Written Answers of 14 March 1995

TREASURY

  Exchange Rates (Irish Punt)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the constitutional implications of the severing of the link between the Irish punt and the British pound.

  Mr. Nelson
  The link between the Irish punt and British pound was severed when Ireland joined the European monetary system. This step had no constitutional implications for the United Kingdom.

  Capital Gains Tax Reinvestment Relief
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if investments in companies listed on the unlisted securities market qualify for the reinvestment relief.

  Sir George Young
  No. Capital gains tax reinvestment relief is available for investment in shares in qualifying unquoted trading companies. As the relevant legislation makes explicit, companies whose shares are dealt in on the unlisted securities market are not unquoted companies for this purpose.

  Draft Legislation
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what will be the inter-relationship between(a) Ministers and private sector lawyers, (b) hon. Members, (c) Government Whips and (d) Select Committees in respect of the contracting out of the drafting of Treasury legislation;

  (2) what measures he will take to prevent legal firms operating at below-cost prices to acquire contracts to draft Treasury legislation;

  (3) what safeguards will apply (a) for ensuring security on Budget details and forecasts and (b) for ensuring standards of confidentiality and propriety in respect of the Finance Bill following the contracting out of the drafting of Treasury legislation;

  (4) if the costs of trial contracting out of Treasury legislation will appear as (a) running costs or (b) programme costs; how such costs will be shown when there are changes of dates in respect of policy; and how such costs will be controlled when there is a change in drafting instructions;

  (5) which parts of the Finance Bill he plans to contract out and what plans he has for other forms of financial legislation to be contracted out;

  (6) what are the criteria by which the success of the exercise in contracting out the drafting of Treasury legislation will he judged; who will assess the success of
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  the exercise; and what quality controls there will be in respect of the drafting of the legislation;

  (7) what proportion of contracted-out Treasury legislation will comprise (a) primary legislation and (b) secondary legislation;

  (8) what proposals he has to market test (a) market-sensitive and (b) non-market-sensitive Treasury legislation;

  (9) what discussions he has had with (a) the Law Society and (b) the Bar Council in respect of the contracting out of the drafting of Treasury legislation;

  (10) what will be the relationship between those in the private sector instructed by him and advisers from the Inland Revenue in respect of the contracting out of the drafting of Treasury legislation;

  (11) what have been the costs for each of the last five years for drafting legislation in his Department;

  (12) how many staff in his Department and at what grade are engaged in drafting legislation;

  (13) what are the total annual wages and salary costs in his Department in respect of those engaged in drafting Treasury legislation;

  (14) what proposals he has (a) to market-test, (b) to go to outside contractors without market testing and (c) to employ outside contractors as civil servants on short-term contracts in respect of the contracting out of the drafting of Treasury legislation;

  (15) if he will list (a) his proposals for quality assurance, (b) his proposed methods for testing this assurance and (c) his proposed penalties for (i) under performance and (ii) loss of revenue as a result of inadequate drafting in respect of the contracting out of the Treasury legislation;

  (16) what guarantees his Department will demand of private sector lawyers engaged in the drafting of Treasury legislation to ensure that they do not have any dealings with clients on issues relating to their work for his Department; and what safeguards he will impose to prevent conflicts of interest arising between these lawyers and (i) past and (ii) prospective clients;

  (17) what measures he will take to ensure that there is public confidence in the contracted-out Treasury legislation in respect of potential conflicts of interest between those employed to draft legislation for the Government who are also advising private clients.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. and learned Friend's plans to involve the private sector in drafting legislation for Treasury Ministers are as follows:

  Present practice is that most primary legislation in the areas of responsibility which fall to Treasury Ministers is drafted by Parliamentary Counsel. Officials in the Chancellor's Departments provide Parliamentary Counsel with instructions from which legislation is drafted, but none of the Chancellor's Department employs staff who themselves draft primary legislation.

  There have been occasions in the past where lawyers outside Parliamentary Counsel have been engaged in the drafting of primary legislation. My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is now setting up a pilot project to gain further experience of using the private sector in this area. Potential benefits could include: reducing time pressures caused by the volume of work facing existing draftsmen; widening the range of talent available to departments; bringing relevant specialist

  465
  skills into the drafting process, and providing fresh thinking as to how our laws should be drafted.

  The pilot scheme will cover some aspects of the 1996 Finance Bill, and possibly also some secondary legislation.

  Treasury Ministers are still considering exactly which topics will be chosen for the pilot, but the bulk of the 1996 Finance Bill will continue to be drafted by Parliamentary Counsel in the usual way. Once the topics are selected, the contract or contracts will be let through competitive tender.

  Before the contract or contracts are signed, Treasury Ministers will need to satisfy themselves that the contractors chosen will be capable of doing the job well, that sensible financial arrangements are made, that adequate security measures are in place to protect classified information, and that potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

  The intention is that Inland Revenue and customs officials will deal directly with the contractors in much the same way as they deal with Parliamentary Counsel. It will be for the Revenue departments to give instructions to the contractors and for those departments to satisfy themselves that the draft legislation that is produced is of a satisfactory standard.

  Parliamentary Counsel will be responsible for the rest of the Finance Bill and for ensuring that the clauses and schedules drafted by the contractors are fitted into the Bill in the appropriate place.

  When the legislation comes before Parliament, Ministers will look to the contractors, working on instructions from officials, to draw up any Government amendments that are necessary, and to provide advice, for example, on the implications of any other amendments that are tabled. Contractors will be judged on the full range of services they provide.

  The fact that part of the Bill will have been drafted by private sector lawyers will not affect the relationships between Ministers and the House or Committees of it.

  The experiment will be closely monitored and will be subject to a full evaluation to consider the quality of drafting, other advice, whether timetables were met, security issues, and cost. The analysis of the cost will cover not only the fees for the pilot project, but also an assessment of any differential burden on Revenue department officials compared with using parliamentary counsel. One of the purposes of the pilot will be to look at the overall resources employed .by the contractors on the project to improve our understanding of the costs to the private sector of drafting legislation.

  The costs of the pilot will fall on departments' running costs. If necessary, the terms of the contract will deal with the possibility of late changes in policy or drafting instructions.

  Brays Detective Agency
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the schemes, activities and projects in which Brays Detective Agency has been retained and, in each case, the Government Department sponsoring the scheme and the total expenditure to date.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury has no schemes, activities or projects on which Brays Detective Agency has been 466
  retained; and it does not maintain records of other Government Departments' use of detective agencies.

  VAT (Church Repairs)
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to changing the rate of VAT on repairs to churches.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Repairs to all buildings, including churches, have been liable to the standard rate of VAT since 1973. The Government are opposed to further reduced rates as a matter of principle.
  The introduction of any zero rates, or reduced rates in this area, would also contravene the EC sixth VAT directive.

  Select Committee on Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the reason for the decision that officials from the Treasury would not give oral evidence at the House of Lords Select Committee on Sustainable Development meeting on 7 February.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 9 March 1995]: The Government's strategy for sustainable development is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I was therefore not persuaded that it would be appropriate for Treasury officials to give oral evidence on the subject as a whole to the Committee on 7 February. Since then, the Committee has provided me with a list of questions relating to specific Treasury responsibilities and I have authorised my Department to submit a memorandum in response.

  The accountability of Ministers and the Government to Parliament has always been based on the principle that each Minister answers for subjects within his or her own departmental responsibilities.

TRANSPORT

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his objectives in the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory, and if he will make a statement.

  Dr Mawhinney
  I shall be seeking bids for the Transport Research Laboratory from a wide range of interests. My objectives are:
  to secure the continued provision of high-quality, independent research and development at good value for money across the range of my Department's inland surface transport needs;to transfer the laboratory to the private sector as soon as reasonably practicable;to optimise the net proceeds to the taxpayer.
  In pursuing these objectives, I shall have full regard to the need to help promote a competitive market for the supply of research services to my Department and obtain reassurance that the purchaser has the capacity to meet transferred obligations and liabilities.

  The work of our financial advisers, Price Waterhouse, has confirmed that there is interest in acquiring the TRL business as a whole, with a lease or freehold interest in the land and buildings required for the operation of the

  467
  Laboratory. I shall be seeking competitive bids for the laboratory on this basis. I have not ruled out any sale option including the possibility of a proposal from TRL's management and staff to take over the Laboratory as a non-profit-distributing company.

  To emphasise the Government's continuing commitment to TRL as it moves into the private sector, I have decided to provide the laboratory with guarantees of future research work for a number of years. The guarantees will be subject to the delivery of high-quality, independent and impartial research at competitive prices. Bidders will be asked to demonstrate that the supply of scientific advice and research to Government will not give rise to conflicts of interest with their other operations.

  I am aiming to complete the sale of TRL during 1995.

  Airports
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusion he has reached on his Department's review of the system of economic regulation of airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The review considered how the system of economic regulation established in the Airports Act 1986 had worked to date, and whether there was scope for improving the process of regulation. It was not concerned with the principles or methodology of regulation.

  Following consultation, my Department has identified a number of measures to improve the way the system works, including clarification of the procedures for regulation of airports and for handling of complaints, improved availability of information, and clarification of the criteria for designating airports under section 40 of the Airports Act 1986 for closer economic regulation. In addition, some measures have been identified which will require legislation; these will be taken forward when the opportunity arises. The main such change concerns the roles of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and the Civil Aviation Authority in the regulation of the designated airports; it is proposed to adopt a regime based on what has become the "standard" model for the regulation of utilities. It is expected that the next quinquennial reviews of BAA's south-east airports and Manchester airport will proceed under the existing system.

  In the light of recommendations from the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs, we have also considered whether Glasgow and Edinburgh airports should be designated for the purposes of economic regulation. We have found no evidence of abuse of monopoly position or inefficiency and we have therefore concluded that there is no case at present for designating these airports.

  I am placing the report of the conclusions in the review in the Library.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to visit the Newbury constituency in the current year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  At present, I have no plans to do so.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether Pan 468
  Am flight 103 was under special guard at Heathrow airport from the time of arrival from San Francisco at 12.10 hours on 21 December 1994 until take-off for JFK airport, New York at 18.25 hours as described in page 14 of the fatal airport inquiry on the Lockerbie air disaster report.

  Mr. Norris
  From the evidence given to the fatal accident inquiry, and the earlier investigation by the Metropolitan police into the handling of this flight at Heathrow airport, my Department is satisfied that the Maid of the Seas was under constant supervision by security guards while between flights at the airport on 21 December 1988.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those parts of the railway system which will have been privatised or put out to contract by April 1996.

  Mr. Watts
  [pursuant to his reply, 6 March 1995, c. 53]: Union Railways Ltd. and European Passenger Services Ltd. were omitted from the list of sales intended to April 1996.

  Detained Ships
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by classification society the number of ships detained by the Marine Safety Agency in the last two years.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 14 March 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of ships, by classification society, detained by the Marine Safety Agency in the last two years; I attach two tables. The first table gives the number of detentions following port state control inspections in UK ports for 1994. This includes a detention rate based on the total number of inspections carried out on ships classed with the classification society. Equivalent figures for 1993 are not available without undue expenditure but the number of detentions without the amplifying detention rates are listed in the second table.The figures must be treated with some care as ships may be detained for items which are not the responsibility of a classification society. Also some fish factory ships, klondykers, although in a detainable condition could not be detained because the ships were anchored outside the port when inspected. In a small percentage of cases the classification society has not been recorded because it did not issue the certificates.

  Port state control detentions by the marine safety agency listed by classification society

  Classification Society

  Number of detentions in 1994

  Percentage detained

  HINSIB (Honduras)

  1

  50

  Turku Lloyd Vakfi

  1

  50

  Hellenic Register

  12

  40

  Bulgarian Register

  7

  35

  Romanian Register

  3

  25

  China Corporation Register of Shipping

  1

  25

  RINAVE (Portugal)

  1

  20

  American Bureau of Shipping

  20

  18

  Croatian Register

  1

  14

  RINA (Italy)

  6

  14

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  Port state control detentions by the marine safety agency listed by classification society

  Classification Society

  Number of detentions in 1994

  Percentage detained

  Nippon Kaiji Kyokai

  13

  14

  Russian Register

  43

  13

  Bureau Veritas

  35

  13

  Register of Shipping of People's Republic of China

  1

  12

  Indian Register

  1

  11

  Lloyd's Register

  26

  7

  Germanischer Lloyd

  24

  7

  Det Norske Veritas

  16

  6

  Polish Register

  1

  4

  Un-classed or class unknown

  12

  Port state control detentions by the marine safety agency in 1993 listed by classification society

  Classification society

  Number of detentions in 1993

  Bureau Veritas

  34

  Lloyd's Register

  26

  Germanischer Lloyd

  24

  Russian Register

  19

  American Bureau of Shipping

  17

  Nippon Kaiji Kyokai

  12

  Hellenic Register

  11

  Det Norske Veritas

  10

  HINSIB (Honduras)

  5

  Romanian Register

  3

  Panama Bureau of Shipping

  2

  RINA (Italy)

  2

  Indian Register

  1

  Un-classed or class unknown

  8

  Rail Track Renewal
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts have been agreed by Railtrack for each section of the Great Western mainline, and each branch line, for track renewal, re-sleepering and re-ballasting, for 1995–96; and what has been the value of each contract and track length covered.

  Mr. Watts
  These activities form part of the track renewal work carried out under contract for Railtrack by that part of British Rail infrastructure services which the British Railways Board expect to. offer for sale as the Western track renewal unit later this year. In light of the expected sale, details of the contracts and their value are therefore commercially confidential.

  Channel Tunnel Freight
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much freight by tonnage has been transferred from road to the railway system(a) since 1 January 1992 and (b) since the opening of the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Watts
  This information is not available in the form requested. Information on tonnages carried by rail can be found in table 1.12 of "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1994", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
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  Railfreight Distribution has moved over 2,000 trains through the channel tunnel to date.

  Mobile Crane Operators
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions currently exist on the maximum working and driving hours for mobile crane operators.

  Mr. Norris
  Drivers of mobile cranes are subject to national rules on drivers' hours in part VI of the Transport Act 1968, as amended. These limit driving to 10 hours a day. The rules also limit drivers to 11 hours duty each day, but not on days when they do not drive or when they drive for less than four hours on each day of the week.

  School Vehicles
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that vehicles hired for the transport of children to and from school have the appropriate licence or that local education authorities be empowered to issue a new form of licence specifically for school transport purposes.

  Mr. Norris
  All motor vehicles, including those used for school transport, are subject to the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 and to annual roadworthiness testing. Public service vehicles must also satisfy additional construction requirements and be licensed through the operator licensing system under which their operators are subject to sanction by traffic commissioners if standards are not maintained.

  We do not consider further controls to be necessary.

  Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those sites where he is currently monitoring vehicle pollution stating in each case(a) what monitoring he is undertaking and (b) whether PM10 is counted.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency.

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 14 March 1995:
  The Minister for Local Transport and Road Safety, Steven Norris, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those sites where he is currently monitoring vehicle pollution stating in each case (a) what monitoring he is undertaking and (b) whether PM10 is counted.We do not routinely monitor vehicle pollution but the Highways Agency has a number of monitoring stations in operation either for research purposes to aid the development of air quality techniques or to inform environmental assessment of specific highway proposals where appropriate. For most situations involving road schemes we use mathematical modelling to assess pollution levels. Where the modelling techniques cannot adequately reflect the characteristics of a particular location monitoring work is undertaken.471

  The table below contains our current active sites.

  Road Name

  Location

  Emissions monitored

  M4

  Theale

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  Ozone

  Total hydrocarbons

  Non-Methane

  hydrocarbons

  Methane

  Range of poly-aromatic

  hydrocarbons

  Victoria St

  London

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  Ozone

  Total hydrocarbons

  Non-methane

  hydrocarbons

  Methane

  Range of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons

  Benzene

  Toluene

  Xylene

  Range of carbonyl compounds

  M4 London

  Between Junctions 3 and 4B

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  PM10

  Benzene

  Toluene

  Xylene

  M4 London

  Junction 4

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  M62 Manchester

  East Junction 17

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  M2 Kent

  Junction 3 Area

  Carbon monoxide

  Nitric oxide

  Nitrogen dioxide

  Total oxides of nitrogen

  Benzene

  Toluene

  At present PM10 is measured at one location on the M4 but our intention is to commence monitoring of this emission at new sites on the M62 (Manchester) and the M25 (Surrey) shortly.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pages of forms an applicant for a review of a refusal of an application for disability living allowance has to peruse; and how many pages an appellant has to peruse when making an appeal for disability living allowance, having being rejected on first consideration and review;
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  (2) how many pages the average applicant for disability living allowance has to peruse in order to make an application.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will reply to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 13 March 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) forms.For an initial claim to DLA there are 60 pages which comprise the claim pack:-

  Pages

  Notes

  8

  Section 1 "Your claim for DLA"

  12

  Section 2 "How your disability/illness affects you"

  28

  Additional Section

  12

  The additional section was introduced to gather information following recent caselaw. Customers must complete section 1; other sections are optional.

  A customer is able to request a review of an initial decision whether this was successful or not. The review pack has a total of 48 pages:

  Pages

  Section 1 (Personal details)

  8

  Section 2 (Mobility needs)

  8

  Section 2 (Care needs)

  20

  Additional section

  12

  A review pack is not usually issued where similar information has been obtained within the preceding three months.

  A customer can appeal against a review decision by writing to the Benefits Agency. There is no pack for appeal purposes.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Fraud Investigation Costs
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the Government have spent on the detection of benefit fraud for each year sine 1979.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Benefit fraud is investigated by the Benefits Agency, Employment Service and local authorities. Details of local authority expenditure on benefit fraud investigation are not held centrally.

  The Benefits Agency's expenditure on fraud investigation is only available for the last two years. Prior to the formation of the Benefits Agency, most anti-fraud work was integrated with benefit claims processing, and other mainstream local office activities, and separate cost data was not kept. However, the bulk of investigations are now carried out by separately managed units for which costs are known.

  £ million

  1992–93

  66

  1993–94

  69

  These figures include staff and running costs, but not accommodation. Benefit savings for the same periods were £558 million and £654 million respectively.
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  The cost of Employment Service fraud investigations is available for the past seven years. The figures (including benefit savings for the same periods) are:

  Costs £ millions

  Savings £ millions

  1987–88

  15.9

  70.5

  1988–89

  18.7

  81.27

  1989–90

  20.6

  70.72

  1990–91

  21.4

  64.94

  1991–92

  21.5

  55.88

  1992–93

  26.4

  71.15

  1993–94

  26.8

  80.12

  These figures include staff, accommodation and running costs.

  War Widows
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many post-1973 war widows have subsequently re-married in each year for which figures are available.

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

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of living post-1973 war widows.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  At 1 March 1995 war widows pensions were in payment to 3,151 widows of men whose

  Average weekly income from state benefit and occupational pensions1

  Benefit income

  Occupational pension2

  Over state pension age

  55 to state pension age

  Over state pension age

  55 to state pension age

  Couples3

  107.40

  74.00

  92.00

  129.20

  Single people

  71.40

  69.40

  52.90

  63.20

  Notes:

  1 £ per week at July 1992 prices.

  2 No separate information available on receipt of personal pensions and annuities.

  3Where the husband is aged over state pension age or between 55 and state pension age.

  Source:

  1992 family expenditure survey.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he(a) expects the. regulations restoring entitlement to part-time school workers for family credit to come into effect; if they will be retrospective; and if he will consider making ex gratia payments to those who do not qualify for income support.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Income-related Benefits Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1995—SI 1995 No. 516—were laid before Parliament on 10 March 1995. Regulation 11 of these regulations provides for the hours of school workers and others with a similar pattern of employment to be averaged over termtime only for the purpose of determining whether or not they satisfy the condition of entitlement to family 474
  Service in the armed forces ended on or after 31 March 1973.

  Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional cost of a flexible decade of retirement between the ages of 60 and 70, compared with the Government's proposals to equalise state pension age at 65.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government's plans already allow for indefinite flexibility after state pension age. From 2010, people will receive a 10 per cent. increase in their state pension for every year that they defer drawing it. To allow people to claim their full state pension from age 60, even if the flexibility were limited to a decade, would cost £13 billion a year more by 2030 than age 65.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total income of(a) pensioners and (b) others aged 55 years and over in 1992 from (i) retirement pension, (ii) invalidity benefit, (iii) disability benefits, (iv) widows' and widowers' benefits, (v) income support, (vi) occupational pensions and (vii) personal pensions and annuities.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows average net weekly incomes from all state benefits and from occupational pensions for people receiving those incomes aged over state pension age and between 55 and state pension age.

  credit commencing on or after 11 April 1995. It will not be retrospective. As all families have been able to claim their legal entitlement, we have no plans to make ex gratia payments.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Apple Orchards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many acres of apple orchards were grubbed up in each of the past three years; what is the present level of application for the EU's grubbing-up grant; and if he will make a statement on the prospects for the Ulster apple industry.

  Mr. Ancram
  No apple orchards were grubbed up in Northern Ireland in the last three years.

  The current apple orchard grubbing-up scheme has attracted three applicants with a total entry of 45.15 acres,

  475
  or 18.28 hectares. I am hopeful that the industry will continue to make a valuable contribution to the Northern Ireland horticultural sector and to the food processing industry.

  Hospitals Review
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the terms of reference of the McKenna review into closer working relations between the Royal and City hospitals, Belfast.

  Mr. Moss
  The terms of reference for the acute services reorganisation project chaired by Dr. McKenna are as follows:
  "To develop and oversee the implementation of a coherent strategy for the reorganisation of services at the Royal Group of Hospitals Trust and the Belfast City Hospital Trust to provide a sound basis for their future development, having regard to services presently located at other hospitals in the Greater Belfast area where relevant".

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Angola
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian aid and development assistance is currently being given or is planned by the European Union for Angola.

  Mr. Baldry
  Angola has a national indicative programme of 115 mecu, or (£93 million, under EDF VII—1991 to 1995—for long-term development assistance. In addition, a special six months humanitarian plan for 6 mecu, or £4.9 million, was agreed for Angola on 30 November 1994.

  European Development Fund
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the obstacles to agreement at the special Foreign Affairs Council in February on the size of the eighth European development fund for 1995 to 2000; and what are the time scale and approach that are going to be used to settle these disagreements.

  Mr. Baldry
  The size of EDF VIII was not settled in February since the contributions offered by member states did not reach the target figure tabled by the presidency. Further discussions are envisaged at the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers on 18 and 19 March and at the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 April.

  Iraq
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent relief agencies providing humanitarian aid for the Kurds have been endangered by Iraqi Government shelling of Arbil in contravention of the safe haven policy instituted after the Gulf war.

  Mr. Baldry
  We are concerned that relief workers may be endangered by indiscriminate Iraqi Government shelling of northern Iraq. We continue to press Iraq to abide by Security Council resolution 688, which calls on the Iraqi regime to cease repression of its own people.

  Arun III Project, Nepal
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the German Federal Audit Office's investigation into the value for money represented by the planned Arun III hydropower project in Nepal; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the independent reports comparing the relative value for money of the Arun III hydropower project and the various possible alternative investments in Nepal's energy sector proposed by the Alliance for Energy and the Arun Concerned Group.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have not seen the reports referred to.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the board of the World bank to consult as widely as possible to identify the most appropriate and effective power scheme for the sustainable development of Nepal before taking any final decision on funding for the Arun III hydropower project.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 January,Official Report, columns 480–81.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the United Kingdom executive director of the World bank to vote to allow the inspection panel to complete necessary field work for their investigation into the Arun III hydropower project before the Government of Nepal reach a final decision on funding.

  Mr. Baldry
  The board has already decided that field work should commence only after the bank has received a decision from the Government of Nepal as to whether they wish to request IDA funding for the Arun III project.

  Palestinians
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what plans he has to provide further aid to the Palestinians.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today announced a new £7 million bilateral aid package for the Palestinians. Some £2 million of this will be provided for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's peace implementation programme. Some £5 million will be allocated to a know-how programme covering assistance for management training for the ministries of the Palestinian Authority, small-scale water and sewage treatment plants and water leak detection, health management and education, including English language teaching. We are also hoping to promote joint projects with UK private sector companies to help generate exports and employment in the west bank and Gaza strip. Basic training for the civil police will also be considered. In addition, $1 million will be given towards the costs of UNRWA's moving offices to Gaza.

  This will bring our total aid to the Palestinians in support of the peace process to £82 million.

SCOTLAND

  Health Care International
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) by what method the contract for orthopaedic
  477
  out-patients was awarded to Health Care International by Forth Valley health board; and on what terms NHS providers were allowed to compete for the contract;

  (2) if he was consulted by Forth Valley health board before it provided Health Care International with the names and addresses of NHS orthopaedic out-patients awaiting appointments; and if he consented to this information being given to HCI without the knowledge of the patients concerned.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for Forth Valley health board. It is appropriate for health boards to buy services from independent hospitals in order to reduce waiting times. I understand that in order to meet patients charter waiting time guarantees for orthopaedic out-patient appointments, the board carried out a tendering exercise, including NHS and independent providers, which was won by Health Care International.

  Individual patients, were then offered the choice of orthopaedic out-patient treatment at HCI. There is no requirement for the board to consult the Secretary of State before providing HCI with the names and addresses of those patients awaiting appointments.

  National Continence Day
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has concerning the promoting and publicising of National Continence Day on Wednesday 21 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office is providing funding for the staffing of a telephone helpline at the continence resource centre, Southern General Hospital NHS trust, Glasgow from 6 March for a four-week period, including National Continence Day. Leaflets advertising the helpline and encouraging sufferers to seek help will be distributed to a range of outlets within and outwith the health sector. Advertisements are being placed in some Scottish newspapers and a press release will be issued on 20 March. The press release will include details of local continence adviser contact numbers and ethnic minority helpline numbers. A number of events are also being organised across the country by local health service professionals. The Scottish Office is happy to promote the campaign to increase awareness of this distressing condition and to encourage sufferers to seek advice and treatment.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will present to the Select Committee on National Security the information from the Crown Office which caused Sheriff John Mowat QC to uphold the objection of Mr. Colin McEachran from the Department of Transport to any evidence in the Lockerbie case relating to the operation of intelligence agencies into the United Kingdom, as being contrary to the national interest, as stated on page 14 of the determination in the fatal accident inquiry relating to Lockerbie.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No such information was placed before Sheriff Principal Mowat QC by the Crown Office. The objection to evidence relating to the operation of the intelligence agencies of the United Kingdom was made by counsel appearing on behalf of the Home Office and the Department of Transport. The fatal 478
  accident inquiry relating to Lockerbie was heard entirely in public and all information and evidence presented to the inquiry was heard in public.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it was with the agreement of the Crown Office that ex-Chief Constable George Esson gave an interview to the Glasgow Herald on Lockerbie published on Monday 20 February.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Mr. George Esson, formerly chief constable, Dumfries and Galloway constabulary, did not seek the agreement of Crown Office in giving the interview to the Glasgow Herald published on 20 February 1995.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study the Crown Office have made of Mr. Alan Francovitie's response to ex-Chief Constable Esson, a copy of which has been sent to the Lord Advocate.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This article, like all items in the media relating to Lockerbie which come to their attention, has been considered by the prosecuting and investigating authorities.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of probabilities, referred to in charge 10, page 15 of the report of the fatal accident investigation into the Lockerbie air disaster, of a suitcase with explosives arriving at Frankfurt on a flight or an airline, other than Pan American.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The assessment of probabilities by my noble and learned Friend the then Lord Advocate was reflected in the instruction to the procurator fiscal at Dumfries to request petition warrants for the two named accused on charges which alleged that the suitcase containing an improvised explosive device was placed on board Air Malta flight KM180 to Frankfurt am Main airport at Luqa airport, Malta and was at Frankfurt am Main airport placed on board Pan American World Airways flight 103A to London Heathrow airport.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what record the Crown Office has of any onward confirmed ticket to New York from Luqa airport, Malta, in December 1988 via Frankfurt and Heathrow; and what estimate he has made of the evidence of Miss Milne on page 41 of the determination by Sheriff Mowatt QC in relation to Lockerbie and whether a bag could enter the inter-line system unless an onward confirmed ticket had been issued.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not the position of the Crown Office as reflected in the criminal petition against the two Libyan accused that the suitcase which contained the improvised explosive device was loaded at Luqa airport as luggage relating to a passenger travelling on such a route. The evidence of Miss Milne was considered along with all other evidence which was available to the Crown prior to the commencement of criminal proceedings.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what official apologies have been given by the Scottish Office and the Crown Office to Dr. David Fieldhouse, police surgeon of Bradford, in relation to Lockerbie.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. Counsel appearing on behalf of the chief constable for Dumfries and Galloway constabulary withdrew the suggestion the Dr. Fieldhouse had been unaccompanied during his searches at Lockerbie at the conclusion of his cross-examination of Dr. Fieldhouse on day 47 of the fatal accident inquiry.

  Forestry
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hectares the Forestry Commission has planted during the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Sir Hector Monro
  In the 10 years to 31 March 1994, the Forestry Commission planted 116,201 hectares of woodland.

  Planning Application Fees
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on the devolution of planning application fees to local authorities, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kynoch
  In December 1993, my right hon. Friend announced that he would consider the issue of a consultation paper on the devolution of planning fees to local authorities. The policy initiative is still under consideration and further discussions will take place with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other interested parties before a decision is taken on the most appropriate way forward.

  In the meantime, fees will continue to be set centrally.

  Shipping Subsidiaries
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his decision following the shipping subsidies review in relation to shipping services on the west coast of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  After very careful and detailed consideration, I have concluded that tariff rebate subsidies on bulk freight to and from the west coast of Scotland should be progressively withdrawn. In order to avoid the possibility of immediate freight rate increases affecting commodities of significance for island residents, I intend to phase out the payment of TRS on some commodities over a period of three years. The TRS rate is currently 40 per cent. for imports to the Western Isles and 30 per cent. for exports from the Western Isles. As from 1 May 1995, I intend to set both rates at 30 per cent. followed by annual reductions to 20 per cent., 10 per cent. and zero from the beginning of each subsequent financial year. The tapering of subsidy over three years should provide existing companies with the opportunity to consolidate their market position, and make efficiency improvements, while at the same time enabling other companies to become increasingly competitive with those companies whose subsidy is reducing. I would expect to see a competitive market develop which would act as a constraint on freight rate increases.

  I have, however, concluded that there is scope for the exclusion of certain commodities from being eligible for TRS in a shorter period. As from 1 September 1995 the transport of raw timber, quarry products and road salt will no longer be eligible to receive TRS.

  I do not consider that the export of primary commodities requires continued subsidy. There are currently very substantial amounts of timber being extracted from the west coast of Scotland and forestry extraction is expected to more than double over the next
  480
  15 years. The shipping market needs to adjust to the scale of these operations; and I believe that continuation of TRS on timber is unnecessary and would distort the market. Quarry products and road salt currently receive a lower rate of subsidy than generally available. Given the low amount of subsidy currently payable on these commodities, I would expect efficiency savings to restrain any price increase.

  After consideration of representations received, I have been persuaded by the evidence put to me, that in relation to movements of fishmeal and fish oil from Shetland, complete withdrawal of subsidy on 1 May would be likely to have significant adverse effects on the industry; and that a period of adjustment is required. I have concluded that subsidy should be retained; and set, with effect from 1 May, at a rate of 30 per cent., followed by reductions to 20 per cent., 10 per cent. and zero from the beginning of each subsequent financial year.

  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for shipping subsidies for sea transport services in the highlands and islands other than those provided by Caledonian MacBrayne; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the estimates, I propose to make available in 1995–96 total subsidy provision under the tariff rebate subsidy scheme of £9.1 million. For services to Orkney and Shetland, tariff rebate subsidies of up to £8.3 million will be made available, and up to £800,000 will be available for bulk shippers operating on the west coast of Scotland and to and from the Northern Isles.

  The provision includes subsidy of up to £7.6 million to P and O Scottish Ferries Ltd. for the operation of passenger and accompanied car services for the year to 31 March 1996 and for freight services to 30 April 1995. As previously announced, I intend subject to the approval of Parliament and of the European Commission, to change the method of subsidy for passenger and accompanied car services to a block grant payable over a period of years in accordance with a contract to operate a specified level of service. I propose in due course to put the service out to competitive tender.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for an assessment of hygiene standards in Scottish abattoirs.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The hygiene assessment carried out on behalf of my Department covers five specific aspects of abattoir operations. These are ante-mortem inspection, slaughter and dressing, personnel and practices, maintenance and hygiene of premises and general condition and management.

  Hygiene standards in Scottish abattoirs are generally good, although my Department is making specific efforts to encourage those with lower scores to improve their standards. The table shows the results recorded at the latest inspection visit to each slaughterhouse in Scotland for the period ending November 1994.
  481

  Numbers by category of slaughterhouses

  Scores band

  All Scottish abattoirs

  Full EC approval

  Low-throughput1

  Temporary derogated2

  21–30

  0

  0

  0

  0

  31–40

  0

  0

  0

  0

  41–50

  0

  0

  0

  0

  51–60

  10

  4

  1

  5

  61–70

  16

  11

  4

  1

  71–80

  16

  12

  1

  3

  81–90

  5

  4

  1

  0

  91–100

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1Throughput = 20 livestock units, or less, per week.2 Abattoirs operating under workplan to upgrade to the structural standards laid down in the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992. Completion of work is required by 31 December 1995.

  Sickness Absenteeism
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to combat sickness absenteeism in(a) Registers of Scotland, (b) the Scottish Prison Service, (c) the Scottish Record Office (d) the Lord Advocate's Department and (e) the Scottish Office.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 March 1995]: Sickness absence is taken seriously by management and a number of local initiatives have been introduced with a view to reducing it to a minimum. In the Scottish Office, for example, managers are provided with regular information which enables them to monitor absences in their area. As well as taking steps to ensure greater control and management of sick absence, a number of health initiatives have been introduced, including the introduction of an alcohol policy, health screening for staff, the promotion of the benefits of exercise, a healthy life style and eating, the creation of a smoke-free environment and training in stress management.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters were received in the Department from hon. Members last month.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1995]: A total of 474 letters were received from hon. Members in January 1995.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters were sent to hon. Members last month by each Minister in the Department.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 February 1995]: The information requested for January 1995 is as follows:

  Minister

  Number of letters sent to hon. Members

  Secretary of State

  54

  Minister of State

  119

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

  62

  Sir Hector Monro

  47

  Mr. Allan Stewart

  51

  Number of grant offers

  Number of grant offers accepted

  Jobs created

  Value of grants£000

  Total Project costs £000

  Dover and Deal

  4

  2

  35

  140

  1,248

  Sittingbourne and Sheerness

  21

  16

  304

  844

  8,784

  Folkestone

  6

  4

  115

  460

  4,288

  Thanet

  14

  12

  187

  1,545

  8,350

  Isle of Wight

  10

  9

  142

  738

  5,688

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the role of his special advisers employed to serve his Department.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 March 1995]: My special advisers assist my colleagues and me with that part of their work which is partly governmental and partly political. Their duties vary.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent delays in the Government office on Merseyside in processing objective 1 applications for ERDF funding.

  Mr. Eggar
  One hundred and six applications have been approved in principle. Two have since been withdrawn. Forty-three grant offer letters have been issued. On 26 applications, further information is awaited from applicants. Thirty-five applications are currently with the Government office, where further information provided recently is being urgently assessed. These will be cleared as quickly as possible. Partners have been asked to ensure early provision of outstanding information, so that processing of all applications can be completed as soon as possible.

  Assisted Areas
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many grants have been offered under assisted area status; how many have been accepted; what estimate he has made of the number of jobs which should be created; and what was the total of public money spent and the total of the projects costs for(a) Dover/Deal, (b) Sittingbourne/Sheerness, (c) Folkestone, (d) Thanet and (e) the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested, as at the end of January 1995, is as follows:

  Iraqi-British Interests Group
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates he or his representatives(a) met and (b) plan to meet members of the Iraqi-British Interests Group after its visit to Baghdad.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  My officials met members of the Iraqi-British Interests Group on 7 and 9 March; there are no further meetings currently planned.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the terms of the communications licences issued by him to the Iraqi-British Interests Group before its recent visit to Baghdad; who were the members of the group; and which firms they represented.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to comment on individual licencing cases unless the public interest outweighs the need for confidentiality.

  Arms Exports to Indonesia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requests for export licences for the export of arms to Indonesia have been refused in the past 10 years.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The table shows the total number of export licence applications for goods on the military list of the Export of Goods (Control) Orders variously in force at the time.

  Information for earlier years is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  Refused

  1991

  2

  1992

  1

  1993

  0

  1994

  5

  1995

  0

  Angola
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the purpose and outcome of the recent Department of Trade and Industry supported delegation to Angola.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The recent mission to Angola was the first foreign delegation to visit the country since the peace agreement was signed and the first UK mission since 1992. The mission was led by one of the Department's export promoters, David Chambers, on secondment from Hull Blythe—Angola.

  The purpose of the mission was to explore opportunities in the Angolan oil sector, a sector which has remained unaffected by the civil war and Angola's economic difficulties and which has been an area of considerable success for UK companies in the past. Our decision to mount the mission was prompted by increased interest in the area among UK companies, including recent new investment by BP and a joint venture success involving AMEC, and it proved to be a success. Mission members identified at least $1.5 billion worth of new business in the oil sector and the trip is expected to give rise to further business in due course.

  Menwith Hill Station
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the US authorities since 1992 about concerns from British industry and commerce that Menwith Hill station, in north Yorkshire, is engaged in communications monitoring to the disadvantage of United Kingdom commercial interests.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 9 March 1995]: My Department is investigating a report of interference from a radio station at Menwith Hill to a nearby radio station. The latter forms part of a network which provides a radio telephone service to airline passengers. No representations have been made to the US authorities.

  Commercial Espionage
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received from United Kingdom industry and commerce about commercial espionage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 9 March 1995]: None.

  Unpaid Telephone Bills
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the percentage of unpaid telephone bills, in arrears, at the end of the last financial year.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: This is a matter for the telecommunications operators.

  Sickness Absenteeism
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking to combat sickness absenteeism in(a) Companies House, (b) the National Weights and Measures Agency, (c) the Accounts Services Agency, (d) the Patent Office, (e) the Insolvency Service, (f) NEL and (g) his Department.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 9 March 1995]: I have asked the chief executives of the agencies to write to the hon. member. As far as my Department is concerned the management of sickness absence has been identified as a priority for line managers, with an overall target of reducing this absence to the current level of similar organisations in the private sector.

  Letter from John Hobday to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 9 March 1995:
  I refer to your question of 28 February to the President of the Board of Trade about the measures he is taking to combat sickness absenteeism. I am answering in respect of the Accounts Services Agency (ASA).ASA employs approximately 100 staff. In recent years the Agency's sickness absence rate has been exacerbated by the breakdown in health of, or injury to, a number of them. Alcoholism, burns, cancer, fractures, myocardial infarction, pregnancy complications and stress were involved. Over the period one officer died, three others were medically retired and one short term contract was not renewed, the officer concerned accounting for a significant amount of sick leave. Additionally, two officers are in the process of being medically retired and another has been given notice of dismissal on the grounds of poor attendance.ASA fully recognises the problems generated by absenteeism and is addressing them.485
  Letter from David Durham to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 14 March 1995:
  In his response to your recent PQ, the President of the Board of Trade asked me as Chief Executive of Companies House, to write to you outlining the measures taken by this Agency to combat sickness absenteeism.Our sickness absence at Companies House for the last twelve months has been 4.41%. In considering this figure you should be aware that some 30% of our employees work part-time, and some 10% work on a shift basis. Traditionally in both private and public sectors, absenteeism rates are higher within these employment systems.Our actual sickness absence record over the last few years has been as follows.

  1994: 4.4%

  1993: 4.6%

  1992: 5.3%

  As you will see there has been a gradual improvement but this should not indicate that we are either satisfied or complacent with the latest figure.We implement a comprehensive management framework to address the problem of absenteeism which includes the following measures:

  1. All absenteeism is monitored on a regular basis and monthly league tables on sickness absenteeism are presented to managers of every section throughout Companies House. Managers of sections which are regularly above the average for our organisation are asked to explain the reasons for that discrepancy and to report on the actions they will be taking to improve their record.

  2. All new managers attend a training programme in developing skills and expertise in "Managing Sickness Absence".

  3. Follow up or refresher sessions are available for more experienced managers.

  4. Our Personnel Section regularly monitors absence trends, long-term sickness and any dubious attendance patterns. During the last twelve months we have dismissed four people from our organisation as a result of unacceptable sickness absence.

  5. For cases of genuine sickness absence, we offer advice to employees either through our Personnel Section, the staff counselling service or a locally based Civil Service doctor.

  6. We encourage staff to take advantage of a variety of Health Screening opportunities and the Civil Service Sanatorium Society.

  7. We have an on-site gymnasium and our social club offers a range of fitness classes throughout the year.

  8. During the longer school holidays we operate play school facilities to ensure absence levels are not influenced by young family commitments.

  9. We have set ourselves a target to reduce absenteeism below 4% by the beginning of 1996 and at least maintain, and hopefully improve, that record throughout the year.

  I hope this information is what you require.
  Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 7 March 1995:
  In the absence of Peter Joyce, the Chief Executive, the President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question which asked what measures The Insolvency Service is taking to combat sickness absenteeism.In recent years The Service has run Wellperson clinics which have helped to promote an understanding of health issues amongst our staff. At the same time we have been actively seeking to reduce the level of sick leave absences. We have clearly defined threshold points at which action by personnel managers is taken with regard to sick leave including, where appropriate, the involvement of staff counsellors. In more extreme cases such action has culminated in termination of services or medical retirement.The active management of sick leave absences and the reduction of sick leave to the current level of The Service's private sector have been identified as priorities for all our line managers.486
  Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 14 March 1995:
  I would refer to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade on the subject of sickness absenteeism. I would confirm that NEL's policy is in line with that of the DTI and that the management of sickness absence has been identified as a priority of all line managers in NEL with the objective of reducing this form of absence to a level similar to that found in well run organisations in the private sector. To assist Managers in the task of affecting this reduction the frequency of information provided to each Manager showing the recorded sickness levels within his command has been increased and a quarterly review of the position is made at the Directorate and Divisional Managers meetings.
  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 14 March 1995:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your Parliamentary Question about the management of sickness absenteeism.This Agency had one of the lowest absenteeism rates in DTI until the last two years, when the average figure has been distorted by the inclusion of one member of staff (of a complement of 48) who was on long-term sickness absence leading to eventual retirement on medical grounds. His absence accounts for the greater part of the increase seen in the average figure for NWML.Nevertheless, I have identified the management of sickness absence as a priority for line managers within this Agency in line with the action to be taken in the rest of DTI. Other proactive steps are being taken here to ensure that sickness absence is maintained below the level of similar organisations elsewhere.
  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 14 March 1995:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to respond on behalf of the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question about sickness absence.The management of sickness absence is a priority for line managers within the Patent Office and we have a manual to help managers deal with unsatisfactory attendance. In addition we have a sickness counselling scheme which is effective in addressing short term absences and we also use staff counselling to help staff with long-term health difficulties.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an account of decisions taken in the European Community Council of Ministers meeting on 9 March; if he will make it his policy that the United Kingdom will not accept majority voting on European Community immigration policy or visa policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The main results of the Council were as follows.

  The member states signed a convention on simplified extradition procedures. This was the first convention to be adopted under the third pillar of the treaty on European Union.

  In accordance with proposals originally put forward by the United Kingdom, the Council agreed in principle to focus in the short term on the preparation of a legally binding instrument on fraud affecting the Community budget that would deal only with key elements. This should enable the Council to meet the European Council's request that agreement on a legally binding instrument on this subject should be reached in the first half of 1995, and would be without prejudice to the continuation of

  487
  more detailed work on fraud against the Community budget. The Government welcome this further progress in the fight against fraud.

  The Council noted progress on the development of a convention covering jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial cases, known as the Brussels convention II. It agreed that officials should continue work with a view to the first part of the convention covering scope and jurisdiction, being concluded by June.

  The Council adopted a joint action extending the remit of the Europol drugs unit in The Hague to cover the fight against illegal trade in radioactive and nuclear materials, the smuggling of persons, vehicle trafficking and associated money laundering operations.

  The Council considered the outstanding issues arising from the draft Europol convention and instructed officials to continue to work to resolve them in the light of the views that had been expressed.

  The Council requested the Committee of Permanent Representatives to consider remaining points of difficulty on the draft convention establishing a customs information system.

  The Council reached broad agreement on the text of a regulation on a uniform format for visas, subject to a parliamentary scrutiny reserve entered by the UK pending debate in Parliament on the draft external frontiers convention and related matters.

  The Council adopted a resolution on minimum guarantees for asylum procedures. The UK made a declaration that it would apply the prescribed procedures relating to any applications by nationals of member states to the extent permitted by domestic legislation.

  Significant differences of view emerged during discussion of a draft resolution on burden sharing of temporarily displaced persons, on which the Council commissioned further work by officials.

  The Council approved the third pillar contribution to the European Union's strategy on racism and xenophobia which will be considered by the European Council meeting at Cannes.

  Immigration and visa matters are generally handled, in the European Union context, under the provisions of title VI—the third pillar—of the treaty of European Union. Proceedings under title VI are subject to a unanimity voting regime, and it is the Government's policy to ensure that this is maintained. The Community has competence under article 100c of the treaty of Rome only in relation to the common visa list and a uniform visa format. Article 100c provides that the uniform visa format is already subject to qualified majority voting: the common visa list will be subject to qualified majority voting from 1 January 1996.

  Community Sentencing
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on community sentencing.

  Mr. Howard
  I will tomorrow lay before Parliament and publish a Green Paper which invites views on wide-ranging proposals intended to strengthen and simplify the arrangements for the punishment of offenders in the community.

  Policing, Powys
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the future policing arrangements for the new unitary district of Powys.

  Mr. Howard
  I have consulted the forces, police authorities and local authorities in the area on the future policing arrangements for the new unitary district of Powys. In the light of the replies received, I have decided that the Dyfed Powys constabulary shall be responsible for policing the whole of the new district from 1 April 1996.

  An order will be made in due course, under section 21A of the Police Act 1964, as inserted by section 14 of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, to give effect to this decision, following discussions with the police authorities and forces concerned on the details of its content.

  Police (Truck Cargo Vehicles)
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution is made by his Department to local police authority budgets to cover their responsibilities in providing necessary assistance to truck cargo heavy duty mark II vehicles.

  Mr. Maclean
  The level of assistance provided is an operational matter for the chief constable. Any costs are provided for in the same way as for other forms of policing.

  Cautions
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions were issued by police forces in England and Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of persons cautioned by police force area is published annually in the "Criminal Statistics England and Wales", supplementary tables, Vol 3; table S3.7A of the 1990 edition and table S3.6A of the 1991 to 1993 editions refer to this. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  1994 data will not be available until autumn 1995.

  Intercepted Telephone Calls
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Government Communications Headquarters staff at Menwith Hill station are required to obtain warrants signed by him before intercepting domestic and international phone calls made in or from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: No. All interception of communications on public telecommunications systems in the United Kingdom is subject to the provisions of the Interception of Communications Act 1985, but ministerial responsibility for GCHQ is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the
  489
  number of applications for asylum in 1994 by (a) nationality and (b) location of application.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Applications1 for asylum, received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by nationality and location where made, 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  Applied at port

  Applied in-country

  Total

  Europe and Americas

  Bulgaria

  15

  215

  235

  Colombia

  275

  130

  405

  Czechoslovakia

  5

  5

  10

  Poland

  140

  220

  360

  Romania

  60

  300

  355

  Former Soviet Union

  50

  540

  595

  Turkey

  595

  1,450

  2,045

  Former Yugoslavia

  310

  1,075

  1,385

  Others

  300

  560

  865

  Total

  1,755

  4,495

  6,250

  Middle East

  Iran

  135

  385

  520

  Iraq

  250

  300

  550

  Lebanon

  70

  145

  215

  Others

  340

  355

  695

  Total

  795

  1,185

  1,985

  Africa

  Algeria

  130

  865

  995

  Angola

  155

  455

  605

  Cameroon

  10

  65

  75

  Ethiopia

  150

  580

  730

  Ghana

  445

  1,590

  2,035

  Ivory Coast

  425

  280

  705

  Kenya

  655

  475

  1,130

  Liberia

  80

  55

  140

  Nigeria

  500

  3,840

  4,340

  Sierra Leone

  960

  850

  1,810

  Somalia

  785

  1,055

  1,840

  South Africa

  40

  45

  85

  Sudan

  75

  255

  330

  Togo

  10

  45

  55

  Uganda

  105

  255

  360

  Zaire

  360

  415

  775

  Others

  370

  585

  950

  Total

  5,245

  11,715

  16,960

  Asia

  Afghanistan

  250

  75

  325

  China

  275

  150

  425

  India

  275

  1,755

  2,030

  Pakistan

  200

  1,610

  1,810

  Sri Lanka

  1,270

  1,080

  2,350

  Others

  40

  530

  575

  Total

  2,310

  5,205

  7,515

  Other and unknown nationalities

  125

  —

  125

  Grand Total

  10,230

  22,600

  32,830

  1Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applicants refused asylum, having lost their appeal against the asylum decision, subsequently appealed against deportation in 1994.
  490
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is not available in the form requested.

  Hunger Strikes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition of a hunger strike is used by his Department; and what action is taken by police or prison staff when hunger strikes occur.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A hunger strike is a situation in which an individual refuses to take food and/or fluid.

  The management and care of prisoners in Prison Service custody who refuse food and/or fluid is governed by the necessity to identify the underlying reasons for such refusal to eat or drink. There is also a necessity to distinguish between those who refuse while of sound mind and those who refuse at a time when, because of a mental illness, they are unable to make a rational judgment.

  The governor and prison medical officer are informed of any prisoners not taking food or fluids. The refusal is recorded in the returned food book, which is signed daily by a medical officer. If the food and/or fluid refusal continues, the prisoner will be admitted to the health care centre or transferred to another prison with a higher level of nursing care. For those patients with impaired capacity for rational judgment, arrangements will be made to transfer them to a national health service psychiatric hospital for treatment under the terms of the Mental Health Act.

  Once in the health care centre, the patient's condition is monitored on a daily basis by the prison medical officer, together with a consultant psychiatrist. If refusal persists, a specialist physician will be called in. Fluid is always available, and food is available each meal-time. The patient will be given every encouragement to resume feeding.

  In the case of those whose mental capacity is not impaired, the medical officer will clarify the extent of the refusal, and inform the patient of the following:
  that they will continue to receive medical supervision and advice;that the medical officer, except in the most limited and exceptional circumstances, will not force-feed, hydrate, or otherwise artificially provide nutrition without the patient's consent;that they will be warned of the medical consequences of continuing refusal, and of the inevitable deterioration in health which will follow, until and unless medical intervention is requested.
  The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 limits the amount of time that a suspect can be held in police detention, normally to a maximum of 24 hours. It places responsibility for the welfare of people so detained on the custody officer, who is required to immediately call a police surgeon or, in urgent cases send the person to hospital, if a detained person appears to need medical attention.

  There is no specific guidance issued to police for hunger strikes. As the Police and Criminal Evidence Act prescribes time limits for holding a suspect in police detention, a detained person is unlikely to be held long enough in police cells to be able to undertake a hunger strike.

  Fines
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total of fines(a) imposed and (b) collected by magistrates and Crown courts in Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information held centrally, which is given in the table, shows the number of fines and the value of the amounts issued by type of court in Wales for 1990 to 1993.

  1994 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Information is not collected centrally by my Department on the amounts of fines paid.

  Fines data for Wales by type of court 1990 to 1993

  Court/year

  Number of fines

  Amount issued £

  Magistrates courts

  1990

  129,277

  8,851,600

  1991

  102,425

  7,077,700

  1992

  117,729

  8,586,000

  1993

  100,893

  9,082,700

  Crown court

  1990

  640

  162,400

  1991

  610

  231,000

  1992

  651

  130,300

  1993

  356

  91,800

  Source:

  Home Office.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were employed by the Welsh police forces in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The number of special constables employed by the Welsh police forces in each year since 1990 is as follows:

  As at 31 December

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Dyfed-Powys

  210

  315

  260

  271

  306

  Gwent

  76

  80

  101

  109

  124

  North Wales

  199

  256

  295

  298

  315

  South Wales

  257

  352

  432

  534

  488

  Total

  742

  1,003

  1,088

  1,212

  1,233

  The Government have set forces a target of increasing the number of special constables in England and Wales to 30,000 by 1996. This is an increase of 10,000 on present strength.

  As a result of the current national advertising campaign comprising both television commercials and press advertisements, inquiries and preliminary application forms received to date are as follows:

  As at 3 March 1995

  Enquiry

  Application

  Dyfed-Powys

  35

  14

  Gwent

  199

  60

  North Wales

  20

  4

  South Wales

  772

  265

  Total

  1,026

  343

  Bilateral Agreements
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 655, when he proposes to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the Republic of Ireland; and if he will list those countries (a) with which the United kingdom has negotiated such bilateral agreements and (b) with which bilateral agreements are being negotiated.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: Following the implementation of the Football Spectators Act 1989, which extends only to England and Wales, we invited all countries who were members of the Union of European Football Associations, including the Republic of Ireland, to enter into bilateral agreements on corresponding offences. Following the disorder in Dublin on 15 February, my officials will again be raising with their Irish counterparts the prospects of an agreement.

  We have also encouraged other member states which have ratified the 1985 European convention on spectator violence and misbehaviour at sports events and in particular at football matches to enter into such agreements with us.

  Currently, we have bilateral agreements only with Scotland, Sweden and Italy. Unfortunately, it has not so far proved possible to reach more agreements. The negotiations themselves are usually long and tortuous, exacerbated by the fundamental differences between our legal system and that of the other country. Some countries see the restriction order, as set out in the 1989 Act, as a further criminal penalty which could be in breach of their own legal code through punishing a person twice for the same offence. There are also difficulties in the definitions of what constitutes a football-related offence in another country and whether they correspond to those offences set out in schedule 1 to the 1989 Act. Some countries, where hooliganism is not a significant problem, may not share the same priority in reaching an agreement over something which does not concern their own citizens, but only hooligans from this country. In some cases, on all but the most serious offences, a country may simply prefer as a matter of policy to deport a hooligan quickly without a court appearance, thereby removing the basis of a possible bilateral agreement.

  Football Violence
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 February,Official Report, column 408, what proposals he has to introduce legislation to provide a separate power to prevent a person subject to a restriction order from leaving the country at the stipulated time.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: I refer the hon. member to my written answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 656. Although I sympathise with the hon. Member's desire for immediate action, it is important to consider carefully the full range of options, both legislative and administrative, that may be necessary to deal effectively with the problem of football hooliganism.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, columns 655–56, if the restriction orders authority is now in a position to confirm whether the

  493
  second person subject to a restriction order breached the terms of that order.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: I understand that the restriction orders authority has not yet received confirmation that the person concerned reported to a police station as required. The authority has therefore notified the police station nearest to his home address. It is for the local police to consider investigating the relevant circumstances and to determine whether a criminal offence has been committed under section 16 of the Football Spectators Act 1989.

  Live Animal Transport, Shoreham
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the police received 26 hours' notification of the intended arrival of six cattle trucks at Shoreham port on the night of 6 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: No. I understand that Sussex police were informed at 3.30 pm on Monday 6 March that six lorries carrying live animals would be arriving at Shoreham that night. In the event, Sussex police instructed the lorries to turn back for operational and public safety reasons associated with the presence of demonstrators at Shoreham. Policing of the demonstrations is the responsibility of the chief constable of Sussex.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training providers existed as contractors for training for work provision during 1994–95; and how many contracts are being offered for 1995–96.

  Mr. Paice
  The Department contracts with training and enterprise councils for the delivery of training programmes including training for work. As private companies, TECs decide their own contracting arrangements with training providers. The Department does not collect information on TECs' contracts with providers.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for transfers from training for work to supported self-employment for the year 1995–96 to attract a payment for training providers.

  Mr. Paice
  The Department makes payments to training and enterprise councils, not directly to training providers. The Department will make an outcome payment to TECs in respect of trainees who have been in unsupported self-employment for the 13 weeks immediately after leaving training for work.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated number of start-ups for training for work schemes for 1995–96 who will receive enterprise allowance or equivalent support.

  Mr. Paice
  There are no targets set for the number of starts for trainees who will receive support during a period of self-employment while on training for work. It is for training and enterprise councils to determine the volume of such starts in the light of prevailing local circumstances.

  Remploy
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the process of awarding contracts to Remploy and other clothing contractors has been altered in the current year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Contracts arrangements in the private sector are a matter for my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, at the Department of Trade and Industry. As to contracts in the public sector, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 29 November 1994,Official Report, columns 637–39 when I announced the introduction of the special contracts arrangement.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans his Department has to review the effectiveness of the current legislation protecting workers from the dangers of asbestos.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Health and Safety Executive is satisfied that current legislation and guidance provide an adequate framework for preventing and controlling the risks posed by exposure to asbestos dust. There are no plans to review the main legislation. However, the HSE is concerned to ensure compliance with the precautions required by legislation and that the risks posed by asbestos are properly understood. A campaign to this end is currently underway.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for how long the current Health and Safety Executive publicity awareness campaign concerning the risks of asbestos dust is expected to run.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Health and Safety Executive launched its asbestos awareness campaign targeted at building maintenance, repair and refurbishment workers on 6 February 1995. Its initial phase comprised advertisements in the national press and in some trade journals and a press conference on 2 March 1995. In the second phase of the campaign over the coming months, HSE inspectors and other appropriate enforcement authorities will publicise the dangers of exposure to asbestos dust, especially in their visits to premises where building renovation work is carried out.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many start-up businesses were supported by the enterprise allowance scheme or any of its renamed successors in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Paice
  The number of start-ups in England supported by the enterprise allowance scheme, known as the business start-up scheme since 1992, are shown in the following table:

  1989–90: 63,500

  1990–91: 50,300

  1991–92: 41,800

  1992–93: 33,600

  1993–94: 34,500

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will be able to make an
  495
  announcement on whether he supports the proposal that the Health and Safety Executive should report data on industrial accidents to both the European Commission and the European Environment Agency.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 28 February 1995,Official Report, column 557.

  Career Development Loans
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many career development loans were made in(a) Wales and (b) Britain, between April 1993 and September 1994; what was their total value in each case; and what proportion of the total funds taken up by such loans for Britain was for lending in Wales.

  Mr. Paice
  Between April 1993 and September 1994, 17,607 career development loans with a total loan value of £52,074,087 were approved nationally.

  This includes 656 loans approved in Wales with a total loan value of £1,929,244.50. This represents nearly 4 per cent. of the national total.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to introduce legal forms of positive discrimination to enable companies to advertise for disabled employees specifically so that they could ensure that disabled quotas are reached.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Not enough people have chosen to register as disabled for all employers to meet the quota requirement. Employers are free to discriminate in favour of people with disabilities when recruiting; the Disability Discrimination Bill will not alter this position. The Bill will, however, make it unlawful for an employer to treat a disabled person less favourably than other people because of their disability, unless there are justifiable reasons.

  Mr. Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what help his Department gives in making companies more aware of the benefits of employing disabled people.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department has an on-going programme of education and persuasion designed to make employers aware of the benefits of employing disabled people. Placing, assessment and counselling teams promote the "Code of Good Practice on the Employment of Disabled People" to employers. As well as giving advice to employers about recruitment and general practices relating to the employment of people with disabilities, the code also includes information about the full and effective role of people with disabilities at work. The Department has also mounted advertising campaigns this year, and in the previous two years, focusing on demonstrating the abilities of disabled people at work.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) of 7 March,Official Report, column 133–35, if he will place in the Library (a) the memorandum on social clauses in trade agreements, (b) the resolution on implementation of legislation in the social field to be discussed at the EU
  496
  Social Affairs Council on 27 March and (c) all relevant United Kingdom and EU documents pertaining thereto.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The presidency has not yet finalised the texts to be put to the Council. I shall be writing to the scrutiny committees about the state of play on these and other matters in advance of the Council. I shall place both documents in the Library when they become available.

  Bereavement Leave
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much time an unemployed person is granted for bereavements, without being discounted as available for work.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Colin Pickthall, dated 14 March 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the amount of time an unemployed person is granted for bereavements, without being discounted as available for work.It may help if I explain that the receipt of unemployment benefit, National Insurance contribution credits and income support when unemployed, is conditional upon a person being available for and actively seeking work. This means that the individual must be available to start work immediately; must not place such restrictions on the work they are willing to do as to leave them with no real prospects of finding a job; and must take those steps each week that offer them their best prospects of being offered work.Availability is a daily condition which means that the client must be available to do some work on every day of claim, usually Monday to Saturday.If a client declares to my people in local offices that they are not available for work for any day(s), Social Security regulations provide for their claim to be referred to an independent adjudication officer for a decision about entitlement.However, my local office and section managers have some discretion in deciding whether a claim is referred or not. If a client is unable to attend on their normal signing day, or cannot attend a pre-arranged interview, because of a domestic crisis such as a bereavement, my people have discretion to treat the claim as straightforward, without reference to an adjudication officer. In such circumstances there are no time limits. I expect my people to use judgement and decide what is reasonable in the light of the circumstances of each case.I hope this is helpful.

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each standard region for each year since 1979 the average(a) hourly and (b) weekly (i) full-time and (ii) part-time (1) male and (2) female earnings, the total number and proportion of (c) male and (d) female (iii) part-time employees earning less than £5.88 per hour and (iv) full-time employees earning less than £221.50 per week, and the average weekly earnings of the top and bottom deciles of (e) full-time and (f) part-time, (v) male and (vi) female employees.
  497
  Mr. Oppenheim
  Analyses by standard region of the new earnings survey results for full-time employees are published in part E of the report.

  Tables 110 and 113 contain average gross weekly and hourly earnings, and the top and bottom deciles of weekly earnings, for men and women respectively.

  Table 114 contains the sample numbers and the percentages with weekly earnings below a range of levels. These include £220 in 1994 but in 1979 the top of the range was £200 for men and £100 for women.

  Table 115 contains similar information on a range of hourly earnings that included £6 per hour in 1994 but in 1979 the top of the range was £3.50 for men and £2.20 for women.

  Information for part-time women is published in part F. Table 180 contains information similar to table 113 and table 175 contains information similar to table 115.

  Copies of the new earnings survey reports can be found in the Library.

  The information is not available for part-time men.

  Pilot

  (b) the number of places taken up1

  (c)the number of people still participating

  (d)the number of employers involved2

  Kent

  468

  238

  380

  Devon and Cornwall

  626

  433

  309

  Tyneside

  243

  137

  130

  South west and south London

  238

  108

  144

  1Figures February 1995.2 Figures September 1994 (evaluation completed in September).

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 14 March 1995.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 14 March.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is currently on an official visit to Israel, the occupied territories and Jordan. He is also accompanied by a large delegation of British business men.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister who authorised the approach by police to the journalist, David Johnston, of Radio Forth, to be offered the facility of direct communication with the then Prime Minister, in order to induce him to reveal the source of certain information relating to Lockerbie in December 1988.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  As has been repeatedly made clear it is not appropriate for the investigating authorities to give details of investigative steps which have been taken.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with Chancellor Kohl attempts by the Bundeskriminalamt and the Verfassungschütz to deflect blame for the Lockerbie crime from the Rhein-Main airport in Frankfurt, and the statement by the

  Workstart
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was(a) the number of places available each year, (b) the actual number taken up, (c) the number of people involved in the programme who are presently in employment and (d) the number of different employers involved in the programme, in respect of each pilot workstart programme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Workstart was piloted in four areas between July 1993 and December 1994: Devon and Cornwall, Kent, Tyneside and south and south-west London. The figures requested are shown in the following table. All available places were taken up. In the survey of employers, published on 12 December 1994, over 80 per cent. of employers interviewed said they intended to keep the workstart employee on after the subsidy ended. The follow-up survey due to report in November 1995 will give more information on this matter. Five thousand places will be available on the further pilots, announced in the Budget, which will begin in April 1995.

  Bundesministerium of Justice on 20 February 1995 letter Geschäftzeichen 111 BLA 4038 E 634/88 about the absence of knowledge by the investigators of the public prosecutors office in Frankfurt of whether explosives which led to the crashing of the Pan Am plane got on board the feeder plane in Frankfurt am Main.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  No.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To aks the Prime Minister what assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving to relatives of the British Lockerbie victims in their presentation of a petition to the European Parliament, drawing attention to six years of effort to find the truth about Lockerbie.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have received no request to assist in this matter.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Transportation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if a vet from his Department was present at Shoreham port on the night of 6 March for the arrival of six cattle trucks;

  (2) what assessment he has made of whether the transport plan for the six truckloads of cattle destined to leave from Shoreham port on the night of 6 March was. capable of being fulfilled, and whether the cattle were rested, fed and watered after 15 hours; what happened to the cattle; and if he will make a statement.
  499
  Mrs. Browning
  A veterinary officer was at the port awaiting the arrival of six trucks containing calves. In the event, a demonstration prevented two livestock lorries already on their way to Shoreham from reaching the port. I understand that these lorries returned with the calves to the premises or origin in Oxfordshire. Officials were satisfied that all the animals could be returned to their home premises within the 15-hour limit by which time the animals would have had to be fed and rested.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what time loading commenced of a consignment of calves which arrived in Brightlingsea on 3 March on to the vehicle which transported them to Brightlingsea; how many calves were on the vehicles; at what time and from where the journey to Brightlingsea began; what time they arrived at the port; what subsequently happened to them; when feeding of all the calves was completed; what time the vessel designated to ship the calves to the continent arrived at Brightlingsea; what time loading of the vessel commenced; what time loading of the vessel completed, and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  I understand that the journey of the 194 calves began at 05.30 hours from premises in Kent. The lorry carrying calves arrived at a lairage near Harwich shortly after 10.00 hours where it waited until convoyed to the port, arriving at about 14.00 hours. The calves were fed aboard the lorry between 18.00 hours and 19.50 hours. The vessel berthed at 23.10 hours and the calves were loaded from 23.30 hours and fed immediately. All were aboard by 23.45 hours. Sheep were loaded between 23.45 and 01.20 hours.

  The other four livestock lorries were at local lairages ready to load calves already resting there. In the circumstances, loading of those animals for Shoreham did not even begin.

  Journey plans had been scrutinised by officials before the proposed export journeys started and were satisfactory.

  Meat Hygiene Service
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the aggregate estimated annual cost of the Meat Hygiene Service;

  (2) what is the aggregate annual cost of all Meat Hygiene Service staff in the financial year 1995–96.

  Mrs. Browning
  The total estimated cost of the Meat Hygiene Service in 1995–96 is £53.4 million. Within this figure, £26.5 million relates to the cost of employed staff—excluding relief cover for holidays, sickness and so on—and £10.2 million is for contracted veterinary services.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what protection has been written into staff contracts of employment to cover the eventuality that the Meat Hygiene Service does not receive parliamentary approval.

  Mrs. Browning
  Parliamentary approval is not required for the setting up of the Meat Hygiene Service, which will be an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Changes to secondary legislation are required to place responsibility for fresh meat and welfare enforcement on Ministers.
  500
  The majority of Meat Hygiene Service employees will be meat inspectors transferring from their local authority employers to the agency on 1 April 1995 in accordance with the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981.

  Meat Hygiene Service staff employed by MAFF in advance of launch are subject to the Ministry's standard terms, which provide for three months notice or payment in lieu.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what date the chief executive of the Meat Hygiene Service was appointed;

  (2) what is the total remuneration package for the chief executive of the Meat Hygiene Service.

  Mrs. Browning
  The appointment of the chief executive of the Meat Hygiene Service for an initial period of five years was announced on 19 May 1994 and he took up his post full time on 1 September 1994. The chief executive's annual salary is £70,000. In addition, he is eligible for an annual, non-pensionable performance-related bonus of up to 12.5 per cent. of basic pay.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (1) what is the total number of staff appointed to the Meat Hygiene Service;

  (2) what is the ultimate complement of full-time and part-time staff to be appointed to the Meat Hygiene Service.

  Mrs. Browning
  At launch, the Meat Hygiene Service will employ 947 staff, comprising 872 meat inspectors and veterinarians and 75 management and support staff. Veterinary services will be obtained also through contracts with veterinary practices. The complement of the Meat Hygiene Service will be subject to adjustments to reflect any changes in the number of licensed fresh meat premises and the requirements of the relevant legislation.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (1) on what date it is proposed that the Meat Hygiene Service will become operational;

  (2) on what date he made it his policy to establish the Meat Hygiene Service.

  Mrs. Browning
  In March 1992 the then Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) announced the intention to create a national meat hygiene service, constituted as an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to take over the fresh meat hygiene enforcement currently carried out by local authorities.

  The Meat Hygiene Service will become operational on 1 April 1995.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what premises have been acquired or leased by the Meat Hygiene Service.

  Mrs. Browning
  None. The Meat Hygiene Service is a minority occupier in Government offices in York, Cambridge, Wolverhampton, Taunton, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subordinate legislation is required to give effect to the Meat Hygiene Service; and what is the timetable for its introduction.
  501
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer on 13 March 1995]: Changes are needed to make Ministers responsible for the enforcement of fresh meat hygiene and welfare at slaughter legislation. The following regulations, which include other changes not relevant to the establishment of the Meat Hygiene Service, are being laid before Parliament to come into force on 1 April 1995:
  The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 The Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 and The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995.
  The following regulations will provide for Ministers to enforce controls in fresh meat plants over unfit meat and bovine offals.
  The Animal By Products (Identification) Regulations 1995, and The Bovine Offal (Prohibition) (Amendment) Regulations 1995.
  The Meat (Hygiene, Inspection and Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/361) were laid before Parliament on 17 February and will, mostly, come into operation on 1 April 1995. Regulations 12 and 13 of these regulations, which provide for formal consultation on charges, come into operation on 13 March 1995.

  Statutory Instruments
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) negative and (b) affirmative statutory instruments have been laid by his Department in each year since 1970; what proportion of the negative statutory instruments were the subject of prayers for their annulment; and what proportions of those prayers were debated.

  Mr. Jack
  Figures can be provided only from the year 1986 onwards without incurring disproportionate costs. These are as follows:

  Type of statutory instrument

  Year

  Negative resolution

  Affirmative resolution

  1986

  78

  19

  1987

  66

  13

  1988

  57

  11

  1989

  72

  22

  1990

  91

  14

  1991

  71

  12

  1992

  98

  6

  1993

  94

  5

  1994

  108

  6

  It should be borne in mind that not all statutory instruments impose requirements on business and some amend, replace or revoke existing statutory instruments.

  No central records are kept of the number of negative statutory instruments which were the subject of a prayer and therefore no information can be supplied on the proportion debated.

  Consultants
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the consultants, (b) the tasks for which they were employed and (c) the payments made to them from the budget of his Department in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94.
  502
  Mr. Jack
  Details of consultants employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the years 1992–93 and 1993–94 and their tasks and of consultants employed by MAFF's executive agencies will be placed in the Library. The total cost to MAFF and the agencies in each year is as follows:

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  MAFF (excluding ITD)

  1,903,204

  1,988,234

  Information Technology Division

  5,200,000

  8,300,000

  ADAS

  387,000

  985,845

  Central Veterinary Laboratory

  546,833

  463,037

  Central Science Laboratory

  17,100

  149,731

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate

  41,272

  34,281

  Pesticides Safety Directorate

  —

  170,469

  Total

  8,095,409

  12,091,597

  Agriculture, Harrogate
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people were employed in agriculture in the Harrogate borough council area in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Jack
  The number of persons employed in agriculture in the local government district of Harrogate at June in each of the years from 1987 to 1994 is given in the table. Data for earlier years are not available.

  Number of person employed in agriculture in the Harrogate LCD 1987 to 1994

  Year

  Number

  1987

  4,777

  1988

  4,738

  1989

  4,571

  1990

  4,457

  1991

  4,362

  1992

  4,285

  1993

  4,256

  1994

  4,162

  Source:

  June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture.

  Notes:

  1. Data relates to main holdings (minor holdings excluded).

  2. Figures include all categories of workers—i.e. farmers, partners, directors (including spouses); salaried managers; hired workers; family workers; seasonal or casual workers.

  Bio-fuel
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current estimated figures in hectares of land under crops used for bio-fuel purposes; what were the figures in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The main crop sources for bio-fuels are oilseed rape and short rotation coppice.

  Prior to 1993 and the introduction of the arable area payments scheme oilseed rape grown for non-food uses was not recorded separately. In 1993, 24,087 hectares of oilseed rape, excluding high erucic acid rape grown primarily for use as a slipping agent, was planted on

  503
  set-aside land for non-food outlets and oil produced will mainly have been used for bio-fuels and in pharmaceuticals. In 1994 this had risen to 78,402 hectares.

  There is no scheme information on the amount of short rotation coppice grown for bio-fuels but it is estimated that in 1993 90 hectares had been planted for this purpose, and increased to 230 hectares in 1994. Under the third order under the non-fossil fuel obligation, NFFO 3, it is expected that over the next few years 5,000 to 7,000 hectares of short rotation coppice could be established.

  The use of agricultural crops are renewable raw materials for industry and energy is a new development which the Government are keen to foster.

  Milk
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of milk quota is currently owned by persons who are not active dairy farmers; and if he will make a statement

  Mr. Jack
  The intervention board keeps a record of individual producer's milk quota but not their milk production. Information on the percentage of milk quota owned by non-producing quota holders is therefore not available.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are currently being taken in respect of the black market in milk.

  Mr. Jack
  The industry has taken excellent advantage of the intervention board's fraud freephone and provided many reports of trading in black market milk. The agency's team of investigators are vigorously following up a number of leads.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all White Papers, Green Papers and pamphlets issued by his Department, or agencies for which it is responsible, in 1994, giving in each case the total cost to the Exchequer of their production publication and distribution and what was the total equivalent cost in 1980.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 2 march 1995]: In respect of those White Papers, Green Papers and other publications published by HMSO all costs are borne by HMSO who aim to recover these from sales revenue. In addition, MAFF produces a wide range of reports, information booklets and other publications which are listed in the Department's publications catalogue, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The cost of producing, publishing and distributing such material in 1994–95 is expected to be about £2.2 million. Expenditure relating to all individual items could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost, but I should be happy to provide the hon. Member with further details relating to any publications in which he is particularly interested.

  Publications produced by MAFF agencies are the responsibility of their chief executives. I have asked them to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Figures for 1980 are not available in a comparable form.
  504
  Letter from Dr. P. 1. Stanley to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 13 March 1995:

  EXPENDITURE IN 1994 BY MAFF AND ITS AGENCIES ON WHITE PAPERS, GREEN PAPERS AND PAMPHLETS
  No White Papers or Green Papers were published by the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) in 1994. However the Agency produced several information pamphlets including a Statement of Standards and several information pamphlets including a Statement of Standards and Quality of Service. The total cost of producing, publishing and distributing such material in the 1994–95 financial year is about £9,500.CSL was launched as an executive agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) on 1 April 1992 and therefore no comparable figure is available for 1980, when CSL formed part of the Department.
  Letter from T. W. A. Little to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 13 March 1995:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about White Papers, Green Papers and Pamphlets issued by Agencies in 1994.CVL publishes a number of pamphlets aimed at assisting the marketing of its services. In 1994 the cost of production of these items was £8,900 including VAT. The material is distributed in a wide variety of ways including handing-out at conferences and exhibitions, mailed with other material or collected from CVL Reception. Costs of distribution are not therefore kept separately.CVL became an Agency in 1990 and so it is not possible to provide comparable costs with 1980 when CVL was part of the Department.
  Letter from G. K. Bruce to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 13 March 1995:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate, to your question about expenditure on selected publications.The Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) has not produced any White papers or Green papers in 1994/95. It has produced two pamphlets; one setting out our customer service standards and one describing the work of the agency. The cost of producing these pamphlets was £1,655. Costs of other pamphlets with a wider Food Safety emphasis have been borne centrally and therefore covered in the return from MAFF.As PSD was established as an agency on 1 April 1993 comparable figures for 1980 are not available.
  Letter from J. M. Rutter to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 6 March 1995:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about the cost of the production, publication and distribution of certain publications by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.The Directorate was not established as a Next Steps Agency until 2 April 1990, nor does it issue any white papers or green papers. In 1994, the VMD issued the following pamphlets:Sheep Dipping— published jointly in May 1994 with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Department of the Environment. Production costs were met by the HSE, but the VMD paid for the distribution of copies to the 90,000 registered sheep farmers in the UK. The total cost of this distribution was £22,153.62.VMD Customer Service Statement£ published in July 1994. The total production and distribution costs for 7,000 copies was £3,453.13.Two further pamphlets were published in house during 1994 at no extra cost.AMELIA I— Provisional Marketing Authorisations.(A guidance note on new authorisation arrangements for veterinary medicines published in September 1994).Veterinary Medicinal Products (Dips, injectables, pour ems and sprays) available in the UK for use as ectoparasiticides in sheep—(Published in December 1994).505
  Letter from Guy Stapleton to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 13 March 1995:
  The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your question about publications issued by the Ministry and MAFF-related agencies, as the information for the Intervention Board is a matter within my operational responsibility.In 1994 HMSO published the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts 1993–94; the cost of copies for general sale was borne by HMSO, but the Intervention Board paid £12,500 for producing copies for the Agency's use. HMSO also published the Intervention Board's Annual Report for 1980 (Cmnd 8283). No expenditure was incurred by the Board.The Agency itself publishes a range of scheme and information leaflets. These are listed in our Annual Reports, which are available in the Library of the House. Printing costs in 1994 were £28,225. Figures for 1980 are not available in a comparable form.
  Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Mr. Roland Boyes, dated 13 March 1995:
  I have been asked by the Minister of Agriculture to reply direct to you concerning the question you tabled on Thursday 2nd March. In this you asked for a list of all white papers, green papers and pamphlets issued by his Department, or agencies, in 1994, giving in each case, the total cost to the Exchequer of their production, publication and distribution. You also required the total equivalent cost in 1980.As an Agency, ADAS has not produced any white papers, green papers or equivalent pamphlets. ADAS was formed as an executive agency in 1992 so no comparison would be possible with the year 1980. ADAS continues to produce a number of leaflets in support of the marketing related to its commercial activity.

  Lambs
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has put forward in the European Council of Ministers to eliminate the

  Lamb marketings 1989 to 1994

  thousand head

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total UK Lamb marketings1

  18,296

  18,564

  19,937

  18,840

  17,892

  n/a

  of which;

  Lamb Slaughterings2

  England

  12,130

  12,556

  13,315

  12,349

  11,345

  11,062

  Wales

  2,177

  2,102

  2,276

  1,673

  1,868

  1,705

  Scotland

  2,815

  2,787

  3,048

  2,989

  3,104

  3,271

  Northern Ireland

  731

  733

  617

  955

  978

  776

  UK

  17,853

  18,177

  19,255

  17,966

  17,295

  16,814

  Live exports3 UK

  442

  386

  681

  874

  597

  n/a

  1 Home killed slaughter plus recorded live exports.

  2 Home killed slaughter of other sheep and lambs.

  3Source:

  1989–1992 Central Statistical Office, 1993 MDS Transmodal. Sheep under 1 year.

  1993 data, based on the new system of recording trade between EU countries (lntrastat),are provisional. They are thought to under-recorded the true level of exports.

  Data for 1994 are not yet available.

  Live exports are not broken down below the UK level.

  Alkaloids in Foods
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research his Department is currently funding or initiating into the effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods: who is undertaking that research: what is its purpose: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is currently funding one project at the university of Glasgow on pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods. The 506
  additional grants available for slaughtering in continental countries, after a short period of residency, of lambs reared in Wales but which thereafter qualify as lambs of these other countries and benefit from grant eligibility for which they would not have qualified had they been slaughtered in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I am not aware that any member state of the EU is paying slaughter premiums on lambs slaughtered in its abattoirs. Such premiums would distort competition and constitute an illegal state aid. I would not hesitate to encourage the Commission to take action in the face of evidence that any such grants were paid.

  Welsh lamb slaughtered in, say, France currently attracts a premium price on the market as compared with Welsh lamb exported to France in carcase form. This is because lambs slaughtered in France carry a French health stamp and can legitimately be described as "home killed", whatever their origin.

  The Meat and Livestock Commission is making every effort to promote the image of British carcase meat exports on EU markets and has the full support of the Government in doing so.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many lambs were sold to market from farms in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in each of the past five years; and how many of the lambs from each country were exported.

  Mr. Jack
  The total number of United Kingdom lamb marketings are given in the following table. These are then broken down by those slaughtered in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and those exported live from the UK as a whole.

  The number of lambs exported live is not broken down below the UK level.

  project will study the relative toxicities of different pyrrolizidine alkaloids and should improve assessment of risk from ingestion of these alkaloids. Results of recent surveillance of levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in UK honey were published in the February edition of the Food Safety Information Bulletin.

  Juice Plus
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what correspondence has
  507
  been exchanged or received by or between Ministers in his Department in the last three years on the use, distribution or approval of Juice Plus.

  Mrs. Browning
  None.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cases of food poisoning reported from(a) salmonella and (b) campylobacter in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  Data for 1981 to 1993 are published in the Steering Group on the Microbiological Safety of Food Annual Report 1993, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The confirmed total for 1993 for all salmonellas is 30,654 and the provisional figure for 1994 is 30,427.

  The provisional figure for 1994 for campylobacter is 44,315. The 1993 figure is still provisional at 39,383.

  Anthrax
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of anthrax have been reported in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  The number of confirmed cases of anthrax reported in England for the years in question is:

  1985: 1

  1986: 7

  1987: 3

  1988: 3

  1989: 3

  1990: 3

  1991: 1

  1992: 1

  1993: 1

  1994: 3

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  VAT (Accommodation)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to press for a reduction in value added tax rates in the accommodation sector, following the report by McKinsey Inc.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The McKinsey study concluded that the effect of a reduction in VAT on our tourism revenues would be uncertain. It is not clear that taxation places our operators at a competitive disadvantage without comparing the total tax burden on them with that carried by their European competitors, who have to bear the costs of the social chapter; and it is not clear that the benefits of a VAT reduction would be passed on to customers. I intend to help the accommodation sector improve value for money by means of the measures I announced on 1 March.

  Children's Play
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many responses he received with regard to the restructuring of children's play, showing(a) the total number of responses, (b) the number of responses, (i) in
  508
  favour of creating a national body and (ii) opposing the creation of a new national body and (c) the number of responses (1) in favour of extending national lottery funding to children's play activities and (2) opposing the extension of national lottery funding to children's play activities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has received a total of 135 responses regarding future arrangements for children's play. Sixty-five of the individuals and organisations which responded were in favour of the creation of a national body and 24 were in favour of children's play activities being eligible for national lottery funding. None of the responses opposed either of these ideas.

  English Heritage Commission
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 20 December,Official Report, column 1165, who replaced Sir Hugh Cubitt when his appointment as a member of the English Heritage Commission ended on 31 December; and if regard was given in making this appointment, to the desirability of at least one member of this commission having knowledge of local government.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am currently considering new appointments to the English Heritage Commission, including a replacement for Sir Hugh Cubitt, and will give due regard to the desirability of at least one member having knowledge of local government when making these appointments.

  Cultural Property Ownership
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the negotiations to be held next June in Rome when the final draft of a treaty on cultural property ownership will be considered; and what is his assessment of their effect on the buying and selling of antiquities in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 9 March 1995]: I can confirm that there will be a diplomatic conference in Rome from 7 to 24 June this year, to discuss the draft Unidroit convention on the international return of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects. It is our present intention that the UK will be represented. As the convention will be subject to further amendment at the conference, I cannot anticipate whether the UK will become a signatory or what effect its provision might have on the buying and selling of antiquities in the United Kingdom.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Tranquilliser Addiction
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to provide legal aid to help people addicted to tranquillisers to pursue their cases against drug companies.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Civil legal aid is available for almost all proceedings through the courts of England and Wales, subject to tests as to the means of the applicant,
  509
  and the merits of his or her case. Decisions on the grant or refusal of civil legal aid are taken by the Legal Aid Board, and I cannot intervene in its decisions.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases are currently being pursued in the courts by people addicted to tranquillisers against drug companies.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available centrally.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Former Prisoners of War
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what backing Her Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo gave to former British prisoners of war of the Japanese when they visited Japan recently to claim compensation for their treatment and that of other prisoners of the Japanese in the second world war.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Ambassador met and briefed the former prisoners during their visit to Japan. He helped them to meet a representative of the Japanese Government and to pay tribute to their fallen comrades at the Commonwealth war graves cemetery.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will define what he means by the word "dud" in his reply to the Adjournment debate on 1 February, referring to a document of air intelligence unit of the US air force in relation to payment by Ali Akbar Mostashemi to terrorist groups for a contract to bomb an airliner.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  When the report in question was assessed, it was found to be no more than an unsubstantiated rumour of no intelligence value.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will submit to the Committee on Intelligence the transcripts of conversations, in 1988, between Iranian Government officials recording their satisfaction with the Lockerbie explosion.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As the hon. Gentleman knows, we do not comment on such matters.

  Embassy, Berlin
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to develop the British embassy in Berlin; what is the estimated value of the present site; what is the projected cost of the redevelopment work; how many staff will be employed in the embassy; how much office space, residential accommodation and what recreational and restaurant facilities will be provided; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We own the site of the former embassy in Berlin, destroyed during world war two. Its value is estimated at £11 million. The cost of construction of a new building on that site together with the cost of an adjoining site which is being acquired, is estimated at £21 510
  million. This will enable a fully functioning embassy to be built and provide office accommodation for 80 UK-based and 80 local staff. No residential accommodation will be built. A staff canteen, recreation room and library will be provided. Conference and exhibition facilities will also be provided for use by British exporters and other organisations.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sites were considered for the new British embassy in Berlin; who made the decision on the site and on what advice; what provisional arrangements will be made and at what cost to ensure the effective continuation of the embassy's work during the period of redevelopment; and for how long it is expected to last.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Various possibilities were considered for the establishment of a new embassy in Berlin. The most cost-effective option was chosen. The decision we took was to construct a new building on a site we already part owned.

  The work of the British embassy will continue in Bonn and at the present British embassy, Berlin office, at 32/34 Unter den Linden, until the opening of the new building, planned for early 1999, when staff will be transferred.

  Social Development Summit
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the world summit for social development which was held in Copenhagen from 6 to 12 March.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The world summit for social development provided an opportunity for discussion of the key development issues of poverty reduction, job creation and improving social cohesion, and for ideas to be shared at a high level on how these problems might be overcome. My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey represented the Government and made a keynote speech setting out the Government's good record on tackling problems of poverty and unemployment at home, and our support through the aid programme for developing countries' efforts to achieve sustainable people-centred development

  The Government are pleased that the summit's documentation includes strong references to human rights, good governance, developing country debt, trade liberalisation and the need for economic growth.

EDUCATION

  Local Education Authority Budgets
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list for each local education authority budgeted spending for 1995–96.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on local authorities' budgets for 1995–96 will become available centrally later in the year.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what is the average level of hold-back from local education authority educational budgets for local authorities controlled by(a) Conservative, (b) Labour and (c) Liberal Democrat administrations;
  511
  (2) what is the level of hold-back within the expenditure of the Coventry education authority;

  (3) what is the level of hold-back within the education expenditure of (a) Coventry, (b) Solihull, (c) Birmingham, (d) Warwickshire, (e) Wandsworth, (f) Westminster, (g) Sandwell, (h) Wolverhampton and (i) Walsall local education authorities.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The percentage of the potential schools budget retained centrally for 1994–95 by the LEAs in question is as follows:1

  Percentage

  Coventry

  12.9

  Solihull

  9.6

  Birmingham

  13.2

  Warwickshire

  14.3

  Wandsworth2

  17.7

  Westminster

  11.5

  Sandwell

  13.5

  Wolverhampton

  11.3

  Walsall

  12.3

  1 The figures are taken from the answer given on 17 October 1994 to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) Official Report, columns 27–36.

  2 In the case of the inner London authorities (other than Westminster) the introduction of local management of Schools was deferred until April 1992, and the delegation requirements applicable to those authorities differ from those applicable elsewhere.

  I will write to my hon. Friend about average hold-back by LEAs according to political control.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education authorities have made representations that their budgets of 1995–96 are insufficient for their(a) education and (b) youth services.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My colleagues and I have received representations from a large number of local education authorities about aspects of their budgets for 1995–96.

  European Proposals
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the state of negotiation of the EC SOCRATES and Youth for Europe III proposals.

  Mr. Boswell
  Both proposals were finally adopted at the Council of Ministers' meeting on 10 March. The Council agreed that the SOCRATES decision should contain a finance article setting the programme's budget at 850 million ECU—£689 million1—over five years, subject to neutral review by the Council and the European Parliament after two years. A finance article was also agreed for Youth for Europe III setting its budget at 126 million ECU—£102 million—over five years. The proposals had previously been approved by the European Parliament on 1 March.

  SOCRATES is the first major European Union initiative to encourage practical co-operation at all levels of education across Europe. While each member state will keep its distinctive education system, schools will benefit from developing new partnerships with schools from other European countries. These partnerships will particularly help children learning the languages of the European Union.

  In addition, there will be continuing support throughout the education system for teachers, colleges and
  512
  universities, including continuation of the ERASMUS programme. I hope, later this month, to launch the national agencies which will distribute money to institutions which bid successfully.

  1 converted at 1 ECU = £0.8103.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for loans the Student Loans Company received for the year 1994–95; how many were accepted; and how many of these have not yet been paid to the applicant.

  Mr. Boswell
  This is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the acting chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Nursery Education
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 9 February,Official Report, column 392, how much Government proposals on the provision of nursery education will cost (a) nationally and (b) in Norfolk in 1995–96.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been consulting a wide range of practitioners and professionals to inform the development of detailed proposals on my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's commitment to provide, over time, a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish to take it up. The nature of the proposals will determine the costs.

  Schools (Transfers)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools are being transferred from Hereford and Worcester local education authority to Birmingham local education authority from April.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Five.

  Birmingham LEA
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the total capital allocation for education to Birmingham local education authority since 1984–85; what has been the actual capital expenditure on education in Birmingham in the same period; and what information she has on the cost of dealing with the backlog in repairs and renovations in Birmingham's schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total capital allocation for education and actual capital expenditure on education in Birmingham has been as follows:

  £ million

  County and controlled schools1

  Voluntary aided schools5

  Total allocation

  Actual outturn6

  1984–85

  26.5

  0.2

  6.7

  7—

  1985–86

  3.7

  1.1

  4.8

  9.9

  1986–87

  5.0

  0.6

  5.6

  7.5

  1987–88

  3.9

  1.0

  4.9

  7.5

  1988–89

  4.4

  1.8

  6.2

  5.5

  1989–90

  5.2

  2.0

  7.2

  10.7

  1990–91

  310.5

  1.2

  11.7

  14.7

  1991–92

  11.1

  1.1

  12.2

  14.9

  513

  £million

  County and controlled schools1

  Voluntary aided schools5

  Total allocation

  Actual outturn6

  1992–93

  10.9

  1.8

  12.7

  13.4

  1993–94

  46.2

  1.4

  7.6

  813.3

  1994–95

  10.9

  1.1

  12.0

  9—

  1995–96

  9.2

  0.4

  9.6

  9—

  Notes:

  1All totals given relate to the announced annual allocations only, and therefore exclude any supplementary funding, either in the form of supplementary credit approvals (post-1990), or prescribed additional funding (pre-1990).

  2 Figures up to and including 1989–90 represent annual notional capital allocations. The figures prior to 1993–94 also include an element of further education and sixth-form college funding.

  3 The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 introduced annual capital guidelines as a means of allocating borrowing power to local education authorities. This took effect from 1 April 1990.

  4 The establishment of the Further Education Funding Council in 1993 resulted in the separate determination of funding for further education and sixth-form colleges. ACG figures from 1993–94 therefore exclude this area of funding.

  5 Figures for voluntary aided education are as originally announced. They exclude any later allocations made in the year as a result of, for example, the approval of statutory proposals.

  6 Figures are derived from capital outturn returns submitted by LEAs to the Department of the Environment. Capital expenditure represents gross outturn on all areas of education, including the urban programme.

  7 Department of Environment data not available.

  8 1993–94 figure provisional only.

  9 Figures relate to financial years. As 1994–95 FY is not yet complete, figures are not available after 1993–94.

  Expenditure on repairs and renovations is a matter for the LEA.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many surplus school places there are in Devon.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There were 9,032—10 per cent.—primary surplus school places and 4,160—7 per cent.—secondary surplus school places in LEA maintained schools in Devon in January 1994. Data on surplus places in grant-maintained schools in Devon are not available.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the number of surplus school places proposed to be removed as a result of local education authority reorganisation plans submitted to her which were(a) approved and (b) rejected by her as a consequence of a parallel proposal for grant maintained status for each year since 1990.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In case where there were both proposals to cease to maintain a school and parallel proposals for grant-maintained status, the table shows for each year since 1990 the school capacity proposed to be removed by local education authority school reorganisation plans which were(a) approved and (b) rejected and the proposals for grant-maintained status approved.

  Year proposals published

  (a) closure approved

  (b) GM application approved

  1990

  2,440

  5,046

  1991

  4,547

  3,504

  1992

  6,302

  0

  514

  Year proposals published

  (a)closure approved

  (b)GM application approved

  1993

  5,259

  1,278

  1994

  241

  37

  Secondary Schools
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what proportion of pupils attended(a) state and (b) independent secondary schools in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985 and (iii) 1992;

  (2) what proportion of pupils attended (a) state and (b) independent primary schools in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985 and (iii) 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The percentage of pupils attending maintained primary and secondary schools and independent schools in England for the years requested is shown in the table. Independent schools are not classified into primary and secondary schools.

  Percentage of pupils attending maintained primary and secondary schools1 and independent schools in England 1979, 1985, 1992 and 1993

  position in January each year

  Maintained schools

  Independent schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  1979

  50

  42

  6

  1985

  48

  44

  7

  1992

  54

  37

  7

  1993

  54

  37

  7

  1 Excluding sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools from April 1993.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the independent schools that have entered the grant-maintained sector, excluding religious schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  To date, no independent schools have entered the grant-maintained sector under the provisions introduced last year by the Education Act 1993. A number of non-denominational independent schools have expressed an interest or sought further information.

  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action she is taking to encourage independent schools to enter the state sector of education.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Recent changes to the law now allow independent schools to apply to join the grant-maintained sector. Guidance on this has been made available to interested parties. All proposals which come forward are considered on their merits.

  Schools (Costs)
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current difference between the average annual cost of a secondary place in the state
  515
  sector, and the average annual fees for a day place in the private sector.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The average spending per pupil in local education authority maintained secondary schools in England is estimated to be £2,250 in the financial year 1993–94. Comprehensive data from which the average annual fees for a day place in the independent sector could be calculated are not collected centrally; but the average fee charged for pupils in the assisted places scheme in the academic year 1993–94 was £4,112. For various reasons, however, the two figures quoted are not directly comparable, not least because the figure for maintained schools excludes significant items of school-related expenditure.

  Gross education expenditure from 1979–80

  Hampshire county council

  Gross expenditure (cash terms)

  Gross expenditure (1994–95 prices)

  Percentage increase on 1979–80 in real terms

  Percentage increase on previous year in real terms

  1979–80

  254,781

  638,033

  —

  —

  1980–81

  304,603

  644,688

  1.0

  1.0

  1981–82

  333,658

  643,896

  0.9

  -0.1

  1982–83

  352,599

  635,212

  -0.4

  -1.3

  1983–84

  366,578

  631,124

  -1.1

  -0.6

  1984–85

  379,401

  621,948

  -2.5

  -1.5

  1985–86

  397,771

  618,174

  -3.1

  -0.6

  1986–87

  427,445

  644,837

  1.1

  4.3

  1987–88

  470,240

  673.536

  5.6

  4.5

  1988–89

  515,039

  691,437

  8.4

  2.7

  1989–90

  516,959

  648,703

  1.7

  -6.2

  1990–91

  558,882

  649,285

  1.8

  0.1

  1991–92

  638,522

  697,950

  9.4

  7.5

  1992–93

  698,227

  733,984

  15.0

  5.2

  1993–941

  581,475

  593,105

  -7.0

  -19.2

  1 Provisional figures.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils attended selective grammar schools in(a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The percentages of pupils who attended maintained grammar schools in England in the years requested are shown in the table.

  Percentages of pupils who attended maintained grammar schools in England

  Position in January each year

  Percentage

  1979

  4.8

  1985

  3.7

  1992

  4.1

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the average class sizes in(a) state secondary and (b) independent schools in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985 and (iii) 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The average size of single teacher classes in maintained secondary schools in England for the years requested is shown in the table. Information on the size of classes in independent schools is not held centrally.

  Hampshire County Council
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the expenditure of Hampshire county council on education each year since 1979 expressed in cash terms, real terms and as a real terms percentage increase or decrease on 1979 and on the previous year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows total expenditure by Hampshire local education authority from 1979–80 to 1993–94, the latest year for which provisional outturn figures are available, in cash and real terms, together with the percentage increases on 1979 and on the previous year. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function.

  Average size of single teacher classes in maintained secondary schools1 in England

  Position in January each year

  Class size

  1979

  21.2

  1985

  20.6

  1993

  21.2

  1 Excluding sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools from April 1993.

DEFENCE

  Euro 2000 Plane
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the allocation of work on the Euro 2000 plane to each country involved, relative to their share of planes ordered;

  (2) how many Euro 2000 planes have been ordered by each participating country.

  Mr. Freeman
  The partner nations in the Eurofighter 2000 project agreed in 1988 that workshares in the development phase should be Germany 33 per cent., Italy 21 per cent., Spain 13 per cent. and the United Kingdom 33 per cent. These were based on declared offtakes of Germany 250, Italy 165, Spain 100 and United Kingdom
  517
  250 aircraft. Firm commitments and consequent workshare allocations for the production phase have yet to be decided.

  St. Helenians
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what correspondence there has been between his Department and defence contractors employing St. Helenians to work on the Falkland Islands about payment or other treatment of St. Helenians on a differential basis from British ex-patriates; and if he will place copies of that correspondence in the Library.

  Mr. Freeman
  A search has failed to bring to light any correspondence between my Department and the contractors in question about the conditions of employment of St. Helenians in the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policy he has for ensuring that the contractors employed to work at the Falkland Islands garrison do not discriminate on a racist basis in the payment of salaries.

  Mr. Freeman
  Two Ministry of Defence contractors, Turners Ltd. and Kelvins International Services, employ St. Helenian workers in the Falkland Islands. Both contracts contain a non-discrimination clause.

  Gulf War
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what biological weapons detection assets were employed by Her Majesty's armed forces during the Gulf war.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 5, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what biological weapons detection assets were employed by Her Majesty's Armed Forces during the Gulf War, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. The biological weapons detection assets deployed with the UK Armed Forces during the Gulf conflict comprised:

  a. The nine Biological Detection Systems which provided a capability to detect the presence of biological warfare agent in the atmosphere.

  b. Stand-by Assay Kits which were deployed both with the Biological Detection Systems and separately. The Stand-by Assay Kits provided a capability to analyse swab samples for the presence of biological warfare agent.

  c. SIBCA kits. Sampling and Identification of Biological and Chemical Agent (SIBCA) kits were deployed with the UK Armed Forces to the Gulf. These kits would have been used to obtain samples from a suspected attack. A chain of custody would have been provided for the return of the samples to the United Kingdom for analysis at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the United States Department of Defence nuclear, biological, and 518
  chemical log from the Gulf war, specifically of those incidents cited on (a) 18 January 1991 at 05.00 hours, (b) 19 January 1991 at (i) 04.30 hours and (ii) 16.10 hours, (c) 20 January 1991 at (i) 17.10 hours and (ii) 22.40 hours, (d) 3 March 1991 at (i) 15.15 hours, (ii) 18.10 hours and (iii) 18.20 hours and (e) 12 March 1991 at (i) 16.20 hours and (ii) 17.40 hours; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) on what occasions information on chemical weapons compiled by monitoring teams during the Gulf War has been shared by the allies.

  Mr. Soames
  These are matters for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTIONS 4 AND 6, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what assessment he has made of the United States Department of Defence Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Log from the Gulf War, specifically of those incidents cited on (a) 18 January 1991 at 0500 hours, (b) 19 January 1991 at (i) 0430 hours and (ii) 1610 hours, (c) 20 January 1991 at (i) 1710 hours and (ii) 2240 hours (d) 3 March 1991 at (i) 1515 hours, (ii) 1810 hours and (iii) 1820 hours and (e) 12 March 1991 at (i) 1620 hours and (ii) 1740 hours; and if he will make a statement and on what occasions information on chemical weapons compiled by monitoring teams during the Gulf War has been shared by the Allies, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. The United States Department of Defence Nuclear Biological and Chemical log from the Gulf conflict was drawn upon by the US Department of Defence in preparing material used to brief the US Defence Science Board Task Force on Persian Gulf War Health Effects. An abbreviated selection of chemical/biological incidents extracted from these logs is contained in Appendix B, pages 1–6 of the report of the Defence Science Board issued in June 1994.

  4. As Director General and Chief Executive of CBDE Porton Down, I was invited to attend and participated as a specialist adviser to the Defence Science Board Task Force on Persian Gulf War Health Effects and was therefore present at the briefings to the Defence Science Board by the Department of Defence on the incidents reported in the US Department of Defence NBC log from the Gulf conflict and summarised in Appendix B to the Defence Science Board Task Force. The Defence Science Board Task Force concluded that they had found no evidence that either chemical or biological warfare was deployed at any level against the coalition forces or that there were any exposures of US Service members to chemical or biological warfare agents in Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. The Task Force noted that they were aware of one soldier who was blistered, plausibly from mustard gas, after entering a bunker in Iraq during the post-war period. The report noted that the one plausible injury occurred during inspection and demolition of Iraqi bunkers and stated that "It seemed to be the result of accidental contact of the soldier with contaminated soil in a bunker that may have been used previously, (probably during the Iran-Iraq war) for storing mustard".

  5. The United Kingdom and the United States utilised a wide range of detectors so as to provide warning to our forces prior to exposure to a harmful concentration of agent. Such detectors are sensitive and there are carefully laid down procedures in the event of any single detector alarming for checks to be carried out so as to determine whether an alarm was indeed caused by a chemical or biological weapon attack. The incidents cited from the US Department of Defence NBC log from the Gulf conflict did not result in any confirmation that chemical or biological warfare agents had been used by Iraq against the coalition forces. The coalition forces in the Gulf War had arrangements whereby, had there been a

  519
  confirmed chemical or biological weapons attack in one area, this information would have been between the Allies and, in particular, appropriate warning would have been given to other units of the coalition forces in the hazard area. It is clear from examination of the US Department of Defence NBC log from the Gulf conflict that there was sharing of information on unconfirmed alarms arising from chemical or biological weapons detectors during the Gulf War with coalition forces. However, there was no confirmed use of chemical or biological warfare agents during the Gulf conflict.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his American counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clarke, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 7, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what recent discussions he has had with his American counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf War; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. The Ministry of Defence has had continuing discussions with the US Department of Defence concerning the Gulf conflict. Officials have participated in the US Defence Science Board Task Force on Persian Gulf Health Effects which was briefed by the US and by the UK participant on whether there was any evidence, which there was not, to suggest that chemical weapons had been used in the Gulf conflict. The UK view continues to be that there was no evidence of the use of chemical or biological weapons by Iraq against the coalition forces during the Gulf conflict.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of(a) allied air raids on Iraqi chemical weapons installations during the Gulf war and (b) whether chemical agents could have been released into the atmosphere as a result of these raids; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 8, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what assessment he has made of (a) Allied air raids on Iraqi chemical weapons installations during the Gulf War and (b) whether chemical agents could have been released into the atmosphere as a result of these raids; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical arid biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. The Ministry of Defence during Operation GRANBY made assessments of the potential hazard to Service personnel resulting from the Allied bombing of Iraqi targets at which chemical weapons were produced or stored. These assessment were based on various assumptions for the quantity of agent that might be released as a result of a bombing attack and for the associated meteorological
  520
  conditions. The result of the assessment indicated that even assuming simultaneous release of the majority of agent from several bunkers under meteorological conditions which favoured the downwind travel of the agent cloud and ignoring the fact that chemical agents are organic materials which are destroyed by combustion, the maximum distance at which there would be any hazard was of the order of a few tens of kilometres. In practice, simultaneous release is unlikely to occur, agent will be destroyed by combustion and meteorological conditions will be less favourable resulting in a significantly reduced downwind hazard distance.

  4. Whilst chemical agents could have been released into the atmosphere as a result of the Allied air raids, there is no evidence to indicate that the resulting concentrations of agent in the atmosphere resulted in any harm to Iraqi personnel at those installations or in their vicinity, let alone the Allied Forces some hundreds of kilometres away from those installations.

  Iraq (Chemical Weapons)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has received any evidence concerning current Iraqi chemical weapons capabilities.

  Mr. Soames
  My Department continues to assimilate evidence on current Iraqi chemical weapons capabilities from a number of sources, including the published reports by the UN Special Commission.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when sand suspected of carrying traces of chemical weapons or radioactivity was sent to Britain from(a) Israel, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Kuwait and (d) Iraq for testing at CBDE Porton Down.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 10, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking when sand suspected of carrying traces of chemical weapons or radioactivity was sent to Britain from (a) Israel, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Kuwait and (d) Iraq for testing at CBDE Porton Down has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. Information on the analysis of samples collected from Iraq and sent to CBDE Porton Down was provided in the Official Report, 2 March 1995, columns 684–686; the samples analysed at CBDE Porton Down were described as soil samples although they are likely to contain varying quantities of sand. Some of the samples analysed in support of the United Special Commission (UNSCOM) on Iraq were in support of an investigation of the alleged use of chemical weapons against the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq.

  4. No sand suspected of carrying traces of chemical warfare agents have been sent from Israel, Saudi Arabia or Kuwait to CBDE Porton Down for analysis. No sand suspected of carrying traces of radioactivity from any of the countries named have been sent for testing at CBDE Porton Down.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received confirming the detection of chemical weapons use during the 1990–91 Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  This is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.
  521
  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  Question 13, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what reports he has received confirming the detection of chemical weapons use during the 1990–91 Gulf War; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. Although during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict there were unconfirmed reports of the detection of chemical warfare agents, no confirmed reports of the detection of chemical warfare agents have been received.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the report by the Ministry of Defence of Czech Republic stating that chemical weapons were used by Iraq during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 14, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what assessment he has made of the report by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic stating that chemical weapons were used by Iraq during the Gulf War, and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. The report made by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic described the participation of the Czechoslovak anti-chemical unit in the Persian Gulf conflict The Czech report stated that:

  "On the basis of the stated facts it is possible to pronounce the conclusion that the event cannot be linked in any way with the use of chemical weapons, that is, their application in combat actions and that harm to individuals of the Czechoslovak anti-chemical unit influenced by toxic combat substances could not have occurred".In addition, we are aware that the United States Department of Defence has reviewed carefully the reports of the Czech detections. The US Department of Defence has recently concluded that they were unable to validate the Czech reports and state that the Czechs themselves never were able to identify the source of their detections. The UK conclusion continues to be that chemical weapons were not used by Iraq during the Gulf conflict.
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussion he has had with his Czech counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is for the Chemical, and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:

  QUESTION 15, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what recent discussion he has had with his Czech counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf
  522
  War; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. There have been bilateral discussions between representatives of the Ministry of Defence and representatives of the Czech Republic in late 1994. In discussions with the Chief of the Czech Chemical Troops, it was said that it was improbable that a cloud could have blow from the Iraqi facilities to reach the Czech detectors and further that the trace amounts which had been detected by the Czech equipments could not have had any effect on the health of Service personnel. There was therefore no evidence that Iraq had used chemical weapons in the Gulf conflict.

  Service Personnel (Suicide)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans of the Gulf war in(a) the Army, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy have committed suicide in each of the years since the Gulf war.

  Mr. Soames
  Since the Gulf war, one naval Gulf war veteran has committed suicide, in 1991. There have been no suicides by Army veterans of the Gulf war. The figures for the RAF are as follows:

  1991: 2

  1992: 0

  1993: 2

  1994: 1

  These numbers related only to those veterans of the Gulf war who were still serving with the armed forces at the time of their suicide.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of(a) the Army, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of service personnel confirmed by the coroner to have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available are as follows:

  Royal Navy1

  Army

  RAF

  1984

  2

  18

  9

  1985

  5

  19

  7

  1986

  7

  19

  13

  1987

  4

  15

  8

  1988

  6

  28

  8

  1989

  4

  26

  6

  1990

  9

  23

  16

  1991

  7

  26

  10

  1992

  6

  22

  7

  1993

  1

  22

  10

  1 includes the Royal Marines

  University Bursaries Scheme
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those who took advantage of his Department's university bursaries scheme subsequently resigned before the minimum return of service period had expired for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 3 March 1995]: The numbers of students awarded Royal Navy and Royal Air Force bursaries who resigned before completing their

  523
  university course are given in the table. The number of students awarded Army bursaries who resigned before completing their university course or during their initial officer training are also given. The figures provided are those available for the years since 1979. No information is held centrally on the numbers who left the services after

  Royal Navy

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  Calendar year

  Number withdrawn

  Financial year

  Number withdrawn

  Financial year

  Number withdrawn

  1983–84

  2

  1985

  5

  —

  —

  1984–85

  1

  1986

  6

  —

  —

  1985–86

  7

  1987

  6

  —

  —

  1986–87

  3

  1988

  2

  —

  —

  1987–88

  6

  1989

  10

  —

  —

  1988–89

  4

  1990

  8

  1989–90

  23

  1989–90

  2

  1991

  8

  1990–91

  27

  1990–91

  11

  1992

  8

  1991–92

  23

  1991–92

  6

  1993

  7

  1992–93

  28

  1992–93

  3

  1994

  10

  1993–94

  24

  1993–94

  8

  I995

  13

  1994–95

  128

  1994–95

  15

  Note:

  1To date.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the cost of his Department's university bursaries scheme for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 3 March 1995]: Expenditure on university bursary awards by my Department, in those years since 1979 for which figures are available, is as shown in the table:

  Financial Year

  Royal Navy £

  Army £

  Royal Air Force £

  1979–80

  —

  101,700

  —

  1980–81

  —

  99,900

  —

  1981–82

  —

  121,500

  18,900

  1982–83

  —

  134,100

  30,600

  1983–84

  —

  136,800

  45,900

  1984–85

  —

  163,800

  48,600

  1985–86

  —

  163,800

  67,500

  1986–87

  —

  212,400

  92,700

  1987–88

  —

  189,000

  106,200

  1988–89

  108,000

  542,400

  90,900

  1989–90

  158,400

  483,600

  278,400

  1990–91

  156,000

  555,600

  141,300

  1991–92

  153,600

  519,600

  236,400

  1992–93

  121,200

  478,800

  298,800

  Financial year

  Royal Navy

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  Civilian

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  79–80

  —

  —

  113

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  80–81

  —

  —

  102

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  81–82

  —

  —

  132

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  82–83

  —

  —

  145

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  83–84

  —

  —

  138

  21

  —

  —

  —

  —

  84–85

  —

  —

  168

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  85–86

  —

  —

  160

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  86–87

  —

  —

  208

  28

  —

  —

  —

  —

  87–88

  —

  —

  193

  17

  —

  —

  —

  —

  88–89

  —

  —

  180

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  89–90

  —

  —

  168

  16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  524
  initial officer training, but before completing the required return of service, or of those in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force who left during initial officer training. No records are kept for civilians as, in common with other industry schemes, students are not required to complete any return of service.

  Financial Year

  Royal Navy £

  Army £

  Royal Air Force £

  1993–94

  90,000

  444,000

  265,200

  1994–951

  81,000

  606,000

  250,000

  It is not possible separately to identify comparable figures for my Department's civilian staff. Figures are available, however, which include bursary awards, running costs for MOD student engineer training centres, salaries during pre-university year and vacation placements with MOD, travel and subsistence on MOD duty and the production of MOD training literature. The figures are as follows:

  1992–93: 3,149,400

  1993–94: 2,610,200

  1994–95:1 2,256,000

  Note: 1 Figures are estimates.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of bursaries awarded to university students under his Department's arrangements for officer entry by ethnic status and gender in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 3 March 1995]: Details of bursary awards by ethnic origin are not held. A breakdown of bursary awards by gender, for those years since 1979 where information is available, is as follows:
  525

  Financial year

  Royal Navy

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  Civillian

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  90–91

  —

  —

  145

  34

  77

  9

  —

  —

  91–92

  —

  —

  151

  21

  87

  5

  —

  —

  92–93

  —

  —

  137

  14

  64

  7

  77

  10

  93–94

  —

  —

  139

  15

  40

  18

  75

  9

  94–95

  45

  9

  174

  26

  70

  7

  68

  7

  Hospital Units
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made on the choice of location for his Department's two new hospital units.

  Mr. Soames
  Taking account of a range of Defence-related factors, and in consultation with the Department of Health and the NHS, we have selected as the sites for the new Ministry of Defence hospital units the Frimley Park Hospital NHS trust in Surrey and the Peterborough Hospitals NHS trust in Cambridgeshire. Final contractual negotiations will now begin with the trusts concerned. We shall aim to have units fully established at these locations by April 1996.

WALES

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh parliamentary constituencies in which lies each scheme in the Welsh Office's road programme.

  Mr. Gwilyn Jones
  Details of the forward trunk road programme were published in "The Departmental Report 1995 Welsh Office (The Governments's Expenditure Plans 1995–96 to 1997–98)". Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The information requested is as follows:

  Major trunk road improvements

  Scheme

  Partiamentary constituency

  In progress

  M4 Second Severn Crossing Approach Road

  Newport, East

  M4/A4042 Brynglas

  Newport, West

  Tunnels/Malpas

  Relief Road

  A5 Glyn Bends

  Clwyd, South-West

  A465 Aberdulais—Glynneath

  Neath

  A470 Pentrebach—Cefn Coed

  Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

  A4042 Llantarnam Bypass

  Torfaen/Monmouth

  Programmed1

  M4 Magor—Coldra Widening

  Newport, East

  A40 Carmarthen Eastern Bypass

  Carmarthen

  A40 Fishguard Western Bypass

  ceredigion and Pembroke, North

  A40 Robeston Wathen Bypass

  Pembroke

  526

  Major trunk road improvements

  Scheme

  Parliamentary constituency

  A40 Whitland Bypass

  Carmarthen

  A55 Llanfair PG—West of Bryngwran

  Ynys Môn

  A55 West of Bryngwran— Holyhead

  Ynys Môn

  A55 Pont Dafydd-Waen

  Clwyd, North-West

  A470 Lledr Valley:

  Stage 1 (Concoed—Minffordd)

  Meirionnydd Nant conwy

  Stage 2 (Dolwyddelan— Pont yr Afanc)

  Meirionnydd nant conwy

  A477 Sageston—Redberth Bypass

  Pembroke

  A494/A550 Deeside Park— Drome Corner

  Alyn and Deeside

  A550 Deeside Park Interchange

  Alyn and Deeside

  A550 Deeside Park—Ledsham

  Alyn and Deeside

  A4060 Mountain Hare—Dowlais Top

  Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

  in preparation1

  M4 Castleton—Coryton Widening

  Newport, West/Cardiff, North

  M4 Relief Road (Magor— Castleton

  Newport, East/Newport, West

  A55/A494 Ewloe Interchange

  Alyn and Deeside

  A55 Ewloe—Northop Widening

  Alyn and Deeside

  A458 Buttington Cross—

  montgomery

  Wollaston Cross

  A465 Abergavenny—Hirwaun

  Monmouth/Blaenau

  Gwent/Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney/Cynon Valley

  A470 Llangurig—Wern Villa

  Montgomery

  A470 Llanrwst Bypass

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  A470 Pontypridd—Cardiff

  Pontypridd

  A479 Talgarth Bypass

  Brecon and Radnor

  A483 Llandeilo Eastern Bypass

  Carmarthen

  A487 Llanwnda—South of Llanllyfni

  Carmarthen

  A487 Porthmadog/Minffordd/Tremadog Bypass

  Caernarfon

  A494 Drome Corner—Ewloe Interchange

  Alyn and Deeside

  Longer term consideration3

  A5 Bethesda Bypass

  Conwy

  A5 Corwen Bypass

  Clwyd,South-West

  A5 Halfway Bridge

  Conwy

  A5 Pont Padog Approaches

  Meirionnydd Nant conwy

  A40 Abergavenny Western Bypass

  Monmouth

  A44 Aberystwyth Bypass

  Ceredigion and Pembroke, North

  A470 Builth Wells Bypass

  Brecon and Radnor

  A470 Commins Coch Bypass

  Montgomery

  A483 Newtown Bypass

  Montgomery

  A487 Caernarfon—Bontnewydd Bypass

  Caernarfon

  527

  Major trunk road improvements

  Scheme

  Parliamentary constituency

  A487 Furnance Bridge— Eglwys Fach

  Ceredigion and Pembroke, North

  A494 Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd Bypass

  Clwyd, South-West

  A494 Mold—Ewloe

  Delyn/Alyn and Deeside

  A4042 Llanellen Bypass

  Monmouth

  A4042 Penperlleni Bypass

  Monmouth

  Notes:

  1 High priority schemes on which it is planned to start work in the three years covered by the government's expenditure plans i.e. before April 1998.

  2 Schemes which are being taken forward but are unlikely to start before April 1998 because of outstanding design and statutory procedures.

  3 Schemes on which resources are not being committed to bring them to a start of works. These schemes will be reviewed annually with consideration given to adding them to the above categories or deleting them from the programme.

  Peripatetic Teachers
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total grant awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 per local education authority to support Welsh peripatetic teachers during(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are shown the following table:

  £

  Local education authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Clwyd

  182,000

  185,000

  204,500

  Dyfed

  180,000

  183,000

  183,500

  Gwent

  205,000

  328,000

  328,500

  Gwynedd

  207,000

  210,000

  210,500

  Mid Glamorgan

  224,000

  227,000

  227,500

  Powys

  162,000

  175,000

  185,000

  South Glamorgan

  170,000

  170,000

  180,500

  West Glamorgan

  209,000

  212,100

  212 500

  Totals

  1,539.000

  1,691.100

  1,732.500

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh peripatetic teachers were supported per local education authority under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are shown in the following table:

  (a) Welsh peripatetic teachers supported under section 21 of the Education Act 1980

  Local education authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Clwyd

  7

  7

  8

  Dyfed

  7

  7

  7

  Gwynedd

  8

  8

  8

  Gwent

  10

  125

  125

  Mid Glamorgan

  8

  8

  8

  Powys

  9

  9.5

  10

  South Glamorgan

  10

  10.5

  10.5

  West Glamorgan

  10

  7

  7

  1 Figures for Gwent local education authority for 1993–94 and 1994–95 include support teachers (athrawon cynnal).

  528
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount of grant awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 to support Welsh peripatetic teachers during 1995–96.

  Mr. Richards
  £1,970 has been allocated to local education authorities in Wales under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 for 1995–96, £20,000 more than in 1994–95. In accordance with the authorities' priorities, 77 per cent. Of this—£1,519,000—has been earmarked for peripatetic teachers.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many Welsh peripatetic teachers will be supported per local education authority by section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1995–96.

  Mr. Richards
  For 1995–96, £1,519,000 has been awarded to support teams of peripatetic teachers in local education authorities in Wales. This will support a total of approximately 70 full-time equivalent posts, but an exact figure for each local authority is not possible as grade structures vary from county to county.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1992–93(a) per local education authority (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee, (c) to other bodies (d) to the Welsh Language Education Development Committee for distribution to produce (i) Welsh resources, first and second language and (ii) subjects taught through the medium of Welsh and (e) to support the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Education Development Committee.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are as follows:-(a) shown in the following table; (b) £1,437,000 (including £98,950 for Welsh resources administered by the Welsh Language Education Development Committee and £284,144 for the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Development; (c)£1,264,000, (d)(i)£98,950 (ii)Nil; (e)£284,144.

  Local education authority

  £

  Clwyd

  281,000

  Dyfed

  257,000

  Gwent

  245,000

  Gwynedd

  231,000

  Mid Glamorgan

  271,000

  Powys

  209,000

  South Glamorgan

  197,500

  West Glamorgan

  238,500

  Total

  1,930,000

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the grants under section 3(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 which are awarded by the Welsh Language Board have drawn from section 21 of the Education Act 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The Welsh Language Board's allocation for grants under section 3(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 for 1995–96 includes £68,000 formerly paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.

  Education Funding
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the Welsh Office contributions under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are as follows:(a) £4,631,000; (b) £4,675,000; (c) £2,475,000. For 1994–95, allocations of £1,900,000 and £180,000 were made to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales and the Further Education Funding Authority for Wales respectively from moneys previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the total Welsh Office contribution under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1995–96.

  Mr. Richards
  £1,970,000 has been allocated to local education authorities for 1995–96. In addition, £370,000 in grants formerly paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 has been transferred to ACAC, the Welsh Language Board, the Arts Council for Wales and the Further Education Funding Council for Wales.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 for 1995–96(a) per local education authority, (b) to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales, (c) to the Welsh Language Board (d) to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (e) to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, (f) to the Welsh Office and (g) to other bodies to support the posts of Welsh peripatetic teachers.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are as follows:(a) shown on the following table; (b) nil, but the authority's allocation for 1995–96 includes £132,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (c) nil, but the board's allocation for 1995–96 includes £68,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (d) nil, but the council's allocation for 1995–96 includes £25,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (e) nil; (f) nil; (g) nil.

  Local education authority

  £

  Clwyd

  259,500

  Dyfed

  261,500

  Gwent

  329,500

  Gwynedd

  214,000

  Mid Glamorgan

  262,500

  Powys

  192,000

  South Glamorgan

  210,500

  West Glamorgan

  240,500

  Total

  1,970,000

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1993–94(a) per local education authority, (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee and (c) to the Welsh Language Education Development Committee for distribution to produce(i) Welsh resources, first and second language and(ii) subjects taught through the medium of Welsh
  530
  (d) to support the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Education Development Committee/Pwyllgor Datblygu Addysg Gymrueg and (e) to other bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are as follows:(a) shown in the table; (b) £1,366,000 (includes £288,406 paid to the Welsh Language Development Committee);
  (c) nil. Grants for these purposes were paid direct to the various organisations concerned; (d) £288,406; (e) £1,382,000.

  Section 21 grants 1993–94

  Local education authority

  £

  Clwyd

  240,000

  Dyfed

  235,000

  Gwent

  334,000

  Gwynedd

  233,500

  Mid Glamorgan

  253,000

  Powys

  190,500

  South Glamorgan

  201,000

  West Glamorgan

  240,000

  Total

  1,927,000

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1994–95(a) per local education authority (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee, (c) to the Further Education Funding Council,(d) to the Higher Education Funding Council, (e) to the Welsh Language Board for educational developments and (f) to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  The relevant figures are as follows:(a) shown in the table; (b) £36,861; (c) nil, but the council's funding for 1994–95 included £180,000 which was previously paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (d) nil; (e) nil; (f) nil but the authority's funding for 1994–95 included £1,900,000 which was previously paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.

  Local education authority

  £

  Clwyd

  262,900

  Dyfed

  242,500

  Gwent

  344,500

  Gwynedd

  227,000

  Mid Glamorgan

  257,100

  Powys

  204,000

  South Glamorgan

  204,500

  West Glamorgan

  247,500

  Total

  1,990,000

  Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many(a) voluntary controlled schools, (b) voluntary aided schools and (c) county schools there are in each of the counties in Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  Data on denomination of schools, for primary and secondary sectors, are shown in the following table. Data are as at January 1994.
  531

  Primary schools

  Church in Wales voluntary controlled schools

  Church in wales voluntary aided schools

  Voluntary Roman Catholic schools

  County schools (a)

  Clwyd

  24

  15

  10

  196

  Dyfed

  35

  8

  8

  262

  Gwent

  11

  3

  17

  182

  Gwynedd

  23

  3

  4

  161

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  5

  11

  288

  Powys

  22

  7

  2

  77

  South Glamorgan

  5

  16

  17

  121

  West Glamorgan

  0

  3

  9

  152

  Wales

  121

  60

  78

  1,439

  (a) County schools include five "other" denomination schools.

  Secondary schools

  Church in Wales Voluntary controlled schools

  Church in wales voluntary aided schools

  Voluntary Roman Catholic schools

  County schools

  Clwyd

  0

  0

  3

  29

  Dyfed

  2

  0

  1

  28

  Gwent

  0

  0

  2

  31

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  0

  23

  Mid Glamorgan

  0

  1

  3

  38

  Powys

  0

  0

  0

  13

  South Glamorgan

  0

  2

  4

  20

  West Glamorgan

  0

  0

  2

  25

  Wales

  2

  3

  15

  207

  Source:

  Schools Census (1994).

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions parliamentary questions from the hon. member for Cardiff, West in relation to non-departmental public bodies have been answered in the form of a request to the relevant chairman or chief executive of that body to write to the hon. Member(a) since 1 January 1995 and (b) between the beginning of the current parliamentary Session and December 31 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The figures are(a) seven and (b) one.

  Hospital Waiting Times
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reasons the list of medical specialties included in the February 1995 issue of the waiting times information bulletin published by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority omitted neuro-surgery, dermatology and spinal surgery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information published in the bulletin relates to procedures, not specialties. The procedures included are those identified by general practitioners as being most useful in helping patients to choose a consultant. No requests have been made for the inclusion of procedures in neuro-surgery, dermatology or spinal surgery. As the intention is to extend the range of procedures covered by the bulletin, any broadly based demand by general practitioners for additional information would be welcomed and acted on.

  School Transport
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the legal responsibilities of local education authorities which hire 532
  vehicles for the transport of children to and from school which are not driven by licensed taxi drivers.

  Mr. Richards
  It is for local education authorities to make satisfactory arrangements for the health and safety of pupils including those for whom they provide transport.

  Homelessness
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many households have been accepted as homeless by local authorities in rural areas in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on homeless cases accepted by local authorities in rural areas in Wales is provided in the following table:

  Homeless cases accepted by local authorities in rural areas1

  Years

  Cases

  1979

  874

  1980

  883

  1981

  821

  1982

  786

  1983

  794

  1984

  833

  1985

  1,012

  1986

  1,001

  1987

  1,311

  1988

  1,295

  1989

  1,329

  19902

  3,387

  1991

  1,625

  1992

  1,691

  533

  Homeless cases accepted by local authorities in rural areas1

  Years

  Cases

  19933

  1,821

  1994

  1,770

  Notes:

  1 Aberconwy, Arfon, Brecknock, Carmarthen, Ceredigion, Colwyn, Delyn, Dinefwr, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd, Monmouth, Montgomeryshire, Preseli, Pembrokeshire, Radnorshire, South Pembrokeshire and Ynys Môn district councils.

  2 Figures include estimates of 2,000 households made homeless in Colwyn as a result of the major flooding incident in February 1990.

  3 Figures include estimates of 237 households made homeless in Aberconwy as a result of the major flooding incident in Llandudno in June 1993.

  Source:

  Local authority returns.

  Link
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in reviewing Link.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have today placed in the Library of the House the report of the recently completed review of Link.

  Link is an important initiative which supports research projects undertaken in partnership between industry and the science base. The review report makes a number of recommendations to improve the operation of the Link mechanism. These include proposals to streamline approval mechanisms; to increase flexibility and to facilitate and encourage the exploitation of knowledge generated in the Link projects. The Government intend to implement these recommendations, further enhancing Link's effectiveness and its contribution to wealth creation and improvements in the quality of life.

  We expect Link to be an important mechanism for implementing the outcomes of the technology foresight programme, in partnership between industry, the research base and Government. In announcing the allocation of the science budget on 2 February, I earmarked £3 million in 1995–96 to fund the research council's contribution to new Link programmes. With contributions from other Government Departments and industry these new programmes will target key areas of promise and importance identified by technology foresight.

  I am establishing a new Link board, replacing the existing Link steering group, to advise Government on the operation of Link. The board's principal role will be to take an independent strategic oyerview of the Link initiatives and its portfolio of programmes. Its membership will be:

  Dr. John Parnaby CBE FEng (Chairman)

  Susan Bird

  Dr. Alan Calder

  Dr. Ashok Ganguly

  Professor Stan Mason

  Professor John Mavor FEng FRSE

  Herb Nahapiet

  Dr. Brian Richards CBE

  Phillip Ruffles FEng

  Professor David Wallace FRS

  Dr. Robert Whelan

  The Department of Trade and Industry, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the
  534
  Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council will be represented on the board at a senior level.

ENVIRONMENT

  Newtown Harbour
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Newtown river to be designated under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance.

  Mr. Atkins
  Newtown harbour site of special scientific interest forms part of the potential Southhampton water and Solent Ramsar site. English Nature expects to recommend listing of this site to the Department, following public consultation, within a year.

  River Medina
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the classification of the wetlands bordering the River Medina.

  Mr. Atkins
  English Nature proposes to extend the River Medina site of special scientific interest and include it within the recommended boundary for the potential Southhampton Water and Solent special protection area and Ramsar site. My right hon. Friend will consider EN's recommendation in due course.

  Westminster Redevelopment
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to investigate the events surrounding the redevelopment of the block bounded by Baker street, Blandford street, George street and Manchester street in Westminster and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State has no plans at present.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him over the redevelopment of the block bounded by Blandford street, Manchester street, George street and Baker street in Westminster, and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The chief executive of Westminster city council has written to the Secretary of State about this matter and I an considering the issues raised.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the listed buildings on the block bounded by Baker street, George street, Blandford street and Manchester street in Westminster, were de-listed prior to their demolition or modification.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Listing and de-listing of buildings is now the responsibility of the Secretary of State for National Heritage. However, I understand that no listed buildings have, in fact, been deliberately demolished in the block concerned. Two listed buildings collapsed but have been reinstated following grant of listed building consent.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enforce the decision made by his predecessor in 1981 that the block
  535
  bounded by Baker street, Manchester street, Blandford street and George street in Westminster should be preserved.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None. In the event of a breach of planning or listed building control, responsibility for day to day enforcement rests with the local planning authority.

  Water Board Chairmen
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the remuneration of the chairmen of each of the water boards in England and Wales in each of the three years prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information about the remuneration of water authority chairmen can be found in "Public Bodies", issued by the Cabinet Office—Office of Public Service and Science. Copies of this publication for the years prior to privatisation are available in the Library.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence his Department has of poll tax payments made under attachment of earnings orders not being paid over by the employer concerned to the local authority involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Community charge attachment of earnings orders are administered by billing authorities and are not monitored centrally.

  An attachment of earnings order places obligations on an employer to make deductions from a debtor's pay and pass them to the issuing authority by the 18th day of the following month. Any failure by the employer to comply with the terms of an attachment of earnings order is an offence and he may be liable to a fine.

  Water and Sewerage Companies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what has been the differential between dividends paid by appointed businesses in the water and sewerage industry and the dividends paid by the group companies for each year since privatisation;

  (2) if he will list (a) the dividends paid by the appointed businesses and (b) the dividends paid by the group companies for each of the water and sewerage companies in England and Wales for each year since privatisation.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on company dividends is published in the annual reports and accounts of the appointed businesses and the group companies.

  Government Car Service (Natural Gas)
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the performance of the ministerial car which was converted to run on natural gas; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Government car service is still carrying out trials on the car, which has been used extensively by Ministers and officials from this 536
  Department and others. It is expected that trials will continue for a further three months. Final assessment of the car's performance and that of a second car which GCS will be taking delivery of in the near future, will take into account the emissions performance, fuel economy, cost-effectiveness and the response of both drivers and passengers.

  Listed Buildings
  Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what law a local planning authority is empowered to insist that an inquirer should require listed building consent to install a burglar alarm in a listed building with the provision of an outside bell box on the face of that listed building.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Section 7 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 provides that consent is normally required for any works of alteration of a listed building which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest.

  Reclaimed Colliery Sites
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the colliery sites which have been reclaimed since 1990 under the provisions of the Moynihan agreement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I understand from British Coal that the colliery sites reclaimed, or in the process of reclamation, since 1990 are Barnsley Main, Creswell, Dearne Valley, Denby Grange and Treeton. There are a further 13 sites where British Coal has concluded, or is in the process of concluding negotiations on appropriate reclamation schemes.

  Power Station Emissions
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were annual actual emissions of(a) nitrogen dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide, (c) all oxides of nitrogen and (d) particulates from each of the fossil-fuelled power stations operating in (i) 1980, ii) 1984, iii) 1985 and (iv) each year since 1990.

  Mr. Atkins
  I enclose details of the emissions from power stations that Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution holds centrally and which have been placed on the large combustion plant directive inventory. These are the S0,2 NOx and particulate emissions from National Power and PowerGen for 1991 to 1993—emission data on particulates are held only for 1993. The 1994 emissions are not yet available.

  Data for total emissions from power stations have been compiled within the national atmospheric emissions inventory by the National Environmental Technology Centre, formerly Warren Spring Laboratory. Available information. for 1980, 1984 and 1985 is given.

  The other information requested was not collected for previous years.
  537

  Emissions from power stations in England and Wales 1991 to 1993

  1991 SO2Tonnes

  1NO2Tonnes

  1992 SO2Tonnes

  1NO2Tonnes

  1993 SO2Tonnes

  1NO2Tonnes

  Particulates Tonnes

  National Power

  Aberthaw A and B

  84,167

  35,527

  76,350

  30,893

  75,668

  26,512

  1,500

  Agecroft

  9,589

  3,044

  7,572

  2,224

  869

  280

  30

  Blyth A and B

  84,855

  24,243

  72,059

  22,138

  42,860

  12,700

  1,570

  Didcot

  126,150

  34,378

  102,456

  28,787

  99,530

  28,303

  8,420

  Drax

  236,457

  81,337

  264,967

  81,370

  228,265

  70,200

  38,680

  Eggborough

  143,470

  31,990

  146,328

  27,498

  118,154

  23,546

  12,710

  Fawley

  14,495

  3,670

  1,458

  286

  7,314

  1,630

  0

  Ironbridge

  77,144

  21,170

  73,131

  22,986

  62,226

  19,990

  6,400

  Littlebrook

  34,406

  7,405

  22,112

  4,406

  25,458

  4,971

  0

  Padiham

  11,287

  2,191

  10,910

  2,061

  7,790

  1,728

  180

  Pembroke

  10,403

  2,926

  14,562

  3,937

  10,058

  2,948

  0

  Rugeley A and B

  116,588

  33,799

  97,864

  26,571

  101,324

  24,959

  0

  Skelton Grange

  29,159

  7,113

  17,965

  4,479

  8,400

  1,980

  240

  Staythorpe

  20,325

  6,618

  31,075

  6,971

  23,966

  5,515

  2,310

  Thorpe Marsh

  71,765

  19,117

  62,525

  15,860

  64,003

  16,635

  7,470

  Tilbury

  32,236

  15,695

  39,558

  18,658

  40,365

  18,385

  2,350

  Uskmouth

  14,601

  5,115

  9,078

  3,092

  2,767

  1,050

  470

  West Burton

  165,500

  35,221

  170,325

  33,674

  165,734

  29,916

  17,490

  West Thurrock

  30,583

  15,102

  30,006

  12,938

  8,067

  2,980

  470

  Willington A and B

  51,041

  11,845

  40,701

  9,577

  23,565

  5,714

  500

  Sub Total

  1,364,221

  397,505

  1,292,002

  358,406

  1,116,383

  299,940

  100,490

  Power-Gen

  Carrington

  625

  176

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Castle Donnington

  12,865

  3,407

  5,340

  1,426

  565

  128

  800

  Cottam

  173,254

  45,559

  196,610

  45,084

  176,121

  40,859

  5,800

  Drakelow B

  12,182

  3,140

  4,002

  957

  293

  79

  400

  Drakelow C

  57,583

  16,218

  54,722

  14,475

  43,738

  11,849

  2,100

  Elland

  1,092

  262

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Ferrybridge B

  6,970

  1,876

  3,515

  940

  0

  0

  0

  Ferrybridge C

  178,376

  47,794

  172,927

  50,004

  158,828

  44,895

  5,900

  Fiddlers Ferry

  171,018

  22,689

  159,972

  19,873

  114,674

  13,853

  3,200

  Grain

  29,115

  6,659

  19,340

  3,935

  7,198

  1,485

  6,000

  Hams Hall

  5,873

  1,941

  1,050

  331

  0

  0

  0

  High Marnham

  54,509

  14,893

  42,523

  12,029

  26,859

  6,817

  4,000

  Ince

  8,207

  1,459

  50,726

  7,421

  58,022

  8,222

  500

  Kingsnorth

  86,606

  30,318

  67,805

  21,097

  50,594

  13,541

  3,000

  Ratcliffe

  170,180

  45,184

  179,996

  43,759

  184,298

  43,464

  6,400

  Richborough

  15,186

  2,206

  17,745

  2,622

  19,590

  2,334

  200

  Sub Total

  983,641

  243,780

  976,273

  223,953

  841,780

  187,526

  38,300

  Total

  2,347,862

  641,285

  2,268,275

  582,359

  1,958,163

  487,466

  138,790

  1NOx figures do not include all oxides of nitrogen

  Estimated emissions from power Stations

  1980

  1984

  1985

  So2(thousand tonnes)

  3,007

  2,589

  2,627

  Nox1(thousand tonnes)

  880

  711

  775

  Black smoke (thousand tonnes)

  29

  33

  28

  1 Expressed as nitrogen dioxide equivalent.

  Hastings Shingle Bank
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will issue the Government view requested by the Crown Estate on the application by a consortium of companies for a licence to dredge a further 30 million tonnes of material over a 10-year period from the currently licensed Hastings shingle bank.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  After careful consideration, a letter is today being sent to the Crown Estate indicating that my Department is minded to issue a favourable 538
  Government view on this application, subject to the imposition of stringent conditions. These include limiting the maximum amount of material to be dredged to 15 million tonnes and limiting the term of the licence to five years.

  The dredging of marine aggregates makes an important contribution to the supply of minerals for a wide range of purposes for the construction industry and beach nourishment. The material on the Hastings shingle bank is of a particularly high quality.

  In indicating that the Government are minded to issue a favourable Government view in respect of this application, the Government wish to stress that, in addition to reducing the amount of material to be extracted and limiting the term of the licence to five years, they have also decided to impose tough conditions on working arrangements and monitoring. These will ensure that essential fishing and amenity interests are protected.

  A Government view letter will he issued once the conditions have been finalised.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of interest receipts earned by each county council for the year 1993–94, separating out the capital financing element; if he will list the counties' budgeted estimates for interest receipts for 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information requested is given. Estimates for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  £ thousands

  1993–94

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1994–95

  Outturn Capital Financing

  Outturn Other

  BudgetCapital Financing

  Budget Other

  Avon

  1,079

  4,248

  430

  4,349

  Bedfordshire

  830

  592

  1,150

  20

  Berkshire

  133

  4,973

  51

  3,675

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  2,961

  1,947

  954

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  0

  191

  Cheshire

  0

  10,116

  400

  0

  Cleveland

  0

  3,027

  19

  1,781

  Cornwall

  0

  2,369

  0

  2,200

  Cumbria

  0

  2,491

  0

  1,500

  Derbyshire

  0

  4,545

  0

  3,600

  Devon

  0

  5,693

  233

  4,346

  Dorset

  0

  2,316

  300

  1,500

  Durham

  0

  4,712

  0

  2,300

  East Sussex

  0

  2,575

  0

  1,219

  Essex

  0

  4,890

  444

  3,293

  Gloucestershire

  0

  2,953

  0

  1,590

  Hampshire

  0

  7,400

  0

  2.661

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  2,278

  0

  425

  Hertfordshire

  0

  11,104

  0

  3,320

  Humberside

  0

  4,581

  0

  3,000

  Isle of Wight

  0

  173

  0

  0

  Kent

  6,802

  33

  0

  5,172

  Lancashire

  19

  6,171

  0

  3,739

  Leicestershire

  0

  4,345

  0

  2,924

  Lincolnshire

  0

  2,009

  0

  2,682

  Norfolk

  0

  5,289

  0

  4,104

  Northamptonshire

  0

  1,541

  488

  431

  Northumberland

  0

  2,021

  0

  919

  North Yorkshire

  0

  4,932

  317

  3,576

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  0

  450

  7,450

  Oxfordshire

  147

  4,947

  0

  3,500

  Shropshire

  0

  2,528

  0

  1,827

  Somerset

  171

  2261

  214

  1,831

  Staffordshire

  0

  4,047

  3,612

  0

  Suffolk

  0

  5,635

  0

  120

  Surrey

  589

  2,217

  39

  121

  Warwickshire

  1,121

  2,404

  1,815

  1,036

  West Sussex

  0

  2,731

  0

  1,401

  Wiltshire

  0

  3,099

  0

  1,218

  Sources:

  1993–93 RS form, 1994–95 RA95 form.

  Community Forests
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the land use planning implications of the community forest programme.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The designation of a community forest had no direct statutory implications for the planning process. It does not confer a more restrictive, or more permissive, of land use planning designation of the area. The planting of trees and the provision of public access are voluntary. The statutory role and responsibilities of the local planning authorities are unaffected. Local
  540
  EXTERNAL INTEREST RECEIPTS: ENGLISH COUNTY COUNCILS

  Capital Financing Interest Receipts
  This consists of external interest on provision for credit liabilities including reserved capital receipts.The estimates of interest on provision for credit liabilities reflect the extent to which authorities have used reserved receipts to repay debt early, and are not therefore comparable with the interest receipt element in the standard spending assessment capital financing block, which assumes that no part of reserved receipts is used to repay debt early.
  Other Interest Receipts
  This consists of external interest receipts and dividends including those derived from Housing Act advances.
  community forest teams do not have any status within the statutory land use planning system.

  Planning applications are determined in accordance with the statutory development plan, and any other material considerations. Each community forest has a non-statutory forest plan which describes how the forest team working with a variety of partners propose to create the forest. Since new woodlands on a significant scale may have implications for other land uses, local planning authorities should take approved community forest plans into account in formulating their policies and proposals for development and use of land in development plans.
  541
  Although an approved community forest plan might be a material consideration in deciding a planning application within a forest, policies and proposals that are likely to provide the basis for deciding such applications or determining conditions to be attached to relevant planning permissions should be set out in the development plan, which is subject to statutory procedures.

  Community forests should be shown on structure plan key diagrams and on local plan proposals maps. Development plans should facilitate the establishment of agreed community forests and provide that any development proposals within them should respect the woodland setting. Local planning authorities should be flexible in their approach to negotiating planting and landscaping requirements with developers. Any planting or landscaping required, whether on-site or off-site, should be directly related to the particular development proposal and should be no more than is necessary to overcome planning objections to it. Conversely planning permission should not be granted simply because applicants are prepared to plant trees.

  Any development proposal within community forests in the green belt should be subject to the normal policies controlling development in green belts. Community forests provide an effective mechanism for achieving the positive objectives for the use of green-belt land set out in planning policy guidance 2, revised in January 1995.

  Peat
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment if he will make public the results of consultation responses to the draft mineral planning guidance note guidelines for peat provision in England, including the place of alternative materials, issued by his Department in September 1994.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Yes. I have today placed copies of a list of all those who responded to the consultation together with a summary of their views in the Library of the House. A copy of any individual response can he inspected in the library of my Department.

  Local Authorities (Retendering Directions)
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet considered the responses by Walsall metropolitan borough council and Canterbury city council to the notices served on the authorities on 21 November 1994 and 11 January 1995 under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B Jones
  My right hon. Friend has considered carefully the responses which Walsall metropolitan borough council and Canterbury city council have made to the notices served on the authorities on 21 November 1994 and 11 January 1995, and has today given the authorities directions under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988.
  The direction given to Walsall metropolitan borough council requires the authority to retender the contract for the repair and maintenance of vehicles and plant, which was the subject of the notice, so that new arrangements are in place by 1 April 1996, and to seek my right hon. Friend's consent should it wish to reassign the work in-house.542 The direction given to Canterbury city council requires the authority to retender the contract for street cleansing and related services, which was the subject of the notice, so that new arrangements are in place by 1 January 1996, and to seek my right hon. Friend's consent should they wish to reassign the work to the direct service organisation.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, when the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee—Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations joint study group examining site selection for radioactive waste repositories will he published.

  Mr. Atkins
  Sir John Knill, the chairman of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, was invited last year to chair a joint study group drawn from members of RWMAC and the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations to consider the approach to site selection for radioactive waste disposal facilities and the criteria for ensuring the protection of human health.

  The study group's report has been published today, together with the minority views of two members. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. I welcome the report and minority views as a valuable contribution to the debate on this issue. They represent advice to the Government and are not a statement of policy. The Government's response will be published in due course, together with the final conclusions of the review of radioactive waste management policy.

  Education Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates of the costs of(a) teaching staff, (b) books and equipment and (c) repairs and maintenance he made when calculating the control total for the education service block of the total standard spending for 1995–96.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: In reaching his decision on the control total for local authority spending on education for 1995–96, my right hon. Friend took account of probable pay and non-pay inflation, rising school rolls, and other relevant spending pressures. The education standard spending assessments calculated for individual local authorities are not spending targets and the level of spending on teaching staff, books, equipment, repairs and maintenance is a matter for local authorities and schools themselves.

  Tourism
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities in England which employ a director of tourism services or similar.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The "Municipal Year Book 1995" lists 177 local authorities in England which employ a "tourism officer". Not all those listed, however, are senior officers or heads of department, or responsible solely for tourism; to distinguish and list those which are would involve disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the rate of increase in prescription charges since 1978.

  Mr. Malone
  Increases in national health service prescription charges have never been linked to the rate of inflation; nor is the level of the charge itself related to the cost of an individual prescription item or to the cost to the NHS of dispensing it. The charge is a reasonable sum paid by those who can afford to do so. Our extensive arrangements for exemption and for charge remission under the NHS low–income scheme are among the most generous in Europe. They ensure that only those able to afford to pay are asked to do so.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what, at the latest date, are the total figures for all waiting lists in all NHS hospitals and trusts.

  Mr. Malone
  Provisional figures show that, at the end of December 1994, the latest date for which information is available, 1,071,638 people in England were waiting for in-patient or day case treatment.

  Generic Drugs
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efforts are being made by her Department to increase the proportion of generic drugs prescribed by general practitioners in place of their branded equivalents.

  Mr. Malone
  The Department's policies to promote cost-effective prescribing by general practitioners have brought about significant and continuing increases in the use of generic medicines.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of Sate for Health what conclusions she has reached about the "The Health of the Nation" from the 1991 census.

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1991 census predates the publication in July 1992 of the Government's health strategy "The Health of the Nation". However, census data help in establishing a good baseline for accurate population estimates. These are used in calculating incidence and mortality rates, enabling "The Health of the Nation" targets to be accurately measured.

  Asthma, Newbury
  Mr. Rendel
  To aks the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the incidence of asthma in the Newbury area since 1988.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Richard Eassie, chairman of Berkshire health authority, for details.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average morbidity in terms of annual admissions to hospital per 100,000 population in each regional health authority and district health authority for asthma in(a) 1980, (b) 1984, (c) 1985 and (d) in each year since 1990.
  544
  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 are shown in the table. Comparable figures for the earlier years and by district are not available.

  Finished consultant episodes, England Patients with asthma, per 100,000 population

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Northern

  185

  212

  193

  Yorkshire

  217

  161

  187

  Trent

  180

  185

  178

  East Anglian

  142

  152

  133

  North west Thames

  213

  241

  253

  North east Thames

  223

  207

  209

  South east Thames

  193

  224

  195

  South west Thames

  189

  189

  172

  Wessex

  140

  157

  144

  Oxford

  144

  170

  160

  South western

  167

  180

  164

  West Midlands

  192

  213

  219

  Mersey

  210

  246

  245

  North western

  263

  282

  261

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics.

  NHS, Cheshire
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future structure of the NHS in Cheshire.

  Mr. Malone
  As my hon. Friend is aware, the Secretary of State recently agreed to establish a new South Cheshire district health authority from 1 April 1995 to replace the Chester and South and East Cheshire DHAs. By changing the boundaries of adjacent DHAs most of Cheshire now falls within the new South Cheshire DHA and North Cheshire DHA. Any further changes to the boundaries of health authorities in Cheshire will be the subject of public consultation if and when the Health Authorities Bill has received Royal Assent.

  Consultants
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the proportion of time spent by NHS consultant doctors in the private sector.

  Mr. Malone
  It is a statutory requirement and an underpinning principle of the conduct of private practice in national health service hospitals, agreed with the medical profession, that private practice work should not significantly interfere with a hospital's NHS contracts. Within this framework, consultants are free to undertake private work in addition to their NHS duties and in their own time, sometimes using resources bought from the health service. The combination of private practice and NHS treatment means that, overall, more patients are treated than if health care was only available through the NHS.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to reduce the cost to NHS trusts of dispensing with the services of consultants who do not meet the required professional standards.

  Mr. Malone
  It is for individual national health service employers to taken decisions about their staff. They should exercise this responsibility with full regard to probity and accountability. They need to ensure that every
  545
  effort is made to keep the infrequent costs of dismissal of consultants under control.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the average waiting time for NHS patients since 1989.

  Mr. Malone
  The average waiting time of people on a waiting list for hospital admission has fallen from 9.3 months in March 1989 to 4.6 months in September 1994.

  GP Fundholders
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP fundholders practices will pilot total purchasing for fundholders in Anglia and Oxford region, and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  I welcome the fact that 12 practices in four separate pilot projects, covering a total population of 159,000 will pilot total purchasing in anglia and Oxford region and will take part in the national evaluation programme. Fundholders and health authorities are working in partnership and have made clear their commitment to this important project in which general practitioners will take responsibility for purchasing all hospital and community health care for their patients.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend GP fundholding; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Lady Olga Maitland) earlier today.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 401, if she will now publish information for 1993–94 on general practitioner fundholders' savings, by region.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 14 February 1995]: The information requested is shown in the table. Nationally, retained savings equalled £64.2 million in 1993–94, about 3.5 per cent. of budgets set–similar to the levels of efficiency savings made by fundholders in the first two years of the scheme.

  Savings are held by family health services authorities on behalf of the patients of fundholders. They may be retained for up to four years, to be used for the benefit of patients of the practice as outlined in the practice's annual business plan.

  Region

  1993–94 Retained savings (£ million)

  Percentage of budgets set

  Northern

  5.0

  4.0

  Yorkshire

  7.6

  3.8

  Trent

  5.1

  2.4

  East Anglia

  2.5

  2.9

  North West Thames

  6.6

  4.6

  North East Thames

  2.8

  4.2

  South East Thames

  3.7

  2.9

  South West Thames

  3.8

  3.6

  Wessex

  2.6

  2.6

  Oxford

  4.2

  3.6

  South Western

  3.1

  2.7

  West Midlands

  9.9

  4.7

  546

  Region

  1993–94 Retained Savings (£ million)

  Percentage of budgets set

  Mersey

  4.6

  3.4

  North Western

  3.0

  3.0

  England

  64.2

  3.5

  Note:

  Retained savings may not sum to England total due to rounding.

  Source:

  Regional Health Authorities.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next expects to meet Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation to discuss the implications for disabled persons of the Government's community care policy.

  Mr. Bowis
  I meet disability organisations on a regular basis and discuss a range of issues including community care. RADAR has not requested a meeting recently, so I do not have any specific plans for a meeting with it.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the criteria for the distribution and expenditure of the special transitional grant for community care; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  These are kept under review.

  Health Care, West London
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will next meet the chairman of the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS trust to discuss health care in west London.

  Mr. Malone
  I plan to meet Sir Christopher Bland on 6 April 1995.

  Boxers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being carried out on brain damage to boxers.

  Mr. Malone
  The Department of Health and the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, are not currently undertaking any research specifically into brain damage to boxers. However, the MRC, the main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research, spent £761,000 on research into head injury in 1993–94, a proportion of which may be relevant to brain damage in boxers. In addition, the council supports research in a number of areas that are relevant to brain damage in boxers including dementia, pain, vision, cognitive changes and brain repair.

  The Department of Health has commissioned a study entitled "Rehabilitation of Brain Injured Adults", which is estimated to cost some £1.2 million.

  Domiciliary Care
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards exist to ensure proper standards of domiciliary care.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. member to the reply I gave the right hon. member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 14 February, column 644.

  Qualified nursing and midwifery staff in the NHS and private sector hospitals, homes and clinics England as at 30 September each year (practice nurses are as at 1 October each year)

  whole time equivalents

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Total qualified nursing and midwifery staff working in HCHS,GMS and private sector

  238,720

  245,100

  254,690

  260,950

  —

  271,100

  277,920

  282,500

  289,340

  297,050

  297,990

  NHS:

  HCHS qualified nursing staff

  223,310

  227,740

  234,130

  236,770

  239,360

  241,780

  244,220

  242,340

  243,250

  246,570

  241,850

  GMS practice nurses

  1,660

  1,920

  2,210

  2,500

  2,770

  3,480

  4,630

  7,740

  8,780

  9,120

  9,600

  Private hospitals, homes, clinics: qualified staff

  13,750

  15,450

  18,350

  21,680

  —

  25,840

  29,070

  32,430

  37,310

  41,360

  46,530

  Source:

  Nursing & Midwifery: PD(STATS)B non-medical work force census.

  GMS Practice Nurses: general medical practitioners census. Private Sector Nursing: annual KO36 returns.

  Immunisation and Cancer Screening
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the effect of the GP contract on immunisation and cancer screening services.

  Mr. Malone
  When the new general practitioner contract was introduced in 1990, 89 per cent. of GPs met. targets for childhood immunisation and 86 per cent. for cancer screening. By April 1993, this had increased to 96 per cent. of GPs meeting childhood immunisation targets and 98 per cent. cancer screening targets. This shows clearly the positive impact of the GP contract on these services.

  Sir Duncan Nicol
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 1 March,Official Report, column 586, if she will provide details of the actual (a) pension payment and (b) redundancy payment made to Sir Duncan Nicol.

  Net personal social services expenditure by Hampshire County Council

  Net expenditure

  Net expenditure Real terms at 1992–93

  Change over previous year Real terms

  Increase over 1978–79 Real terms

  Year

  Cash £ million

  £ million

  percentage

  percentage

  1978–79

  23.6

  65.6

  —

  —

  1979–80

  282

  67.3

  2.6

  2.6

  1980–81

  33.5

  67.5

  0.4

  3.0

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been in the numbers of qualified nurses and midwives over the last decade; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Notes:

  1. All figures arc rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalents.

  2. Total may not equal sum of their component parts due to rounding.

  3. All nursing and midwifery figures exclude agency staff.

  4. (—) denotes the figure is unavailable.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not common practice to make public personal information of this kind. I shall write to the hon. Member with background information.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many brain operations were carried out for intractable non-lesional epilepsy in the last year for which figures are available in the age groups(a) zero to 18 years, (b) 18 to 45 years and (c) 45 years and above.

  Mr. Bowls
  This information is not available centrally.

  Hampshire Social Services
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the expenditure of Hampshire country council on social services each year since 1979 expressed in cash terms, real terms and as a real terms percentage increase or decrease on 1979 and the previous year.

  Mr. Bowls
  The information is shown in the table.
  549

  Net personal social cervices expenditure by Hampshire County Council

  Net expenditure

  Net expenditure Real terms at 1992–93

  Change over previous year Real terms

  Increase over 1978–79 Real terms

  Year

  Cash £ million

  £ million

  Percentage

  Percentage

  1981–82

  37.7

  69.3

  2.6

  5.7

  1982–83

  40.9

  70.1

  1.2

  6.9

  1983–84

  43.2

  70.7

  0.8

  7.8

  1984–85

  45.6

  71.1

  0.6

  8.5

  1985–86

  47.6

  70.4

  -1.0

  7.5

  1986–87

  51.3

  73.6

  4.5

  12.3

  1987–88

  57.9

  78.8

  7.1

  20.3

  1988–89

  64.2

  82.0

  4.0

  25.1

  1989–90

  69.2

  82.6

  0.8

  26.1

  1990–91

  79.9

  88.3

  6.9

  34.8

  1991–92

  91.7

  95.4

  8.0

  45.5

  1992–93

  100.8

  100.8

  5.7

  53.8

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist breast cancer units there are; what are their locations; and what plans there are to increase their number.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available centrally on the number or location of specialist breast cancer units. It is for health authorities to determine whether additional breast cancer services are required.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has taken place into what is the best time in a women's menstrual cycle to have surgery.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are aware of a number of published studies into the best time in a woman's menstrual cycle to have surgery for breast cancer. There is no conclusive evidence about the most appropriate time for breast cancer surgery; most suggest that prognosis is worse for those who have surgery in the early part of the menstrual cycle. One recent study suggested that it is the perimenstrual period that is the most disadvantageous, another shows no variation in outcome related to menstrual phase.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is available to suggest whether women who breast feed are less likely to contract breast cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is some evidence to suggest that mothers who breast feed may he less likely to develop breast cancer. The most recent large international study was a World Health Organisation collaborative study published in 1993 in the International Journal of Epidemiology. This concluded that long-term lactation may reduce the risk of breast cancer.

  Local Base Statistics
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will state when the Office of Population Censuses and Statistics will make available to local authorities the local base statistics for subdivisions of wards originally promised for mid-1994; and what are the reasons for the delays in processing this information.

  Mr. Sackville
  1991 census local base statistics for sub-divisions of wards has already been produced. With this particular product customers were able to specify their own breakdown of wards in terms of enumeration districts. There was, however, a delay in their production, caused by an extension to the deadline for orders from 550
  customers, due to limited initial interest, so that the maximum number could he processed simultaneously in an effort to keep costs down.

  Breastfeeding
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on supporting the promotion of breastfeeding; what measures are being taken to support breastfeeding; and what future plans she has to promote breastfeeding.

  Mr. Sackville
  Based on medical advice, the Government have consistently supported breastfeeding as the best means of feeding a baby. We set up, under "The Health of the Nation" initiative, the national breastfeeding working group to coordinate action to promote and facilitate breastfeeding. We will be issuing fresh guidance on breastfeeding to the national health service shortly, drawing on the work of the national breastfeeding working group. We provide nationally produced publicity material for National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, which this year will run from the 22 to 26 May. We are contributing towards the cost of the Health Visitors Association and Royal College of Midwives joint training programme "Invest in Breast Together" which will be launched during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. We also provide funding, through section 64 grant aid, to the three voluntary organisations supporting breastfeeding.

  We have taken steps to restrict the advertising and promotion of baby milks in the infant formula and follow-on formula regulations which came into force on 1 March 1995. These give a statutory basis to the restrictions on advertising in place since 1983 under the voluntary agreement with the baby milk manufacturers.

  The quinquennial infant feeding surveys also provide information on breastfeeding and the factors likely to influence a woman's choice on how she feeds her baby. Field work for the 1995 survey will start later this year.

  Baby Milk Advertising
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the commercial advertising of baby milk formula on the health of infants, with particular reference to those in low-income families.
  551
  Mr. Sackville
  None. The advertising and promotion of baby milks is restricted by the infant formula and follow-on formula regulations which came into force on 1 March 1995.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with whom she consulted before deciding not to impose a statutory ban on the commercial advertising of baby milk formula.

  Mrs. Browning
  I have been asked to reply.

  I attach a list of those to whom the draft infant formula and follow-on formula regulations were sent by this Department. The Scottish Office and Welsh Office also sent the proposals to organisations in Scotland and Wales respectively.

  Consultation List for Draft Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations

  Abbot Laboratories Ltd.

  Action and Information on Sugar

  Advertising Association

  Advertising Standards Authority

  Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances

  Andrew Smith MP

  ASDA Stores Ltd.

  Association of Breastfeeding Mothers

  Association of District Councils

  Association of Public Analysts

  Baby Milk Action Group

  Boots Company plc

  British Dental Association

  British Dietetic Association

  British Medical Association

  British Nutrition Foundation

  British Paediatric Association

  British Retail Consortium

  Children's Society

  Christian Aid

  Code Monitoring Committee

  Colin Shepherd MP

  COMA Panel on Nutrition

  Consumers Association

  Consumers in the EC Group (UK)

  Cow and Gate Nutritcia

  Crookes Healthcare

  CWS Ltd.

  Dairy Trade Federation

  Department for Child Health

  Dietetic Department

  Dunn Nutrition Laboratory

  Farley

  Food and Drink Federation

  Food Commission

  Health Visitors Association

  H J Heinz Co Ltd.

  Infant and Dietetic Foods Association

  Institute of Environmental Health officers

  J Sainsbury plc

  John Biffen MP

  The Rt Hon John Patten NW

  John Wyeth and Brother Ltd.

  LA Leche League

  Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Trading Standards

  Leatherhead Food Research Association

  Marks and Spencer plc

  Maternity Alliance

  Mead Johnson

  Medical Research Council

  Michael Trend NW

  Milupa Ltd.

  552

  National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts

  National Childbirth Trust

  National Consumer Council

  National Dairy Council

  National Federation of Consumer Groups

  National Food Alliance

  Neo Natal Nurses Association

  Nestle UK Ltd.

  NHS Supplies Authority

  Oxfam

  Oxford Diocesan Synod

  Ray Whitney OBE MP

  Robert Jackson MP

  Royal College of Nursing

  Royal College of Midwives

  Royal College of Midwives (Scotland)

  Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

  SHS Hospital Supplies

  SMA Nutrition

  St. Bartholomew's Hospital

  UK Committee for UNICEF

  Unilever Research

  Waitrose Ltd.

  Zeneca Bio Products

  NHS Prescriptions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the current medications and appliances that are obtainable on an NHS prescription that are(a) cheaper to obtain by paying for them over the counter at a pharmacist than the current prescription fee and (b) that, although cheaper, can he obtained only on an NHS prescription.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is not available.

  Patient Transfer to Leeds
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the circumstance relating to the transfer to Leeds by helicopter of a patient from south-east London.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to receive an initial report on this matter from South Thames regional office in the near future. A report will he published as soon as possible thereafter and any issues arising will he further investigated.

  Historic Hospital Buildings
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many historic hospital buildings built before 1900 have been demolished by hospital governing bodies since the creation of the NHS trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. Each individual national health service trust is responsible for management of the estate in which they operate, including compliance with town planning and legislative requirements concerning the demolition of buildings.

  Ebola and Marburg Viruses
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had from the Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, in Oxford concerning the potential plague-like spread of Ebola and Marburg viruses; what contingency plans she has to deal
  553
  with any outbreak of Ebola and Marburg disease; and whether she will consider contracts with Porton Down to research into vaccines and therapies to alleviate Ebola and Marburg disease.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have had no representations from the Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology in Oxford about Ebola or Marburg viruses.

  We are not aware of any evidence of respiratory spread of either Ebola or Marburg viruses between monkeys and humans or between humans. The current consensus of opinion is that these viruses are blood borne.

  We do continue to take a cautious approach and recommend strict precautions for personnel dealing with definite or suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever to prevent any possibility of spread. The Department of Health funds high-security infectious disease units for the treatment of patients with viral haemorrhagic fever although no case has been seen in the United Kingdom for about 10 years. These viruses appear to have a limited capacity for spread within the human population and the need for a vaccine for use in the UK has not been established.

  National Blood Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost, including paper, printing, packaging and posting, arising from the letter from the chairman of the National Blood Authority to blood donors regarding the proposed reorganisation of the National Blood Service.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 9 December 1994, column 400.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 March,Official Report, columns 41–42 (1) if she will publish what information she has about the cost of medical negligence claims by (a) specialities and (b) staff grade;

  (2) if she will publish a list of clinical negligence claims by trust.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Adoption
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration has been given by her Department to the Institute of Economic Affairs proposals regarding the adoption of children of single parents; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Health Care (Older People)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the standard of health care enjoyed by people aged over 60 years now, 10 years ago and 20 years ago.

  Mr. Bowis
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: The information is not available in precisely the form requested. Mortality rates in people over 60 years have fallen during the periods in question reflecting, among other factors, improvements in health care and advances in treatment. Life expectancy at age 60 has risen from 15.4 years in 1970 to 1972 to 17.8 years in 1990 to 1992 for men and from 20 to 22.1 years for women.

  Staffing and activity levels in the national health service have improved substantially across major relevant indices. For example, the numbers of hip replacement operations have increased by 47 per cent. since 1978, the number of eye lens operations by 119 per cent. and the number of coronary artery bypass grafts by 276 per cent. The number of elderly patient treatments has increased by 137 per cent. for in-patients, to 558,000 finished consultant episodes, and by 91 per cent. for out-patients, to 459,000 episodes. The numbers of consultant geriatricians have increased by 66 per cent. About 42 per cent. of total NHS expenditure is attributable to services to older people, who make up about 16 per cent. of the population. These improvements reflect major advances in medical science, in surgical, clinical and nursing practice and in other health care skills. They demonstrate the Government's continued commitment to the NHS, including the care of older people.

  We have also made considerable progress in the implementation of our community care changes and in improvements to primary care services, many of which are of particular benefit to older people. Services are becoming more responsive to the needs and wishes of patients through quality initiatives such as the patients charter.

  Palestinians: Aid
  Palestinians: Aid
  Hong Kong One-Way Immigration Scheme: Quota for Children
  Hong Kong One-Way Immigration Scheme: Quota for Children
  Tuzla Airfield: NATO Report
  Tuzla Airfield: NATO Report
  Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands: Legislative Review
  Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands: Legislative Review
  Inghushetia: Aid for Displaced Populations
  Inghushetia: Aid for Displaced Populations
  Bethnal Green City Challenge: Grant
  Bethnal Green City Challenge: Grant
  Peat: Planning Guidance Note
  Peat: Planning Guidance Note
  Radioactive Waste Repositories: Study Group Report
  Radioactive Waste Repositories: Study Group Report
  Community Forest Programme: Planning Implications
  Community Forest Programme: Planning Implications
  Transport Research Laboratory
  Transport Research Laboratory
  Airports: Economic Regulation
  Airports: Economic Regulation
  Community Sentences: Effectiveness
  Community Sentences: Effectiveness
  Powys Unitary District: Policing
  Powys Unitary District: Policing
  BA 2000
  BA 2000
  Royal Parks: Management Policies
  Royal Parks: Management Policies
  Car Parking
  Car Parking
  Traffic calming measures
  Traffic calming measures
  Visitor Survey
  Visitor Survey
  Provision of services and buildings
  Provision of services and buildings