted concerning the disposal of the Brent Spar installation and other redundant North sea oil platforms and rigs in the Atlantic ocean. [30717]

  Sir Hector Monro
  Abandonment of offshore installations from the United Kingdom continental shelf is regulated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1987. Each case requires a best practicable environmental option assessment to be drawn up, and the approved abandonment plan includes appropriate conditions to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimised.

  The Brent Spar is the only installation to date for which disposal at sea has been authorised. This required the Scottish Office to issue a licence under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and an authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. These were granted only after I was satisfied that disposal in this way would not present a hazard to fisheries, the marine environment or health.
  797
  My right hon. Friend is arranging for a copy of the BPEO and the impact hypothesis, which form part of the approved abandonment plan for the Brent Spar, to be placed in the Library within the next week.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the unemployment rate for the travel-to-work areas for each area in Scotland that is capable of providing a facility for the decommissioning of North sea oil platforms and rigs. [30718]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Proposals to decommission North Sea oil platforms and rigs offshore would raise a number of environmental issues. Subject to resolution of these, such decommissioning would, inter alia, require access to deep water, flat land and an opportunity to dispose of various kinds of material. Scotland is likely to have a number of such sites, which might include existing fabrication yards, Unemployment rates in travel-to-work areas covering the main fabrication yards in Scotland range from 7 per cent. to approximately 11 per cent.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to cap any Scottish local authorities this year. [32276]

  Mr. Lang
  No. All Scottish local authorities, with the exception of Strathclyde regional council, have set budgets for 1995–96 at or below the expenditure limits implied by the provisional capping principles which I announced on 29 November 1994,Official Report, columns 687–88.

  In the case of Strathclyde, I have considered the representations which the regional council has made to me and also the strategy the council adopted in budgeting and setting its council tax for 1995–96. I have noted, in particular, that the council has taken action to reduce capital funded from current revenue expenditure in both 1994–95 and 1995–96 which has had a direct impact on the level of its 1995–96 council tax. Having considered very carefully all the circumstances, I have decided not to cap the council.

  Overall, this is a very satisfactory outcome and again confirms the effectiveness of my capping powers in protecting local taxpayers from excessive spending by their councils.

  Later this year, I shall be laying before the House a report in terms of section 24 of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 specifying the amount for each of the new local authorities which will be used as the baseline for considering capping action in 1996–97. These amounts, which will effectively be notional 1995–96 budgets for the new councils, will be prepared in full consultation with COSLA and will reflect the actual level of planned expenditure by the existing local authorities in 1995–96.

  It is also my intention to announce in the autumn provisional capping principles for 1996–97.

  Work Experience Schemes
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what monitoring is undertaken of schoolchildren involved in work experience schemes at workplaces; and how the benefit or otherwise of each scheme is evaluated. [30719]
  798
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Preparation takes place before a placement so that pupils know what issues to explore and record. Guidance is available from the Scottish Office Education Department for employers, parents and pupils. During placements, school staff pay visits to help ensure that maximum benefit is derived. Placements are also monitored for health and safety and there must be suitable insurance cover.

  Pupils are monitored during the placement to provide a record of what they have done. After each placement, there is full debriefing with teachers. Most placements, including the preparation and debriefing, satisfy the criteria for a pupil to gain the Scottish Vocational Education Council work experience module which provides a measure of the usefulness of the placement.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pseud Oil-based Drill Muds
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department gave to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the use of pseudo oil-based drill muds by oil companies. [29937]

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry has advised the Department of Trade and Industry that the use of drilling muds of all sorts can be permitted only if the hazards and risks to the marine environment have been properly assessed on a case-by-case basis.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the studies into the environmental effects of the use of pseudo oil-based drill muds which(a) have been carried out by his Department and (b) his Department has evaluated. [29936]

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry has a continuing programme of laboratory tests and field surveys into the environmental effects of pseudo oil-based muds—POBMs—for use by the offshore industries. MAFF also evaluates laboratory test data on toxicity to marine life, potential for biodegradation and potential of bioaccumulation of POBM systems as part of the approval process for POBMs developed by the Paris Commission and operated on a non-statutory basis by the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by each objective and by each other Community initiative, including Rechar and Interreg, the value of assistance received under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance both nationally and for each standard region of the United Kingdom for each year since 1989. [31358]

  Mr. Jack
  EC regulation No. 3699/93, which sets out the detailed rules for assistance under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance—FIFG—came into effect on 1 January 1994. No payments could therefore be made under FIFG before that date. Assistance granted under FIFG since then is as follows:
  799

  FIFO assistance by region1

  Objective 1

  Non-objective 1

  Total

  Northern Ireland

  1,375,955.00

  0.00

  1,375,955.00

  Scotland2

  444,308.00

  1,361,247.00

  1,805,555.00

  England

  0.00

  2,216,324.00

  2,216,324.00

  Wales

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  Total UK

  1,820,263.00

  3,577,571.00

  5,397,834.00

  Note:

  1 Expenditure relates to 1993 decommissioning scheme.

  2 Excludes provisional awards for other FIFG grants.

  No FIFG payments have been made in the UK to date under EC Community initiatives.

  Charter Week
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the main events he is proposing for Charter Week; what is the total cost to public funds; and how many(a) civil servants and (b) other public officials will be playing a part. [29882]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 20 June 1995]: My Department seeks to meet charter objectives throughout the year in a range of ways. In July, as part of Charter Week, staff from regional service centres will attend a number of county shows across England. The Department's helpline, which has already handled well over 50,000 telephone inquiries from the general public, recently celebrated its second anniversary. MAFF staff will also participate in "Have Your Say Day" sessions, which aim to give our customers and the general public an opportunity to hear and talk about the services we provide. Senior managers will be available to discuss any issues of concern that may be raised.

  No additional costs or staff resources will be required.
  800
  I also hope to announce shortly details of the regional service centres' performance against the targets set out in the customer service standard "Commitment to Service".

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures were adopted by the Agriculture Council at its meeting on 19 to 22 June and what was the pattern of voting. [32193]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Council adopted the following measures:

  1. Protection of farm animals during transport.

  2. Support prices for agricultural products for 1995–96 and related measures.

  3. Changes to the agri-monetary system.

  4. Adjustment to set-aside arrangements so as to allow arable land taken out of production under forestry or environmental measures to count against the set-aside obligation of the farmer concerned.

  5. Changes to the support for cotton.

  6. Definitive allocation to Italy and Greece of the increases in milk quotas previously allocated on a temporary basis.

  7. Rules for the operation of the knacker industry.

  8. Approval of a national aid to French wine producers.

  The legal basis of items 1 to 7 was article 43 of the treaty, which provides for adoption by qualified majority vote. Item 8 required unanimity under article 93.2 of the Treaty.

  The member states voting against the various measures were:

  1. Italy, Austria and Denmark.

  3. The United Kingdom.

  6. Netherlands, Denmark and Luxembourg.

  Sweden subsequently registered a vote against the package covering items 1 to 7.

  UN Conference on Women, Beijing
  UN Conference on Women, Beijing
  Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands: Right of Individual Petition
  Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands: Right of Individual Petition
  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Principles and Objectives
  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Principles and Objectives
  Civil Nuclear Plant: Protection
  Civil Nuclear Plant: Protection
  Working Mothers: Select Committee Recommendations
  Working Mothers: Select Committee Recommendations
  Fissile Material Stocks
  Fissile Material Stocks
  Corporal Robert Strong
  Corporal Robert Strong
  Armed Forces: Serious Accident Procedures
  Armed Forces: Serious Accident Procedures
  Research Councils: Technology Foresight Response
  Research Councils: Technology Foresight Response
  Somerset House
  Somerset House
  Civil Enforcement Agents
  Civil Enforcement Agents
  Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960: Review
  Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960: Review