Written Answers of 16 March 1995

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Mining Subsidence
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive British Coal's sixth report on the administration of the coal mining subsidence damage repair and compensation scheme.

  Mr. Page
  I have now received this report from British Coal and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

  Emergency Services (Caller Identification)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations he has given to introducing a statutory responsibility for British Telecom to extend caller line identification to the emergency services.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  BT operators already provide the emergency services with information about callers, including caller identification where technically possible. BT is also working to provide a direct CLI service in London, where it has been requested by an emergency authority.

  East Germany (Reconstruction)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the likely effect on United Kingdom trade in 1996, 1997 and 1998 of reconstruction in the former East Germany; and if he will make a statement on his assessment of the extent to which the United Kingdom will become less competitive than Germany.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Germany is the United Kingdom's largest export market. Over 1,000 British firms have subsidiaries or joint ventures there, and this country is among the leading investors in the new Länder.

  Annual growth of 8 to 10 per cent. is expected in the new Länder over the next few years, and 2.5 to 3 per cent. in Germany as a whole. Britain's market share is on the increase, and there is no reason why this should not continue.

  The Government have been active in developing trade promotion initiatives in key sectors of the new Länder which will help British companies, in the United Kingdom and in Germany, to capitalise on trade openings in 1995 and beyond.

  Some of the newly established German plant in the new Länder is likely to be highly competitive but the prospects for UK firms are excellent. The gap in manufacturing productivity between this country and Germany has narrowed since 1979, and the Government remain committed to creating the right framework for improving industrial competitiveness. The United Kingdom's continuing ability to attract very significant inward
  648
  investment is a testament to the competitiveness policies that the Government are pursuing.

  Water and Sewerage Expenditure
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of his Department's expenditure on water and sewerage in(a) the current year and (b) each of the three previous years.

  Mr. Taylor
  Within DTI, information on expenditure on water and sewerage is not held centrally. Expenditure in relation to DTI's London headquarters buildings was as follows:

  Year

  Cost £

  1994–95

  144,055

  1993–94

  52,618

  1992–93

  65,595

  1991–92

  62,006

  1To end of January.

EMPLOYMENT

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made with the implementation of the jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The project to implement jobseeker's allowance, subject to parliamentary approval of the Jobseekers Bill, is on schedule for implementation in April 1996. Planning guidance has now been issued to the Employment Service and Benefits Agency field organisations. An external review of the project is under way and will report in early April.

  World Conference on Women
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who will represent the United Kingdom at the fourth UN world conference on women.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I am pleased to announce that key members of the delegation to represent the Government at the fourth UN world conference on women vote held in Peking from 4 to 15 September, have now been agreed. Three Ministers will be in attendance during the period of the conference: myself, my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development, and my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mrs. Browning), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Government appointed co-chairman of the Women's National Commission.

  They will be joined by Kamlesh Bahl, chairwoman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Great Britain, Joan Smyth, chair and chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Northern Ireland, and Liz Bavidge, elected co-chair of the Women's National Commission. We also expect to include delegates from Hong Kong, Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, further representation from non-governmental organisations with expertise on women in development and officials from the

  649
  relevant Government Departments to support the work of the delegation.

  Employment Initiatives
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he gives to regional differences when developing plans for employment initiatives; and what initiatives will be the subject of legislation in the near future.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department's initiatives are targeted primarily on those who need it most, particularly those who have been unemployed for some time. Other than provisions in the Jobseekers Bill, no legislation on initiatives is planned for the near future.

  Productivity Increases
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Government's policy on increases in productivity being rewarded by increases in pay; and what evidence he has of the extent to which that principle has been followed in the(a) manufacturing and (b) service industries.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The extent to which increases in productivity are rewarded by increases in pay is a matter for organisations to decide in the light of their particular circumstances. However, productivity is one of many factors which need to be taken into account when making such decisions. The Employment Department does not collect data on how far productivity influences such decisions, but whereas both productivity and pay stagnated from 1974–1979, both productivity and real pay at all levels have risen sharply since 1979.

  The Government, however, also believe that increases in pay need to be more than matched by improvements in productivity in order to free resources for investment, which in turn will feed through to greater competitiveness.

  South Thames TEC
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who is still owed money by the South Thames training and enterprise council; how much they are owed; and when they will be paid.

  Mr. Paice
  The total amount of money owing to individual contractors which submitted claims for payment for work carried out for South Thames training and enterprise council is a matter for the receiver.

  Unemployed Students
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the hours of guided learning undertaken by a student(a) in the evening and (b) on Saturdays will count towards the new 16-hour limit for guided learning allowed to unemployed students who are required to be available for work; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  All hours that are classified as guided learning hours will count towards the threshold of 16 guided learning hours per week.

  The Further Education Funding Council has introduced the definition of guided learning hours in place of the distinction between part and full-time courses. This reflects the fact that courses are increasingly delivered flexibly, to meet the needs of individuals. The
  650
  Government's proposals for the rules under jobseeker's allowance are designed to accommodate this change, while ensuring that the same number of people will be able to benefit as do so now.

SCOTLAND

  Permanent Secretaries
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which permanent secretaries have left his Department's employment in the last five years; and which public positions they have been appointed to subsequently.

  Mr. Lang
  There is only one permanent secretary at the Scottish Office and he has been in post for over five years.

  Sheriffs
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he proposes to introduce in the procedures for appointing sheriffs.

  Mr. Lang
  These procedures are kept under constant review. A number of improvements were introduced in the procedures adopted in a recently completed round of temporary shrieval appointments. Consideration is now being given to the further development of these procedures and their application to the appointment of permanent sheriffs. it is proposed that applications will be sought, by annual advertisement, for these appointments and that suitable candidates will be interviewed by a panel, whose membership will include lay representation. Consultation on the proposals will take place shortly and I shall arrange for copies of the consultation paper to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Further Education
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he proposes to publish his report on the discharge of his duties for further education in Scotland as required under section 1 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I am pleased to say that the report entitled "Further Education in Scotland 1994: Report by the Secretary of State for Scotland" has been published today and has been laid before each House of Parliament. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

  The report shows that good progress has been made in further education colleges in 1994. Members of the college boards of management and college staff continue to manage enthusiastically the changes and challenges arising from incorporation. The colleges have built on the success of the first year of incorporation and are working hard to continue to raise standards and increase efficiency.

  Lobby Organisations
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Ministers in his Department have on any occasion in the last seven days met representatives of(a) Messrs C. S. M. Parliamentary Consultants Ltd., (b) Dewe Rogerson Ltd., (c) Decision Makers Ltd., (d) G.J.W. Government Relations Ltd., (e) G.P.C., (f) G.J.W., (g) Ian Greer Associates Ltd., (h) Market Access Group, (i)

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  Politics International, (j) Westminster Communications Group, (k) Westminster Strategy, (l) Good Relations, (m) Rowland Sallingbury Casy, (n) Lowe Bell, (o) Profile Corporate and Political Relations and (p) Shandwick Consultants Ltd. and discussed issues relating to the clients of these companies.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 March 1995]Neither I nor any of the Ministers in my Department had meetings with representatives of any of these organisations.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects decisions to be announced regarding(a) the possible transfer to agency or private status of the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office and (b) the possible merger of the fraud divisions of the Crown Prosecution Service with the Serious Fraud Office.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 8 July,Official Report, column 337. The steering group on agency status has not yet concluded its work.

  The consideration of merger group has reported its findings. The report is at present under consideration.

  Decisions will be announced as soon as possible.

PRIME MINISTER

  Leeds Central Infirmary
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Prime Minister what highly specialised form of treatment was available to Mr. Murray at Leeds Central infirmary.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has asked for 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 be further investigated. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Statement of 9 March,Official Report, columns 455–56, which companies provided the independent financial and legal advice to the Government on the question of whether to proceed with the sale of National Power and PowerGen; and when the advice was received.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 14 March 1995]The Treasury took advice on the evening of Friday 3 March from its financial advisers, Barclays de Zoete Wedd Limited and Kleinwort Benson Limited and its legal adviser, Slaughter and May.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  50th Anniversary
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what expenditure will be incurred in the current financial year on the commemorations to mark the 50th anniversary of the end in Europe of the second world war.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The cost in 1994–95 of commemorations to mark the 50th anniversary of the end in Europe of world war II is expected to be £3,000,000. I announced on 17 January,Official Report, columns 424–25, that parliamentary approval for this new service would be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Department of National Heritage's film, tourism, sport and broadcasting vote, class XI, vote 5. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of up to £3,000,000 will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.

  Temporary Contracts
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for this year and each of the past three years how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible who have been employed on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration are re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The information for the Department of National Heritage and its two agencies—the Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency—is as follows:

  Year

  DNH

  RPA

  HRPA

  51 weeks

  Less than 51 weeks

  51 weeks

  Less than 51 weeks

  51 weeks

  Less than 51 weeks

  1990

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nil

  19

  1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nil

  22

  1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nil

  52

  1993

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  62

  1994

  Nil

  1

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  51

  1995

  Nil

  1

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  58

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration for this year and each of the past three years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total work force these employees constitute.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The Department of National Heritage was created in April 1992. It has two agencies—the Royal Parks Agency created in April 1993 and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency created in October 1989. The information requested is shown in the following table.
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  (a) Less than 51 weeks

  Years

  DNH

  RPA

  HRPA

  Total

  Number of casuals

  Percentage of total staff

  Number of casuals

  Percentage of total staff

  Number of casuals

  Percentage of total staff

  Number of casuals

  Percentage of total staff

  9.4

  1990

  —

  —

  —

  —

  66

  19.4

  66

  (340)

  18

  1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  66

  18

  66

  (365)

  19.4

  1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  69

  19.4

  69

  (355)

  13.3

  1993

  1

  0.3

  —

  —

  127

  33

  128

  (961.5)

  11.9

  1994

  11

  3.4

  11

  4.4

  103.5

  22

  125.5

  (1,059)

  6

  1995

  3

  0.8

  13

  4.6

  48.5

  10.3

  65

  (1,084.5)

  b) 51 weeks Nil for all years

  Explanatory note: These figures are based on staff in post returns for 1 April each year, except for 1995 where they are based on the most recent staff in post return—1 January. Figures in ( ) represent total staff in post for each year.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, how many people he expects to employ in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which he is responsible on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration in the next three years, in each case specifying the number of employees who had previously been employed in a similar position on the same contract.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The information for the Department of National Heritage and its two agencies—the Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency—is as follows.

  The Department of National Heritage does not anticipate recruiting any staff on temporary contracts over the next three years.

  The Royal Parks Agency expects to recruit two full-time staff and one part-time member of staff on temporary contracts of less than 51 weeks duration. The Historic Royal Palaces Agency expects to employ 53 members of staff on contracts of less than 51 weeks duration during 1995, 21 in 1996 and 22 in 1997. It is not possible to say, for any of these anticipated vacancies, whether previous temporary staff will fill the posts.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, what positions in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are filled by employees who are employed on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The latest available information shows for DNH and its two agencies—the Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency is as follows:

  Contracts of less than 51 weeks

  DNH

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Personal secretary

  Statistical officer

  RPA

  Administrative officer

  Grooms

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  Contracts of less than 51 weeks

  HRPA

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Warders

  Shop staff

  No positions in the Department of National Heritage or its two agencies are filled by employees who are employed on temporary contracts of 51 weeks.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will publish the full terms of employment as specified to employees in his Department and all executive agencies for which he is responsible who are employed on a temporary contract of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration;

  (2) what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in (i) in his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The Department and its agencies—the Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency—have their own independent personnel units which produce separate recruitment and appointment documentation. The terms of employment are set out in letters of appointment and I have placed copies of these for the Department and each of its agencies in the Library of the House.

  In the recruitment and appointment of casual employees the Department and its agencies are guided by the relevant civil service central policies. These policies are contained in the personnel management section of the civil service management code which sets down the principal recruitment rules for casual staff and is consistent with the provisions of the Civil Service Order in Council Regulations. I have placed copies of the relevant extracts of these documentations as annexes to the appointment letters in the Library of the House. My Department and its agencies also operate all recruitment within current employment legislation.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Government Information
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will specify what code of conduct applies
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  to information on Government business supplied by Ministers to staff employed by them as House of Commons secretaries and researchers; and if such staff are governed by a code of conduct analogous to the Official Secrets Act for civil servants with respect to such business.

  Mr. David Hunt
  House of Commons secretaries and researchers are not employed by the Government and are not therefore subject to rules of conduct applying to the civil service. Like other citizens, they are subject to relevant provisions of the Official Secrets Act.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent reports have been received concerning leakages of information concerning Government business from staff employed by Government Ministers as House of Commons secretaries and researchers.

  Mr. David Hunt
  None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many requests for information have been made to Departments following the introduction of the open government code; how many of these requests have been(a) met and (b) refused; and in how many cases of requests, Departments have had to review refusals to release information;

  (2) if he will give the current figures of charges made by individual Departments and agencies for information requested under the open government code;

  (3) when the Government's review of the operation of the open government code will be published.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply today to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey). Copies of the Government's report on the implementation of the code of practice on access to Government information during 1994 are available in the Library of the House. Appendix 1 of the report gives figures for the numbers of code requests received by Departments in 1994, the numbers of requests refused in full or in part, and the numbers of internal reviews conducted by Departments. A schedule of departmental charging schemes for information requested under the code is included as appendix 4.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the operation of the code of practice on access to Government information during 1994.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have today announced the publication of the Government's report on the operation of the code of practice during 1994, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Personal Records
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when legislation will be introduced to give effect to the commitment in the Open Government White Paper, Cm 2290 1993, to create a right of access to personal records and a right of access to health and safety information.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 6 March,Official Report, column 15.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Turkey
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Turkish Government regarding(a) the killing of civilians, (b) the destruction of homes and villages and (c) general abuses of human rights.

  Mr. David Davis
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised our concerns about human rights in Turkey with the Turkish Foreign Minister in London on 2 February. My right hon. Friend subsequently met the Turkish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at the EU-Turkey Association Council on 6 March. They were left in no doubt of our human rights concerns and those or our European partners. We shall continue to take every opportunity, at ministerial and official level, to remind the Turks of the need for improvement in their human rights performance.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations to the Turkish Government he has made regarding the activities of Turkish special intelligence—MIT—in Britain.

  Mr. David Davis
  None.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the numbers of Kurdish refugees from Turkey in northern Iraq; what contribution is being made towards UNHCR programmes in that area; if he will list the British non-governmental organisations which are involved in implementing the relief programmes; and what representations he has made to the Turkish authorities regarding their military activity against the civilian population in the border areas with northern Iraq.

  Mr. David Davis
  The following British registered non-governmental organisations are receiving assistance from ODA for helping with relief work among the Kurds: British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Kurdish Life Aid, Mines Advisory Group, Oxfam and Save the Children Fund.

  We frequently make clear to the Turkish Government, at ministerial and official level, our view that the conflict in the south-east of Turkey must be settled within the rule of law and with due respect for human rights.

  We are seeking the further information requested by the hon. Member. I shall write to him with this information as soon as it is obtained.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the involvement of the Turkish Government in crimes of violence in London; what representations he has made to the Turkish authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  We have made no representations to the Turkish Government relating to crimes of violence in London.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received that Turkish military aircraft have penetrated northern Iraq and bombed refugee camps; and if he will make a statement.
  657
  Mr. David Davis
  We are not aware of any recent reports of Turkish military aircraft bombing refugee camps in northern Iraq. We have made clear to the Turkish Government our view that the conflict in the south-east of Turkey must be settled within the rule of law and with due respect for human rights.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 686, if he will provide details of the contract, firm, designate, costs and outcome of the arbitration case involving his Department and a consultancy.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Arbitration has not yet been completed. Because the arbitration process is confidential, it would he inappropriate for me to give details of the case at this stage.

  Mr. Zia Rahman Faroogi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at which British post overseas Mr. Zia Rahman Farooqi, the leader of the Soldiers of God, based in Pakistan, was issued with a visa to visit the United Kingdom; if the application was referred to London; if the application was referred to the Foreign Secretary or ministerial colleagues in his Department or to the Home Office for a recommendation prior to the decision being taken on Mr. Farooqi's application; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Mr. Farooqi was last issued with a United Kingdom visa by our high commission at Islamabad in July 1994. He already held multiple entry visas for the United States and Australia and had been issued with UK visas in 1991 and 1992. At the time he appeared to meet the requirements of the immigration rules, so his application was not referred to London.

  Kenya
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Kenya concerning the arrest and imprisonment of opposition Member of Parliament, Mr. Njenge Mungai.

  Mr. Baldry
  We remain deeply concerned about such arrests. Our high commission has raised this issue at the highest level with the Kenyan Government.

  North-West Atlantic Fisheries Dispute
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current fisheries dispute between the EU and Canada in the north-west Atlantic.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The dispute is about allocating the total allowable catch from Greenland halibut among the contracting parties in the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation—in particular the EU and Canada. The goal of all involved must be to conserve fish stocks so as to allow fishermen from both the EU and Canada a viable future. This requires proper conservation measures, including an equitable division of the agreed total allowable catch. It also requires strict enforcement to 658
  ensure that the rules are obeyed by all. We are pleased to hear that the Spanish vessel detained last week has been released. All concerned can now concentrate on resolving the wider issues through negotiation, in a way acceptable to the members of NAFO.

  The UK has been using its position as a member of both the Commonwealth and the EU to promote solutions to the immediate difficulties and to contribute to an outcome in the longer term which is satisfactory to all. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs yesterday spoke to his Canadian and Spanish opposite numbers as part of those efforts. The way ahead must be through negotiations undertaken in a calm and co-operative spirit and by avoiding actions which might make a solution more difficult.

EDUCATION

  School Toilet Facilities
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many and what percentage of(a) primary and (b) secondary school have outside toilets;

  (2) how many and what percentage of schools fail to provide one toilet for every 20 pupils over five years old;

  (3) how many and what percentage of schools do not have hot and cold running water in all hand basins for their toilet areas.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what percentage of(a) primary and (b) secondary schools have no suitable toilet facilities for disabled pupils.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not yet available. Local Education Authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools are required to provide such data to the Secretary of State after 1 May and by 1 June 1995, and biennially thereafter.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools overspent their budget in (a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95.

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

  Non-statutory Services
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the extent to which local education authorities are expanding in relation over the last two years non-statutory services at the expense of statutory education services; and if she will list the increase in expenditure on non-statutory services in each local education authority in the last two years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information at LEA level on statutory and non-statutory spending is not available, as LEAs' returns of their expenditure do not distinguish between expenditure on pupils of statutory and non statutory school age.
  659
  Estimated outturn expenditure in 1994–95 by LEAs on under-fives, further education for adults, the youth service and discretionary awards total £1,964 million. Provisional outturn expenditure on these headings in 1993—94 was £1,858 million.

  School Inspectors' Reports
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what recent representations she has received from parents and governors about the standards of reports published by school inspectors; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will make a statement on the publication of parent-friendly reports by school inspectors;

  (3) what action she intends to take to ensure that teachers in schools in West Yorkshire have full confidence in inspectors working for the Office of Standards in Education; and if she will make a statement;

  (4) what recent representations she has received on the standards of reports issued by school inspectors; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has received two letters about the standards of individual school reports in the last six months. Such letters are normally referred to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector as the independent Office for Standards in Education is responsible for monitoring the quality of inspection reports. Ofsted is also responsible for the employment of Her Majesty's inspectors of schools and for the training and monitoring of registered inspectors.

  The content of inspection reports is similarly a matter for HMCI. The Government's intention is that reports should be rigorous, clear and easily understood by parents. HMCI has recently issued guidance to registered inspectors on making inspection report summaries more user friendly. He is also consulting on a revision to the framework for inspection and this includes taking the views of parents, teachers and others.

  LEA Funding
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average standard spending assessment for primary school pupils for local education authorities in England; and what is the average for local education authorities excluding the Isles of Scilly and inner London boroughs.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The average amount per five to 10-year-old which local education authorities in England will receive in the primary sub-block of their education standard spending assessments for 1995–96 is £1,981. The comparable figure for local education authorities excluding the Isles of Scilly and inner London boroughs is £1,941.

  The Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment has been made of the effect on children's education following the proposed reduction in funding for schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The local government finance settlement for England for 1995–96 allows a 1.1 per cent. cash increase over the equivalent figure for 1994–95. The effect of the settlement will depend on decisions made by local education authorities and schools.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the net standard spending assessment for(a) a
  660
  child of primary school age and (b) a child of secondary school age in Shropshire and in the London borough of Southwark for the financial year 1995–96.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The standing spending assessment for a pupil of primary school age for the financial year 1995–96 in Shropshire is £1,862 and in Southwark £2,947. For a child of secondary school age, the figures are £2,482 for Shropshire, and £4,097 for Southwark. These differences arise from disparities in assessed education spending need and costs between different areas.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the standard spending assessment for Hereford and Worcester following the transfer of five schools to Birmingham from 1 April.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The standard spending assessment for Hereford and Worcester reflects the transfer of five schools to Birmingham from 1 April.

  London Borough of Havering
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received following the announcement of the education settlement for 1995–96 for the London borough of Havering.

  Mr. Forth
  We have received representations from the hon. Member and others about Havering's education standard spending assessment for 1995–96. The reduction results from a number of factors, including a below average increase in pupil numbers and other reductions in indicators of spending need.

  School Buildings
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools had to close all or part of a school building because its condition posed a danger to staff and pupils in each of the last two years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provisions exist for education on the dangers and prevention of solvent abuse, and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The national curriculum, which all maintained schools must provide, requires that pupils arc taught about the harmful effects of solvent abuse. My Department is providing £6 million of new grant to support teacher training and innovative projects concerned with the prevention of drug and solvent abuse. Following recent consultation, we will also issue shortly guidance on drug prevention and schools, together with guidance on teaching about drugs within the school curriculum and a digest of drug education teaching materials.

  Branch Employment
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Eduction how many people were employed in the(a) grant-maintained schools branch, (b) further education branch, (c) teacher training branch and (d) higher education branch of her Department for each year since 1992–93; how many arc forecast to work in each branch

  661
  in 1995–96; what was the pay bill for each branch in each year since 1992–93; and what is the forecast pay bill in 1995–96.

  Mr. Boswell
  The distribution of responsibilities among branches within the Department was reorganised in 1994. No one branch is or has been solely responsible for grant-maintained schools: presently both school organisation branch and schools funding branch have, among their other duties, responsibility for such schools. Certain duties also fall to the Funding Agency for

  1994–951

  1995–961

  Staff at 14 March 1995

  £million

  Staff

  £million

  School organisation branch

  283

  6.6

  304

  7.1

  Schools funding branch

  95

  2.3

  107

  2.7

  Further education branch

  66

  1.6

  74

  1.9

  Higher education branch

  79

  2.0

  78

  2.0

  Teachers branch

  72

  1.8

  65

  1.4

  1Forecast outturn.

  2Budget allocations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Government of Northern Ireland Act 1920
  Mr. Heppel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes he is proposing to the Government of Northern Ireland Act 1920.

  Mr. Ancram
  We have expressed a willingness, in the joint framework document, to amend or replace what little remains of the Government of Ireland Act as part of and contingent upon an agreed, comprehensive settlement, to emphasise the principle of consent. The precise detail of any changes would be a matter for discussion, negotiation and agreement with the political parties in future talks.

  Framework Document
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what circumstances a referendum will be held in Northern Ireland following the consideration of the framework document.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  We have undertaken to put to the electorate in Northern Ireland for approval in a referendum any agreed outcome of a three-stranded process of talks.

  Explosives and Arms, Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when was the last occasion, and in what year, Her Majesty's Government had reason to suppose that Libya-based sources supplied explosives and arms to organisations associated with the island of Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Substantial quantities of Libyan arms and explosives reached the Provisional IRA in the mid-1980s. Their recovery has been the objective of intensive searching by the Garda in the Republic of Ireland and by the police and Army in Northern Ireland. For operational reasons it would not be appropriate to give details of the amount of arms and explosives expended and recovered.
  662
  Schools. The further education branch and higher education branch also took their present form in 1994, each taking over some of the responsibilities of the former student affairs branch. Work on teacher training is part of the work of the teachers branch; significant responsibilities also rest with the teacher training agency. Figures are not therefore available in the form sought. The full-time equivalent staff employed in the five branches at 14 March 1995, forecast average staff numbers in 1995–96 and budgets for the two years are as follows:

  Political Training
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to provide political training, political, educational and exchange programmes for young people, politicians and community groups in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The Government have no plans at present to introduce programmes on the scale and in the manner indicated by the question. The Government remain committed, however, to encouraging mutual understanding within the community wherever possible, and to assisting political and educational development among young people in Northern Ireland.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received regarding the future of the RUC since the cease-fire.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Since the cease-fires, Ministers and officials have continued to hold meetings with interested bodies and individuals, including district councils, political parties, community organisations and police staff associations, on a variety of issues related to the police service. Several letters have also been received, mostly from members of the public. A wide range of views has been expressed; a key note to emerge has been the welcome for debate on policing matters, especially on strengthening links between the community and the police. The Government welcome this debate and are keen to hear constructive comments and proposals.

  Families against Intimidation and Terror
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of Families against Intimidation and Terror.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Secretary of State has had no formal meetings with representatives of FAIT. I last met representatives from this group in September 1993. Since then there have been no further meetings with Ministers hut contact at official level has been maintained.

  Firearms and Explosives
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what quantities of firearms and explosives have recently been voluntarily surrendered by Republican terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  No weaponry or equipment has been surrendered.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about inward investment into Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The year 1993–94 was Northern Ireland's most successful from an inward investment standpoint. The Industrial Development Board secured 13 new inward investment projects, together representing an investment potential of £259 million and 2,309 jobs.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the level of inward investment to Northern Ireland since the cease-fire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  The climate for investment in Northern Ireland from overseas has been greatly enhanced by a sustained absence of violence. Though it is too early to quantify the results in terms of new projects secured there are substantial indicators of heightened interest in Northern Ireland as an investment location—particularly in its primary target markets of the far east and the United States.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next expects to meet business leaders to discuss inward investment.

  Mr. Ancram
  My noble Friend Baroness Denton, the Minister for the Economy, is already heavily involved in meetings with potential inward investors. Her programme last week alone included a meeting with seventy Korean businessmen and the president of a potential Japanese investor. Baroness Denton will also meet business leaders during her visits to North America and Japan. Additionally, my noble Friend meets regularly with the business organisations in Northern Ireland.

  Prisoners (Early Release)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the practice with regard to the early release of prisoners.

  Sir John Wheeler
  There is no general practice of early release for prisoners. Those convicted by the courts and given sentences of imprisonment will serve their sentences according to the law. Individual prisoners may he released early by exercise of the royal prerogative, but this power will be used only in exceptional circumstances such as when a prisoner is terminally ill or has given assistance to the prison authorities or the police.

  Trade and Economic Development
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to transfer responsibility for trade and economic development to a devolved assembly in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  "Frameworks for the Future" explains that, should there be agreement on the creation of new institutions in Northern Ireland, as part of a664
  comprehensive political settlement, these will have legislative and executive responsibility over as wide a range of subject as in 1973, including those aspects of trade and economic development currently discharged by the Department of Economic Development.

  Peace Process
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley), for Woolwich (Mr. Austin-Walker), and for Neath (Mr. Hain).

  Trade Unions (Dialogue)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what machinery exists for regular dialogue between Ministers and the trade unions representing workers in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  There is no formal machinery for dialogue between Ministers and the Northern Ireland trade unions. Ministers meet trade union leaders from time to time to discuss specific matters and are always ready to give favourable consideration to requests for such meetings.

  Midwives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on trade union rights for midwives in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  The joint council machinery, which is responsible for the implementation of Whitley council agreements in Northern Ireland, is to be abolished from 1 April 1995. As in Great Britain, the application of such agreements will be left to management and staff interests at local level.

  I have met staff representatives, including the professional officers of the Royal College of Midwives, and they have been given an assurance that their organisations will continue to be recognised by all employers as representing staff on joint council terms and conditions of service. This will include those staff transferring to health and social services trusts. Such staff have their joint council terms and conditions protected.

  HSS trusts are, of course, completely free to establish their own arrangements for deciding the pay and conditions of service for new staff.

  Terrorists
  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on disarming terrorist organisations.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan).

  Police Reform
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to reform the police force in Northern Ireland.
  665
  Sir John Wheeler
  The Government published proposals last year for the reform of the framework for policing in Northern Ireland. On 15 December 1994 my right hon. and learned Friend announced that work is in hand, in continued consultation, to develop ideas for legislation.

  Drugs
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations he intends to have with representatives of(a) the Housing Executive and (b) the Royal Ulster Constabulary to resolve the problem of Housing Executive dwellings being used by tenants alleged to be associated with supplying illegal substances.

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Housing Executive and the Chief Constable of the RUC. However, I have been assured that there is regular contact between the Housing Executive and the RUC and where evidence is available in relation to drugs offences, appropriate action will be taken under the criminal law to search premises, arrest offenders and bring them before the courts.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agriculture Support (Cost)
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total net cost to the Exchequer of support for agriculture and the common agricultural policy, after deducting any relevant refunds and grants received in each year since 1991; and what amount per week per family of four this net figure represents for each year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Jack
  Figures on total Exchequer expenditure on agricultural support within the United Kingdom, and associated receipts from the European Community budget, are available for each of the years in question in table 9.1 of the publication "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1993", a copy of which has been deposited in the Library of the House. The 1994 version will he available shortly. In addition, the UK contributes to the cost of EC-funded agricultural support in other member states through its net contributions to the EC budget. A note entitled, "The Cost of the Common Agricultural Policy to Taxpayers and Consumers", produced by my Department, was deposited in the Library of the House on 9 March. This includes details of transfers from taxpayers to farmers both in the UK and in other member states under the common agricultural policy. For the purpose of expressing costs per person or per family of four, the population of the UK is assumed to he 58 million.

  Fisheries Inspectors
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the ratio of his Department's fishery inspectors to United Kingdom registered fishing vessels.

  Mr. Jack
  The sea fisheries inspectorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food employs 81 fisheries inspectors, based mainly at the major fishing ports in England and Wales. At end 1994, there were 666
  10,296 UK-registered fishing vessels, of which 5,332 vessels were administered by MAFF.

  Fishing
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will recommend a moratorium on all fishing in specific areas during the different spawning seasons.

  Mr. Jack
  On the basis of scientific advice, the common fisheries policy of the EU already contains a number of provisions, which are modified when necessary, defining areas in which fishing for certain species is prohibited or restricted for some or all of the year, in order to conserve fish stocks.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will recommend to the European Commission that it funds an educational campaign across southern Europe to inform consumers about dangers to fish stocks from the purchase of under-sized fish.

  Mr. Jack
  I believe that the problem, which the hon. Member rightly identifies, about the danger to fish stocks when under-sized fish are marketed, is best addressed at the point at which the problem arises. That is, when the fish are caught. It is essential that the Commission ensures that the existing provisions of the EU's common fisheries policy, which are intended to protect fish stocks and prevent the landing of under-sized fish, are rigorously enforced in all member states. I made the point to the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Signora Emma Bonino, when I met her recently.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Britian vessels are fishing in north Atlantic waters off Canada; what vessels fished there last year; and what catch is allocated to them and by whom.

  Mr. Jack
  No British vessels have fished in the regulatory area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation last year or this. The United Kingdom had a quota of three tonnes of cod in area 3NO and 1,022 tonnes of cod in area 3M in 1994. For 1995, there is a moratorium for cod 3NO. The cod quota for area 3M is 1,022 tonnes. These quotas are allocated to the United Kingdom by the Fisheries Council in accordance with relative stability.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to Spain in its fishing dispute with Canada;

  (2) what plans he has to disassociate Her Majesty's Government from Spanish overfishing and use of prescribed nets and gear in the north Atlantic; and if he will issue a statement on the representation he is making to Canada on its fishing dispute with Spain.

  Mr. Jack
  In the present dispute over Greenland halibut, we are taking all the steps we can to promote a reduction in tension, avoidance of confrontational action, and an early return to negotiations to result in an equitable settlement.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what EEC controls are applied to Spanish vessels fishing the north Atlantic outside Canadian waters; what inspection of mesh sizes, gear, catch quotas and discards is applied on those fishing grounds; what control is exercised of the port of landing;
  667
  and what representations he is making to the Commission for more effective controls.

  Mr. Jack
  Rules of fisheries conservation and technical measures, including mesh size, minimum fish sizes, gear, catch quotas and discards, agreed in the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organization, are incorporated into EU law by the Fisheries Council. Fishing vessels may be inspected by the enforcement vessels of any NAFO contracting party operating the NAFO enforcement and controls scheme and apparent infringements are followed up by the flag state. There is an EU-funded enforcement vessel operating in the NAFO regulatory area. All Spanish and Portuguese vessels fishing in the area last year were inspected at sea on a number of occasions and all were checked at the port of landing. Any proposals for further enforcement and control measures would be considered at a meeting of the organisation.

  Organochlorine
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring his Department carries out for organochlorine levels in sea birds or their eggs, and what range of chemicals has been found.

  Mrs. Browning
  The Department is not conducting monitoring of organochlorines in sea birds or their eggs. If any sea birds were suspected of being poisoned by OC or other pesticides, the incident would be investigated under the Department's wildlife incident investigation scheme.

  Milk Quota Leasing System
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of 668
  whether the milk quota leasing system is working in the interests of the British farmer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]With the full support of the British dairy industry, the Government have sought to provide the most flexible conditions possible for producers to lease milk quota. The current leasing arrangements offer ready access to quota for those who do not have the resources to purchase quota outright or who want the flexibility to acquire extra quota as the need arises.

  Marine Mammals Strandings Project
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many strandings of dolphins, porpoises or whales there have been in each year since 1990; what analysis was carried out of the carcasses; if the results are available; and how the carcasses were disposed of.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The marine mammals strandings project has recorded strandings in England and Wales since 1990 and in Scotland since January 1992. The numbers of whales, dolphins and porpoises recorded as stranded were 144 in 1990; 191 in 1991; 418 in 1992; 320 in 1993; and 360 in 1994.

  Analyses of carcasses include tissue and stomach samples for studying viruses and dietary constituents. Post mortems also address contaminant levels and incidences of bycatch in fishing nets. Results are periodically published in scientific journals, and basic strandings information is recorded on a national database.

  Carcasses are disposed of by a variety of methods. The decision rests with the relevant local authority.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Data Protection
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to reviewing the Data Protection Act 1984 to permit the emergency services direct access to the databases of British Telecom and Mercury.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  There are no plans for direct access by the emergency services to the British Telecom, Mercury and other telephone operator databases other than to the publicly available directory services.

  Mrs. Sadetha Hafejee
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter of 6 March, ref: IMP H322601/3 (S); and PO 01835/95 to the hon. Member for Bradford West, concerning Mrs. Sadetha Mohammed Amin Hafejee, when Mr. Hafejee replied to the letter, dated 20 February, from Leeds/Bradford airport; when and where Mr. Hafejee is to be interviewed; and when is a decision to be taken on Mrs. Hafejee's application to enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Mr. Hafejee replied on 28 February to Leeds/Bradford airport's letter of 20 February. As a result, an appointment has been made for Mr. Hafejee to be interviewed at 12 pm on Tuesday 21 March 1995 at the immigration office at North Shields. A record of the interview will be reported to the entry clearance officer in Bombay in the normal way. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that a decision will then be made as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Quereshian Bibi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 302, if Mr. Rahgzeb has been interviewed, to date, in relation to the application by Mrs. Quereshian Bibi—BV100/25109 and when a decision is to be taken on her application to enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Mr. Rahgzeb was interviewed on 5 February. A report of the interview was sent to the entry clearance officer Islamabad on 1 March. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that a decision on the entry clearance application will be made as soon as possible.

  Turkish Special Intelligence
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence he has received of links between Turkish Special Intelligence—MIT—and crimes of violence in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  It has been the long-standing practice not to comment on stories about the purported activities of domestic or overseas security and intelligence agencies.

  Mr. Zia Rahman Farooqi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will arrange for Mr. Zia 670
  Rahman Farooqi to be removed from the United Kingdom on the grounds that his presence is not conducive to public order; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when Mr. Zia Rahman Farooqi, leader of the Soldiers of God, based in Pakistan, entered the United Kingdom as a visitor; for how long his visa was endorsed; and how many representations he has received from individuals and organisation in the UK protesting at Mr. Farooqi's being allowed to visit the UK.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  It is not our normal practice to disclose information to third parties about an individual's immigration status. No representations have been received protesting against Mr. Farooqi's presence in the United Kingdom.

  Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek the extradition of a Turkish citizen from Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus in connection with an attempted murder in London on 29 December 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The United Kingdom does not have any extradition arrangements with Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.

  Baglinton Airport (Policing)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to date of the West Midlands police operation at Baglinton airport; and what is his policy on the payment for the costs of policing on private property.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand that, as at 14 March, the total additional costs incurred in policing the demonstrations against live animal exports from Coventry airport were about £55,000.

  Police officers are not being deployed on private property, and the question of charging does not arise since they are enforcing the peace and preventing breaches of the law.

  Reconviction Rates
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the average rates of reconviction for(a) community (b) custodial sentences in each of the past 15 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Comparisons between reconviction rates are affected by differences in age, sex, previous convictions and other characteristics of offenders receiving the sentences, as described in Home Office research study 136, "Explaining reconviction rates: a critical analysis". The decrease in the reconviction rate for those discharged from prison between 1987 and 1990 is partly due to the decrease in the number of young offenders discharged from prison, who have a relatively high reconviction rate.

  The information is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales and Probation Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library. The available information is as follows:
  671

  Percentage of sentenced prisoners discharged from prison or of offenders commencing probation or community service who are reconvicted within two years of discharge or commencement by year of discharge or commencement

  Custody

  Probation

  Community Service

  19761

  58

  —

  —

  19771

  59

  —

  —

  19781

  58

  —

  —

  19791

  58

  41

  51

  1980

  59

  —

  —

  1981

  58

  —

  —

  1982

  59

  —

  —

  1983

  56

  —

  —

  1984

  54

  —

  —

  1985

  52

  —

  —

  1986

  50

  —

  —

  19872

  57

  53

  55

  19882

  55

  52

  54

  19892

  53

  54

  56

  19902

  52

  56

  56

  1Rates for those discharged from prison exclude those discharged from prison sentences of 3 months or less.

  2Figures for 1987 and after are not directly comparable with those from earlier years due to a change in methodology. If the old methodology had been followed it is estimated that the reconviction rates would be about 5 to 6 percentage points lower.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Prison Service staff have been used for training private prisoner custody officers; at what cost; and at whose cost, giving figures for each year since 1991 and for the latest date available.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many prison service staff have been used for training private prisoner custody officers; at what cost; and at whose cost, giving figures for each year since 1991 and for the latest date available.
  The information is outlined below:
  1991: No training provided
  1992: No training provided
  1993: A total of 135 trainer days employing 9 individual trainers for varying lengths of time, all in control and restraint skills.

  Number of 15-years olds sentenced for indictable offences by sex, type of disposal and type of court 1990–93

  England and Wales

  Year/Court

  Total sentenced

  Absolute and conditional discharge

  Fine

  Supervision order

  Attendance centre order

  Care order1

  Young Offender Institution

  Otherwise dealt with

  Males

  1990

  Juvenile courts

  5,558

  1,946

  845

  1,173

  1,144

  38

  306

  106

  Magistrates' courts

  396

  158

  103

  72

  42

  1

  10

  10

  Crown Court

  328

  25

  8

  125

  37

  14

  79

  40

  672
  1994: A total of 234 trainer days employing 12 individual trainers for varying lengths of time, all in control and restraint skills.
  1995: 4 prisoner custody officers attended courses run by the National Control & Restraint (Advanced) Training Centre alongside public sector colleagues.

  The companies employing the officers trained were charged aggregate amounts of £40,500, £87,000 and £4,000 in 1993, 1994 and 1995 respectively for this training. These charges fully recovered the costs incurred.

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of his Department's expenditure on water and sewerage in(a) the current year and (b) each of the three previous years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Estimated expenditure on water and sewerage in the current financial year is about £8.3 million. Complete details of expenditure on these services in earlier years are not available.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15-years-olds have(a) been cautioned and (b) been found guilty of any offence in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of 15-year-olds cautioned and found guilty is published in the annual Command Paper "Criminal Statistics England and Wales". Table 5.21 of the 1985 edition, table 5.23 of the 1991 edition and table 5.25 of the 1993 edition refer to it. Copies of these publications arc available in the Library.

  The 1994 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15-year-olds have been sentenced to immediate custody on their first conviction in each year since 1990; and for which offence types.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected routinely. A special study of a sample of those convicted of indictable offences in 1991 revealed that of 319 15-year-olds in the sample, three, 1 per cent. were sentenced to immediate custody on their first conviction for an indictable offence.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the disposals given to(a) 15-year-old boys and (b) 15-year-old girls by the youth, magistrates and Crown courts in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the following table.

  The 1994 data will not be available until the autumn.
  673

  Number of 15-years olds sentenced for indictable offences by sex. type of disposal and type of court 1990–93

  England and Wales

  Year/Court

  Total sentenced

  Absolute and conditional discharge

  Fine

  Supervision order

  Attendance centre order

  Care order1

  Young Offender Institution

  Otherwise dealt with

  1991

  Juvenile courts

  4,896

  1,787

  563

  1,091

  1,005

  8

  355

  87

  Magistrates courts

  378

  163

  64

  68

  47

  2

  27

  7

  Crown Court

  264

  23

  1

  98

  37

  4

  62

  39

  1992

  Juvenile/Youth courts

  4,421

  1,625

  470

  975

  915

  n/a

  347

  89

  Magistrates Courts

  328

  150

  45

  62

  43

  n/a

  17

  11

  Crown courts

  217

  19

  2

  83

  23

  n/a

  69

  21

  1993

  Youth courts

  4,703

  1,751

  338

  1,141

  964

  n/a

  428

  81

  Magistrates' courts

  298

  137

  33

  57

  46

  n/a

  19

  6

  Crown court

  203

  13

  —

  75

  18

  n/a

  57

  40

  Females

  1990

  Juvenile courts

  696

  407

  96

  120

  51

  5

  3

  14

  Magistrates' courts

  56

  34

  13

  5

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Crown Court

  29

  6

  1

  14

  1

  2

  3

  2

  1991

  Juvenile courts

  670

  372

  83

  122

  58

  5

  10

  20

  Magistrates courts

  46

  26

  8

  7

  3

  —

  —

  2

  Crown Court

  27

  5

  3

  14

  1

  1

  2

  1

  19922

  Juvenile/Youth courts

  609

  354

  65

  125

  50

  n/a

  3

  12

  Magistrates courts

  46

  31

  8

  6

  —

  n/a

  —

  5

  Crown courts

  22

  —

  1

  14

  1

  n/a

  1

  5

  1993

  Youth courts

  673

  365

  55

  176

  55

  n/a

  17

  5

  Magistrates' courts

  36

  26

  5

  1

  3

  n/a

  1

  —

  Crown Court

  17

  —

  —

  8

  —

  n/a

  5

  4

  1Abolished under the Children Act 1989 (14 October 1991).2 The Youth Court was introduced from 1 October 1992. n/a = Not applicable.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 15-year-olds have received(a) one caution, (b) two cautions and (c) three or more cautions in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected routinely. The following table shows results from special studies of those cautioned for indictable offences in one week in each of the years 1991, 1988 and 1985 in England and Wales.
  674

  Fifteen-year-olds cautioned in study week, 1991, 1988 and 1985

  England and Wales

  Percentages

  Number of previous cautions1

  Year

  1991

  1988

  1985

  None

  63

  77

  83

  One

  19

  16

  15

  Two or more

  18

  7

  2

  1 Not necessarily in the study year.

  675
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the length of immediate custody to which 15-year-old boys and girls were sentenced by(a) magistrates courts and (b) Crown courts in each year since 1985 broken down by the type of offence.

  Mr. Maclean
  As the information for 1985 to 1993 is given in a large number of tables, I shall place them in the Library.

  The 1994 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Prisons (Drug and Alcohol Programmes)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what drug or alcohol programmes are available in prisons; and what percentage of prisons have each type of programme.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about what drug or alcohol programmes are available; and what percentage of prisons have each type of programme.
  All prisons within England and Wales provide prisoners with access to education, treatment and counselling services for substance misuse via the prison health care centre, the probation service or outside agencies and visiting self help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. A survey in December 1994 of 130 prisons found that 119 prisons provide some form of additional treatment programme. Some but not all of these facilities are already used by both alcohol and drug misusers.
  The main types of treatment programme currently on offer are one-to-one counselling, group therapy and intensive treatment programmes such as therapeutic communities or the Minnesota 12-Step Programme. 78 per cent of prisons provide one-to-one counselling, 72 per cent provide group therapy and seven per cent provide intensive treatment programmes.
  As part of the new Prison Service drugs strategy, expected to be published in the spring, all prison governors will be required to develop and implement local drug strategies which will form part of their contract with their area manager. The local strategies will include provision for education, treatment and throughcare for prisoners who misuse, have misused, or are at risk of misusing drugs.
  Next month the Prison Service is launching the first phase of a new range of enhanced treatment services for drug misusers including: detoxification units; therapeutic communities; 3-month treatment programmes; intensive counselling and education services; and community-linked throughcare programmes. The effectiveness of the different programmes will be independently evaluated and the findings used to develop treatment programmes available to all prisoners according to their needs.

  Prisons (Absconders)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners absconded from open prisons in each of the last three years: how many have been returned to prison; and how many of the absconders were convicted of drug offences.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Alan Williams, dated 16 March 1995:
  676
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many prisoners absconded from open prisons in each of the last three years; how many have been returned to prison; and how many of the absconders were convicted of drug offences.
  The information requested is given in the following table.

  Year

  Number of absconders

  Number of absconders convicted of drug offences

  1992

  1,427

  44

  1993

  1,384

  41

  1994

  1,300

  51

  The number of absconders who are either recaptured by the police or who surrender to the prison is not recorded centrally.

  Prisons
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified normal accommodation level, population and percentage overcrowding for each local prison for the latest date available; and how many assaults on(a) staff and (b) prisoners have occurred in each prison since 1st April 1994.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the certified normal accommodation, population and percentage overcrowding for each local prison for the latest date available; and how many assaults on (a) staff and (b) prisoners have occurred in each prison since 1st April 1994.
  The information requested is given in the attached tables, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Table 1: Certified normal accommodation, population and percentage overcrowding in local prisons on 28 February 1995

  Establishment

  Certified normal accommodation

  Population

  Percentage overcrowding (per cent.Pop/CNA in use

  Bedford

  303

  298

  0

  Belmarsh

  792

  699

  0

  Birmingham

  567

  821

  45

  Blakenhurst

  649

  652

  0

  Bristol

  464

  470

  1

  Brixton

  484

  639

  32

  Bullingdon

  644

  596

  0

  Canterbury

  184

  267

  45

  Cardiff

  321

  441

  37

  Chelmsford

  251

  403

  61

  Doncaster

  771

  780

  1

  Dorchester

  147

  205

  39

  Durham

  448

  643

  44

  Elmley

  637

  627

  0

  Exeter

  260

  385

  48

  Gloucester

  202

  265

  31

  Highdown

  629

  605

  0

  Holme House

  649

  624

  0

  Hull

  328

  404

  23

  Leeds

  814

  1,066

  31

  Leicester

  192

  352

  83

  Lewes

  312

  318

  2

  Lincoln

  444

  625

  41

  Liverpool

  973

  1,274

  31

  Manchester

  830

  899

  8

  Norwich

  333

  348

  5

  677

  Table 1: Certified normal accommodation, population and percentage overcrowding in local prisons on 28 February 1995

  Establishment

  Certified normal accommodation

  Population

  Percentage overcrowding (per cent. Pop/CNA in use

  Pentonville

  559

  731

  31

  Preston

  342

  488

  43

  Shrewsbury

  168

  281

  67

  Swansea

  151

  229

  52

  Wandsworth

  922

  968

  5

  Winchester

  261

  364

  39

  Wolds

  320

  330

  3

  Woodhill

  566

  524

  0

  Wormwood Scrubs

  714

  822

  15

  Note:

  1 The certified normal accommodation figures used are the "in use" figures. They do not include places which arc temporarily out of use, eg. because of refurbishment programmes, damaged cells, etc.

  Table 2: Assaults proved at adjudication1 on staff and prisoners in local prisons in England and Wales between April 1994—February 19952

  Establishment

  Assaults on staff/others3

  Assaults on Prisoners

  Total

  Bedford

  15

  11

  26

  Belmarsh

  68

  26

  94

  Birmingham

  52

  36

  88

  Blakenhurst

  75

  22

  97

  Bristol

  20

  8

  28

  Brixton

  51

  25

  76

  Bullingdon

  38

  16

  54

  Canterbury

  11

  0

  11

  Cardiff

  21

  16

  37

  Chelmsford

  22

  14

  36

  Doncaster

  120

  46

  166

  Dorchester

  2

  2

  4

  Durham

  23

  13

  36

  Elmley

  28

  21

  49

  Exeter

  5

  8

  13

  Gloucester

  10

  3

  13

  Highdown

  47

  18

  65

  Holme House

  26

  9

  35

  Hull

  55

  36

  91

  Leeds

  92

  44

  136

  Leicester

  25

  17

  42

  Lewes

  19

  10

  29

  Lincoln

  25

  14

  39

  Liverpool

  42

  27

  69

  Manchester

  44

  20

  64

  Norwich

  25

  13

  38

  Pentonville

  60

  26

  86

  Preston

  39

  17

  56

  Shrewsbury

  11

  19

  30

  Swansea

  6

  6

  12

  Wandsworth

  122

  12

  134

  Winchester

  24

  12

  36

  Wolds

  31

  15

  46

  Woodhill

  39

  34

  73

  Wormwood Scrubs

  38

  16

  54

  Total

  1,331

  632

  1,963

  Notes:

  1 Includes attempt. incite or assist in an assault.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Includes prison officer grades, other staff and persons not being a member of staff.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider again the question of the introduction of compulsory identity cards as a means, inter alia, of helping those entitled to social security benefits by more effectively clamping down on fraudulent and bogus claims.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 13 October 1994 that the Government intend to publish a Green Paper on identity cards in the spring. The Green Paper will set out the options for a national identity card scheme, including whether an identity card should be voluntary or compulsory and the possible benefits of identity cards—for example in helping to combat crimes involving fraud and impersonation. Any decision on the introduction of identity cards will be made in the light of the comments we receive on this consultative document.

  Pakistani Mullahs (Visas)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas have been issued since 1990 to Pakistani mullahs to preach in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  No information is available on Pakistanis citizens entering the United Kingdom as visitors who undertake preaching tours. However, since 1990, 130 visas have been issued to people applying in Islamabad, Pakistan to come to the United Kingdom for employment as ministers of religion.

  Karens (Political Asylum)
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Karens have been granted political asylum since 1990.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on applications for asylum by Karens is not separately identified in the statistics. The available information relates to asylum applications by Burmese nationals and data on these, for the years 1992 to 1994, are given in the table. Figures for 1990 and 1991 are published in tables 4.1 and 4.2 respectively of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1992", issue 19/93, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Decisions on applications for asylum1 received from nationals of Burma in the United Kingdom, excluding dependents, 1992 to 1994.

  number of principal applicants

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Asylum applications2

  20

  15

  20

  Decisions2,3

  45

  20

  5

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  ⋆

  5

  0

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain4

  40

  10

  5

  Refused5

  ⋆

  5

  ⋆

  1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, with "⋆" = 1 or 2.2

  2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same year.

  4 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.
  679
  5 Refusals include those made after full consideration, refusals under para 180F for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, and refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an appropriate allowance on capping limits for 1996–97 for metropolitan fire and civil defence authorities which had already set their budget for 1995–96 before the capping limits were raised on 17 February.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Secretary of State will carefully consider this point when he comes to announce his preliminary capping criteria for 1996–97 later in the year.

  Coastal Pollution
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the pupils of Canon Slade school, Bolton from whom he has received letters about pollution and the environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received copies of 17 letters from pupils of Canon Slade school which my hon. Friend sent him. The letters are about coastal pollution and a full reply will be sent shortly enclosing literature which we hope they will find interesting and informative.

  The Government are concerned about coastal pollution and are committed to securing improvements to our coastal waters. The water industry's investment programme of some £2 billion is accomplishing a steady increase in the quality of our bathing waters—82 per cent. achieved the mandatory coliform standards of the bathing water directive last season. It is our firm intention that the programme should be completed as soon as practical constraints, such as planning procedures, permit. The hulk of the schemes will he complete by around the end of this year.

  Dormice
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made of the numbers and locations of the national population of dormice.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The national population of dormice is estimated to be between 100,000 and 500,000. The dormouse is found in parts of England and Wales, with the strongest populations in the south of England. Counties with large populations include Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Avon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, east and west Sussex, Kent, Gwent, Gloucestershire and Hereford and Worcester. Scattered populations exist in Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Shropshire, the Glamorgans, Dyfed and Powys. Isolated populations occur in Cumbria, Northumberland, Clwyd and Gwynedd. The species is apparently absent from all other English counties.

  Dead Livestock
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports his Department has received in respect of dead livestock being washed up on the south coast of England in the last three years.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  No record can he traced of the receipt of any such reports by the Department of Environment or the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Overhead Powerlines
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance his Department proposes to offer to regional electricity companies to lessen the impact of overhead powerlines; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what recent representations he has received on the impact of both health and visual matters on overhead powerlines, and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what (a) code of practice and (b) other criteria have been established concerning the health and visual impact of overhead powerline as a result of planning inquiries; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what is the planning guidance to local planning authorities on planning applications for overhead powerlines; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Responsibility for authorising overhead power lines above 20kv capacity rests with the President of the Board of Trade under the Electricity Act 1989. Guidance on this authorisation procedure, which requires consultations with local planning authorities, is published in Department of the Environment circular 14/90—Department of Energy circular 1/90—"Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines". Proposals which may have a significant impact on the environment must be accompanied by an environmental statement. Each case is considered on its own merits. The President of the Board of Trade is under a duty to take environmental considerations into account in deciding whether to authorise a proposal.

  Responsibility for advising on health impacts of power lines rests with the National Radiological Protection Board. I refer to my written answer of 3 November 1994, Official Report, column 1265.

  Atmospheric Pollution
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those district and metropolitan council areas in order of atmospheric pollution by(a) nitrogen dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) particulates in the last five years in terms of annual average ground level concentrations in nanograms per cubic metre;

  (2) if he will list those city and district council areas in order of atmospheric pollution by (a) nitrogen dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) particulates in the last five years in terms of annual average ground level concentrations in nanograms per cubic metre.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department makes measurements of NO2, S02 and particulates using non-automatic methods in collaboration with local authorities at over 1,200 sites for nitrogen dioxide and 257 sites for sulphur dioxide and black smoke. Data from the non-automatic sites are
  681
  published in a number of reports, as listed, which are available from the National Environmental Technology centre, Culham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

  National NO2 Diffusion Surveys
  Camhell G. W, Stedman J. R. Stevenson K. J. A survey of NO, Concentrations in the UK using Diffusion Tubes, July–December 1991. Atmos Environ, 28 (3), 477—486,1994.
  Stevenson K. J, Bush T. UK Nitrogen Dioxide Survey Results for the First Year—1993 Report in preparation.
  Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide Survey
  UK Smoke and SO,2 Monitoring Networks: Summary Tables for 1989/90. Stevenage: Warren Spring Laboratory, 1994, Special Publication Report LR 835 (AP).
  UK Smoke and SO2 Monitoring Networks: Summary Tables for 1990/91. Stevenage: Warren Spring Laboratory 1994, Special Publication Report LR 889 (AP).
  UK Smoke and SO2 Monitoring Networks: Summary Tables for 1991/92. Stevenage: Warren Spring Laboratory 1994, Special Report LR 960 (AP).
  UK Smoke and SO2 Monitoring Networks: Summary Tables for 1992/93. Stevenage: Warren Spring Laboratory 1994, Special Publication Report LR 1007 (AP).
  UK Smoke and SO2 Monitoring Networks: Summary Tables for 1993/94. Report in preparation.

  Affordable Family Homes, London
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of any surplus or shortfall of affordable family homes in London in 1998; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My Department does not make regional assessments of possible surpluses or shortfalls of affordable housing.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 9 March.

  Mr. Atkins
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Environment Council held in Brussels on 9 March. During the lengthy discussion on the proposed directive on integrated pollution prevention and control, I made it clear that the UK continued to welcome this proposal. I indicated that we wished to see a directive which achieved a high level of protection for the environment while providing a level playing field for industry in the UK. The subsequent debate assisted in resolving a number of issues but an overall agreement was not reached.

  The Council agreed conclusions setting out the EU's position for the first conference of the parties to the UN climate change convention, building on those agreed at its meeting in December. The conclusions call for the negotiation of a protocol to the convention, setting out new targets and timetables beyond 2000 and for the agreement by all developed countries of policies and measures aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.

  There was a useful initial discussion of the proposals for an ambient air quality framework directive, in which I indicated UK support for measures to tackle the problems of air pollution. Discussions also took place on the proposals for the ecological quality of water and on the revision of the Seveso directive.
  682
  The Council also agreed a paper setting out the current EU position on the preparations for the third meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

  British Waterways Board
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report published in January 1994 on the British Waterways Board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am pleased to report that the British Waterways Board is continuing to make good progress in implementing the Commission's recommendations. I am placing a copy of its second response in the Library of the House.

  The board had already made significant progress in addressing the Commission's findings and recommendations by the time it submitted its first response in June 1994. Since then, the BWB has generally met its target for further action. A review of management systems has been completed which has identified new user requirements, including the need for new financial systems and improved management information, as well as offering opportunities for cost savings. In addition, a review of procurement procedures has also been completed. I particularly welcome the hoard's decision to undertake an employment review of the full range of its employment practices, taking into account the Commission's recommendations on staff appraisal and training.

  The board has also taken action to promote its waterways through the launch of its "Canals Alive" marketing campaign and is undertaking more market research into demand for waterway recreation, including commissioning, jointly with the National Rivers Authority, research into demand for leisure boating.

  I shall pay particular heed to the Commission's recommendations when considering with the board's strategy for the future and the criteria against which its performance should be assessed. I shall continue to take into account as appropriate the Commission's recommendations on development of BWB property, development control, the prospects for BWB securing contributions to its costs from those who benefit from its waterway activities but do not at present contribute, wayleaves and inland waterway commercial transport.

  The board aims to produce its final report on the implementation of the Commission's recommendations by January 1997. I shall make a further statement when it is received.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now announce the name of the new chairman of the Local Government Commission.

  Mr. Gummer
  I hope to announce the name of the new chairman shortly. In the meantime I am pleased to say
  683
  that Professor Malcolm Grant, an existing member of the commission, has agreed to take on the chairmanship on an interim basis.

  Countryside Stewardship Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent or is contracted to be spent in(a) England and (b) each county in England on the public access element of the countryside stewardship scheme for the period of the scheme's existence.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: Total sums spent, or contracted to be spent, on public access under countryside stewardship from 1992–93 to 2004–5 inclusive are given in the table.

  County

  Total access payments and/or commitments 1992–93 to 2004–5 £

  Northumberland

  501,465

  Cumbria

  284,741

  Tyne and Wear Metropolitan

  14,236

  Durham

  127,834

  Cleveland

  64,763

  Lancashire

  152,064

  Merseyside Metropolitan

  1,980

  Greater Manchester Metropolitan

  12,720

  Cheshire

  22,003

  North Yorkshire

  967,642

  West Yorkshire

  13,954

  Humberside

  76,471

  South Yorkshire

  25,646

  Derbyshire

  257,355

  Nottinghamshire

  36,607

  Staffordshire

  25,644

  Leicestershire

  230,880

  Hereford and Worcester

  67,787

  Warwickshire

  87,965

  Northamptonshire

  435,321

  Shropshire

  84,402

  Lincolnshire

  291,896

  Cambridgeshire

  167,873

  Norfolk

  295,047

  Suffolk

  165,238

  Bedfordshire

  87,695

  Oxfordshire

  119, 526

  Buckinghamshire

  155,504

  Hertfordshire

  77,032

  Berkshire

  69,428

  Greater London Metropolitan

  28,031

  Hampshire

  110,013

  Surrey

  98,515

  Kent

  331,850

  West Sussex

  192,568

  East Sussex

  273,988

  Isle of Wight

  73,304

  Essex

  124,933

  Gloucestershire

  134,377

  Cornwall

  731,083

  Devonshire

  277,933

  Somerset

  195,164

  Avon

  198,657

  Wiltshire

  453,169

  Dorset

  251,012

  Total

  8,395,316

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the current charges made to members of the public for the use of the services provided by the Public Record Office at(a) Chancery lane and (b) Kew; what plans he has to increase these charges; what new charges he intends to introduce; and when he plans to make these increases or introduce new fees.

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

  Letter front Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 13 March 1995:
  PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: CHARGES FOR SERVICES
  I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your question about charges made to members of the public for the use of services provided by the Public Record Office at Kew and Chancery Lane.
  The current charges are listed in the Statutory Instrument made on 6 September 1994. I enclose a copy. It applies to Kew and to Chancery Lane.
  A revised Statutory Instrument is under discussion and if approved by the Lord Chancellor it is intended that it will be made so as to come into force on 1 May 1995.

  Court Users Survey
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of his Department's survey last year of 4,000 court users; and when he intends to publish the results of that survey.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The cost of the survey is £141,438 including VAT. The report of the survey's findings will be published in April 1995.

  Court Service Agency
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received from(a) hon. Members and (b) other people concerning the creation of the Court Service agency; and what percentage of these representations has been (i) in favour and (ii) not in favour of its creation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others on this issue. Most have been concerned with practical considerations and have not addressed the question of the desirability or otherwise of agency status for the Court Service. In the process of working towards the launch of the Court Service as an agency, we have consulted the judiciary and a number of interested organisations including the Bar, the Law Society and the departmental trade union side. We have received responses from these organisations and have held discussions with some of them.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost of management consultancy and other professional consultancy fees will be for the launch of the Court Service agency.
  685
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The total amount of management consultancy and other professional consultancy fees incurred so far in the process of making the Court Service into an executive agency is £103,966. This amount has been spread over the two financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95. There may be a very small amount of further expenditure on consultancy fees in the remaining period leading up to the launch of the Court Service as an agency.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if there was an open and competitive selection process for the post of chief executive of the Court Service agency; and when and where this post was advertised.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Following the decision to proceed with agency status for the Court Service, the existing head of the court service was appointed in 1993 as chief executive designate, with the intention that he should continue in post to prepare the court service for establishment as an agency and to take the agency into its early stages. It is intended that the post will be subject to publicly advertised open competition not later than April 1997.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current job title and salary of Michael Huebner; for how many years' duration is his current contract for the position of chief executive of the Court Service agency; and what his total salary will be for each of those years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  At present, Michael Huebner is grade 2 head of the court service and chief executive designate of the Court Service agency. His current salary is £73,750. On becoming chief executive of the Court Service agency, he will remain an established civil servant on the same terms and conditions of employment as at present. Any performance pay awards he receives will, however, take into account the achievement of the targets set for the Court Service. In common with other members of the proposed senior civil service, he will in due course he expected to sign a contract, as outlined in the White Paper on the civil service.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what provisions for performance-related pay on top of basic salary are contained in the contracts of(a) the chief executive and (b) other staff of the new Court Service Agency; what criteria will determine whether or not this additional pay is awarded; and what is the maximum amount each could claim under these provisions.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Staff of the Court Service, including the first chief executive, will remain as established civil servants and will not be employed within the agency on a contractual basis, with the proviso that it is intended that contracts will be introduced for the proposed senior civil service as announced in the White Paper "The Civil Service: Taking Forward Continuity and Change" (CM2748).

  For details of the performance pay scheme for the chief executive, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to his question on the salary and contract of Michael Huebner. Performance pay awards to staff at grade 3 in the Court Service will continue to be made by the permanent secretary on the basis of performance against objectives and on advice from the chief executive, taking into account job weight and loading.
  686
  The pay of staff in the Court Service below grade 3 is currently determined in accordance with a number of national pay agreements negotiated by the Treasury. The provisions of these agreements are described in the "Civil Service Management Code", a copy of which is in the Library. Under the agreements staff receive pay increases in accordance with their personal performance, measured in terms of the overall "box mark" in their annual report. The maximum increases which may currently be awarded to individual staff in the main grades employed in the Court Service are as shown in the following table.

  Grade

  Box Mark

  London £

  National £

  Grade 4

  Box 1

  3,786

  3,786

  Box 2

  3,029

  3,029

  Box 3

  2,272

  2,272

  Grade 5

  Box 1

  2,851

  2,851

  Box 2

  2,281

  2,281

  Box 3

  1,711

  1,711

  Grade 6

  Box 1

  2,398

  2,398

  Box 2

  1,918

  1,918

  Box 3

  1,439

  1,439

  Grade 7

  Box 1

  1,950

  1,950

  Box 2

  1,560

  1,560

  Box 3

  1,170

  1,170

  SEO

  Box 1

  1,919

  1,844

  Box 2

  1,478

  1,419

  Box 3

  832

  798

  HEO

  Box 1

  1,535

  1,472

  Box 2

  1,182

  1,133

  Box 3

  665

  637

  EO

  Box 1

  1,120

  1,075

  Box 2

  862

  826

  Box 3

  484

  465

  AO

  Box 1

  1,003

  938

  Box 2

  771

  721

  Box 3

  554

  509

  AA

  Box 1

  792

  740

  Box 2

  609

  568

  Box 3

  431

  402

  Bailiff

  Box 1

  1,062

  992

  Box 2

  816

  763

  Box 3

  576

  539

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the cost of the Court Service for the current financial year; what the cost has been for each of the last five financial years; and what the planned cost of the Court Service agency will be for each of the next three years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The figures requested are set out in the table.

  £000

  1989–90

  396,125

  1990–91

  453,970

  1991–92

  544,626

  687

  £000

  1992–93

  586,199

  1993–94

  581,656

  1994–95

  1598,411

  1995–96

  2627,024

  1996–97

  2632,298

  1997–98

  2632,254

  1Estimated.

  2Planned.

  The figures showing the planned expenditure from 1995–96 onwards cannot be compared directly with the current and previous year's expenditure. The Court Service becomes an executive agency on 3 April 1995, and a number of the central functions which are currently provided by the Departments; headquarters will transfer on that date to the Court Service's headquarters.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Department began paying rent on the new Court Service agency headquarters; what the yearly rent is; how long the lease is for; when Court Service staff are to move in; and what is the cost of furnishing and equipping the headquarters for its first two years of operation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Court Service headquarters will be accommodated in an office building in which the Department had leased space since 1989; two additional floors were acquired in the building in 1994. However, as part of providing a separate headquarters for the Court Service, the Department has retionalised its departmental headquarters accommodation, which will result in savings.

  The rental costs of the accommodation that will ultimately be allocated to the Court Service headquarters is approximately£2 million per annum. There are several leases under which the accommodation is held, all due to expire in 2003–4.

  Some of the staff who will be working in the Court Service have already moved into their proposed headquarters accommodation; the remainder, currently accommodated in buildings elsewhere on the estate, will be moved into the building as part of the on-going rationalisation process over the remaining months of this year.

  The cost of furnishing and equipping the Court Service headquarters is anticipated to be minimal as staff moving into the Court Service headquarters building have taken, and will continue to take, furniture and equipment with them from their previous locations.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what office rental and other administrative savings are being made by moving Court Service staff to new Court Service agency headquarters.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The setting up of a headquarters for the Court Service has taken place at the same time as a wider rationalisation of the Lord Chancellor's Department headquarters estate. This is anticipated to provide estimated savings of £1.8 million in 1995–96. These savings include office rental and estimated administrative costs.

TRANSPORT

  M62
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has had from the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority in regard to the proposed M62 relief road; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  The chairman of the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority wrote to my hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 10 February requesting an early announcement about the future of the proposed M62 relief road.

  The authority was advised that on 22 June 1994 my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) announced further studies of the M62 which are now in progress. The studies are expected to take about two years to complete. The authority is among those who have been invited to assist in the work.

  Roads
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many priority road building schemes due to start this year he now expects will begin construction this year.

  Mr. Watts
  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 Mr. Paul Tyler, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how many priority 1 road building schemes due to start this year he now anticipates will begin construction this year.
  The 'Trunk Roads in England 1994 Review' did not give a Priority to any of the schemes listed as agreed 1994/95 starts.
  On 2 March 1995 Mr. Watts announced a revised target of 13 new starts this year. I expect to have awarded contracts for all these schemes by the end of the financial year.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he estimates it will cost his Department this year to compensate house owners for the loss of value on their property due to road-building projects.

  Mr. Watts
  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 Mr. Paul Tyler, dated 16 March 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how much he anticipates it will cost his Department this year to compensate house owners for the loss of value on their property due to road building projects.
  Compensation for loss of value is not separately identified from expenditure on acquisition of property in central budgets or expenditure returns. Therefore, I am sorry that this information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the targets for progress set for priority road building schemes planned this year will now be achieved on schedule
  689
  Mr. Watts
  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 Mr. Paul Tyler, dated 16 March 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the targets for progress set for Priority 1 road building schemes planned this year will now be achieved on schedule.
  Mr. Watts announced on 2 March a revised set of milestones for the Agency. Of the 33 milestones set for Priority 1 schemes the Agency has already met 29 and expects to meet another one before the end of the financial year. The 3 remaining schemes have been delayed to accommodate further traffic appraisal.

  Newbury Bypass
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) letters and (b) other forms of representation he has received since 1 January (i) in favour of and (ii) against the western route bypass for Newbury, Berkshire.

  Mr. Watts
  Since 1 January we have received some 230 letters and 2,400 pre-printed postcards supporting the western bypass route for Newbury. Most of these came from the local Newbury area. We have also received some 220 letters opposing the western bypass route for Newbury. About half of these came from outside the local area.

  RAF Northolt
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to give RAF Northolt a subsidiary passenger role in relation to Heathrow; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  I have no such plans. We are considering responses to last year's consultation exercise on the scope for a civil enclave for business aviation within the existing infrastructure at Northolt, and hope to make a statement on that shortly.

  Airline Operators
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions United Kingdom-registered airline operators have been(a) granted and (b) refused permission to operate aircraft registered in countries outside the European Union.

  Mr. Norris
  Between 1 January and 31 December 1994 a total of 40 applications were received for the use of non-EU registered aircraft by United Kingdom airlines. Eight were for Swedish or Norwegian-registered aircraft to which the EC third aviation package applied from August 1993. These figures do not include late, short-term substitutions for aircraft which had become unserviceable due to technical problems. With one exception, all these applications were granted.

  Joint Aviation Requirements
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the legal implications of the joint aviation requirements which are now being promoted by the Civil Aviation Authority; and what assessment he has made of whether they should be adopted in the United Kingdom.
  690
  Mr. Norris
  Joint aviation requirements are complex technical requirements agreed by the joint aviation authorities. There are several draft JARs currently being developed by the JAA. The Civil Aviation Authority participates fully in the development of the JARs and makes a thorough assessment of their implications. The United Kingdom will not approve a JAR unless the CAA is satisfied that it would enable the UK to maintain its very high level of aviation safety.

WALES

  Civil Actions
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil actions for damages arising from alleged medical negligence were started against each NHS trust in Wales in(a) 1992 and (b) 1993 and (c)

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is not held centrally.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid out in damages by each NHS trust in Wales in(a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c)

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information as soon as possible. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultation he has had with the member at the European Commission responsible for regional development in relation to the calculation of European regional development fund receipts to the Welsh development agency in those financed years where no European regional development fund programme has yet been agreed;

  (2) what consultation he has had with the European Commission in relation to the anticipation of European regional development fund receipts by the Welsh development agency; and what agreement he has reached as to the level of fund receipts anticipated in the agency's corporate plan; and

  (3) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh development agency regarding the methods of estimating receipts from the European regional development fund to the agency in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the incidence of breast cancer in Wales and the success rate of its treatment, relative to the rest of the United Kingdom; and what plans there are to introduce stem cell removal and replacement treatment after high dose chemotherapy, with a view to its establishment as a clinical treatment for breast cancer under the national health service.
  691
  Mr. Redwood
  The incidence of breast cancer in Wales is above the average for England and Wales. Information on the success rate of treatment, either in Wales or in comparison with the rest of the United Kingdom, is not centrally held. The national breast screening programme, undertaken in Wales by Breast Test Wales, is enhancing the prognosis for women in the most vulnerable age group through early detection of the disease.

  I am advised that high dose chemotherapy involving stem cell removal and replacement is a relatively new procedure. In some rarer tumours the technique is becoming well established but for the most common cancers, including breast cancer, treatment is advised only as part of a properly designed clinical trial.

  Appointments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, (1) if he will make a statement on the appointment of the chairmen of the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff Royal Infirmary trust and the Cardiff community healthcare trust;

  (2) what information he had in relation to the political party affiliation of the successful candidates for appointment as the chairmen of the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff Royal Infirmary trust and the Cardiff community healthcare trust prior to their appointment; what account he took of it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Posts to chair the University Hospital of Wales and Cardiff Royal Group NHS trust and the Cardiff community healthcare NHS trust were advertised in the national and local press in December 1994. Both the successful candidates applied, along with over 40 others. A panel of officials chaired by the accounting officer for the NHS in Wales conducted a sift of applicants and recommended a shortlist of candidates to Ministers.

  Candidates were interviewed before appointments were made. The Welsh Officer does not seek information about the political affiliations of candidates for public appointment, as it is not relevant.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for appointing a chairman to the vacant post of chairman of Bridgend and District NHS trust.

  Mr. Redwood
  I hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Morriston Hospital
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement of 2 March,Official Report, column 1281, to the Morriston hospital cardiac surgery unit, what is his current estimate of capital expenditure on the unit during (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97.

  Mr. Redwood
  This is a matter for the Morriston NHS trust which has not yet determined the profile of capital expenditure.

  Browning Ferris plc
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors he will take into account in considering the award of an operating licence to Browning Ferris plc in Newport; and when he expects to announce his decision.
  692
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend's principal concern is to establish whether the plant can be operated without pollution of water or danger to public health. In determining this, he will take account of all relevant factors. His decision will be announced as soon as possible.

  Housing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the United Nation's Target 2000 housing strategy; and if he will make a statement on how his Department is seeking to meet this target.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Federation of Housing referred to the target in a report which it discussed with me in January. The Government's aims and objectives for housing in Wales are set out in "An Agenda for Action", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what clawback arrangements will apply to the payment of a derelict land clearance grant for land reclamation and asbestos removal at the Blue Circle site at Rhoose; when Blue Circle Industries acquired the site; on what date it first enquired about derelict land clearance grants to(a) his Department and (b) the Welsh development agency; and what consultations there have been with the two relevant local authorities concerning the after-use of the site.

  Mr. Redwood
  The administration of the land reclamation programme in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh development agency. I have, therefore, asked the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Member and will arrange for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  General Practitioner Lists
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were removed from the treatment lists of their general practitioners in 1990 and in each of the succeeding years.

  Mr. Richards
  The information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of(a) the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and (b) the Cardiff Bay development corporation concerning the repayment of part of the grant paid to Grosvenor Waterside plc for the development of Crickhowell house in cognisance of (i) roof leaks, (ii) wall leaks, (iii) window leaks and (iv) basement leaks in Crickhowell house; and what notification his Department has had of negotiations in relation to such building defects.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. Any building defect is a matter for Grosvenor Waterside to resolve with the parties responsible for the design and construction of the building.

  Crown Buildings
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the installation work being
  693
  carried out in that section of the Crown Buildings, Cathays park occupied by the information technology branch of NCM Ltd. prior to its transfer to Llanishen.

  Mr. Redwood
  NCM is carrying out some preparatory work for its move from Cathays park.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for changes to the local authority capital—WO/LACAP—and Housing for Wales—WO/HFW—cash limits for his Department in the current financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  The cash limit for WO/LACAP will be reduced by £5,437,000 from £490,215,000 to £484,778,000 and the cash limit for WO/HFW will be increased correspondingly by £5,437,000 from £120,740,000 to £126,177,000.

  These changes reflect a transfer a provision from local authorities to Housing for Wales which enables housing associations to provide additional housing units.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Internal Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security pursuant to his answer of 22nd February,Official Report, column 245, if he will give details of the charges made against the 16 staff of his Department prosecuted for fraud and the outcome of the legal actions.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Since 1 April 1994, 34 staff have been prosecuted for matters relating to benefit fraud. The charges and results of the prosecutions are:

  No.

  Case Charges

  Outcome

  1

  Theft and deception

  Awaiting trial

  2

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  3

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  4

  Deception

  Warrant out for arrest

  5

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  6

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  7

  Deception

  Adjourned

  8

  Deception

  Final hearing awaited

  9

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  10

  Deception

  Warrant out for arrest

  11

  Deception

  Conditional discharge

  12

  Deception

  Awaiting trial

  13

  Deception

  £110 fine and £120 costs

  14

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  15

  Aiding and Abetting

  £150 fine and £30 costs

  16

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  17

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  18

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Discharged

  19

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  20

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  21

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  22

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  23

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  24

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Two years imprisonment

  25

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Adjourned

  26

  Conspiracy to defraud and deception

  Awaiting trial

  27

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  28

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  29

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  694

  No.

  Case Charges

  Outcome

  30

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  31

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  32

  Conspiracy to defraud

  Awaiting trial

  33

  Theft and deception

  9 months imprisonment

  34

  Theft and false accounting

  Awaiting trial

  Residential Care Homes
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he proposes to revise the fees available for retirement pensioners in residential homes to meet the actual costs of the accommodation and services provided;

  (2) if he will identify his expectations of the liability of the state for retirement pensioners living in residential homes after their assets had run out in each year up to 2002;

  (3) if he will estimate the additional cost to public funds at current rates, if his Department matched the real costs met by retirement pensioners in residential homes.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I infer that these questions are about the higher levels of income support, which are available to people living in residential care and nursing homes on 31 March 1993 with preserved rights. These range between £194 and £262 for residential care homes and £290 and £325 for nursing homes with higher amounts available in London.

  All income support limits are reviewed each year taking account of a variety of available information as well as representations from interested parties. Any extra help is targeted within available resources at specific groups where the need is greatest. All the limits will be increased in April. It has never been the intention to meet all fees, however high they may be set. That would be an unrealistic commitment.

  We will continue to look carefully at these amounts each year as part of the uprating exercise. Any increases which result from that uprating will apply equally to people living in registered residential care homes on 31 March 1993 who were self-supporting at that time but who need to claim income support at a later date when their assets run out. Forecasts about the state's liability are not appropriate in these circumstances.

  The estimated additional cost to public funds if the Department were the meet the full costs charged to people above pension age in residential care homes would be £56 million and for those in nursing homes £79 million. These figures are based on the February 1994 income support quarterly statistical inquiry, and reflect the limits in payment at that time. The figures assume that homeowners do not make further increases in charges.

  Residential Care and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the aggregate spending of his Department on residential and nursing home care in the financial year 1992-93.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The estimated annual expenditure for those in residential care and nursing homes in receipt of income support including other social security pensions and benefits taken into account, for 1992-93 was £3.05 billion.
  695
  Source:

  Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry, May 1992.

  Expenditure (Water and Sewerage)
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost of his Department's expenditure on water and sewerage in(a) the current year and (b) each of the three previous years.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested for the current year is available only for the period up to and including 31 January 1995.

  Period

  Departmental costs

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  2,788,734

  1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993

  3,081,113

  1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994

  2,852,609

  1 April 1994 to 31 January 1995

  2,409,267

  Mullahs
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the entitlement to benefits of Pakistani mullahs who have been issued visas to preach in mosques in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Visiting mullahs are admitted to the United Kingdom under the immigration rules for up to six months as a visitor on the understanding that they do not become a charge on public funds. They are not entitled to income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit. They would not be entitled to contributory benefits because they would not have paid British national insurance contributions.

  Benefits
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost and how many individuals would be successful in claims of(a) unemployment benefit, (b) sickness benefit and (c) invalidity benefit through qualification of sickness benefit if the pre-1988 contribution rules were re-established.

  Mr. Hague
  [holding answer 3 March 1995]: The estimated cost and caseload increases of restoring the pre-1988 contribution conditions are given in the tables:

  Table 1: Effects of restoration of pre-1988 National Insurance contribution conditions on claims to and cost of unemployment benefit

  Gross cost (£million)

  115

  Net cost (£million)

  20

  Increase in unemployment benefit recipients

  45,000

  Notes:

  The following assumptions have been made:

  1. Costs have been rounded to the nearest £5 million and caseloads to the nearest 5,000.

  2. Calculations are based on an unemployment benefit caseload of 500,000.

  3. Calculations have been based on data taken from the 1992-93 National Insurance Recording System data-base, the 1993 Annual Statistical Enquiry and the 1990/91/92 Family Expenditure Surveys, updated to 1994–95 prices and benefit levels.

  696

  4. Some people who would satisfy revised contribution conditions may be disallowed, or disqualified for, unemployment benefit on other grounds (eg leaving work voluntarily, misconduct, compensation from an employer).

  5. The figures are an under-estimate as no allowance can be made for people who sign as unemployed for the first time as s result of the change in contribution conditions.

  Table 2: Effects of restoration of pre-1988 National Insurance contribution conditions on claims to and cost of incapacity benefit

  Long-run gross cost (£ million)

  500

  Long-run net cost (£ million)

  100

  Estimated number of successful new Short-term (lower rate) Incapacity Benefit claims (per annum)

  50,000

  Long run increase in number of longer term Incapacity Benefit recipients

  100,000

  Notes:

  1. "Longer term incapacity benefit" means those receiving short-term (higher rate) and long-term incapacity benefit.

  The following assumptions have been made:

  1. Costs have been rounded to the nearest £50 million and caseloads to the nearest 50,000.

  2. Calculations have been based on data taken from the 1992–93 National Insurance Recording System data-base, and the 1993 Annual Statistical Enquiry, updated to 1994–95 prices and benefit levels.

  3. New entitlements come from either the current severe disablement allowance caseload or from those, registering as sick, who are less than 80 per cent. disabled and who currently have insufficient contributions.

  4. Allowance has been made of the effect of the incapacity benefit changes and the expected effect of the new medical test on the long-term Incapacity Benefit caseload.

  5. The new contribution conditions for the lower rate of short-term incapacity benefit are assumed to apply to long-term incapacity benefit. This means that all those who get lower rate of short-term incapacity benefit will move onto long-term incapacity benefit as long as their incapacity continues.

  6. The figures are an under-estimate as no allowance can be made for people registering as sick for the first time as a result of the change in the contribution conditions.

  7. These estimates are highly uncertain and should be treated with extreme caution.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the net value after repayment of loans of the social fund budget for 1994–95; and what percentage this was of the net value of the social fund budget for 1988–89.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The net value of the social fund discretionary budget in 1994–95 was £140 million. This is equivalent to 112 per cent. of the net social fund discretionary budget of £125 million for 1988–89.

  The improved recovery of loans means that over this period the gross discretionary budget increased from £203 million to £368 million, an increase of over 81 per cent. The recycling of loans has allowed more people to get more help while protecting the public purse.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current total number of staff employed by the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar)
  697
  by Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive on 7 March 1995, Official Report, column 165.

  Appointments
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to appoint a new chairman of the social security advisory committee.

  Mr. Lilley
  The current chairman of the social security advisory committee, Mr. Michael Bett, will be giving up his post following his appointment as First Civil Service Commissioner. He has agreed to continue as chairman until a suitable successor is found. I shall be advertising the post nationally.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the statutory sick pay entitlement for individuals undertaking the Government's youth training scheme.

  Mr. Hague
  For trainees who have employed status and are paid wages by their employer while on youth training, entitlement to statutory sick pay is assessed on the same basis as for any other employee employed under a contract of service. The remaining trainees, who have non-employed or self-employed status and receive a training allowance, are excluded from entitlement to SSP.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants received sums for income support for mortgage interest under the deserted partners rule allowing interest on normally ineligible loans to be paid to the remaining partner, in 1994–95 and in each of the five preceeding years;

  (2) what was the average expenditure on income support for mortgage interest for each claimant who received a payment of income support for mortgage interest under the deserted partner rule in 1994–95 and in each year of the five preceeding years;

  (3) what was the total expenditure on income support for mortgage interest under the deserted partner rule in 1994–95 and in each of the five preceeding years; and what percentage of total expenditure on income support for mortgage interest it represented in each of these years.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information collected on income support mortgage interest paid to claimants does not differentiate the amounts paid for otherwise ineligible loans. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Habitual Residence Test
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the methods by which his Department is monitoring the outcomes of the appeals made by British nationals who are refused income support because they have failed to satisfy the habitual residence test.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The independent tribunal service identifies appeals according to the benefit involved at the appeals tribunal stage but does not categorise the reason for each appeal.

  School Meals
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of extending access to free school meals to children whose parents are in receipt of family credit.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Around £120 million a year.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the hack-to-work bonus under the jobseeker's allowance will affect claims for(a) family credit and (b) housing benefit.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The back-to-work bonus will be treated as capital for the purposes of claims to income-related benefits. Bonus payments made to people who move from jobseeker's allowance or income support into work and claim family credit and housing benefit will be disregarded as capital for 52 weeks from date of receipt.

  Where a claimant returns to income-based jobseekers allowance or income support after claiming the bonus, the payment will be taken fully into account in assessing the claimant's capital resources. Any person qualifying for these benefits will continue to be entitled to maximum help with rent as now.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the total cost to each local authority in England and Wales of making payments to housing benefit claimants under regulation 11 to the Housing Benefit General Regulations and in each year since 1988–89.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [holding answer 7 March 1995]: The available information has been placed in the Library.

  Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officials of his Department in each of the last 30 years have been prosecuted for making fraudulent benefit claims.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1995, c. 245]: I regret that the information provided was incorrect. The correct information is as follows.

  The figures requested are not available for any of the past 30 years. However, the Benefits Agency recently conducted a special survey to ascertain how many staff were prosecuted for benefit fraud, including instrument of payment fraud and benefit fraud where the member of staff was involved in fraudulent benefit claims by others, since 1 April 1994. There were 34 such prosecutions.

HEALTH

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of her Department's expenditure on water and sewerage in(a) the current year and (b) each of the three previous years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Following the splitting of the Department of Health from the Department of Social
  699
  Security, expenditure on water and sewerage was not separately recorded from expenditure on other utilities. Information for 1991–92 is therefore not available. Expenditure by the Department in subsequent years is shown in the table. The figures include expenditure by the Department's agencies with the exception of the NHS Estates agency. The landlord of the building occupied by NHS Estates levies a single, fixed service charge, and does not separately bill the agency for water and sewerage.

  1992–93: £334,9201

  1993–94: £102,233

  1994–9522: £66,120

  1 This figure included overpayment in respect of the London estate, as a result of which expenditure in subsequent years has been reduced.
  2 Year to date.

  NHS Complaints
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she now expects to announce the Government's response to the review of the national health service complaints system.

  Mr. Malone
  Shortly.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of complaints about the NHS in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Malone
  The latest information available about numbers of complaints about the national health service are shown in the tables. The rise can be attributed to the increase of patient awareness and confidence due to the patients charter.

  Family Health Services: Number of complaints investigated formally:
  1991: 2,205
  1992: 1,974
  1993: 2,520

  Hospital Complaints:
  1990–91: 37,350
  1991–92: 51,130
  1992–93: 58,443 Notes:
  1. Information for 1994 for family health services will be available in the autumn, and will be contained in "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics", copies of which are routinely placed in the Library.
  2. Information on hospital complaints for 1993–94 will be available shortly.

  NHS Administration
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on any aspects of NHS administration that arise from the necessity to transfer an accident victim in Orpington to Leeds Royal infirmary.

  Mr. Sackville
  Responsibility for identifying health care needs rests with the local health authorities who, together with local providers, should ensure there is sufficient provision. The South Thames region of the national health service executive is conducting a full investigation.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has to indicate how widespread is the practice of consultants refusing to accept on to their 700
  waiting lists patients referred by GPs for non-urgent operations on the basis that this would extend the waiting lists beyond Government guidelines of acceptability.

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the present waiting lists for hospitals in the borough of Barnet; and if she will estimate what she expects them to be in 1997.

  Mr. Malone
  Barnet General and Edgware General hospitals are both managed by the Wellhouse national health service trust. At 30 September 1994, there were 5,671 patients waiting for in-patient or day case treatment at the trust, of whom none were waiting more than 18 months. I expect further progress to be made in reducing waiting times at the trust.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were caused by solvent abuse(a) in Lancashire, (b) in the north-west and (c) in the United Kingdom in respect of those aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 24 and (iii) 25 years and over for the years 1990 to 1995.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information for the last five years available is shown in the table:

  Age

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Lancashire

  Under 16

  2

  0

  2

  16–24

  3

  1

  1

  25 + over

  0

  0

  0

  North West

  Under 16

  6

  2

  5

  16–24

  9

  8

  8

  25 + over

  1

  3

  1

  United Kingdom

  Under 16

  47

  44

  19

  16–24

  98

  55

  45

  25 + over

  6

  22

  15

  Total

  151

  121

  79

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what price increase the London ambulance service is imposing for its emergency service; how much extra each London district health authority will have to pay; what choice they have about paying it; what considerations have caused the Government not to pay directly to rectify any problems in the emergency service in respect of the London ambulance service; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is for district health authorities in London and the London ambulance service to agree contracts.

  Private Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to NHS trust hospitals directly from(a) private hospitals and (b) private beds in NHS hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.
  701
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were on private patients in NHS facilities in each of the last four years(a) in total, (b) by region and (c) by district health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested in total and by region is published in "Hospital Episodes Statistics, Volume 1"; copies for the four latest years of published data to 1992–93 are available in the Library. The corresponding information by district health authority is not available centrally.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the income from private patient activity in each NHS trust and directly managed unit for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 13 January, columns 267–68.

  Statistics
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 24 February,Official Report, columns 355-56, if she will list the health statistics in the categories in the answer for the top five district health authorities or family health service authorities as appropriate.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.a) the five district health authorities with the highest crude birth rates in 1993 were:

  Crude birth rate1

  East London and City

  19.3

  West Birmingham

  18.2

  East Birmingham

  17.9

  North Manchester

  17.3

  South East London

  16.7

  England

  13.1

  1 Number of births per 1,000 population of all ages.

  b) The five local authority areas in England with the highest number of notifications of tuberculosis in 1993 were:

  Notifications of tuberculosis

  Birmingham

  319

  Bradford

  164

  Leicester

  162

  Newham

  137

  Brent

  129

  Data for district health authorities are not available.
  c) The five district health authorities with the highest conception rates to women under 20 in England, 1991, were:

  Conception rates1

  North Manchester

  139.2

  City and Hackney

  113.9

  West Lambeth

  112.4

  Tower Hamlets

  111.4

  East Birmingham

  105.5

  England

  64.8

  702
  1 All conceptions to women under 20 per 1,000 females aged 15-19.

  d) Residents of three health districts accounted for 35 per cent. of all AIDS notifications in England and Wales in 1993. The districts were:
  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster
  Camden and Islington
  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow
  e) The six district health authorities in England with the highest rates of perinatal mortality1 in 1993 were:

  Perinatal mortality rates

  West Birmingham

  14.9

  South Birmingham

  14.1

  Central Manchester

  13.8

  Gateshead

  13.3

  South Manchester

  13.2

  Worcester and District

  13.2

  1 Per 1,000 live and still births

  Clinical Services
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which clinical and clinical support services which have been market tested are now(a) viewed as suitable for privatisation in the future or (b) available for tender to private contractors in 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  None—contracts for clinical and clinical support services awarded as a result of a market testing exercise remain national health service contracts whether they are won in-house or by another public or private contractor. At the end of the relevant contract
  period, they will again be subject to fresh market testing under NHS arrangements.

  We have been advised of local plans to market test some 20 clinical and clinical support services for 1994–95.

  Long-Term Care
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters were received from individuals and from organisations concerning the draft guidance on long–term care of the elderly; and how many were opposed to the Department's proposals.

  Mr. Bowis
  A total of 182 responses were received from both individuals and organisations in response to our invitation for comments on the draft guidance on NHS responsibilities for meeting continuing health care needs. We considered very carefully the range of views expressed on the draft guidance in finalising HSG(95)8/LAC(95)5, which was issued on 23 February 1995. Copies are available in the Library. The guidance has been widely welcomed.

  Hospital Staff (Recruitment)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent by her Department, NHSE, district health authorities and trusts on recruiting hospital staff from overseas in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Market Testing
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to her Department and the NHS
  703
  of management consultants advising on market testing of (a) clinical and clinical support services and (b) other NHS services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health and national health service summary accounts do not separately record expenditure on management consultancy advice for market testing issues.

  Consultancy
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total cost estimated by the Audit Commission or her Department on management consultants by her Department, NHSE, regional Health authorities, district health authorities, family health service authorities, trusts and general practitioner fundholders in the last three years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health and the national health service executive, however, have spent the following amounts from running costs on consultancy in the last three years;

  1991–92: £24,258,000

  1992–93: £18,399,000

  1993–94: £15,933,037

  Information is not available centrally about expenditure on management consultants by regional health authorities, district health authorities, family health services authorities, trust and general practitioner fundholders.

  Operation Cancellations
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations were cancelled on the day of or after the date the patient was due to be admitted to hospital by regional health authority, district health authority and in total; and how many were not re-admitted with one month during each quarter since March 1993.

  Mr. Malone
  This information was not collected in the form requested until April 1994 when the national patients charter standard on cancelled operations was improved so that a patient whose operation is cancelled for non-medical reasons on the day of, or after, admission is admitted for treatment within one month of the first cancellation. The information from 1 April 1994 will be placed in the Library. Performance against this patients charter standard is being kept under review.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each regional office the latest waiting times for each fundholder procedure for(a) patients funded by health authorities and (b) patients funded by general practitioner fundholders.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  GP Fundholding
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total amount of savings made by fundholders in the last three years.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the right hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 24 November 1994, columns 321-22 and on 14 March, column 545.
  704
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will give the aggregate level of savings by fundholding general practitioners in each family health service authority for the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the number of general practitioner fundholding practices and the amount of savings(a) by family health service authority and (b) in total for (i) 1991–92, (ii) 1992–93 and (iii) 1993–94.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 24 February 1995]: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 15 March for information on the number of general practitioner fundholding practices.

  I refer the right hon. and hon. Members, to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 24 November 1994, columns 321-22 which provides information on fundholder savings at regional health authority level in 1991–92 and 1992–93. Information on fundholder savings at family health services authority level for these years is not available centrally.

  The requested information on fundholder savings for 1993–94 will be placed in the Library. Nationally, retained savings in 1993–94 equalled £64.2 million, 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 may be spent only after external audit of the fundholding account by the Audit Commission. Fundholder savings are held by FHSAs on behalf of the patients of fundholders and may be retained for up to four years. With the agreement of the regional health authority, savings may be used for the benefit of patients of the practice as outlined in the practice's annual business plan.

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what difficulties she has identified in integrating special hospitals into the internal market; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what are her plans regarding the status of special hospitals; what is the timescale for changes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 3 February, column 872.

  Edgware
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis the present capitation formula for Edgware is calculated; and what evidence she has on whether the census figures for 1991 still represent the true picture in the case of the London borough of Barnet.

  Mr. Sackville
  For 1995–96, the modified national weighted capitation formula has been used to set targets for regional health authorities. It is for North Thames RHA to determine both its own sub-regional formula and how much funding is to be made available to its district health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir William Staveley, the chairman of North Thames regional health authority.

  The population base used for revenue resource allocation is the mid-year sub-national population

  705
  projections, that is mid-1995 for 1995–96. These are currently based on the 1991 census, however, they do take account of assumed rates of births, deaths and migration since 1991.

  Minor Accident Treatment Service Units
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the minimum number of staff at any one time at a minor accident treatment service unit: what is the level of qualification of those staff; and whether it is part of their responsibility to diagnose acute medical conditions.

  Mr. Sackville
  These aspects are determined by individual hospital trusts according to local needs.

  Grading Appeals
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will estimate how long it will take until all the outstanding nurses' grading appeals have been heard; and what steps she is taking to speed up the waiting times;

  (2) how many nurses' grading appeals have not been heard; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  At 1 March 1995, there were just over 2,500 nurse grading appeals in England which were still unresolved. This is about half of the number outstanding a year ago. The Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council is operating an agreed appeals mechanism for clearing all outstanding appeals. The aim is for all appeals to be cleared by 31 December 1995.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses' grading appeals have been conducted since 1988; and how many were outstanding in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since 1988, approximately 98,000 nurse clinical grading appeals have been heard. Information on the number of appeals outstanding at the end of the last three years is shown in the table. Comparable information is not available for 1990 and 1991.

  Outstanding nurses and midwives clinical grading appeals (England)

  Year ending

  Number of appeals outstanding

  31 December 1992

  21,326

  31 December 1993

  4,819

  31 December 1994

  2,964

  The aim is for all appeals to be cleared by 31 December 1995.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to secure the financial future of NHS trusts against medical negligence claims; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  The management of medical negligence claims is a matter for individual trusts. At present, where 706
  a trust has, in any financial year, to pay claims with a total value in excess of 0.5 per cent. of its turnover, the trust may apply to the national health service executive for a loan in order to spread the cost of meeting the claims. A scheme is being developed under section 21 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 for trusts to pool the financial liabilities arising out of clinical negligence. Discussions are continuing on the details of the proposals and if trusts are sufficiently supportive, the scheme is likely to be introduced in 1995–96 on a voluntary basis.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid out in damages by each NHS trust in England in(a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c)

  Mr. Malone
  The information will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil actions for damages arising from alleged medical negligence were started against each NHS trust in England in(a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c)

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the current(a) chairs and (b) non-executive directors of each trust board by region, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 23 February 1995]: The latest information available centrally will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those trust boards that currently have vacancies for chairs and non-executive directors; and whether the posts will be filled under the new appointments regime.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him earlier, for details of vacancies on the boards of national health service trusts. All appointments made after 1 April will be in accordance with new guidelines on appointments procedures.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the current(a) chairs and (b) non-executive directors of each trust board by region, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual.

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 23 February 1995]: The latest information available centrally will be placed in the Library.

  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.

  Chemotherapy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS trials are being conducted of treatment for breast cancer involving the removal and replacement of stem cells after high dose chemotherapy analogous to recent trials in the United States of America; and what plans she has to make this treatment available under the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 15 March,Official Report, column 549.

  NHS Accountants
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accountants were employed within all sections of the NHS in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Malone
  In the years 1991 to 1994, the years for which information is available, some 1,463, 1,701, 2,176 and 2,174 staff in the national health service were recorded as holding qualifications recognised by the consultative committee of the accounting bodies.

  GP Lists
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 December,Official Report, column 400, when she will publish data for 1993 on patients removed from general practitioners' lists.

  Mr. Malone
  Information for all family health services authorities for 1993–94 is not yet available.

  Pinderfields Hospital
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will seek reports regarding the future of Pinderfields hospital, Wakefield from(a) the chair of the Yorkshire and Northern health region, (b) the chair of the Wakefield health authority and (c) the chair of the Pinderfields trust; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for Wakefield Healthcare. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Brian Hayward, chairman of Wakefield Healthcare, for details.

  Non-elective admissions (general and acute) by region and quarter 1993–94 to 1994–95: England finished consultant episodes

  Thousand

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Region1

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Northern and Yorkshire

  144

  149

  158

  154

  145

  145

  153

  Trent

  93

  89

  98

  96

  97

  96

  102

  Anglia and Oxford

  88

  91

  96

  95

  95

  93

  95

  North Thames

  113

  123

  127

  128

  128

  134

  136

  South Thames

  116

  116

  125

  116

  119

  118

  123

  South and West

  118

  125

  124

  126

  124

  125

  130

  West Midlands

  104

  100

  109

  106

  102

  106

  111

  North West

  144

  144

  158

  150

  150

  154

  161

  England

  918

  937

  994

  971

  961

  972

  1,010

  1The table shows admissions in each region not including data from the special health authorities.

  Form FP10
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total estimated cost of printing and distributing the amended form FP1O required to be available as from 1 April next; what was the total cost of printing and distributing the forms that the amended FP1O will replace; and what representations she has received from professional bodies about the lack of consultation over the design and content of amended FP1O prior to printing.

  Mr. Malone
  No new costs have been incurred by introducing a revised print of form FP10. At about £1.38 million, the costs of printing and distributing the forms for 1995–96 are expected to be some 11 per cent. higher than in 1994–95 because of a rise in the cost of paper.

  Representations have been received from the General Medical Services Committee of the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee with whom there are on-going consultations about the new arrangements.

  NHS Supplies Contracts
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total value of contracts placed by the NHS Supplies Authority for cash registers and other accounting devices in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Supplies Authority was set up in October 1991, and has no specific contracts for cash registers or accounting devices.

  Emergency Admissions
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the change in emergency admissions to hospital by regional health authority and in total for each quarter of 1993 and 1994.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: The table shows numbers of non-elective admissions in the general and acute specialties for each regional health authority in England and in total, using information collected by the national health service executive.

  For England as a whole, the national proportion of non-elective admissions in relation to total admissions has remained at about 47 per cent. for all the period.

DEFENCE

  Nerve Agents
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GB at the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke, Cornwall; what quantities of nerve agent GB were used at this research; when the results of this research were shared with other countries; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GB at the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke, Cornwall; what quantities of nerve agent GB were used at this research; when the results of this research were shared with other countries; and under which Defence Agreements these results were exchanged, 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 research work carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Nancekuke involving the nerve agent GB focused on the following:

  (a) Developing a specification for the materials used in the preparation process.

  (b) To study the impurities and by-products found in the GB product.

  (c) To examine alternative preparation processes and to compare the differences in the GB product.

  (d) To study the amount of GB in the by-products from the preparations.

  (e) To investigate the storage of GB.

  (f) To study the corrosion properties of materials used in the construction of the GB preparation facility.

  4. During the period 1951–1956 some 20 tonnes of GB were produced. Most of this was used in the storage studies and then subsequently destroyed.

  5. After 1956 some research on the stability of GB continued until 1979 when the Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke closed. The results of the research and studies into GB were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Cooperation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 888, what was the conclusion of the studies to find out if it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE than the nerve agent GB; in which years these studies were carried out; and when the results of these studies were exchanged with Canada and the United States of America under the tripartite conferences on toxicological warfare.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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.
  710
  Letter from Graham Pearson to Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 888, what was the conclusion of the studies to find out if it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE than the nerve agent GB; in which years these studies were carried out; and when the results of these studies were exchanged with Canada and the United States of America under the Tripartite Conferences on Toxicological Warfare, 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 studies to determine whether it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE rather than the nerve agent GB confirmed that this was not the case. Earlier studies had suggested that the phosphorus intermediate ethyl derivative was simpler to synthesise but when alternative processes were explored it was found that the primary intermediates for GB (methylphosphonic difluoride and methylphosphonic dichloride) could be more readily produced.

  4. These studies took place during the late 1940s and early 1950s and the exchange of this data with the USA and Canada under the Tripartite Conferences would have taken place during this period.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the names of the experiments carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on service volunteers with the incapacitating agent BZ since 1965; in which years each of these experiments took place; how many service volunteers were involved; what was the nature of these experiments; what were the conclusions of these studies; and what follow-up checks were conducted on these service volunteers in the years after they left Porton Down to monitor the long-term effect of the experiments on their mental and physical health.

  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 front Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995.

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what were the names of the experiments carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on Service volunteers with the incapacitating agent BZ since 1965; in which years each of these experiments took place; how many Service volunteers were involved; what was the nature of these experiments; what were the conclusions of these studies; and what follow-up checks were conducted on these Service volunteers in the years after they left Porton Down to monitor the long-term effect of the experiments on their mental and physical health, 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. This work includes the evaluation of the potential hazard of possible agents such as the incapacitating agent BZ.

  3. Studies involving Service volunteers and BZ since 1965 were not given a specific operational name. Our records indicate that 4 Service volunteers were given BZ between 1965 and 1967. No studies involving Service volunteers have taken place since 1967.

  4. The purpose of the studies was to assess the effects of a potential agent which might affect the volunteers' behaviour. The conclusion of the evaluation of BZ was that it could affect the behaviour of Service personnel and as such presented a potential hazard which should not be ignored in considering the potential hazards to which UK Forces might be exposed.

  711

  5. The volunteers were examined before and after the tests by the resident Army psychiatrist and no indication of any continuing effect was observed. There have been no reports of any subsequent sequelae from any of the volunteers.

  Service volunteers return to their units on completion of the study, where they are, medically, the responsibility of the unit Medical Officer. There is no history of Service doctors in their units seeking advice from CBDE Porton Down on any subsequent illnesses that may have been reported by volunteers who have been exposed to agent during studies at CBDE.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 887–88, in which scientific journals the results of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment's studies on nerve agent pre-treatment sets were published; when NAPS was first issued for use by the armed forces; in which years the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries; and under which defence agreement these results were shared.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, columns 887–8, in which scientific journals the results of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment's studies on NAPS were published; when NAPS was first issued for use by the Armed Forces; in which years the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries; and under which Defence Agreement these results were shared, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. Our records indicate that the results of our studies on NAPS were published in the following scientific journals:

  a. Fundamentals of Applied Toxicology.

  b. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

  c. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

  4. NAPS was first issued for use by the Armed Forces following its acceptance into service in August 1981.

  5. The results of this work were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our Allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the Rt Hon Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, column 255–256.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out on the nerve agent VX at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since the closure of the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke; what quantity of the nerve agent VX has been used in this research at Porton Down; when the results of this research were exchanged with other countries; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what research has been carried out on the nerve
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  agent VX at the Chemical and Biological Establishment at Porton Down since the closure of the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke; what quantity of the nerve agent VX has been used in this research at Porton Down; when the results of this research were exchanged with other countries; and under which Defence Agreements these results were exchanged, 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. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.

  3. Since the closure of the Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke in 1980 research on VX has covered all aspects concerned with the provision of effective protective measures against the threat that VX might be used by an aggressor against the UK Armed Forces. This has included hazard assessment, detection and identification, physical protection, contamination control and the use of prophylactic and medical countermeasures. Our records are not maintained in such a way as to readily identify the quantity of VX used since 1980. However, the quantity of VX used in research at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment from 1985 to the present day is about 1.25 Kgs.

  4. The results of this work were part of the chemical biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the right hon. Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255-256.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994,Official Report, columns 1176-77, why the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment felt it necessary to carry out further studies on the nerve agent pretreatment set at the Cambridge military hospital in 1993.

  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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 20 December, Official Report, columns 1176–7, why the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment felt it necessary to carry out further studies on the Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set at the Cambridge Military Hospital in 1993, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:

  a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and,

  c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. The Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set (NAPS) was developed in response to a requirement which called for a pretreatment effective against poisoning by all known nerve agents. A number of studies were conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to identify the effective oral dose regime which used

  713
  in conjunction with therapy would provide protection against nerve agent poisoning whilst producing minimal or nil side effects.
  4. The administration of NAPS during the Gulf conflict of 1990/91 confirmed the results of the NAPS studies previously carried out at CBDE and in various external trials in that the side effects from the taking of NAPS were minimal and did not interfere with military efficiency. However, the MOD considered that a further more extensive study should take place at the Cambridge Military Hospital in order to assess the significance of the side effects from the taking of NAPS over a longer period. The study lasted for eight weeks. The conclusions of the study confirm the earlier findings in that the side effects from the taking of NAPS were minimal and did not interfere with military efficiency.

  Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 886, how many safety audits of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment have been carried out by the Safety Services Organisation of his Department since 1965.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 886, how many safety audits of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment have been carried out by the Safety Services Organisation of his Department since 1965, 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. Our records are not maintained in such a way as to easily provide the number of safety audits carried out since 1965 and to do so would involve disproportionate effort and cost.

  4. Since 1987, the Safety Services Organisation has carried out a total of 21 safety audits made up of individual audits in each of four broad areas which are general, range safety, explosives and fire services.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service volunteers have been involved in studies with the NBC suit No. 1 Mk 4 at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1965; when these studies were carried out; what was the nature and conclusion of these studies; under which defence agreement the results of these studies were shared with other countries; and when this suit was issued for use by the armed forces.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many Service volunteers have been involved in studies with the NBC suit No. 1, Mk 4, at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1965; when these studies were carried out; what was the nature and conclusion of these studies; under which Defence Agreement the results of these studies were shared with other countries; and when this suit was issued to use by the Armed Forces, has been passed to me to answer
  714
  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. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:

  a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentration of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. Studies into the Mk IV NBC suit involving Service volunteers began in the early 1980s. Since then approximately, 500 Service volunteers have been involved in studies of the Mk IV NBC suit at CBDE. The studies have investigated the physiological load imposed by wearing the Mk IV suit in various climatic conditions and the integrity of the complete ensemble when challenged with aerosols of sodium chloride and sodium fluorescein.
  4. Further studies have been conducted at intervals since the introduction into service of the Mk IV suit in 1987. The physiological trials confirmed previous findings that wearing extra clothing over normal combat clothing reduced work tolerance times under certain climatic conditions and the integrity trials confirmed that the various items of UK NBC protective equipment provide effective protection.
  5. The results of this work were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our Allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the Right Hon. Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255–256.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the current Director-General of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down is expected to retire; and what is the name and background of his appointed successor.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking when the current Director General of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, is expected to retire; and what is the name and background of his appointed successor, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.

  3. I shall retire on 19 July 1995 although I shall cease to be the Director General and Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on 31 March 1995. On I April 1995 CBDE becomes a division of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) whose Chief Executive will be John Chisholm, currently Chief Executive of the Defence Research Agency (DRA). This division will include the present CBDE and the Chemical and Electronic Systems Sector of the current DRA.

  4.I shall be replaced at Porton Down by Dr Graham D Coley who will become the Managing Director of CBDE. His background includes 20 years at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, (Aldermaston) in a number of scientific and managerial posts,

  715
  followed by various posts in Whitehall, including being Deputy Head of the Efficiency Unit in the Prime Minister's Office, and latterly Assistant Chief Scientific Adviser (Projects) in the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which years since 1965 the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out studies with service volunteers at Bulford; what was the purpose and conclusion of these studies; how many studies were carried out there; and how many service volunteers were involved in these tests.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking in which years since 1965 the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out studies with Service volunteers at Bulford; what was the purpose and conclusions of these studies; how many studies were carried out there; and how many Service volunteers were involved in these tests, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:

  a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and,

  c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.

  3. In a previous answer (Official Report, 24 June 1994, column 374–5); I said that studies involving Service volunteers took place inter alia at Bulford. A further check of our records has now shown that a transcription error occurred and that the Service volunteer studies took place at Bordon and not at Bulford.

  4. One NAPS study took place at Bordon in 1981. Twenty five Service personnel took part of whom 15 received NAPS and 10 received a placebo. The conclusions of the study confirmed earlier findings that the side effects from the taking of NAPS were minimal and did not interfere with military efficiency.

  5. The Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set (NAPS) was developed in response to a requirement which called for a pretreatment effective against poisoning by all known nerve agents. A number of studies were conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to identify the effective oral dose regime which used in conjunction with therapy would provide protection against nerve agent poisoning whilst producing minimal or nil side effects.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times staff in(a) the biology division and (b) the chemistry and decontamination division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, have published the results of their research in scientific journals in the past two years; when they were published; and in which journals.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:
  716

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many times staff in (a) the Biology Division and (b) the Chemistry and Decontamination Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. Porton Down, have published the results of their research in scientific journals in the past two years; when they were published; and in which journals, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Biological Defence Establishment.

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

  3. Staff in the Biological Division and the Chemistry and Decontamination Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down have had 21 and 6 publications respectively in scientific journals during 1993 and 1994. The journals in which these were published are:

  a. Analytical Proceedings.

  b. Biochemical Pharmacology.

  c. Biochemical Society Transactions.

  d. British Journal of Pharmacology.

  e. Chemistry in Britain.

  f. Human and Experimental Toxicology.

  g. International Journal of Biochemistry.

  h. Journal of Applied Toxicology.

  i. Journal of Chromatography.

  j. Journal 4 Pharmacology.

  k. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

  I. Journal of Psychopharmacology.

  m. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts.

  n. Toxicology.

  o. Toxicology In Vitro.

  p. Xenobiotica.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the nature of the collaboration between the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and the Institute of Aviation Medicine with regard to the service volunteers programme; and in which years this collaboration took place.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what is the nature of the collaboration between the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and the Institute of Aviation Medicine with regard to the Service Volunteers programme; and in which years this collaboration took place, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:

  a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and,

  c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.

  717

  3. There has been long standing collaboration between CBDE Porton Down and the Institute of Aviation Medicine on a wide range of topics of mutual interest involving visits to and by each Establishment. This collaboration has addressed inter alia the effects of nerve agents on the visual acuity of pilots. Insofar as the Service Volunteer programme is concerned. CBDE and IAM have collaborated in the analytical methods used in carrying out studies with the Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set (NAPS).

  Respirators
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service volunteers have been involved in studies with the S6 respirator at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down since 1965; in which years these studies took place; what was the nature and purpose of these studies; and under which defence agreement the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries.

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter 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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many Service volunteers have been involved in studies with the S6 respirator at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down since 1965; in which years these studies took place; what was the nature and purpose of these studies; and under which Defence Agreement the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:

  a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and,

  c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.

  3. Our records are not maintained in such a way as to identify the number of Service personnel who have participated in studies with the S6 respirator at CBDE. Studies have been carried out at CBDE on the protection afforded by the S6 respirator when worn by human beings. In addition, during the research and development phases of the S6 programme, user trials were conducted to determine the military acceptability of various aspects of the design. There trials took the form of issuing prototype respirators to units for use during routine exercises.

  4. The results of this work were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our Allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the Right Hon. Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255–56.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 889, when the SIO respirator was issued for use by the armed forces; when the NATO triptych was laid down; and what are its provisions.
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  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 Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 889, when the S10 respirator was issued for use by the Armed Forces; when the Nato triptych was laid down; and what are its provisions, 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 S10 respirator began entering service with UK Armed Forces in 1986–87, and is now the standard issue respirator for all Service personnel.

  4. The current version of the NATO NBC Respirator Triptych was issued in May 1991 and replaced the original version issued in 1967. The Triptych comprise three sections headed: Operational Requirements, Technical Specifications, and Evaluation Tests and Criteria. These are further sub-divided into sections on protection characteristics, use characteristics, survivability, and storage and service life. These lay down the minimum requirements for various parameters such as comfort, compatibility with other equipment, field of vision, protection properties, flash resistance, care and maintenance, canister thread dimensions, and communication. A series of Annexes describe some of the test methods used in determining compliance with the requirements.

  War Widows
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in how many cases a post-1973 war widow has(a) been warned that she might lose her attributable forces family pension or (b) had the pension terminated on the ground that she had been co-habiting.

  Mr. Soames
  Each new award to a service widow or widower is accompanied by a guide explaining the conditions of the award. The information includes advice to the pensioner that the pension ceases on remarriage or on living with a partner as husband and wife. The Paymaster General also issues an annual newsletter to every pensioner which contains a reminder that the Paymaster General is to be informed in the event of a service widow or widower's remarriage or living with a new partner.

  Information on the number of widows whose attributable forces family pension has ceased on living with a man as his wife is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many post—1973 war widows are currently in receipt of an attributable forces family pension.

  Mr. Soames
  Departmental records of service widows pensions in payment do not separately identify those in receipt of attributable forces family pensions. There are, however, some 64,000 armed forces dependants' pensions in payment of which it is estimated some 2,000 will be attributable forces family pensions to service widows.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total annual cost of the attributable forces family pension currently being paid to post-1973 war widows.

  Mr. Soames
  Departmental records of service widows pensions in payment do not separately identify those in
  719
  receipt of attributable forces family pensions and therefore it is not possible easily to isolate the total annual cost of such pensions.

  The current rates of attributable pensions for the dependants of those who gave service on or after 31 December 1994, excluding senior officers, range between £4,882 and £20,493 per annum.

  Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many French Government employees have visited the United Kingdom to discuss or review nuclear matters during the last year; and if he will list the locations where the meetings took place.

  Mr. Freeman
  French Government employees frequently visit the United Kingdom to discuss a wide range of issues, including nuclear matters.

  AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Health and Safety Executive issued a prohibition notice on the A45 facility at atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Two prohibition notices relating to the A45 complex at AWE Aldermaston were issued by the Health and Safety Executive on 3 September 1993 following the spillage of some coolant from a lathe. The notices are a matter of public record and both have since been lifted.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the decision to end the requirement at the atomic weapons establishments Aldermaston and Burghfield to submit fire reports to Berkshire fire and rescue service.

  Mr. Freeman
  It has long been the practice to alert the Berkshire fire and rescue service to all fire service calls received at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield other than those concerning minor on-site road traffic accidents. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

  Blinding Laser Weapons
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what action he is taking to arrange the UN conference, convened for September 1995 in Vienna, to update the UN weapons convention to stop the development, production and use of blinding laser weapons;

  (2) what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to bring about international agreement to make illegal and ban the use of weapons purely made for the blinding of people.

  Mr. Soames
  We are considering proposals to add to the UN weaponry convention a new protocol covering the employment of lasers.

  NATO Air Defence Agreement
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors led the United Kingdom not to become party to the recent NATO agreement to develop co-operatively a medium extended air defence system; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Freeman
  A quadrilateral statement of intent on MEADS was recently agreed by France, Germany, Italy and the USA. We are currently reviewing the nature and timing of our requirement for a future medium surface-to-air missile, in parallel with studies into ballistic missile defence options. At this stage it would be premature to commit ourselves to meeting any such requirements through the MEADS programme, although we are keeping in close touch with its progress.

  Boarding School Allowance
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving armed forces personnel in the United Kingdom who live within daily travelling distance of their work base have financial support from his Department for their children to attend independent schools; and what is his estimate of the cost.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Boarding school allowance is paid to assist eligible service parents of all ranks to provide a stable education for their children and to avoid the disruptive school changes which would otherwise be likely to occur as a result of the frequent postings within the United Kingdom and abroad to which service personnel are liable. Eligibility depends on the liability of service parents to be posted within the course of a discrete stage of education for the child. It may well happen, therefore, that for part of this period the service parent is working and living close to the school selected for the child.

  Clothing Contracts
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the delay in the allocation of Ministry of Defence clothing contracts in the current year.

  Mr. Freeman
  There have been no general delays in placing MOD clothing contracts in the current year. The placement of a small number of these contracts has, however, been delayed while Ministers reviewed MOD's response to the demise of the priority suppliers scheme.

  Injury Compensation Claims
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is normally given to members of the armed forces in pursuing claims against third parties for compensation for injuries in the course of their duties.

  Mr. Soames
  There is no general provision for such assistance from the Ministry of Defence either for members of the armed forces or for civilian employees. All personnel do, of course, have the same entitlement as members of the public to apply to the Legal Aid Board for assistance in bringing claims through the courts against third parties for damages for personal injury.

  Service Housing
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the failure of the project to transfer MOD married quarters to a housing trust; and what are his present intentions for the married quarters owned by his Department;

  (2) what severance payments are to be paid to Mr. Mike Robinson and Mr. Mark Taylor in respect of the failed

  721
  MOD housing trust project; how far these exceed the amounts required by contract; and who was responsible for negotiating the original contracts.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the employment of(a) Mike Robinson, as chief executive, and (b) the senior managers of the housing trust; and what sum of public money will be used to terminate their contracts.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give details of the severance clauses contained in the employment contracts of the current(a) chairman and (b) finance director of the Defence housing trust;

  (2) what are his Department's future plans for the married quarters housing stock;

  (3) what is the total cost of the severance pay, including pension rights, for (a) Mr. Mike Robinson, chairman of the Ministry of Defence Housing Trust, and (b) Mr. Mark Taylor, finance director of the Ministry of Defence Housing Trust.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is(a) the minimum and (b) the maximum amounts of severance pay that Michael Robinson and Mark Taylor, employees of the housing trust, are entitled to under their contracts;

  (2) if he will list the criteria which will be used to decide if the Chief Executive of the housing trust receives a performance related bonus in April 1995;

  (3) how much the chief executive of the housing trust has received, or will receive in severance pay;

  (4) how much Mark Taylor, an employee of the housing trust, has received or will be receiving in severance payment.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answers 8 and 9 March 1995]: In keeping with our determination to improve the management of service housing, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State announced on 17 November 1994, Official Report, column 1, our plans to establish a Defence Housing Executive. This organisation will manage the married quarters estate on a fully integrated basis an deliver important management improvements as sought under the earlier proposals for a housing trust.

  The trust proposals had to be abandoned when it was concluded that the proposed new body could not properly be classified to the private sector, and would not therefore be able to gain access to private sector capital to fund its operations and improve the housing stock. Since the three senior managers of the embryo housing trust had originally been recruited and appointed by the Ministry of Defence, following open competition, for the specific purpose of setting up and managing the trust, they were consequently entitled to be released from, and paid for the unexpired portion of their contracts. All three agreed to stay on, however, to assist us in reorganising the way in which we manage our housing estate and preparing for the establishment of the Defence Housing Executive.

  This work, to which their contribution has been invaluable, has progressed well, and the Defence Housing Executive is on course to take up its responsibilities from 1 April 1995. Meanwhile, and in addition to the Defence Housing Executive initiative, we are continuing to consider alternative possibilities for transferring the married quarters estate to the private sector.
  722
  Once the Defence Housing Executive formally comes into being, my Department will no longer require the services of two of the senior managers, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Taylor. They will accordingly he made redundant on 31 March. In line with the provisions of their contracts, they will be entitled to compensation for the remainder of the three-year period of their contracts, calculated at the annual rate of the first year's salary plus any bonus earned during the first year. Although the amounts of compensation have yet to be finalised, they are expected to be around £200,000 for Mr. Robinson and £170,000 for Mr. Taylor, depending on the final assessment of performance against milestones agreed with their line management. The basic pay for their period of service will he pensionable.

  I am pleased to be able to announce that the third manager recruited to the trust, Mr. James, will stay on in the role of chief executive of the Defence Housing Executive. Under Mr. James's direction, the executive will bring together the disparate housing staffs, and will manage and maintain the married quarters estate as a single entity in accordance with best professional practice. Drawing on may of the plans originally developed for the housing trust, it will be able to maximise efficiencies and provide a better service to service personnel and their families.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the total amount of fees paid to(a) estate agents and (b) consultants in relation to the sale of surplus Ministry of Defence houses in the period 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1994.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 14 March 1995]: Although this information is not available in the precise form requested, fees paid to estate agents and consultants in support of the land and buildings disposal programme total £7.27 million for the period in question. These fees cover the cost of advice on planning, highways and other matters, and help to ensure that the best return for the taxpayer is obtained.

  Bilateral Cost-sharing Agreement
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 858, what works under the bilateral cost-sharing agreement are being carried out at each of the named locations; how much money was owed by the United States Government under this agreement on (a) 31 March 1992 and (b) 31 March 1993; what percentage of the annual expenditure under this agreement this figure represented on both dates, excluding administration costs; and which agency is responsible for carrying out the works and for collecting the debts under this arrangement.

  Mr. Soames
  Works being carried out at the locations named in my previous answer cover operation and maintenance, minor and major projects. Bills with the US Government for payment amounted to £ 12,200,00 on 31 March 1992 and £7,040,000 on 31 March 1993 representing 13.5 per cent. and 8.7 per cent. respectively of the annual expenditure on US works under the agreement. The Ministry of Defence, defence works services—United States forces—is responsible for carrying out work under the cost-sharing agreement, and for managing the associated financial arrangements.

TREASURY

  European Monetary Institute
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage and numerical breakdown by nationality of the employees of the European Monetary Institute.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested as at 9 March 1995 is as follows:

  Distribution of EMI appointments by nationality

  Nationality

  Number

  Per cent.

  Austrian

  5

  3.2

  Belgian

  9

  5.8

  British

  29

  18.8

  Danish

  4

  2.6

  Dutch

  9

  5.8

  Finish

  1

  0.6

  French

  15

  9.7

  German

  51

  33.1

  Greek

  2

  1.3

  Irish

  11

  7.1

  Italian

  9

  5.8

  Luxembourg

  0

  0

  Portuguese

  0

  0

  Spanish

  8

  5.2

  Swedish

  1

  0.6

  Total

  154

  Note:

  Percentages do not sum to 100 per cent. because of rounding.

  Exchange Rate Policy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the percentage change in nominal 724
  exchange rate between February 1993 and January 1994; and what were the policy considerations underlying this;

  (2) what priority he attaches when he increases interest rates to (a) defending the exchange rate and (b) controlling inflation; and if he will make a statement on the connection between the two processes.

  Mr. Nelson
  Interest rates are set to deliver low inflation. Since changes in interest rates influence inflation with a lag, interest rate decisions are based on an assessment of the prospects for underlying inflation in one to two years' time. This assessment is based on a wide range of information including movements in the exchange rate. While the Government recognise the value of exchange rate stability, they do not have a target for the exchange rate. Figures for the nominal exchange rate are published by the Central Statistical Office in table 7.1 A of "Financial Statistics", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the change in the exchange rate between February 1993 and January 1994 on the competitiveness of British manufactured goods at home and overseas.

  Mr. Nelson
  An assessment of developments in trade and the balance of payments, including competitiveness, was published in chapter 3 of the November 1994 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". This took full account of changes in the level of the exchange rate.

  Barings
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation will be affected by developments at Barings.

  Mr. Nelson
  That is a matter for them, but from what the two institutions have told my officials, neither currently believes that it will be affected by developments at Barings.

  Lockerbie and the Montreal Convention
  Lockerbie and the Montreal Convention
  Libyan Citizens: Trial Location Claim
  Libyan Citizens: Trial Location Claim
  Extradition and the Russian Constitution
  Extradition and the Russian Constitution
  Extradition: US Law
  Extradition: US Law
  Abkhazia: Return of Ethnic Georgians
  Abkhazia: Return of Ethnic Georgians
  Angola Cease-Fire: Alleged Breaches
  Angola Cease-Fire: Alleged Breaches
  Fisheries Dispute: EU and Canada
  Fisheries Dispute: EU and Canada
  Official Residences: Source of Articles
  Official Residences: Source of Articles
  Habitual Residence Test
  Habitual Residence Test
  Environment Council, 9 March
  Environment Council, 9 March
  Environment Bill: Drafting of Amendments
  Environment Bill: Drafting of Amendments