Written Answers of 17 March 1995

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The cost of publicity, publications and pamphlets, including court forms, produced centrally by the Lord Chancellor's Department since 1992 is as follows:

  Year

  £

  1992–93

  1,529,211

  1993–94

  1,342,743

  Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 17 March 1995:
  I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your question relating to expenditure on publicity and on publications and pamphlets for each year since 1979, including the budgeted cost for 1995–96. The Public Record Office has a publications programme for the public records. The figures are:

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  13,282

  1991–92

  15,050

  1992–93

  39,954

  1993–94

  65,546

  1994–95

  178,900

  1995–96

  161,800

  1 Budget.

  Information for earlier years is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

  The Public Record Office has not held a publicity campaign or issued a publication whose cost has exceeded £50,000.

  Letter from S. Hutcheson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to you as a part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary question, listed on 14 March 1995, regarding expenditure on publicity and publications and pamphlets.
  The Public Trust Office has not undertaken any publicity campaigns and none is planned for 1995–96.
  726
  The information required on all publications and pamphlets for each year since 1979 is not readily available and it would not be cost effective to produce the information required in the short period available. The budgeted figure for 1995–96 is not available as it is subsumed within other planned expenditure.
  As the Public Trust Office has not been privatised there has been no related expenditure.

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 17 March 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning total expenditure by HM Land Registry on all forms of publicity and all publications and pamphlets produced for each year since 1979. I can provide the following information.

  (a)Publicity
  The table below identifies publicity expenditure (expressed in 1994 prices) since 1989–90. These expenditures cover all public relations activities, communications to Land Registry staff and customer service literature. Prior to that date, no specific budget was held for these purposes. There has been no privatisation related expenditure incurred by the Land Registry.

  Year

  £

  1989–90

  3,368

  1990–91

  17,078

  1991–92

  24,400

  1992–93

  21,643

  1993–94

  10,765

  1994–95

  60,069

  1995–96 (Budget)

  46,489

  (b) Publications and Pamphlets

  The Land Registry produces a wide range of explanatory literature containing advice for practitioners and the general public on various aspects of land registrations practice and procedure and on the services that it provides. The cost of providing these publications is subsumed within the Registry's total stationery budget and individual elements cannot be identified. Stationery costs bear a direct relationship to the operational work of the Registry to which the majority of the budget is devoted.

  In respect of publications issued by HMSO, for instance the Registry's Annual Report and Accounts, costs are borne by HMSO who aim to recover these from sales revenue.

  As to the second part of your question, during the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 the Land Registry did not undertake any publicity campaign or produce any publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  There is no cost to the Exchequer for the Agency's publicity or publications as the Land Registry meets all of its expenditures from fees paid by those who use its services.

  I do hope that this answers the points raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

  Mr. Gerry Adams
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what circumstances and under what provisions legal aid can be refused to Mr. Gerry Adams in his application for judicial review against the British Government; and what changes in the law are necessary to prevent Mr. Gerry Adams from claiming legal aid in his application for judicial review.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  All applicants for civil legal aid must pass a test of their financial means and of the merits of their case if they are to be awarded legal aid by the Legal Aid Board. Legal aid will be refused if the applicant is unable to satisfy either of these tests. The statutory basis
  727
  for the grant of legal aid is the Legal Aid Act 1988 and the regulations made under it. Mr. Adams will be treated in the same way as any other applicant for legal aid. Any changes in the law relating to legal aid are made only when it seems sensible to do so in respect of all applicants.

EMPLOYMENT

  Workplace Bullying
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department has carried out over the last 10 years into the extent of workplace bullying.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for introducing a code of practice aimed at avoiding incidents of(a) workplace victimisation and (b) intimidation of employees.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Department has no plans to do so.

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publication and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than –50,000.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 3 March 1995,Official Report, columns 747–48, which provides information on all publicity expenditure for each year since 1979. The budgeted figure for advertising and publicity for 1995–96 is £10.6 million. Further information broken down by type of publicity is not available.

  Separate information on privatisation-related publicity is not available.

  Information about individual publications between 1 April 1993 and 1 March 1995 involving the expenditure of more than £50,000 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The following publicity campaigns costing over £50,000 were conducted during the period:

  Career Development Loans
  To encourage individuals to take up loans to improve their careers;

  Make it Your Business
  To raise awareness of national vocational qualifications and encourage employers to develop their staff and benefit from the result;

  Just the Job/New Measures
  To publicise the range of new Employment Service measures available to help people back into work;

  National Training Awards
  To encourage employers and individuals to enter the national competition for training excellence;
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  Investors in People
  To encourage employers to develop their staff and benefit from the results;

  Employment Service Employer Campaign
  To encourage employers to use jobcentre services;

  Disability Campaign
  To encourage employers to recruit or retain or retain people with disabilities;

  New Horizons for Women
  To highlight opportunities for women to realise their potential in employment, training, public life and voluntary work.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, under the proposed jobseeker's allowance, he intends to retain the provisions in regulation 7B of the Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Regulations concerning restrictions on availability for work resulting from the person's physical or mental condition.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Jobseeker's allowance claimants will normally be expected to be available for a minimum of 40 hours a week. Regulations will reflect our policy that claimants with a mental or physical condition will be able to restrict their availability in accordance with their disability.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Exhibitions
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Refugee Council to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 19 June to Friday 23 June 1995.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to Child 2000 to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 12 June to Friday 16 June 1995.

TRANSPORT

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period

  729
  from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  Mr. Norris
  For expenditure by my Department and its agencies on above-the-line advertising, I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the replies I gave on 14 February,Official Report, columns 524–25. Information on other forms of publicity could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Level Crossings
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the location of each automatic open level crossing(a) remotely and (b) locally monitored, which currently fails to meet the criteria specified in the report produced by Professor Stott, with the dates by which the replacement of the level crossing is expected to be completed.

  Mr. Watts
  Of the 250 automatic open crossings on the British Rail system at the time of the Stott report, 74 were identified as likely to fail to meet the criteria established by Professor Stott.

  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has advised me that all remotely monitored automatic open level crossings now meet the Stott report criteria.

  The following four locally monitored automatic open level crossings currently remain to be converted to meet the Stott report criteria.

  Grove road level crossing. Beccles, due for conversion late spring 1996;

  Marton (Gypsy) lane level crossing, Middlesbrough, due for conversion late autumn 1995;

  Runswarp level crossing, Whitby, due for conversion late autumn 1995;

  Hunmanby depot (Sands lane) level crossing, Filey, conversion date under consideration by Railtrack.

  Her Majesty's railway inspectorate has been in discussion with Railtrack to ensure that any delays are minimised.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department spent the following amounts on water and sewerage during the financial years indicated:

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  92,800

  1992–93

  124,000

  1993–94

  141,300

  1994–95

  106,200

  These figures exclude the expenditure of the Department's agencies and properties where water and sewerage charges are included in the rent.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the proposals 730
  set out by the Director General of Water Services at the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities, Sub-committee C on the environment, public health and education, on 1 March, on the placing of a legal duty on water companies to promote the efficient use of sewerage services.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend is meeting the Director General of Water Services to discuss the issues.

  Berkshire
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Education about the implications for the education service of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

  (2) if he will consult the Secretary of State for National Heritage about the implications for the public: library service of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

  (3) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Transport about the implications for transport planning of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

  (4) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Health about the implications for social services, with particular reference to the development of community care and the protection of mental health, of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Decisions made by Government, including decisions on the recommendations of the Local Government Commission, are taken collectively.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the recommendations of the Local Government Commission in respect of Berkshire; and how many of these opposed the proposals.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We have received some 5,400 letters. Many of these have not been couched in terms of support for, or opposition to, the commission's recommended local government structure for the county as a whole, but approximately three quarters have expressed opposition to change. We have also received a petition of some 10,000 signatures in support of an alternative unitary structure and one of some 4,300 signatures in favour of a unitary Reading on extended boundaries. One hundred and thirty-five pro-forma leaflets have been received, 39 of which have expressed opposition to change.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Local Government Commission included the status quo as an option for public consultation in its review of local government structure in Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  No. The commission's consultation report and leaflets did, however, explain that it must recommend to the Government whether to change the existing structure of local government in the county or whether to make no change.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reach a decision on the recommendation of the Local Government Commission in respect of Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  As my right hon. Friend told the House on 2 March,Official Report, columns 1183–1202,

  731
  he expects to be able to make a statement in the very near future on Berkshire and those other counties on which decisions about local government structure have yet to be announced.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate the Local Government Commission has made of the additional administrative staff required by the proposals in respect of Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The commission's financial estimates of costs and savings associated with its proposals for local government reorganisation in Berkshire, which were made publicly available in December 1994, incorporated the assumption that 129 additional staff would be required compared with the status quo. The staffing levels of local authorities are, however, ultimately a matter for the authorities themselves.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if joint arrangements between authorities would be needed for the implementation of the Local Government Commission's recommendation in respect of Berkshire.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  It would be for the Berkshire local authorities to consider the most suitable means of service delivery, including whether voluntary joint arrangements were desirable for particular functions. For the fire service, the Local Government Commission has recommended a statutory joint authority.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what agreement he has arrived at with the member of the European Commission responsible for the regional development fund concerning the retrospective element of the single programme document in the United Kingdom objective 2 areas with effect from 1 January 1994.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The regulations governing the use of the EC structural funds provide for expenditure incurred after 1 January 1994 to be eligible for European regional development fund grant. Projects which involve retrospective expenditure will be considered at the first bidding round in each programme area. No other agreement has a been reached regarding retrospection in the objective 2 programmes for which my Department is responsible.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what negotiations he has carried out on the setting up of a programme for the European regional development fund for the eligible parts of the United Kingdom for objective 2 funding for the period commencing 1 January 1997.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the shire county areas, in respect of which the Local Government Commission has recommended the total abolition of the county council in favour of unitary authorities; and what percentage they represent of all shire county areas.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Local Government Commission recommended an all-unitary structure of local government in 10 county areas—that is, 26 per cent.732
  of the 39 shire county areas in England. Specifically, it recommended that the county councils in Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cleveland, Dorset, Humberside, North Yorkshire and Somerset should be abolished and that the Isle of Wight should have one unitary authority.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for increasing the amount of the housing association budget which can be spent for the Wirral.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The allocations from the Housing Corporation's approved development programme to local authorities in 1995–96 were announced on 15 December 1994,Official Report, columns 734–35, and details were placed in the Library of the House. There are no plans for increasing these amounts.

  Health Risks
  Mr. Nick Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the health risk level accepted by his Department for ground level concentrations of(a) vanadium and (b) nickel in nanograms per cubic meters.

  Mr. Atkins
  [Pursuant to his reply 2 March 1995, c. 695]I regret that some of the factual information given was incorrect. The answer should have been as follows:

  My Department has no air quality standards for these substances but the World Health Organisation guideline for vanadium is 1 microgram per cubic meter—averaging time 24 hours. There is no WHO guideline for nickel, but the WHO estimate a lifetime cancer risk of 4 x 10-4 at a nickel dust concentration of 1 microgram per cubic meter.

EDUCATION

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for her Department and for all agencies and public bodies for which her Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if she will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more that £50,000.

  Mr. Forth
  The expenditure figures for publicity and publications for the Department for each year since 1979–80 are given in the table. The figures for publicity cannot be disaggregated from publications.

  £ million

  Year

  Cash terms

  At 1993–94 prices

  1979–80

  0.10

  0.25

  1980–81

  0.07

  0.15

  1981–82

  0.14

  0.26

  1982–83

  0.04

  0.07

  1983–84

  0.09

  0.15

  733

  £ million

  Year

  Cash terms

  1993–94 Prices

  1984–85

  0.17

  0.27

  1985–86

  0.20

  0.30

  1986–87

  1.07

  1.58

  1987–88

  1.74

  2.44

  1988–89

  1.67

  2.20

  1989–90

  1.40

  1.72

  1990–91

  4.52

  5.15

  1991–92

  8.88

  9.52

  1992–93

  6.89

  7.10

  1993–94

  9.99

  9.99

  1994–95

  18.52

  —

  1995–96

  25.53

  —

  1 Estimated.

  2 Budgeted.

  The Department's agencies and public bodies are responsible for their own expenditure on publicity. Such information is not held centrally.

  The Department has not been involved in any privatisation-related expenditure during this period.

  From 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 the Department ran the following campaigns and issued the following publications costing more than £150,000.

  Bullying Resource Pack (1994)

  A pack produced for schools containing a video and information on how to counter bullying. Supported by television filler.

  DFE Summer roadshow (1993 and 1994)

  Information roadshow for parents and teenagers. Toured the country alongside the Radio 1 summer roadshow, to increase awareness of recent reforms and educational opportunities.

  Drug Prevention Initiative (1994–95)

  Launch and follow up regional conferences for teachers on the DFE drug prevention initiative, as part of a consultation process before publication of a circular for schools.

  European Choice (1994)

  A booklet on opportunities open to higher education students to study in Europe.

  Further and Higher Education Charters (1993)

  Distribution of information for students, parents and employers on standards to be expected in further and higher education. Supported by national press and radio advertising.

  Grant-Maintained Schools Information (1993–1995)

  On-going campaign to distribute a wide range of information leaflets for parents, teachers and governors, to enable schools to make an informed choice on the suitability for them of grant-maintained status. Supported by a press advertising campaign in 1994. Involved organisation of a series of regional conferences throughout the period 1993 to 1995.

  It's Your Choice (1993 and 1994)

  An information brochure about choices at 16-plus, to help students make an informed choice. Jointly funded with Employment Department Group and the Careers and Occupational Information Centre.

  National School Tests (1993, 1994 and 1995)

  Distribution of an information leaflet for parents explaining arrangements for tests and assessments in the national curriculum supported by press advertising in 1993 and 1994.
  734
  Private Finance Initiative (1994)

  An information booklet setting out opportunities for investment of private finance in education. Distributed to business and education outlets, supported by national press advertising.

  School Governors' Guides to the Law (1994)

  An annual series of guides to the law for school governors, to help them to understand their legal rights and responsibilities.

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (1993 and 1994)

  Distribution to schools of an annual publication on school teachers' pay and conditions, to inform teachers of their pay arrangements for the forthcoming year.

  School Teachers Review Body Report (1994 and 1995)

  Purchasing copies of the annual report of the School Teachers Review body, published by HMSO, and distributing to schools, to advise teachers of the recommendations of the review.

  Schools Update (1993–1995)

  On-going production of a termly publication for school teachers and governors, to keep them up to date with new developments, and the availability of on-request information.

  Secondary School and College Performance Tables (1993 and 1994)

  Publication of information to enable parents and pupils to compare the performance of local secondary schools and colleges, in order to make informed choices of post-11 and post-16 destinations.

  Special Educational Needs Information (1994)

  Distribution through schools of a package of information for parents and teachers on special educational needs and the SEN tribunal, to keep them up to date with the consequences of new legislation.

  Student Grants and Loans Booklet (1994 and 1995)

  An annual guide for prospective higher education students to the system of student financial support, distributed to local education authorities.

  Updated Parents Charter (1994)

  Distribution to all households in England of an updated version of the 1991 parents charter, incorporating recent legislative changes to the education system.

  Newbury College
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has made to the Secretary of State for Transport regarding the proposal of the Newbury Transport Forum to build a new route for the A34 through the site currently earmarked for a new campus for Newbury college.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has made no such representations.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations she has had with the chairman of the Student Loans Company concerning the provision of student loans to students classified as bankrupt; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  There have been no consultations between Ministers and the chairman of the Student Loans Company on this matter. However, there has been correspondence between company executives and officials. The Education (Student Loans) Act 1990 does
  735
  not specifically prevent students classified as bankrupt from being eligible for a loan.

  Parents Charter
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the final cost of the household distribution of the updated parents charter.

  Mr. Forth
  The Royal Mail was the sole distributor of the 1994 parents charter. To disclose the payment made to the Royal Mail would compromise the Department's confidential tendering procedures.

DEFENCE

  Menwith Hill Station
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what powers he is seeking in the courts an injunction preventing Ms Lindis Percy, of Bradford, from entering Menwith Hill station; what proportion of the legal costs are being borne by the National Security Agency of America; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  My Department is seeking an injunction against Ms Percy under the common law of trespass. The legal costs are borne by my Department.

  Private Sector Contracting
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of cost savings were projected by his Department to arise from the implementation of its policy of transferring risk to the private sector in prime contracting; what savings have been made to date; and what savings are projected over the next five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Ministry of Defence has introduced a wide range of initiatives to improve value-for-money in defence procurement. These act concurrently on project costs and isolating the effect of a single factor, past or future, is a very complex process. It is, therefore, not possible to quantify the cost savings attributable to the policy in recent years of transferring or sharing risk, whereby taut and incentivised contracts are used to place responsibility with the contractor for activities which they are usually best fitted to discharge. We know that the costs of failing to do this adequately in the past could run into many millions of pounds on a single large project.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leigh (Mr. Chisholm) of 14 December,Official Report, column 909, if the planned reduction in the United Kingdom's deployed nuclear explosive power involves an increase or a decrease in the number of deployed nuclear warheads.

  Mr. Soames
  It is not our current practice to release details of nuclear weapons numbers.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the implications of the comprehensive test ban treaty for the future development of a new nuclear warhead by the United Kingdom;
  736
  (2) what are the implications of the comprehensive test ban treaty for the adaptation of existing warheads for any future new nuclear weapon by the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  A comprehensive test ban treaty, effectively verified and commanding universal adherence, would have significant non-proliferation benefits. It would also place severe constraints on the five nuclear weapons states. We plan to develop further a range of techniques to enable us to maintain our nuclear capability in the absence of testing.

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than 50,000.

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

TREASURY

  Derivatives
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the Governor of the Bank of England's assurances of July 1994 on the monitoring of derivative trading were in the public interest.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 March 1995]: My right hon. and learned Friend has made no such assessment, but I am aware that the Bank of England has consistently made clear the risks involved in derivatives. The Governor's assurances of July 1994 related to the understanding of the most active players in the market and were balanced by a statement of the need to deter intermediaries who do not understand the risks involved. I recognise, as does the Governor, the need to ensure effective regulation of derivatives trading.

HEALTH

  GPs' Night Visits
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received in favour of her Department's offer to general practitioners of a new out-of-hours payment scheme; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  We have met with representatives of family doctors on many occasions to discuss our offer to change the night visit payments scheme. The profession's representatives are in favour of change, and we are continuing to discuss what form a new scheme should take.

  Dialysis
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from the National Kidney Federation about the revised arrangements for the provision of home-based continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Kidney Federation has written to indicate its acceptance in principle of changes which will mean that continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis will he funded entirely through contracts let by health authorities after 1 April 1995. The federation has asked that these changes are monitored to ensure that the quality of services is maintained.

  Breast Milk Substitutes
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of whether the principles set out in the World Health Organisation's international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes should apply to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  The United Kingdom supported the adoption of this World Health Organisation code, by the World Health Assembly in 1981, as the recommended basis for action in member states. The Government have consistently supported breastfeeding as the best means of feeding a baby, and this is reflected in our policies and initiatives to promote and protect breastfeeding. We have also taken steps to restrict the advertising and promotion of baby milks in the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995 which came into force on 1 March 1995. The regulations implement the relevant European Community legislation which is firmly based on the principles and aims of the WHO international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes. The new regulations give a statutory basis to the restrictions on advertising in place since 1983 under the voluntary agreement with the baby milk manufacturers.

  Listeria
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many strains of listeria monocytogenes are known to her Department; and what assessment has been made of whether each strain of listeria monocytogenes has the same potential effects on health.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are 13 main types—serovars—of listeria monocytogenes, each containing a number of strains. All strains contain virulence genes. This means that they all have the potential to cause human illness, although not all are reported to have done so.

  NHS Cars
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) of 19 December 1994,Official Report, column 990, what estimate she has made of the percentage of (a) midwives, (b) community nurses, (c) health visitors, (d) doctors, (e) other health professionals in the community, (f) managers, (g) board members and (h) Other non-clinical staff who have access to an NHS car.

  Mr. Malone
  All employees and board members who have a need related to their post may have access to a national health service car.

  Unlicensed Medicines
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the drugs with their respective uses currently administered in the national health service for which(a) a product licence has not been granted and (b) animal/toxicology and clinical trials have not been undertaken.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. Under the Medicines Act 1968 and the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc.) Regulations 1994, doctors acting on their own responsibility may prescribe any medicinal product, whether licensed or not and irrespective of its indications for use, which they consider to he clinically appropriate for their patients' needs.

  St. Mary's Hospital
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the up-to-date position regarding the negotiations between the regional health authority and the architects for St. Mary's hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  The South and West regional health authority and the architectural firm Ahrends Burton and Koralek have announced that arbitration proceedings between them have been settled by mutual consent.

  NHS Consultants
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole-time equivalent consultants there have been in the NHS in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table.

  Consultants—England (whole-time equivalents) 1989–1993 as at 30 September

  Year

  Consultants

  1989

  13,670

  1990

  14,190

  1991

  14,500

  1992

  14,850

  1993

  15,210

  Note:

  All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole–time equivalent consultants were appointed in each of the last five years as part of the new deal for junior doctors.

  Mr. Malone
  Our regional task forces report that appointments have been made as follows:

  Posts

  1991–92

  Nil

  1992–93

  213

  1993–94

  191

  1994–95—to 30 September 1994

  130

  Total

  534

  Non-consultant Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of whole-time equivalent staff grade and associate specialists in each of the last five years.
  739
  Mr. Malone
  The information is shown in the table. Staff grade numbers are increasing as more posts are allocated up to a ceiling of 10 per cent. of consultant numbers which has now been reached. Associate specialist appointments are personal regradings, for which strict criteria are applied by regional offices.

  Staff grade and associate specialists—England (whole-time equivalents) 1989– 1993 as at 30 September

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Staff grade

  30

  250

  470

  710

  1,050

  Associate specialists

  670

  740

  760

  770

  840

  Note:

  All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  Hepatitis C
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is doing on hepatitis C.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health is funding through its centrally commissioned research programme a project which is looking at behaviours associated with exposure to hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV infections.

  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the Office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and which is, I understand, funding a number of projects researching into hepatitis C.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department first became aware of the risk of transmission of hepatitis C through blood transfusion products; when blood transfusion products were first screened for hepatitis; and when the blood test for hepatitis C was first available.

  Mr. Sackville
  It has been known since the 1970s that, despite the introduction of testing for hepatitis B, some recipients of blood and blood products continued to develop hepatitis which was neither hepatitis A nor hepatitis B—NANB. In 1988 a virus called hepatitis C was reported in scientific literature, which was thought to be the main cause of NANB transfusion-associated hepatitis. The first anti-hepatitis C tests were reported in scientific literature in March 1989, but did not become available until later in the year. Expert advice was that these tests should not be introduced because of proven deficiencies. These first tests had a large number of false positive and false negative results and no satisfactory confirmatory tests were available. In due course, the test was improved considerably and also confirmatory tests became available. Routine testing of all blood donations for antibodies for the hepatitis C virus was introduced in September 1991, when the expert advice was that sufficiently reliable tests were available.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on any plans she has to compensate patients developing hepatitis C from transfusion of NHS blood products.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government have no plans to make payments to patients who have been infected with hepatitis C as a result of national health service treatment.

  Junior Hospital Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who holds the job contracts of junior hospital doctors; and if she will make a statement on changes she is planning.

  Mr. Malone
  The job contracts of registrars and senior registrars are currently held by regional health authorities; those of senior house officers and pre-registration house officers are normally held by their employers, either trusts or health authorities. For information about our plans for the future, I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 9 February,Official Report, columns 369–70.

  Capital Projects, Barnet
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital projects have been completed in the London borough of Barnet with a works cost of over £1 million since 1979; and if she will give a brief description of each project.

  Mr. Sackville
  The figures in the table record national health service capital projects that have been completed within the boundary of the London borough of Barnet with a works cost of over £1 million since 1979, and a brief description.

  NHS capital project

  Works cost £

  Description

  Year

  Barnet General Hospital

  1,482,590

  Kitchen and dining

  1983–84

  Central Public Health Laboratory Service, Colindale

  14,620,183

  Public health laboratory

  1984–85

  St. Stephen's Aids Centre

  2,097,000

  HIV day unit Centre

  1988–89

  Edgware General Hospital

  1,362,200

  Pathology department

  1988–89

  Colindale Psychogeriatric Hospital

  2,723,370

  Psychogeriatric facilities

  1989–90

  Acamprosate
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much acamprosate was used in the NHS in 1994; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what guidelines are in place to regulate the use of acamprosate in the NHS, and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on the use of acamprosate in the national health service in 1994 is not available centrally. Acamprosate is not licensed for use in the United Kingdom, although an application for such a licence is currently with the Medicines Control Agency. Before a licence is granted, the Medicines Control Agency will need to be satisfied as to the product's quality, safety and efficacy.

  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has taken to secure the prevention of the spread of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in the NHS.
  741
  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health in EL(94)74, entitled "Improving the effectiveness of the NHSE", issued to the NHS on 28 September 1994 commended the revised guidelines for the control of epidemic methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus published jointly by the Hospital Infection Society and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in 1990. New general guidance on hospital infection control issued to the NHS on 8 March includes new advice on the surveillance of MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bacteria. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus have been reported in the NHS for each year since 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to research potential links between the Gulf war and the outcome of pregnancies in service families.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had from Manchester city council about her proposal to reduce the city's AIDS support programme; what reply she is sending; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  We received one letter on 17 February which was answered on 8 March.

  London Initiative Zone
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what criteria the areas helped by the establishment of the London initiative zone were selected; and what plans she has to extend the life and scope of the zone.

  Mr. Malone
  The London initiative zone covers those areas where need is deemed to be greatest, services weakest and where both hospital services and primary care present further challenges. The LIZ is expected to continue until 1997–98. There are no plans to extend the scope and the life of the zone.

  Accident and Emergency Services
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is held centrally on London ambulance service response times; what are the catchment areas served by local hospitals; what are the numbers of patients attending accident and emergency departments; and what is the number of patients attending minor accident treatment service units.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is collected centrally for ambulance services, including the London ambulance service, on response times. Information on catchment areas and patient flows is available from district health authorities.

  NHS Trusts (Litigation)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans she has in respect of court awards of large sums of money following litigation against health trusts.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 16 March,Official Report, column 706.

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for her Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which her Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if she will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information could he provided only at disproportionate cost.

  War Widows' Pensions
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost of his Department's war widows' pensions currently being paid to post-1973 war widows.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Actual expenditure for 1994–95 post-1973 war widows' pensions is not available from the expenditure information currently collected, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The total estimated net cost of all war widows' pensions in 1994–95 is £361 million.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 2 February concerning a constituent.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I sent a reply to the hon. Member today, having obtained a copy of the letter the day before. The original had not been received in the Department.

  Maxwell Pensioners
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy concerning the position of Maxwell pensioners.

  Mr. Lilley
  In June 1992, I announced a number of exceptional measures to help the Maxwell pensioners. This followed the discovery of a shortfall in scheme assets of some £440 million, affecting the pension rights of some 32,000 pension scheme numbers. About 4,000 current pensioners faced large and immediate cuts in their payments and about 12,000 future pensioners had no prospect of their pensions coming into payment. These
  743
  measures have ensured that all pensions have stayed in payment while uniquely complicated asset recovery work has been undertaken by the pension scheme trustees and the liquidators of the Maxwell pension investment company.

  The measures the Government took were: the provision of £2.5 million in emergency funding to keep pensions in payment in the short term; setting up the Department's Maxwell pensions unit and the Maxwell Pensioners Trust, chaired by Sir John Cuckney, which raised some £6 million; and deferring the collection of some £115 million in state scheme premiums payable on the pensioners' return to the state earnings-related pension scheme, which amounts to a substantial interest-free loan. Sir John Cuckney also acted as my adviser on the Maxwell pensions affair.

  The Government and the Maxwell Pensioners Trust have encouraged the parties to Maxwell pensions claims to consider the possibility of out-of-court settlements and mediation so that the cost and delays of litigation can be kept to a minimum. On 10 February, I warmly welcomed the announcement by the scheme trustees and the liquidators that they had agreed in principle a basis of a major settlement of various claims. This agreement was subject to terms and conditions also being agreed and obtaining the necessary court approval. Other claims are unaffected and are being pursued separately.

  I hope that the parties concerned will be able to finalise a settlement. I shall continue to follow developments closely as, I am sure, will others, including the Social Security Committee, who have done excellent work on behalf of the pensioners. Sir John Cuckney and the Maxwell pensions unit have played an important role in

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Short-term incapacity benefit (lower rate)

  40,000

  40,000

  40,000

  Short-term incapacity benefit (higher rate)

  30,000

  30,000

  30,000

  Long-term incapacity benefit

  170,000

  200,000

  225,000

  Totals

  235,000

  265,000

  290,000

  Notes:

  1. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  2. As some estimates are based on small sample sizes, the data should be treated with caution.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals concerning invalidity benefit were(a) received and (b) decided in each of the quarters ending June 1993, September 1993 and December 1993; and what percentage of these were found in the claimants's favour.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  Invalidity Benefit Appeals

  Quarters ending

  Received

  Heard and decided

  Percentage in appellant's favour

  June 1993

  5,689

  1,800

  51.7

  September 1993

  7,021

  2,961

  54.9

  December 1993

  7,150

  3,225

  57.8

  Figures from "Quarterly Social Security Appeal Tribunal Statistics" produced by the Government Statistical Service.
  744
  helping the parties to reach the basis for a major settlement. However, the task of bringing a settlement to a conclusion is in the hands of the parties concerned. So it is appropriate for the unit to cease acting as an independent entity and for me to release Sir John from his role as my adviser at the end of March.

  The Government have played an active part in helping a resolution of the problems faced by the Maxwell pensioners. We have ensured that pensions continued to be paid by all Maxwell schemes while the scheme trustees and the liquidators undertook asset recovery work. We hope that the settlement recently agreed in principle can be concluded so that the pensioners can enjoy a secure future without the delays and costs of litigation.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 7 March,Official Report, column 168, how many of the people moving off incapacity benefit to sign on in 1995–96, and 1996–97, he estimates (a) will also receive an occupational or private pension and (b) will be aged 45 years or over.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in each of the years 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–89 he estimates will qualify for income support to top up a payment of(a) the lower rate of short-term incapacity benefit (b) the higher rate of short-term incapacity benefit and (c) the long-term rate of incapacity benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. The figures in the table are based on the estimated number of incapacity benefit recipients also in receipt of income support at the end of March each year.

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of severe disablement allowance also receive an allowance for an adult dependant who is aged under 60 years who is not looking after children.

  Mr. Hague
  As at 3 April 1993 there were 3,0001 recipients of severe disablement allowance, less than 1 per cent. of the total case load, who had an increase for an adult dependant but no increase for a dependent child in payment. Information is not available on the number of adult dependants who are aged under 60.
  1Based on a 1 per cent. sample of claims in Great Britain rounded to the nearest 1,000.

  Incapacity for Work Appeals
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the numbers and proportion of people who lodged an appeal during each of the quarters ending December 1994, September 1994 and June 1994 against
  745
  a decision that they were capable of work, who were for the period pending their appeal (a) signing on as available for work, (b) claiming income support without signing on under regulation 8 of the Income Support (General) Regulations and (c) without any state benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 20 February,Official Report, column 77, if he will state for each company the month and year in which they began employing staff from his Department.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The available information is given.

  Date of leaving

  Company joined

  Information Technology Services Agency

  27 November 1992

  AA Consulting

  20 May 1994

  Price Waterhouse

  28 October 1994

  Siemans Nixdorf

  6 January 1995

  Syntegra

  The officers who joined Fairhaven Computer Services and ICL both applied to leave the Department to join the outside companies during the first quarter of 1990.

  The officer who joined BT Datacommunications applied to leave the Department during the third quarter of 1991.

  Benefits Agency Mail
  Mrs. Liddell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about acts of intrusion into the privacy of clients of the Benefits Agency with particular reference to the arrangements made with Royal Mail for the opening of mail to the agency.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mrs. Helen Liddell, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning confidentiality aspects surrounding the opening of Departmental post.
  The Government's Competing for Quality initiative subjects public functions to competition from the private sector. As part of this initiative the Benefits Agency has market tested its accommodation and office services, which includes post opening operations.
  The work was placed in geographical packages before being market tested and the outcome has been a mixture of wins by in-house and external suppliers. The Royal Mail are now opening and sorting post for the Benefits Agency under a sub-contract to the in-house team in the Tyne/Tees, North and West Yorkshire, Scotland, East Midlands, Wales, Greater Manchester and South East areas. This is not a national contract. The sub-contract with the Royal Mail was not obligatory for successful in-house teams, but the in-house teams in these areas have the opportunity to provide significant service enhancements along with savings for the tax payer.
  The contract specifications drawn up with the Royal Mail contain all the necessary safeguards to ensure confidentiality of information is maintained to the high standards required by the Civil Service. All staff directly involved in post opening are bound by the same stringent security and confidentiality rules, including each member
  746
  of staff being required to sign a declaration acknowledging the provisions of section 123 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, which makes it a criminal offence to disclose personal information provided for Social Security purposes. The Royal Mail is a Government body and consequently the staff are already governed by the Official Secrets Act.
  The mail is opened under supervision in a separate, secure area which is locked at all times, and only staff directly involved in the contract will be allowed access to this room. Whilst the post is being opened and sorted no one is allowed to enter or leave the room. Any mail marked "Private", "Personal" or "Confidential" is left unopened. The sorted mail is then placed in sealed bags and delivered to the District Office sections each morning.
  The Benefits Agency has ensured that in seeking to provide better value for money in the delivery of public services, standards of quality and confidentiality will not be sacrificed. In particular the Agency has:

  specified carefully in the contracts the standards which must be observed;

  ensured that staff are properly trained in post opening operations;

  set up detailed and continuous procedures to monitor the standard of service being provided.

  There are many opportunities for enhanced customer service, in terms of the Agency's business as a whole, to be gained from the new arrangements and I am confident that we are able to maintain our high standards of customer confidentiality.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Child Support Agency has produced to move its headquarters to the Dudley Child Support Agency centre; when the Child Support Agency intends to implement that proposal; and whether the chief executive of the Child Support Agency intends to base her own office and her support staff at the Dudley Child Support Agency centre.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is the responsibility of the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. James Pawsey, dated 17 March 1995:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the relocation of the Child Support Agency's headquarters to Dudley.A small project team was established in January to develop detailed proposals and plans for the relocation of the Agency's headquarters, and other centralised work, away from London. Implementation of these plans is now under way and proceeding to timetable. It is intended to relocate the Agency's headquarters to Dudley through a phased programme of moves by April 1996.It is my intention to house both my own office and my support team at Dudley.I hope that this is helpful.

  Leaflet BAL4
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he introduced leaflet BAL4; what is its purpose and what was the reason for its introduction at that time; and if he will list the areas in the United Kingdom where the leaflet is being used.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, its chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 16 March 1995:

  747
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the introduction, purpose and availability of leaflet BAL4.
  In 1993, as Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, I met with the National Association of the Citizens Advice Bureau. At that meeting, concern was expressed that the Agency was asking people, as part of the process for allocating National Insurance numbers to new customers, to produce documents they would not normally have in their possession, in order to establish their identity.
  I arranged for action to be taken and, following further investigation and consultation with other welfare groups, the leaflet BAL4 was published in September 1994. Customers are now more aware, as a consequence, of the type of documents that will be required to provide evidence of identity when claiming benefit. This has allowed the Agency to give a better service to its customers as the allocation of National Insurance numbers is quicker. Consequently, the administration and payment of benefit via the computer system, which of itself offers an enhanced service, can be implemented more speedily.
  The leaflet was made available to 20000 external organisations as well as Agency offices throughout the United Kingdom.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Percentage

  1 Week (1-5 days)

  4 Weeks (6-20 days)

  6 Weeks (21-30 days)

  8 Weeks (31-40 days)

  Over 8 weeks (41+days)

  New Claims

  38.45

  46.67

  10.40

  0.79

  3.69

  Renewal Claims

  39.68

  46.35

  8.74

  2.96

  2.27

  You may also be interested to know that Family Credit operates a Fast Track system for processing claims from the newly employed through the Employment Service. Information required for the assessment is provided by the customer's Client Advisor which enables the unit to assess the claim more quickly. Figures for the month ending 28 February showed that 90.06% of customers using the Fast Track system had their claim decided in 5 working days.

  I hope you find this reply useful.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministers' Conduct
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will identify which forms of personal conduct are unacceptable for a Minister; and if he will amend "Questions of Procedures for Ministers" accordingly;

  (2) if any Minister who has, or who has had, an extra-marital affair will be expected to resign.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  Paragraph 1 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" makes it clear that Ministers are expected to conduct themselves in such a way as to protect the integrity of public life. My right hon. Friend has no plans to amend it.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms Of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is

  Family Credit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of(a) new family credit claims and (b) renewal family credit claims are presently being processed with in (i) one week, (ii) four weeks, (iii) six weeks, (iv) eight weeks and (v) longer than eight weeks.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Richard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 16 March 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the clearance times of new and renewal claims to Family Credit. You requested details of the proportion cleared within one week, four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks and longer than eight weeks.The table below details the information you have requested. Such figures are produced on a monthly basis and I have therefore provided information for the month ending 28 February 1995 which is the latest full month available. For the purposes of answering this question, one week has been calculated as 5 working days.
  responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the salary paid to Mr. Peter Luff while employed as a specialist adviser to Ministers by the Department of Trade and Industry during the period 13 June 1987 to 24 July 1989 was supplemented by income from employment outside the Department.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Special advisers are bound by the same rules as civil servants regarding outside employment and their other financial interests. In general, these require that there should be no conflict between those interests and their official duties. Apart from this, their income is a matter for them.

  Eurosolar UK
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contact his Department has had with Eurosolar UK; and what assessment he has made of Eurosolar UK's stated aims and activities.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been exchanges of correspondence with Eurosolar UK and meetings between officials and representatives of Eurosolar UK. The Department was represented at the launch of Eurosolar
  749
  UK on 28 February. Eurosolar UK has been invited to express its views in the consultation process on the non-fossil fuel obligation and future renewable energy orders.

  The Government welcome the launch of Eurosolar UK since its key aim is to promote the use of sustainable forms of energy which is in line with the Government's own policy in this area.

  Funerals
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Office of Fair Trading will publish its report on prepaid funerals and the funeral industry.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I understand from the Director General of Fair Trading that he expects to publish his report on prepaid funerals during April.

  Temporary Contracts
  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for this year and each of the past five 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. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: The information in precisely the form requested by the hon. Member is not readily available. The number of staff currently employed, or who have been employed during the last five years, on temporary contracts and then re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date is 70 for my Department and 279 for the agencies.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: The information is not available in the form requested. The Department's "Expenditure Plans Report 1995"—Cm 2804—gives details in man years of casual staff planned in my Department and its agencies. Copies are available from the Library of the House.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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 of (b) less than 51 weeks' duration for this year and each of the past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total work force these employees constitute.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
  750

  51 weeks

  Less than 51 weeks

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Department

  1989–90

  14

  0.2

  131

  2.0

  1990–91

  19

  0.3

  120

  2.0

  1991–92

  7

  0.1

  75

  1.2

  1992–93

  6

  0.1

  103

  1.5

  1993–94

  10

  0.2

  83

  1.3

  1994–95

  n/a

  n/a

  140

  2.3

  Agencies

  1989–90

  13

  0.2

  272

  4.1

  1990–91

  15

  0.2

  347

  5.1

  1991–92

  19

  0.3

  322

  4.7

  1992–93

  16

  0.2

  278

  4.2

  1993–94

  29

  0.3

  334

  5.3

  1994–95

  n/a

  n/a

  566

  9.4

  n/a Not available.

  Exact figures for the current financial year are not available because some staff taken on during the course of the year will not have served a possible full 51-week term.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: Several types of temporary appointment are perrnissable under the civil service Order in Council. The two types mainly in use in the DTI are the fixed-term appointment and the casual appointment. The full terms of employment offered are in accordance with the guidance issued by the Civil Service Commissioners and are set out in a letter of appointment and associated schedule, and the "Staff Handbook"–"The Guide". The letters of appointment and associated schedules for both types of appointment, together with a copy of "The Guide", have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in(a) his Department and (b) all executive agencies supervised by his Department.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: The DTI and its agencies are required to follow recruitment principles set out in the civil service management code and the civil service Order in Council. The DTI guidance on the recruitment of non-permanent employees is based on these principles, and supplementary guidance which is issued from time to time by the Civil Service Commissioners.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]: The information in precisely the form requested by the hon. Member is not readily available. Those staff employed on temporary contracts in both the Department and its agencies are mainly used in the junior administrative grades.
  751

  Motor Manufacturing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the net loss of employment in the motor manufacturing industry as a result of the establishment of Japanese car plants in the United Kingdom; and what was the cost to public funds in grants and subsidies and in supporting those made unemployed.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom has successfully attracted £3.5 billion of investment from Japanese car manufacturers which have established plants here since 1986. This has directly created 9,500 jobs and is generating £1.5 billion a year in additional component procurement in the UK and continental Europe. It has also made a major contribution to improving quality, productivity and competitiveness across the industry. The Government assistance provided was limited to £125 million to Nissan to establish and expand its Sunderland plant.

  The United Kingdom is now the most rapidly expanding car manufacturing base in Europe with significant new investments announced in the last year by the major vehicle manufacturers. The recent announcement by Toyota of the expansion of its Burnaston plant is an important example of this. There has been a net loss of 27,000 jobs in the motor vehicles and parts sector since 1986 which reflects underlying improvements in competitiveness and the introduction of lean manufacturing techniques. It is not possible to determine the impact of these changes on the numbers unemployed and the associated costs to public funds.

  Coal Subsidies
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of subsidy has been paid to the coal industry since the White Paper "Prospects for Coal" was published; and to which mine each subsidy applied.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 16 March 1995]: Since the publication of the White Paper "Prospects for Coal", subsidy paid to the coal industry under the Industrial Development Act 1982 amounts to about £9 million. Payments are in respect of Ellington, Monktonhall, Blenkinsopp, Lyn Clipstone, Rossington, Hem Heath and Markham Main. A further £1,650 million of financial assistance for the coal industry has been paid under the Coal Industry Acts.

  Cable Television Franchises
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each cable television area(a) the company awarded the franchise, (b) the date cabling commenced or the current expected date of commencement, (c) the number of homes in the franchise area and (d) the number of homes cabled to date.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I am writing to the hon. Member and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Murvi Motorcaravans Ltd.
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that the application from Murvi Motorcaravans Ltd., which he received on 14 March, for regional selective assistance receives immediate attention.

  Mr. Page
  The application for regional selective assistance from Murvi Motorcaravans Ltd. is currently 752
  being appraised within the Government office for the south-west as quickly as resources permit.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make available as an alternative travel document to the British visitor's passport a United Kingdom identity card officially recognised throughout the European Union;

  (2) when he will publish a Green Paper containing proposals for the introduction of a United Kingdom identity card.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We intend publishing, later in the spring, a Green Paper on identity cards. This will set out and canvass views on the possible options for a national identity card scheme, including the use of a United Kingdom identity card as a travel document within the European Union.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the dates in each of the last three years when an inmate in Wandsworth prison has(a) committed suicide and (b) sought to commit suicide and has needed hospital care.

  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. Tox Cox, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking the dates in each of the last three years when an inmate in Wandsworth has committed suicide or attempted to commit suicide.
  There were no suicides in 1992, although five attempts were made.
  Two prisoners killed themselves in 1993, one on 5 December and one on 8 December. In this year there were nineteen unsuccessful attempts at suicide.
  In 1994 there were two deaths recorded as being death by misadventure, on 17 July and 2 November, and two suicides on 26 July and 20 November. There were 43 suicides attempts in this year.
  Information on the dates of the suicide attempts is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Prison Security Reclassifications
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many security reclassifications have occurred for each category of prisoner in each of the past five years.

  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 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of security re-classifications of prisoners which have occurred for each category in each of the past five years.
  Re-categorisations from Category B to C and from C to D are the responsibility of Governors of prisons and no central records are

  753
  kept. I regret, therefore, that the information requested about this group of prisoners is not available.
  The relevant information about prisoners re-categorised from A to B is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1990

  78

  1991

  85

  1992

  56

  1993

  51

  1994

  25

  Prisons (Young Offenders)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of

  Receptions of 15-year-old remanded persons1 into Prison Service establishments, England and Wales by offence 1990 to 19942

  Violence against the person

  Sex offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling

  Other offences including drugs

  Offence not recorded

  Total

  Males

  19903

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  380

  19913

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  412

  1992

  46

  8

  136

  39

  77

  46

  25

  377

  1993

  51

  6

  137

  63

  131

  52

  13

  453

  1994

  63

  10

  184

  102

  178

  76

  15

  628

  Females

  19903

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  19913

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1992

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1993

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1994

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 Aged 15 years as at date of remand.

  2 1993 and 1994 information is provisional.

  3 Information for remand prisoners by offence is not available for 1990 and 1991.

  Receptions of sentenced 15-year-old persons1 into Prison Service establishments, England and Wales by offence 1990 to 19942

  Violence against the person

  Sex offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling

  Other offences including drugs

  Offence not recorded

  Total

  Males

  1990

  27

  12

  151

  26

  83

  53

  84

  436

  1991

  27

  5

  156

  24

  119

  83

  95

  509

  1992

  39

  3

  152

  42

  98

  93

  35

  465

  1993

  45

  9

  201

  61

  151

  66

  16

  549

  1994

  69

  5

  261

  77

  191

  85

  21

  709

  Females

  1990

  0

  0

  1

  4

  0

  2

  4

  11

  1991

  0

  0

  4

  1

  3

  1

  3

  12

  1992

  0

  0

  2

  3

  1

  0

  0

  6

  1993

  10

  0

  0

  6

  5

  4

  0

  25

  1994

  10

  0

  5

  5

  6

  3

  2

  31

  1 Aged 15 years as at date of sentence. Excluding those committed in default of payment of a fine.

  2 1993 and 1994 information is provisional.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Prison Service institutions have held 15-year-olds boys and girls in(a) 1994 and (b) 1995 to date.

  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.
  754
  receptions into Prison Service custody of 15-year-old (a) girls and (b) boys; how many were (i) on remand and (ii) sentenced; and in respect of what offences they were committed, in each year since 1990.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what has been the number of receptions into Prison Service custody of 15 year old (a) girls and (b) boys; how many were (i) on remand and (ii) sentenced; and in respect of what offences they were committed, in each year since 1990.
  The information requested for Prison Service establishments is given in the attached tables.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking which prison service institutions have held 15 year old boys and girls in (a) 1994 and (b) 1995 to date.
  The readily available information relates to the populations of 15 years olds, in boys and girls prison service establishment on 30 June 1994 and 31 January 1995, and it is given in the attached tables. A copy of these tables has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Prison Escort Services
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of(a) privately managed (b) police and (c) Prison Service escorts are carried out in secure cellular vehicles for the latest dates for which figures are available;

  (2) what percentage of (a) Group 4's prisoners' escorts and (b) Prison Service escorts are transported in secure vehicles;

  (3) how many prison escapes have occurred in the Metropolitan area since Securicor commenced escort services there;

  (4) what are the number of prisoner movements for each escort area in the last five years.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about prisoner escorts.
  Information on the number of prisoner escorts for each escort area in the last five years is either not available or could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Neither the Prison Service nor the police record it centrally. The limited information which is readily available relates to those areas where court escort and custody services have been contracted out and is given below.
  In Area 7 (East Midlands and Humberside) there were approximately 100,000 prisoner movements in 1993–94 and there have been approximately 107,000 such movements until 28 February in this financial year. A prisoner movement is defined as either the escorting of a prisoner from a prison or police station to court or from court to his place of custody. In Area 3 (the Metropolitan Police District) Securicor conducted approximately 57,000 prisoner escort movements between 27 June 1994, when they began operating, and 28 February 1995, although this does not represent all of the movements in the area.
  In Areas 4 (East Anglia) and 6 (Merseyside), Greater Manchester and North Wales) contracts have been awarded to Group 4 for the provision of prisoner escort services for operation from July this year. Special exercises were conducted in 1994 to establish the likely number of prisoner movements the contractor would have to manage. These produced estimates of approximately 95,000 prisoner movements in Area 4 and 201,000 in Area 6 each year.

  Employment places

  Average population in prison service establishments

  industries

  farms

  Vocational training courses

  Total employment places, industries, Farms and vocational training

  Total Places as Percentage of Prison Population

  1987

  48,426

  12,981

  3,637

  Not available

  16,618

  34.3

  1988

  48,872

  11,848

  3,706

  1,942

  17,496

  35.8

  1989

  48,500

  12,173

  3,817

  1,932

  17,922

  37.0

  1990

  44,975

  11,898

  3,609

  2,187

  17,694

  39.3

  1991

  44,809

  11,143

  3,523

  2,519

  17,185

  38.4

  1992

  44,719

  11,003

  3,474

  2,589

  17,066

  38.2

  1993

  44,551

  10,026

  3,508

  2,608

  16,142

  36.2

  1994

  48,621

  10,024

  3,508

  2,597

  16,129

  33.2

  Prison Operating Costs
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the current net operating cost per prisoner place in(a) local prisons and remand centres, (b) contracted-out prisons, (c) dispersal prisons, (d) category B training prisons, (e) category C
  756
  Information on the percentage of prisoner escorts conducted in secure, including cellular, vehicles is not recorded by the police and prison services. Again, the only information available relates to privately managed prisoner escorts.
  It is the general policy of contractors to transport all prisoners in cellular vehicles except where special circumstances apply, for example where the prisoner is heavily pregnant or a nursing mother or disabled. In Area 3 Securicor have conducted 98.3 per cent of prisoner escorts using cellular vehicles and in Area 7 Group 4 estimate over 99 per cent of such escorts have been in cellular vehicles.
  Since Securicor began managing prisoner escorts in Greater London in June 1994 there have been two escapes from their custody. This compares with 16 in 1993 under the previous arrangements. The two figures are not directly comparable because the contract with Securicor is being phased in and will not be fully operational until June this year. Nevertheless, the figures so far indicate their performance will be better.

  Prison Workshops
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) workshop and (b) education places there were in the Prison Service in each of the last 15 years broken down by prison population in each year;

  (2) how many workshop places were available for prisoners in each of the last 15 years broken down by the number of places per prison population.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the number of workshop and education places at Prison Service establishments in each of the last 15 years.
  There is no fixed allocation of places for prisoners to attend education classes. The number of prisoners able to attend full-time or part time education courses is determined according to need. In addition to classroom based teaching there is also tuition for prisoners at other locations, such as in the prison hospital, and teaching staff provide support to prisoners undertaking private study.
  Information on work places for prisoners in industries and farms is available only from 1987, and from 1988 for vocational training places. This information is given in the attached table, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons library.

  training prisons, (f) adult male open prisons, (g) young offender closed establishments, (h) young offender open establishments, (i) young offenders remand establishments, (j) female establishments and (k) non-operational establishments; what is the net headquarters operating cost, and, when this figure is added to the above establishments costs, what is the net

  757
  operating cost per prisoner place before exceptional items for the Prison Service in England and Wales from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995;

  (2) what is the net operating cost per prisoner place per annum for each of the local prisons and remand centres, excluding the contracted-out prisons, in England and Wales from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions on net operating costs.
  Figures for 1994–95 will be published later this year in the Prison Service Annual Report for 1994–95. Figures for 1993–94 have been published in section A of Part Two of the Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

  Prison Escapes
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of escapes from prison establishments and from prison escorts for each of the local prisons and remand centres, excluding contracted-out prisons, in England and Wales from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of escapes from prison establishments and prison escorts for each of the local prisons and remand centres, excluding contracted out prisons, in England and Wales from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995.
  The attached table shows the information requested from 1 April 1994 to 9 March 1995 inclusive, for those establishments where escapes occurred. A copy of this table has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Establishment

  Number

  Bedford

  2

  Birmingham

  1

  Brixton

  1

  Chelmsford

  1

  Durham

  4

  Elmley

  1

  Exeter

  1

  Gloucester

  1

  Holme House

  2

  Hull

  1

  Leicester

  1

  Lewes

  1

  Lincoln

  2

  Liverpool

  2

  Manchester

  1

  Norwich

  2

  Pentonville

  2

  Preston

  1

  Shrewsbury

  1

  Swansea

  4

  758

  Establishment

  Number

  Wandsworth

  1

  Brinsford

  3

  Hindley

  1

  Rochester

  2

  Total

  39

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of total escapes from prison establishments and from escorts since 1 April 1994 from(a) local prison and remand centres contracted out, (b) prisons, (c) dispersals, (d) category B training prisons, (e) category C training prisons, (f) adult male open prisons, (g) young offender closed establishments, (h) young offender open establishments and (g) female establishments.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of total escapes from Prison Service establishments and from escorts since 1 April 1994.
  The information is given in the following table for the period 1 April 1994 to 9 March 1995 inclusive.

  Escapes

  Local Prisons/Remand Centres

  39

  Contracted Out Prisons

  1

  Dispersals

  9

  Category B Training Prisons

  5

  Category C Training Prisons

  104

  Adult Male Open Prisons

  0

  Young Offender Closed Establishments

  27

  Young Offender Open Establishments

  0

  Female Establishments

  11

  Total

  1196

  1 This figure excludes 15 escapes from escort that were previously the responsibility of the police and are now the responsibility of private contractors.

  Prison Officers (Time Off)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours were owed to prison officers under the time off in lieu scheme in total and for each prison in England and Wales for(a) the latest date available, (b) six months ago, (c) 12 months ago, (d) 18 months ago and (e) two years ago.

  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 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many hours were owed to prison officers under the TOIL scheme in total and for each prison at different times in the past two years.

  759
  The information is not available centrally in precisely the form requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. However, a survey was completed recently, covering a similar period and the figures from it, which are provisional, have been included in the attached table, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Prisons (Assaults)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences relating to assaults proved in disciplinary proceedings, including attempted assaults, incitement and assisting other prisoners in assault excluding criminal proceedings relating to assaults took place in each local prison and remand centre excluding contracted-out prisons in England and Wales since 1 April 1994; and how many took place in(a) local prisons and remand centres, contracted out, (b) prisons, (c) dispersals, (d) category B training prisons, (e) category C training prisons, (f) adult male open prisons, (g) young offender closed establishments, (h) young offender open establishments and (i) female establishments.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of proved offences of assault at disciplinary proceedings since 1 April 1994.
  The enclosed tables give the number of assaults for each non-contracted out local prison and remand centre and the total number of assaults by type of Prison Service establishment. A copy of these tables has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Table 1: Assaults proved at adjudication1 April 1994—February 19952: Remand Centres and Local Prisons3

  Assaults

  Remand centres

  844

  Brinsford

  102

  Cardiff

  18

  Dorchester

  1

  Exeter

  20

  Feltham

  130

  Glen Parva

  91

  Gloucester

  23

  Hindley

  65

  Lancaster Farms

  48

  Low Newton

  42

  Moorland

  80

  Northallerton

  37

  Norwich

  12

  Reading

  43

  Rochester

  61

  Stoke Heath

  24

  Swansea

  21

  Wood Hill

  26

  Local prisons

  1,654

  Bedford

  26

  Belmarsh

  94

  Birmingham

  88

  Bristol

  28

  Brixton

  76

  Bullingdon

  54

  Camp Hill

  —

  Canterbury

  11

  Cardiff

  37

  760

  Table I: Assaults proved at adjudication1 April 1994—February 19952: Remand Centres and Local Prisons3

  Assaults

  Chelmsford

  36

  Dorchester

  4

  Durham

  36

  Elmley

  49

  Exeter

  13

  Gloucester

  13

  Highdown

  65

  Holme House

  35

  Hull

  91

  Leeds

  136

  Leicester

  42

  Lewes

  29

  Lincoln

  39

  Liverpool

  69

  Manchester

  64

  Norwich

  38

  Pentonville

  86

  Preston

  56

  Shrewsbury

  30

  Swansea

  12

  Wandsworth

  134

  Winchester

  36

  Wood Hill

  73

  Wormwood Scrubs

  54

  1 Includes attempt, incite or assist in an assault

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Excludes contracted-out establishments (Blakenhurst, Doncaster, Wolds).

  Table 2: Assaults proved at adjudication1 April 1994—February 19952: By type of establishment

  All Prison Service Establishments

  5,190

  Males

  Contracted-out local prisons and remand centres3

  309

  Non-contracted-out local prisons and remand centres4

  2,498

  Dispersal prisons

  312

  Category B training prisons

  222

  Category C training prisons

  503

  Open Prisons

  18

  Closed Young Offender Institutions

  621

  Open Young Offender Institutions

  34

  Juvenile Young Offender Institutions

  264

  Females

  Female Establishments

  409

  1 Includes attempt, incite or assist in an assault

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Contracted-out establishments: Blakenhurst, Doncaster, Wolds.

  4 Excludes Blackenhurst, Doncaster, Wolds.

  Super-prisons
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to develop a super-prison along the lines of Oak Park Heights in Minnesota USA.

  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 17 March 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question on what plans there are to develop a super-prison along the lines of Oak Park Heights in Minnesota, USA.
  The new prison building programme includes no plans to develop a super-prison along the lines of Oak Park Heights in Minnesota, USA.

  Prison Officers' Training
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many weeks basic training is given to(a) prison officers and (b) prison custody officers.

  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 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many weeks basic training is given to (a) prison officers and (b) prisoner custody officers.
  The basic training of prison officers (ie those who work at directly managed prisons) consists of nine weeks (256 hours) residential initial training at the Prison Service College. In addition, there is two weeks before and two weeks after the formal training, which is spent at their parent establishment in observation and induction.
  Under the Criminal Justice Act 1991, prisoner custody officers (PCOs) may be certificated either for custodial duties at a prison or for escort functions, or both. The minimum training required for escort PCOs is 234 hours, and for custodial PCOs 269. This excludes company induction and on the job training (the equivalent of the 4 weeks observation and induction training for prison officers).

  Prison Overcrowding
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average percentage overcrowding in each local prison and remand centre in England and Wales since 1 April 1994 on the basis of the methodology as applied within section B performance statistics of the Prison Service annual report and accounts for 1 April 1993 to 31 March 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. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the average percentage overcrowding in each local prison and remand centre in England and Wales since 1st April 1994. The statistics have been calculated using the methodology applied within Section B performance statistics of the Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 1st April 1993 to 31st March 1994.
  The information requested is given in the attached table, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Average Percentage Overcrowding in each Local Prison and Remand Centre in England and Wales over the Period 1 April 1994 to 17 February 1995

  Local Prisons

  Per cent.

  Bedford

  7

  Belmarsh

  —

  Birmingham

  40

  Blakenhurst

  —

  Bristol

  6

  Brixton

  24

  Bullingdon

  6

  Canterbury

  41

  Cardiff

  30

  Chelmsford

  54

  Doncaster

  —

  Dorchester

  45

  Durham

  59

  Elmley

  —

  Exeter

  52

  Gloucester

  32

  Highdown

  —

  762

  Average Percentage Overcrowding in each Local Prison and Remand Centre in England and Wales over the Period 1 April 1994 to 17 February 1995

  Local Prisons

  Per cent.

  Holme House

  —

  Hull

  25

  Leeds

  28

  Leicester

  76

  Lewes

  16

  Lincoln

  38

  Liverpool

  25

  Manchester

  13

  Norwich

  14

  Pentonville

  29

  Preston

  35

  Shrewsbury

  64

  Swansea

  29

  Wandsworth

  3

  Winchester

  18

  Wolds

  —

  Woodhill

  1

  Wormwood Scrubs

  29

  Remand Centres

  Brinsford

  11

  Cardiff

  23

  Doncaster

  —

  Dorchester

  46

  Exter

  14

  Feltham

  —

  Glen Parva

  44

  Gloucester

  —

  Hindley

  —

  Lancaster Farms

  —

  Low Newton

  19

  Northallerton

  12

  Norwich

  —

  Reading

  —

  Rochester

  —

  Stoke Heath

  —

  Swansea

  —

  Woodhill

  12

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been adjudicated against for possession of drugs in each of the past five years.

  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 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners adjudicated against for the possession of a controlled drug in the last five years.
  The numbers in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales are given below.

  Possession of controlled drugs: Offences1 proved at adjudication hearings, England and Wales, 1990–1994

  Year

  Number

  1990

  2,650

  1991

  2,798

  1992

  2,041

  1993

  1,797

  1994

  22,414

  1Including attempts, incite or assist.

  2Provisional.

  Parkhurst Prison
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 663, on Parkhurst prison, on what date he passed the question to Mr. Derek Lewis for a reply.

  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. Chris Mullin, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 663, on Parkhurst prison.
  You asked on what date the Question was passed to the Prison Service.
  Your Question was passed to the Prison Service on 18 January.

  Swaleside Prison
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the proposal to construct a six-hole golf course at Swaleside prison on the Isle of Sheppey; what costs were incurred before its cancellation; what information officials in his Department or in the Prison Service had about the proposal; and what guidelines are issued to prison governors to control expenditure on leisure facilities of this nature.

  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 Sir Roger Moate, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the proposal to construct a six hole golf course at Swaleside Prison on the Isle of Sheppey; what costs were incurred before its cancellation; what information officials in his Department or in the Prison Service had about the proposal; and what guidelines are issued to prison governors to control expenditure on leisure facilities of this nature.
  The governor of Swaleside prison obtained agreement from the Kent area manager to enhance sports facilities available to prisoners at Swaleside, including the provision of three golf greens (each of two holes). Officials in the Prison Service Enterprise and Activity Services were asked to provide technical advice on construction and costings.
  When I learned of the proposal I took the view that it was inappropriate and I instructed that the project be cancelled.

  LEA maintained primary schools

  Average class size

  September 1987

  September 1988

  September 1989

  September 1990

  January 1994

  Clwyd

  25.5

  25.8

  25.7

  24.9

  26.2

  Dyfed

  21.4

  21.8

  21.0

  20.7

  21.7

  Gwent

  25.7

  26.4

  26.9

  27.1

  27.4

  Gwynedd

  21.1

  21.6

  22.1

  21.8

  22.7

  Mid Glamorgan

  26.0

  26.2

  26.2

  26.8

  27.0

  Powys

  20.2

  20.3

  20.6

  21.1

  22.2

  South Glamorgan

  27.0

  26.7

  26.4

  26.0

  27.5

  West Glamorgan

  24.2

  24.8

  25.1

  25.3

  25.7

  Wales

  24.5

  24.8

  24.8

  24.8

  25.6

  764
  Current indications are that liabilities of less than £17,000 exclusive of VAT have been incurred and it is expected that much of this cost will be recoverable.
  Expenditure on leisure facilities is subject to the normal budgetary controls, project approval requirements and tendering rules. In addition, governors are required to ensure that any expenditure is appropriate to a prison and provides good value for money.

  Boot Camp Prisons
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the conclusions of any studies available to him as to the effectiveness of boot camp prisons in the United States of America.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Copies of the readily available published reports have been placed in the Library.

  Prison Staff Costs
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were(a) the staff costs, (b) the staff cost per place per annum, (c) the staff cost per prisoner per annum for (i) Blakenhurst prison and (ii) the Wolds prison for the years beginning 1 April 1993 and 1 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. George Howarth, dated 17 March 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the staff costs of Blakenhurst and Wolds Prisons.
  The Prison Service pays a fee to UK Detention Services Ltd and Group 4 Prison Services Ltd to manage Blakenhurst and Wolds prisons respectively. It is not broken down into such elements as staff costs. The Prison Service does not have the details requested about staff costs for Blakenhurst and Wolds. These are matters for the companies in question.

WALES

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the average class sizes in(a) primary and (b) secondary local education authority schools in (i) 1987 to 1990 and (ii) the last available year in each of the counties of Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is shown in the following table. For secondary schools, comparable information cannot be provided for all the years requested.
  765

  LEA maintained secondary schools

  Average class size' at September

  Average class size2

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  September 1990

  January 1994

  Clwyd

  19.8

  19.9

  19.6

  19.5

  21.2

  20.5

  Dyfed

  18.7

  18.8

  18.7

  18.8

  20.3

  19.7

  Gwent

  18.4

  18.4

  18.5

  18.9

  20.2

  20.0

  Gwynedd

  17.7

  17.5

  17.2

  17.5

  19.6

  18.7

  Mid Glamorgan

  19.9

  19.5

  19.3

  19.9

  21.6

  19.9

  Powys

  16.7

  15.9

  16.5

  17.5

  18.5

  17.3

  South Glamorgan

  20.6

  20.3

  20.0

  20.2

  22.9

  21.9

  West Glamorgan

  19.1

  18.8

  18.9

  19.6

  22.0

  21.1

  Wales

  19.1

  19.0

  18.9

  19.2

  21.0

  20.1

  Notes:

  1Number of pupils divided by the number of teachers teaching in a specified period on the day of the schools census.

  2Number of pupils divided by the number of classes in which they were being taught in a specified period on the day of the schools census.

  Source:

  Schools Census.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many abattoirs there were in 1993 and 1994; and how many of these met European Community standards.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1993 and 1994 there were 39 licensed red meat abattoirs in Wales. Of these six were fully approved to trade throughout the European Community and the remainder were approved to trade on the national market. All these red meat abattoirs were licenced in accordance with European Community requirements under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection Regulations) 1992.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he or his officials last met the National Farmers Union in Wales to discuss the issue of the live export of sheep to continental Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I met representatives of the National Farmers Union (Wales) on 24 January 1995.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he or his officials last met the Farmers Union of Wales to discuss the issue of the live export of sheep to continental Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I met representatives of the Farmers Union of Wales on 24 January 1995.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that lambs exported from Wales in line with the minimum standards for the road and sea transportation of such animals reach their destinations without hindrance.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Progress on the question of the transport of live animals will best be achieved by reaching an agreement throughout the European Community which would allow the trade to operate on a basis acceptable to all. The United Kingdom continues to press for progress at the Council of Agriculture Ministers. Although agreement on transport requirements was not possible at the February meeting of the Council, the presidency has confirmed that it will be taking discussions forward. In the meantime, there are signs that public awareness on animal welfare issues is growing in other parts of Europe, and that the prospects for progress at the European Community level are more encouraging; we shall be 766
  working hard to maintain the momentum we have achieved.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to attend a meeting of the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I will do so when a suitable opportunity occurs.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children have received statements for special educational needs in each year since 1987 in(a) Dyfed, (b) Wales and (c) Britain.

  Mr. Richards
  The number of children for whom statements of special educational needs were made for the first time, for each calendar year since 1987, are shown in the following table. Figures for Britain as a whole are not available in the same format.

  Calendar year

  Dyfed

  Wales

  1987

  104

  1,552

  1988

  121

  1,948

  1989

  193

  2,099

  1990

  225

  2,227

  1991

  272

  2,456

  1992

  397

  2,650

  1993

  437

  2,881

  Welsh Language Letters
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received pursuant to his decision to decline to sign letters written in the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received about 30 representations. All correspondents writing to me in Welsh receive a reply in Welsh as well as in English.

  Meningitis and Tuberculosis
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many identified cases of meningitis there were in Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement;
  767
  (2) how many identified cases of tuberculosis there were in Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The numbers of notifications of meningitis and tuberculosis in Wales reported to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in each year since 1990 are shown in the following table:

  Notifications

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  19942

  Meningitis (all forms)

  203

  202

  210

  190

  185

  Tuberculosis (all forms)2

  194

  166

  201

  199

  184

  1Provisional.2Excluding chemoprophylaxis.

  Eisteddfod
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he intends to visit the Urdd national eisteddfod this year;

  (2) if he intends to visit the Royal national eisteddfod this year.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have made no decision as yet.

  Transition Committees
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evaluation this Department has undertaken to oversee the formation of transition committees in Wales pursuant to the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As required under section 46 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, transition committees have been established in all the unitary authority areas.

  In July 1994, guidance was issued to transition committees on the preparatory work to be done in the time leading up to 1 April 1996.

  Since then, officials have maintained contact with transition committees and, where necessary, they have sought confirmation of progress in relation to certain matters.

  Defence Employment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the defence industry in Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  There is no standard definition of defence industry employment. However, the Ministry of Defence publishes regional figures on the number of its own service and civilian staff and estimates of the number of employees in private industry involved directly in world for the Ministry. These figures are shown in tables 1.9 and 2.4 of "UK Defence Statistics, 1994", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Toy Libraries
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the grants given to toy libraries in Wales in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  A grant of £10,650 was made to the Montgomeryshire toy library in 1991–92 under the Department's child and family services grant scheme.
  768
  Toy libraries may also apply to county voluntary bodies under the "small grant" element of that scheme—grants up to £1,000. Details of such awards are not held centrally.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the tourist industry in Wales in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 12 December,Official Report, column 517.

  Business Start-Ups
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to gather the information necessary to produce a comprehensive and accurate figure for the number of annual business start-ups in Wales and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  No. No country keeps a comprehensive list of all their enterprises. For most practical purposes the figures for VAT registrations are adequate in both Wales and the United Kingdom. Attempting to acquire more complete information would put an unnecessary burden on all small businesses.

  Anthrax
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of anthrax were reported in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Richards
  The number of confirmed cases of anthrax reported in each year in Wales since 1985 was as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1985

  2

  1986

  1

  1987

  1

  1988

  Nil

  1989

  1

  1990

  1

  1991

  Nil

  1992

  1

  1993

  Nil

  1994

  Nil

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  Figures for the current year are not available. For previous years expenditure is:

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  79,319

  1992–93

  44,262

  1994–95

  48,807

  Brucella Melitensis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of brucella melitensis were reported in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases of brucella melitensis have been recorded in Wales since 1985.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for which geographical areas and with which local authorities, joint venture agreements or heads of terms agreements were entered into by the Welsh Development Agency under the urban programme during the period for 1991 to 1994 inclusive.

  Mr. Redwood
  I will arrange for the chief executive of the agency to write to my hon. Friend and for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Morriston Hospital
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 13 March,Official Report, column 444, about the market testing of the cardiac unit at the Morriston hospital, on how many occasions he met each of the four organisations bidding for the cardiac surgery unit at Morriston hospital contract during the contract tender period (a) prior to 1 October 1994 and (b) after 1 October 1994 but before 2 March.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 3 November 1994,Official Report, columns 1326–27, and to my letter of 24 November 1994.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 23 February,Official Report, column 301, what representations he has had from conservation voluntary organisations concerning progress on habitat loss mitigation measures arising from the Cardiff hay barrage and the European wilds birds and habitat directives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. As I stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) on 3 March,Official Report, column 769, the Cardiff Bay development corporation, acting on the advice of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Land Authority for Wales, is reviewing the options for suitable site locations along the south Wales coastline between the Burry inlet and the Gwent levels. I hope to make an announcement about site acquisition within the next two to three months.

  National Nature Reserves
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the proposed levels of funding ensure the development of the national nature reserves beyond essential care and maintenance.

  Mr. Redwood
  The funds allocated by the Countryside Council for Wales toward maintenance of national nature reserves are sufficient to maintain their legal obligations.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the single programming document area monitoring committee concerning the division of European regional development funds coming to Wales between(a) local authorities, (b) the Welsh Development Agency, (c) other non-departmental public bodies and (d) other organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. There are no such pre-determined splits between sponsors. Each sponsor submits its projects in competition with all others and, as a result of them being carefully appraised against agreed selection criteria, an eventual list of approved projects is established.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had in relation to probability factors pertaining to the attainment of the anticipated levels of financial assistance from the European regional development fund to the Welsh Development Agency in ascending amounts corresponding to descending amount of grant in aid from his Department's budget.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had concerning the reconciliation of the project-by-project basis of assessment of applications for financial assistance from the European regional development fund, with the anticipated levels of assistance from the fund in the three years corporate plan he has agreed with the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. The agency will compete for funds in the normal way.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the bids from the Welsh Development Agency and other non-departmental public bodies he sponsors, and all other bodies eligible for financial assistance from the European regional development fund will be entered for approval and funding under the single programme document for the calendar year 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  Applications for the calendar year 1994 have recently been invited from all sponsors, including the Welsh Development Agency and other public bodies mentioned, and these are due to be submitted by 31 March 1995. All bids received will be carefully appraised against agreed selection criteria and in competition with each other and the successful projects will be announced in due course.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to establish an advisory group on sustainable development for Wales in line with those in England and Scotland.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government panel on sustainable development provides independent and authoritative advice to all Ministers, including me. Welsh members have also been appointed to the United Kingdom round table and the citizens' environment initiative organising committee. I see no need at this stage for any additional advisory group in Wales to supplement these arrangements.

  Secondary School Reorganisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his decision in relation to the proposed amalgamation of secondary schools in Ely will entail all school teaching posts being declared vacant and all post-holders to reapply for jobs.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is for local education authorities to manage the staffing consequences of their proposals.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his decision on the proposed reorganisation of secondary education in Ely; if he will give the principle reasons for delay in announcing his decision; what impact the accumulated delay will have on the proposed inspection of Glan Ely high school by Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools on 1 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  As soon as possible. I need to consider carefully and fully a number of statutory objections. It is for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in Wales to decide whether the proposed inspection should go ahead.

  Countryside Council For Wales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which members of staff of the Countryside Council for Wales given early retirement are subsequently being offered remunerated membership of the council.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Countryside Council for Wales will publish its 1995–96 corporate strategy.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Countryside Council for Wales does not publish a corporate strategy. Each year it prepares a corporate plan and submits it to the Welsh Office as part of the public expenditure review. The document is not published. The council publishes its annual report each autumn.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funds from its 1995–96 budget, the Countryside Council for Wales has allocated for new management agreements; and if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of management agreements for sites of special scientific interest protection.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Countryside Council for Wales has 433 management agreements and I believe it is one of a number of effective protection mechanisms. The council has allocated sufficient funds to maintain the existing agreements but not for new management agreements in 1995–96.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Association of Directors of Social Services, Wales branch in relation to duties on local authorities under section 24 of the Children Act 1989 with respect to those aged 17 years and over and previously in local authority care, with respect to a continuing duty of counselling and advocacy; and what proposals he has for issuing guidelines on interpreting section 24.

  Mr. Redwood
  This subject has been discussed with the directors of social services in Wales and led to the inspection by the social services inspectorate of services for children leaving care in Clwyd, Powys and South 772
  Glamorgan. These were published in 1993. I have no plans to publish additional guidance to that contained in volume 4 in the Children Act series, issued to all social services departments in Wales and which covered this aspect of services.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the band D council tax for 1995–96 for each local authority in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Local authorities in Wales were required to notify the Welsh Office of the level of council tax set for 1995–96 by 16 March. Provisional information is given in the following table. I shall write to my hon. Friend when final figures are available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Council tax levels 1995-961

  Local authorities

  £

  Alyn and Deeside

  403

  Colwyn

  387

  Delyn

  401

  Glyndwr

  383

  Rhuddlan

  399

  Wrexham Maelor

  406

  Carmarthen

  439

  Ceredigion

  451

  Dinefwr

  445

  Llanelli

  495

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  427

  South Pembrokeshire

  416

  Blaenau Gwent

  343

  Islwyn

  334

  Monmouth

  351

  Newport

  349

  Torfaen

  354

  Aberconwy

  400

  Arfon

  382

  Dwyfor

  384

  Meirionnydd

  391

  Ynys Mon

  399

  Cynon Valley

  390

  Merthyr Tydfil

  396

  Ogwr

  401

  Rhondda

  400

  Rhymney Valley

  402

  Taff Ely

  402

  Brecknock

  393

  Montgomeryshire

  377

  Radnorshire

  378

  Cardiff

  338

  Vale of Glamorgan

  353

  Lliw of Glamorgan

  419

  Neath

  454

  Port Talbot

  419

  Swansea

  435

  1Provisional. Average band D council tax payable in billing authority area. Figures taken from billing authorities' budget requirement returns. Includes community, county and police precepts.

  Medical Secretaries
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines cover the use of national health service medical secretaries during their working hours by private medical consultants at their private consulting rooms; and if he will make a statement.
  773
  Mr. Redwood
  There are no guidelines issued nationally. It is a matter for employers to instruct their employees on the duties of their jobs.

  "People and Prosperity: a Challenge to Wales"
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish a statement follow-up consultation document on training, education and enterprise "People and Prosperity: a Challenge to Wales."

  Mr. Redwood
  I will publish a follow-up action plan "People and Prosperity: an Agenda for Action in Wales" on Monday 20 March. This sets out the action needed to raise standards, make faster progress towards the national targets for education and training and promote a culture of learning and enterprise.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the expenditure by the Central Office of Information on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) all other advertising and publicity, for each year since 1979, including the estimate for 1994–95 and the budget for 1995–96, expressed in 1994 prices.

  Mr. Horam
  The Central Office of Information conducts no television advertising, radio advertising, newspaper advertising or any other advertising or publicity on its own behalf.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the expenditure on publicity and public information associated with the citizens charter in each year since 1988; and if he will supply details for each campaign involving expenditures of over £10,000 of(a) the nature of the campaign, (b) the purpose of the campaign and (c) the results of any assessment of the success of the campaign.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Deformed Fish
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what records his Department keeps of the incidence and location of catches of fish with(a) skeletal deformities and (b) sores and lesions.

  Mrs. Browning
  No such records are kept.

  Dioxin Monitoring
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring his Department carries out of sea birds, sea mammals, fish or shellfish for dioxin levels; and in what way the results are made available.
  774
  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry has an extensive programme for monitoring dioxins in food which includes some samples of fish but not sea birds, sea mammals or shellfish. The results for fish were published in "Food Surveillance Paper No. 31", which is available in the Library. A further survey of sea fish will start later this year and the results will be published in the "Food Safety Information Bulletin."

  Temporary Contracts
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies supervised by his Department.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]All recruitment in my Department and its agencies is conducted in accordance with the Civil Service Order in Council 1991. Detailed guidance is given in the civil service management code which is available to all personnel staff.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The terms of employment of all staff within the Department and its agencies who are on a temporary contract of up to 51 weeks are based on the guidance set out in Treasury general circular No. 375 issued on 30 April 1991.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]Some casual staff occupy posts at EO level and above, but the vast majority are employed in the clerical and support grades.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fishers and Food 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 last five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total work force these employees constitute.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]The total numbers of temporary workers on contracts of up to 51 weeks in my Department and its agencies for the years 1991 to 1995 are as follows:

  Percentage of total work force

  Year

  Core-MAFF

  Agencies

  (Core-MAFF and agencies)

  1991

  535

  79

  5.8

  1992

  592

  84

  6.4

  1993

  847

  314

  10.2

  775

  Percentage of total work, force

  Year

  Core-MAFF

  Agencies

  (Core-MAFF and agencies)

  1994

  836

  290

  9.8

  1995

  733

  310

  9.2

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 15 March 1995]Staff are employed on temporary contracts for a variety of reasons including to cover unexpected short-term requirements which cannot be forecast three years ahead. Therefore, only broad estimates are possible. My Department expects to employ around 1,000 people on contracts of up to 51 weeks over the next three years. The agencies are expected to employ some 300 such people. No estimates are possible of the number of those employees who would have previously been employed in a similar position on the same contract.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for this year and each of the last five 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. Waldegrave
  The number of members of staff re-employed by my Department and its executive agencies under temporary contracts of up to 51 weeks in the years 1991 to 1995 is as follows:

  Year

  Core-MAFF

  Agencies

  1991

  7

  0

  1992

  16

  41

  1993

  21

  50

  1994

  28

  107

  1995

  8

  57

  Brucella Melitensis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of brucella melitensis were reported in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Browning
  None, there has never been a case of what is now recognised as brucella melitensis in England.

  Milk
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations the Ministry has made to the European Commission on the fiche d'impact produced in relation to Council directive 94/71/EC regarding natural milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products.
  776
  Mr. Jack
  The Commission did not produce a fiche d'impact in respect of directive 94/71 which amends and relaxes certain requirements of the milk hygiene directive—92/46. During the negotiations on directive 94/71, the Government pressed successfully for the easing of requirements in respect of somatic cell counts which would have imposed a heavy burden on the UK dairy industry.

  Minced Meat
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the European Commission on the fiche d'impact produced in relation to council directive 94/65/EC, regarding minced meat.

  Mrs. Browning
  The fiche d'impact with the Commission proposal for the minced meat directive in 1990 did not address industry costs. Despite requests for such information, none was produced. However, during the lengthy negotiations on this directive, the Government pressed consistently and largely successfully for requirements imposing unnecessary burdens on industry to be removed.

  Fisheries Protection
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Spanish warships sent to protect Spanish fishing vessels in the north Atlantic are in any way financed by the EEC or authorised to act on its behalf.

  Mr. Jack
  Fisheries protection and enforcement in international waters is the responsibility of the flag state. No EU finance is involved in providing fisheries protection.

  North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's membership of the North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation; whether the United Kingdom is represented at all meetings; and whether in decisions on catches and quotas the British representative gives British views or a view agreed with the EEC.

  Mr. Jack
  The European Union has been a contracting party to the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north-west Atlantic fisheries since it came into force on 1 January 1979. The United Kingdom is represented at all NAFO meetings and voices British views and concerns within the EU delegation of which the Commission is the spokesman.

  Mr. Philip Corrigan
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what references were obtained from the Australian Government's quarantine and inspection services in respect of Mr. Philip J. Corrigan before his appointment as head of operations of the Ministry's meat hygiene service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Browning
  Inquiries were made in the usual way about Mr. Corrigan before his appointment, including from his previous employer, the Australian quarantine and inspection service.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the United Nations about the movements of Moroccan settlers into the Western Sahara for the purpose of registering for the referendum.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Security Council resolution 907 sets out the criteria which individuals must meet to become eligible to vote in the planned referendum. In particular, prospective voters must be able to show evidence of a link with the Western Sahara extending back to at least 1974. Settlers without such links are therefore excluded from the referendum. It is the responsibility of the UN Identification Commission to ensure that these provisions are complied with.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Turkey as to the application by the Republic of Cyprus for membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  We maintain regular contacts with Turkey, both at ministerial and at official level. When I met Mr. Karayalchin, the Turkish Foreign Minister, on 2 February in London, Cyprus was one of several issues raised. Both Mrs. Ciller, the Turkish Prime Minister, and Mr. Karayalchin attended the EE/Turkey Association Council on 6 March. The application of Cyprus and EU membership also featured in those discussions.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last spoke to the Indian Government about human rights in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the human rights situation in Kashmir with the Indian Government during his visit to India in January this year.

  East Timor
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 December 1994, to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn),Official Report, column 172, what were the exact dates of visits to East Timor by diplomatic staff attached to the embassy in Jakarta in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994; and what factors determine the frequency of visits.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information is as follows:

  29 October–2 November 1980

  26–30 November 19841

  12–15 January 1988

  13–16 February 1989

  7–8 March 1989

  8–15 October 1989

  12–14 February 1991

  24–28 September 1991

  14–19 November 1991

  28 April–2 May 1992

  778

  3–7 March 1993

  12–13 May 1993

  20–22 May 1993

  1–3 November 1993

  24–26 January 1994

  1–5 August 1994

  18–20 September 1994

  1The month was incorrectly recorded as December in the Official Report, column 172.

  A wide range of factors are taken into account in determining the frequency of visits to East Timor.

  China
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take in relation to the imprisonment by the Chinese authorities of Liu Gang, an Amnesty prisoner of conscience.

  Mr. Goodlad
  During my visit to China last July, a list of prisoners of concern to us was handed over to the Chinese authorities. This list included the case of Liu Gang. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary again raised the list with the Chinese Foreign Minister last September. We will continue to raise Liu Gang's case at every suitable opportunity.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for the delay in approval being given by the European Commission for the construction of an abattoir at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands to European Union standards.

  Mr. David Davis
  Approval of the release of Stabex funds for the construction of an abattoir at Stanley, Falkland Islands was held up by administrative problems in the European Commission. After further prompting by Her Majesty's Government the Commission has now approved the release of the funds for this project.

  Overseas Premises
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the expenditure on all overseas premises for each year since 1979, broken down to show(a) expenditure on the construction or purchase of new premises, (b) expenditure on the refitting or upgrading of premises, (c) expenditure on the maintenance of existing buildings; and whether he will give details of the (1) location, (2) cost and (3) purpose of, any new premises opened abroad in each of the last five years, and those presently planned for the next five years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information requested is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member with as comprehensive a reply as possible, bearing in mind that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office only became responsible for the overseas estate in 1983, as soon as it has been obtained.

  Publicity and Publications
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his

  779
  Department is responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

  Mr. Goodlad
  This information will take some time to compile. I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Former Prisoners of War
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 509, what backing Her Majesty's ambassador in Tokyo gave to the case argued by former British prisoners of war of the Japanese when they visited Japan recently to claim compensation for their treatment and that of other Japanese prisoners in the second world war.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We gave assistance to the former British prisoners of war, through the British embassy in Tokyo, on the lines described in my answer of 14 March. The question of compensation, however, was in our view legally settled by the San Francisco peace treaty of 1951; so we are pursuing a different approach. As agreed between the Prime Minister and his Japanese counterpart in September 1993, we have been examining whether non-governmental measures could help. One such proposal—for a private sector foundation—turned out not 780
  to be feasible, but we are discussing with the Japanese Government possible alternatives.

  North-west Atlantic Fisheries Dispute
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the terms of the message communicated to the Government of Canada by the Committee of Permanent Representatives in Brussels on 13 March and whether he had been consulted before the message was sent.

  Mr. Hurd
  COREPER agreed on 13 March that clarificatory discussions should take place between the Commission and Canada in preparation for formal negotiations which could begin when the Canadian authorities had released the Spanish vessel Estai. This was in line with Her Majesty's Government's approach.

  Our wider policy on the fisheries dispute between the EU and Canada was outlined in the reply given on 16 March 1995 to the hon. Member for South Dorset (Mr. Bruce) by the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), Official Report, columns 657–58. As he said, the United Kingdom 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.

  The Canadian Government yesterday expressed their gratitude for the "very helpful role" which Her Majesty's Government had played in moves towards a resolution of this dispute.