Written Answers of 1 May 1995

HEALTH

  Tacrine
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will indicate her reasons for not licensing the drug Tacrine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; and if she will list the countries in Europe where it is licensed. [19901]

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the processing of Cognex (Tacrine) by the United Kingdom. [20319]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), has provisionally concluded that, on grounds relating to safety and efficacy, they are unable to advise the licensing authority that Tacrine should be licensed at this stage. Under the United Kingdom licensing procedures, applicants for drug licences have extensive rights of appeal against the provisional conclusions of the CSM. The company promoting Tacrine is exercising these rights and the CSM will consider its appeal at the hearing.

  The European Union's Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products has also concluded that Tacrine has not met the requirements for licensing under article 5 of directive 65/65/EEC. The majority of the European Union member states have decided to abide by this decision.

  Tacrine is licensed in France and Sweden.

  NHS Chairman
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total sum paid to chairmen of(a) NHS authorities and (b) NHS trusts as salaries and emoluments in each year since 1985. [20676]

  Mr. Malone
  The available information is shown in the tables.

  Remuneration paid to NHS authorities chairmen (£000)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3,183

  3,281

  5,878

  Emoluments paid to NHS authorities chairmen (£000)

  1992–93

  1993–94

  4,851

  4,204

  Source:

  Annual accounts of regional, district and the London postgraduate teaching hospitals (SHAs) and family practitioner committees and family health services authorities.

  Notes:

  1. Figures for 1993–94 are provisional.

  2. Figures are NOT comparable between the tables. Before 1991–92 the sum included gross salaries and pension contributions only. From 1991–92 it includes gross salaries, monetary value of benefits
  2
  in kind,expenses allowances (where taxable), compensation for loss of office and chairman's fees.

  3. Figures for 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1991–92 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sums paid to NHS Trust Chairman

  For 1991–92 to 1993–94 this information was published in the annual accounts of each trust, but for 1991–92 and 1992–93 this information was not collected centrally. For 1993–94 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 February at column 808. From 1994–95 onwards this information will be collected centrally and also published in the annual accounts of each trust.

  Medical (Professional Performance) Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the basis of her calculations that the initial annual cost of retraining doctors consequent to her proposed Medical Act will be £530,000; and on what number of doctors, whose performance is likely to be judged seriously deficient it is based. [21062]

  Mr. Malone
  The explanatory and financial memorandum of the Medical (Professional Performance) Bill states that any increase in the General Medical Council retention fee—to cover the cost to the GMC of the new performance procedures—and the costs of remedial training undertaken by doctors to improve their standard of professional performance are expected to increase national health service expenditure by up to £530,000 a year. Of this, the estimated retraining costs are £280,000. The GMC estimates that 100 to 150 doctors a year might be subject to assessment under the new procedures, of whom 50 to 75 might be subject to remedial training or sanction.

  The costs of retraining would vary widely, according to individual need, and would not necessarily be borne by the NHS. The figure of £280,000 was a central estimate after considering a range of possible scenarios; it is very small in proportion to the funds already available to hospital doctors and general practitioners who maintain their professional standards through continuing education.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time for a person to become accepted as a patient of an NHS dentist in each health district in England. [21228]

  Mr. Malone
  Information about waiting times for patients to be accepted by dentists in the general dental service is not available centrally. Any unregistered patient who needs urgent treatment should seek the help of their family health services authority.

  Hospitality
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the Department of Health's hospitality budget in each of the last five years. [21748]

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on official hospitality by her Department in 1994–95. [21207]

  Mr. Sackville
  Expenditure on hospitality during 1994–95, including basic refreshments for meetings of expert advisory groups and working groups and for meetings with representatives of other Government
  3
  Departments, voluntary organisations and public bodies is shown in the table. For details of previous years1 expenditure I refer the right hon. Member and the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member of Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 1 November 1994 at columns 1073–74.

  1994–95£

  (a) Department

  229,779

  (b) Agencies

  32,451

  Total

  262,230

  Departmental Management
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the departmental administration costs in each year since and including 1989–90; what is the planned expenditure on departmental administration increase in 1995–96 and 1996–97; and if she will make a statement on the planned increase in spending in 1996–97 over 1995–96; [21751]

  (2) if she will make a statement on the planned change in Department of Health staff in 1996–97. [21742]

  Mr. Sackville
  Departmental administration costs from 1989–90 to 1994–95, and the planned expenditure for 1995–96 and 1996–97 are shown in the table. The figures for 1994–95 are an estimate. In the three years to 31 March 1997, the staff costs and numbers of the Department as it stood on 1 April 1994 are planned to decrease by 21 per cent. Separately, in 1996–97, staff numbers will increase as a result of the replacement, subject to legislation, of regional health authorities with regional offices of the National Health Service Executive, in respect of which there will be a transfer of £63 million from hospital, community health and related services current expenditure to departmental administration.

  Year

  Costs(£000s)

  1989–90

  174,681

  1990–91

  216,785

  1991–92

  240,267

  1992–93

  276,280

  1993–94

  250,775

  1994–95

  260,264

  1995–96

  238,145

  1996–97

  291,222

  Doctors
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the proportion of doctors in the United Kingdom who speak(a) Urdu and (b) Punjabi; and if she will make a statement. [20923]

  Mr. Malone
  No such estimate has been made as this information is not available centrally.

  Nurses
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the proportion of nurses working in the United Kingdom who speak(a) Urdu and (b) Punjabi; and if she will make a statement. [20924]
  4
  Mr. Sackville
  No such estimate has been made as this information is not available centrally.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in her Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21386]

  Mr. Sackville
  For the Department and agencies of which we are responsible any conflict of interest involving a civil servant would have been dealt with in accordance with the established guidance. Records of the number of cases are not held centrally. In the last five years, no special advisers have declared a conflict of interest.

  NHS Authorities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish an up-to-date list by region of all the chairs and non-executive members of each health authority, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual. [21358]

  Mr. Malone
  The appointment of non-executive members to district health authorities and family health services authorities is a matter for the regional health authority. Information on chairmen and non-executive members of regional health authorities and chairmen of district health authorities and family health services authorities will be placed in the Library.

  Long-term Care
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to ensure that health authorities abide by the requirements of HSG(95)8, NHS responsibilities for long-term care. [21273]

  Mr. Bowis
  As part of the implementation of HSG(95)8 all health authorities are required to draw up and publish local policies and eligibility criteria. The National Health Service Executive will monitor these closely to ensure that they meet the national framework of requirements set out in HSG(95)8.

  NHS Provider Units
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total annual cost improvement programme in the national health service provider units in each of the last four years. [21330]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income has been received from treating private patients in each national health service hospital in the last year(a) as a cost figure and (b) as a proportion of that hospital's income. [21334]

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of the private income of national health service trusts for 1993–94 and the percentage of total income that private patient income represents will be placed in the Library.

  Consultancy
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market-testing programmes in which her Department has been engaged since their inception. [21369]

  Mr. Sackville
  Since publication of the White Paper, "Competing for Quality", in November 1991, until 31 March 1995, the latest date for which figures are held, the total cost of consultants employed in connection with the market testing programmes of the Department and its agencies is £1,488,000.

  Continuing Care
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary for Health what action she proposes to take to ensure that New River health authority complies with the requirements of HSG(95)8 in relation to its decision to reduce its 1995–96 continuing care contract with Hornsey Central hospital in respect of the number of occupied bed days. [21272]

  Mr. Bowis
  HSG(95)8 states that until policies and eligibility criteria for continuing care have been agreed health authorities should not proceed with any plans to reduce continuing care services unless those plans are covered by existing agreements with local authorities. New River health authority has reduced its contract for continuing care beds at Hornsey Central hospital in line with bed usage in 1994–95. They are discussing with the local social services department how the savings can be re-invested in other continuing care services. I have asked the chairman of New River health authority to let me have details of their reinvestment plans once they have been agreed with the local authority.

  Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in her Department and the agencies for which she is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21767]

  Mr. Sackville
  The following civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in my Department and its agencies.

  Quarter

  Administrative Officer

  Administrative Assistant

  September-

  December 1993

  2

  1

  January-March 1994

  2

  —

  April-June 1994

  —

  —

  July-September 1994

  1

  2

  October-December 1994

  2

  —

  January-March 1995

  2

  2

  All appointments were on fixed term contracts except for I AO and 2AAs.

  Mr. Rushton
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what details her Department has received about the 6
  severance payment made to Mr. Rushton, the former chief executive of the Avon ambulance trust. [21674]

  Mr. Malone
  None. National health service trusts can authorise severance payments without reference to the Department of Health. They are required to report termination settlements to the NHS Executive quarterly. The payment to Mr. Rushton was made in April 1995 and will be reported in the return for the quarter to 30 June 1995.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to encourage the extension of infertility treatment on the NHS; and if she will institute an assessment of the effectiveness of the various forms of infertility treatment present funded by the NHS. [21841]

  Mr. Sackville
  Decisions about the resources to be made available for infertility services must be left to individual health authorities as they are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  An assessment of the effectiveness of infertility treatments is already available in:
  The Effective Health Care Bulletin on "The Management of Subfertility" (August 1992), published for the NHS Management Executive by a consortium of Leeds and York universities and the research unit of the Royal College of Physicians.

  Copies of the publication are available in the Library.

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list special hospitals currently operating in shadow trust form which are applying internal market principles; and if she will make a statement. [22041]

  Mr. Bowis
  No.

  Efficiency Ratings
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the efficiency rating of the English hospital and community service and those of each EEC country in each available year between 1978–79 and 1992–93. [19797]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 21 April 1995]: Improvements in hospital and community health services efficiency are estimated by comparing the rate of increase in activity with the increase in expenditure. Between 1978–79 and 1992–93, HCHS cost weighted activity in England increased by 39.8 per cent. and HCHC expenditure, adjusted for movements in HCHS pay and prices, by 15.3 per cent. This implies an increase in efficiency of some 21 per cent. over the period. Data on the annual changes in activity and expenditure are in the table. Estimates from these data of efficiency gains for individual years over this period are not regarded as reliable.

  Directly comparable data are not available for health services in other European Union countries. However such evidence as is available indicates that unit costs have

  7
  generally risen over the last decade. Information on these health services is available in "OECD Health Systems",

  HCHS cost weighted activity index

  HCHS cost weighted activity index percentage increase over previous year 1978–79 = 100

  Expenditure adjusted for changes in input unit cost percentage increase over previous year 1978–79 = 100

  1978–79

  100.0

  —

  100.0

  —

  1979–80

  100.2

  0.2

  100.0

  0.0

  1980–81

  105.9

  5.8

  100.8

  0.8

  1981–82

  107.8

  1.8

  103.1

  2.3

  1982–83

  107.2

  -0.5

  103.2

  0.1

  1983–84

  113.2

  5.5

  104.0

  0.8

  1984–85

  116.5

  3.0

  104.1

  0.1

  1985–86

  119.7

  2.7

  104.3

  0.2

  1986–87

  121.4

  1.5

  104.6

  0.3

  1987–88

  123.4

  1.6

  105.4

  0.8

  1988–89

  124.5

  0.9

  106.2

  0.7

  1989–90

  127.2

  2.2

  108.0

  1.7

  1990–91

  128.9

  1.3

  109.0

  1.0

  1991–92

  135.6

  5.2

  111.9

  2.6

  1992–93

  139.8

  3.1

  115.3

  3.1

  Notes:

  1. The cost weighted activity index provides a broad measure of the overall growth in HCHS activity, in which the contribution of the individual components are weighted by their costs.

  2. Estimates of efficiency derived from these figures do not take account of the changing cost of a unit of output over time—for example due to demographic changes in case mix and the costs and benefits of medical advance. It is not possible to measure the effect of the last two components. However, demographic change has meant that the average cost per person treated has increased, particularly because of the growing number of very elderly people, who tend to require more expensive care.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interests; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21388]

  The Attorney-General
  Comprehensive records are not held centrally for civil servants in the departments and agency for which I am responsible. The requirement to declare conflicts of interest is contained in the "Staff Handbook" of each department and agency. There have been no special advisers in those departments or agency during the last five years.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection

  LSLO1

  CPS

  T.SOL

  SFO2

  GPL

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  1 October—31 December 1993

  —

  —

  43

  85

  4

  0

  5

  —

  3

  0

  1 January—31 March 1994

  —

  —

  71

  151

  6

  0

  12

  —

  3

  0

  1 April—30 June 1994

  —

  —

  42

  123

  1

  0

  4

  —

  3

  0

  1 July30 September 1994

  —

  —

  38

  144

  1

  1

  7

  —

  1

  0

  1 October—31 December 1994

  —

  —

  30

  101

  3

  0

  3

  —

  1

  0

  1 January—31 March 1995

  —

  —

  33

  80

  1

  0

  2

  —

  1

  0

  1Administrative grade staff in LSLO are on loan from other departments.

  2SFO do not employ administrative assistants.

  8
  Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development 1993.

  with market-testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21371]

  The Attorney-General
  The cost of employing such consultants in the departments for which I am responsible is £104,815.

  Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Attorney-General how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21765]

  The Attorney-General
  The information for the departments for which I am responsible—the legal secretariat to the Law Offices, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Serious Fraud Office and the Government Property Lawyers' agency—is given in the table. The figures cover permanent and casual staff but not inter-departmental transfers.

SCOTLAND

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number and location of Historic Scotland, Registers of Scotland, the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, the Scottish Office Pensions Agency, the Scottish Prisons Service, the Scottish Record Office and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland offices closed and the numbers of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will list the number and location of offices opened and jobs gained in Scotland as the result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period. [20167]

  Mr. Lang
  I have asked the chief executives of the agencies for which my Department is responsible, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graeme N. Munro to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply to your recent question about changes in jobs and offices resulting from cross-border transfers of agency work over the past five years.
  As you will appreciate Historic Scotland has always been concerned only with the built heritage in Scotland since its establishment as an executive agency in 1991. It maintains no offices or posts outwith Scotland.
  The only addition to our functions since 1991 was the transfer of responsibility for marine archaeology in Scotland from the Department of Transport in 1992. This did not involve transfer of posts or offices and the extra responsibility has been absorbed as enhanced productivity by existing staff in Historic Scotland.
  I hope this information is helpful to you.

  Letter from Andrew MacLeod to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  I have been asked to respond for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Scotland on agency work transferred between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
  The Agency has not closed any offices or made any reduction in the number of jobs as a result of transfers of work over the past 5 years. No offices or jobs have been transferred from the rest of the United Kingdom to Scotland in this period.

  Letter from Norman MacLeod to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about offices closed or opened and jobs lost or gained as a result of transfers of work from or to Scotland, so far as the Scottish Office Pensions Agency is concerned.
  All of the Agency's operations are carried out from the above address and no work has transferred from it to other locations in the UK over the past 5 years. Equally, no work has transferred to it from locations elsewhere in the UK.
  No offices or jobs have therefore been lost or gained.

  Letter from Alan W. Ramase to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  I have been asked to reply, in relation to Registers of Scotland Executive Agency, to your question to the Secretary of State for Scotland about jobs lost/gained and offices closed/opened through transfers of Agency work between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
  No Agency work has been transferred to or transferred from the rest of the United Kingdom. The Agency has therefore not gained or lost any jobs nor opened or closed any offices for this reason.
  10
  Letter from Patrick Cadell to Ms. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  I am writing in response to your question to the Secretary of State for Scotland about the number and location of offices closed and the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past 5 years.
  The Scottish Record Office (SRO), which became an executive agency from 1 April 1993, maintains the national archives of Scotland and it would be entirely inappropriate for Scotland's written heritage to be housed anywhere other than Scotland. None of our repositories has been closed nor have any jobs been lost or transferred as a result of any of the SRO's work being transferred outwith Scotland.
  Although a few jobs have had to be created as a result of a general increase in workload, none of that increase can be attributed to work being transferred to Scotland from other parts of the United Kingdom.
  I hope that this information is of use to you.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  I refer to your Question to the Secretary of State for Scotland about changes in Agencies caused by transfers of work to or from Scotland. I am replying so far as the Scottish Prison Service is concerned.
  No offices have been opened or closed or jobs lost or gained in the Scottish Prison Service as a result of transfer of work within the United Kingdom.

  Letter from K. MacRea to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  I refer to the Parliamentary Question which you tabled to the Secretary of State for Scotland seeking information on transfers of work between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom in relation to various Executive Agencies.
  I have been asked to reply in respect of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. There have been no transfers of work, or related changes in staff or offices, since the Agency was established in April 1994.
  I trust this is the information you were seeking.

  Letter from Dr. R. K. M. Hay to Mr. Calum Macdonald, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply on behalf of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) to your recent questions regarding the number of jobs lost or transferred as a result of agency work transferring from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom over the past five years and the number of jobs gained in Scotland as a result of agency work transferring to Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom over the same period.
  These questions are not applicable to SASA.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 15 December,Official Report, column 757, if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European regional development funding since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [20576]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the executive non-departmental public
  11
  bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject (a) to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e)performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20663]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]. The information requested is as follows: (a) Crofters Commission, new town development corporations, Red Deer Commission, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Homes, Scottish Legal Aid board, Scottish Medical Practices committee, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Sports Council, Scottish tourist board:

  (b) None, as the Audit Commission does not operate in Scotland. Its Scottish equivalent is the Accounts Commission for Scotland, which scrutinises the accounts of the seven Scottish river purification boards;

  (c) this information is listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1994"; a copy of which is available in the Library of the House;

  (d) none, although following publication last year of the "Code of Best Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies", the Scottish version of which was published in September 1994 and a copy of which is in the Library of the House, all executive NDPBs have been asked to comply with all reasonable requests for information from Parliament, users of services and individual citizens.

  (e) Performance indicators are part of the management statement or corporate plan for each NDPB;

  (f) the citizens charter applies to all public services, including NDPBs. NDPBs serving the public, including those sponsored by my Department, are therefore expected to meet the charter standards.

  Dr Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have(a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public. [20881]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 April 1995]: The information requested is as follows: (a) none; (b) none.

  Falconry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many permits have been issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry in each year since 1988; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the number of each species taken. [21247]

  Sir Hector Monro
  Details of licences issued to take protected species in the course of falconry in Scotland for the period 1988–1993 are listed in the table. Figures are not yet available for 1994.

  Species

  Number of Licences1

  Birds killed

  Year

  Alauda arvensis

  2

  0

  1988

  Corvus frugilegus

  1

  Gallinula chloropus

  1

  Lagopus lagopus

  0

  Larus ridibundus

  0

  Perdix perdix

  0

  Phasianus colchicus

  2

  12

  Species

  Number of Licences1

  Birds killed

  Year

  Turdus merula

  0

  Anas crecca

  1

  0

  1989

  Anas platyrhnchos

  0

  Gallinula chloropus

  0

  Lagopus lagopus

  0

  Larus ridibundus

  0

  Perdix perdix

  0

  Phasianus colchicus

  2

  Turdus merula

  0

  Alauda arvensis

  3

  3

  1990

  Anthus pratensis

  27

  Gallinula chloropus

  0

  Lagopus lagopus

  0

  Larus ridibundus

  0

  Perdix perdix

  0

  Phasianus colchicus

  0

  Turdus merula

  1

  Turdus philomelos

  1

  Alauda arvensis

  2

  3

  1991

  Anthus pratensis

  8

  Alauda arvensis

  2

  10

  1992

  Anthus pratensis

  10

  Alauda arvensis

  2

  0

  1993

  Anthus pratensis

  0

  Turdus merula

  2

  Turdus philomelos

  0

  1Licences covered all or some of the named species.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences have been issued in each year since 1988 to possess birds of prey; and what were the numbers of birds of each species held under such licences. [21251]

  Sir Hector Monro
  None.

  Education Research
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been devoted to funding education research projects by his Department in each of the last five years; and what percentage of education spending this represents. [21558]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The expenditure on educational research projects by the Scottish Office education department for the last five years is as set out in the table together with the percentage of overall education expenditure. The education expenditure represents direct funding by central Government which from 1 April 1993 included the funding of all higher education in Scotland, and from the same date the funding of further education colleges. The arts and local authority funding are not included.

  Research Expenditure £000's

  Education Expenditure £000's

  percentage

  1990–91

  1,301

  364,067

  0.36

  1991–92

  1,401

  473,095

  0.30

  1992–93

  1,406

  570,517

  0.25

  1993–94

  1,417

  1,113.835

  0.13

  1994–95

  1,334

  1,236,635

  0.11

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Post Office
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account the Governments' review of the Post Office will take of the proposed efficiency audit. [21184]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Post Office performance review will inform Government thinking on matters of operational effectiveness.

  Road Fuels
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate for the price elasticity of demand for road fuels in the United Kingdom in(a) 1996, (b) 2000 and (c) 2005; and if he will make a statement. [20925]

  Mr. Page
  Annex H of Energy Paper No. 65 contains estimates of the price elasticities in the DTI energy model. The long run price elasticity of demand used in the road transport sector is—0.41.

  British Coal Enterprise
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many individuals were head hunted by British Coal Enterprise for jobs as retraining consultants; how many retraining consultants employed in 1993 had been thus recruited; what proportion of the total number of retraining consultants employed this represents; and if he will make a statement; [20926]

  (2) in what capacity Mr. Richard Lewis was employed by British Coal Enterprise during 1993; and if he will make a statement; [20927]

  (3) what criteria were used when assessing the suitability of candidates for jobs as retraining consultants

  Headquarters

  QA 1993

  Q1 1994

  Q2 1994

  Q3 1994

  Q4 1994

  Q1 1995

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  Total

  7

  1

  2

  4

  1

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  18

  Agencies

  QA 1993

  Q1 1994

  Q2 1994

  Q3 1994

  Q4 1994

  Q1 1995

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  Total

  Accounts Service Agency

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Companies House

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  46

  —

  —

  —

  48

  Insolvency Service

  —

  2

  7

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  National Engineering Laboratory

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  National Physical Laboratory

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Patent Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Radiocommunications

  3

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  7

  Totals

  3

  2

  8

  4

  2

  0

  1

  1

  47

  0

  2

  0

  70

  14
  with British Coal Enterprise in 1993; and if he will make a statement. [20928]

  Mr. Page
  These are operational matters for British Coal Enterprise.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, columns 257–59, if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European regional development funding since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [20579]

  Mr. Page
  The available information for England, Scotland and Wales up to 21 April 1995 has been placed in the Library of the House. Figures for Northern Ireland were included in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland on 14 December 1994,Official Report, columns 692–94. All the grants concerned have been approved, for the general economic benefit of the areas concerned, in conformity with criteria on grants to privatised utilities drawn up by the European Commission.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21774]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The number of administrative assistants and administrative officers appointed in the Department and its agencies from September 1993 to April 1995 is shown in the tables.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21200]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The provisional unaudited outturn figures for 1994–95 are as follows:

  Area of department

  £

  1. Centre DTI (excluding net controlled agencies and trading funds)

  508,519

  2. Net controlled agencies and trading funds Accounts Services Agency

  300

  Companies House

  18,289

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  28,000

  National Engineering Laboratory

  13,500

  National Physical Laboratory

  83,799

  Patent Office

  15,000

  Radiocommunications Agency

  35,842

  Total

  703,249

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21532]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Cabinet Office regularly publishes information on progress on equal opportunities matters in the civil service, including in the DTI. I refer the hon. Member to the following reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House:"Equal Opportunities in the Civil Service for people of Ethnic Minority Origin: Third Progress Report 1992–93"
  "Equal Opportunities for Women in the Civil Service: 10 Year Progress Report 1984–1994"
  "Civil Service Data Summary 1994: Women, Race, Disability".

  In 1993 the DTI published a summary of progress on equal opportunities for female staff in the Department since 1984. I am placing a copy of this report in the Library of the House.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forward the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the 4th UN conference on women; and if he will incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21534]

  Mr. Page
  The Government is committed to the principles set out in the Regional Platform for Action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the Fourth UN world conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so. We have also committed ourselves to publishing actions and progress on equal opportunities in annual reports from 1995–96 onwards.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21533]

  Mr. Page
  This Department's policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on women's issues, is that policy proposals should ensure that unlawful or unjustifiable sex or race discrimination does not occur and that similar principles apply to people 16
  with disabilities, older people or ex-offenders. This scrutiny is part of a continuous and routine process, as part of policy advice to Ministers.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21531]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I am responsible for personnel issues within DTI including equal opportunities. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Energy sits on the ministerial sub-committee on women's issues.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for compensating Scottish consumers following the Government's intentions to end the nuclear levy in England and Wales by 1996. [22028]

  Mr. Eggar
  The future of the market support arrangements in respect of nuclear power in the United Kingdom are under active consideration in the nuclear review. An announcement about the review's conclusions will be made shortly.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market-testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21377]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The estimated costs are £3 million for employing consultants in connection with market testing and contracting out, for programmes completed in my Department during the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1995.

  Exports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the takeover of British manufacturers by their foreign competitors on the number of sales outlets for British goods overseas; and if he will make a statement about the number of those outlets that are now selling foreign in preference to British goods. [21416]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  None. United Kingdom export performance does not appear to be hampered by foreign takeovers, nor by a shortage of sales outlets: the value of UK exports grew by 46 per cent. between 1989 and 1994, to reach record levels.

  Trading Practices
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what study he has made of the means by which other nations give preference to their own products and discriminate against those of the United Kingdom; and what lessons he considers can be learnt from other nations' trading practices. [21424]

  Mr. Needham
  Following the successful conclusion of the GATT round, my Department has carried out consultations with the trade associations representing our leading export sectors to establish which remaining barriers to trade most frustrated their members' efforts. This was the first step in a continuing dialogue with industry. The results of the consultations, and the
  17
  Government's strategy to deal with priority barriers will be announced shortly.

  Trade Missions
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions on which he and his Ministerial colleagues have been on overseas trade missions in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; how many such visits are programmed for 1995–96; and if he will give the out-turn, estimated or anticipated cost for each year. [19217]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Details of overseas trade missions undertaken by me and my Department of Trade and Industry ministerial colleagues for the years requested, are as follows. The programme for 1995–96 is still subject to review and final details are not yet available.

  Year

  Dates

  1992–93

  United States

  26 March–9 April

  United States

  3–6 May

  Germany

  7–9 May

  France

  18 May

  Portugal

  1 June

  Hong Kong, China

  21–20 July

  India

  11–18 September

  Argentina and Paraguay

  25 September-2 October

  Russia

  27–30 September

  Hong Kong, China

  23–28 October

  Japan, China

  10–16 November

  Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia,

  26 December-9 January

  China

  Saudi Arabia

  8–11 January

  Slovenia

  3–6 February

  Japan

  4–10 March

  Total estimated cost: (for Ministers and Private Secretaries)

  £66,026.70

  1993–94

  Dubai, Qatar

  12–14 April

  Hong Kong, Korea

  23–28 April

  Japan

  24–27 April

  United States

  29 April-5 May

  Qatar, United Arab Emirates,

  14–19 May

  Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

  Denmark

  15 May

  Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore

  29 May-5 June

  Mexico, Argentina

  31 May-7 June

  Luxembourg

  14 June

  Republic of Ireland

  4–6 July

  Turkey

  16–22 July

  Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand

  10–18 September

  Singapore

  11–16 September

  Czech and Slovak Republics

  12–16 September

  Brazil

  13–20 September

  Japan, Malaysia

  17–23 September

  Tanzania and Zimbabwe

  24 September-1 October

  Kazahkstan

  28 September-2 October

  Algeria

  11–12 October

  China, Hong Kong, Taiwan

  17–24 October

  China

  24–29 October

  India

  16–18 November

  Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore

  30 November-3 December

  Portugal

  17 February

  India, Sri Lanka

  21–28 February

  18

  Year

  Dates

  Foreign Affairs Council-Brussels

  7 March

  Morocco, Tunisia

  27–31 March

  Total estimated cost: (for Ministers and Private Secretaries)

  £142,473.28

  1994–95

  Oman, Saudi Arabia

  24–28 April

  United States

  1–6 May

  Ghana

  4–6 May

  Oman

  13–15 May

  Malaysia

  22–24 May

  Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan

  22–27 May

  Japan, Taiwan, Thailand,

  29 May-14 June

  Malaysia, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia

  Saudi Arabia

  27–28 June

  South Africa

  9–15 July

  Brussels

  17–19 July

  Argentina, Brazil

  23–29 July

  Brazil, Chile, Argentina

  7–17 September

  Puerto Rica and Cuba

  7–9 September

  Singapore, Australia,

  10–24 September

  New Zealand

  Singapore, Hong Kong,

  13–26 October

  Indonesia, Philippines

  United States, Colombia,

  14–23 September

  Venezuela

  South Korea, Malaysia

  15–21 October

  Japan

  13–17 November

  India

  13–19 November

  Egypt

  13–15 November

  Austria

  27–29 November

  Malta

  25–27 January

  Japan

  27 January-1 February

  United States

  6–7 February

  Turkmenistan

  6–9 February

  India

  14–16 February

  Sri Lanka, India

  20–25 February

  Saudi Arabia

  25–28 March

  Total estimated cost: (for Ministers and Private Secretaries)

  £175,480.90

  Local Enterprise Initiatives
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will next meet the Institute of Directors to discuss new ways of encouraging its members to participate more closely with local enterprise initiatives. [21823]

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, regularly meets representatives of the Institute of Directors to discuss a wide range of competitiveness issues.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates his Department has made of loss of revenue arising from car boot sales. [19960]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Traders at car boot sales are liable for income tax and VAT in the same way as everybody else. The tax authorities have powers to investigate tax evasion, and use them, but it is not possible to produce a reliable estimate of any revenue lost.

  Fiches d'impact
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many fiches d'impact have been issued in each year since 1986 by Directorate-General 23 of the European Commission; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of directives issued each year. [18680]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer 18 April 1995]: Commission archives indicate that between 1986 and 1990, all proposed legislation had a fiche d' impact. In 1991 a new system came into operation whereby fiches were targeted at those proposals for legislation which were likely to have substantial effect on enterprises, particularly small and medium sized firms.

  The Commission does not hold central records which would enable the other statistics requested to be compiled without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission; (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [20665]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Design Council

  (b) None

  (c) Design Council

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission

  Simpler Trade Procedures Board

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  National Consumer Council

  Post Office Users' National Council

  Post Office Users' Council for Northern Ireland

  Post Office Users' Council for Wales

  Post Office Users' Council for Scotland

  Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Gas Consumer's Council

  (d) None

  (e) Design Council

  Simpler Trade Procedures Board

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  National Consumer Council

  (f) Design Council

  Simpler Trade Procedures Board

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Post Office Users' National Council

  Post Office Users' Council for Northern Ireland

  Post Office Users' Council for Wales

  Post Office Users' Council for Scotland

  Gas Consumers' Council

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have(a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board
  20
  or committee meetings and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public. [20879]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 26 April 1995]: None.

  Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what share of the market for manufactures he expects imports to take(a) in the current year and (b) next year. [21417]

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Forecasts for total imports of goods and services can be found in the November "Financial Statement and Budget Report", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Neither the Treasury nor the Department of Trade and Industry publishes forecasts for manufactured imports.

ENVIRONMENT

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 5 December,Official Report, column 11, if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European regional development funding since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [20563]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Energy earlier today.

  Manual Workers
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average increase in real terms in the wages of local authority manual workers since 1979. [21060]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Information from the "New Earnings Survey", adjusted by the retail prices index, indicates that the average increase in real terms from April 1979 to April 1994, the latest date for which information is available, in the wages of local authority manual workers in England and Wales was 24.5 per cent.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage grant available to English housing associations for new and existing properties in each year since 1979. [21082]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 26 April 1995]: Prior to 1 April 1989, there were no published grant rates and the available grant was determined on a scheme-by-scheme basis. Since 1 April 1989, the average grant rates available to English housing associations for the development and rehabilitation of property have been:

  1989–90: 75 per cent.

  1990–91: 80 per cent.

  1991–92: 77 per cent.

  1992–93: 72 per cent.

  1993–94: 67 per cent.

  1994–95: 62 per cent.

  1995–96: 58 per cent.

  Approved Development Programme
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the ADP programme as between social housing and owner occupation. [21308]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Housing Corporation approved development programme is split into housing for rent programmes—mixed and public funded, short-life housing and miscellaneous works including major repair—and home ownership incentives and housing for sale programmes—tenants incentive scheme do-it-yourself shared ownership and construction and rehabilitation of property for shared ownership. TIS and DIYSO encourage home ownership and release existing lettings for others in housing need.

  The ADP for 1995–96 is as follows:

  Expenditure (£ million)

  Forecast lettings produced

  Housing for rent

  Mixed and public funded

  784.7

  32,700

  Short life housing

  23.0

  3,300

  Miscellaneous works

  65.0

  —

  Total rent

  872.7

  36,000

  Incentives and housing for sale

  Tenants Incentive Scheme

  85.8

  7,200

  DIYSO

  121.9

  4,700

  Shared ownership

  74.7

  4,600

  Total incentive sale

  282.4

  16,500

  Other expenditure

  26.0

  —

  Total gross expenditure

  1,181.1

  —

  Local Authority Staff
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff are employed by each local authority in the north-east region of England, including police forces, by broad service area. [21306]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Numbers employed in June 1994 by each local authority in England, including police forces, were published in the joint staffing watch press release. A copy of the press release and the available service area information for metropolitan districts and non-metropolitan districts in the north-east have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Bridlepath, Ribble Valley
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has received about his decision to delete from the definitive maps the path and bridleway from Sawley lodge towards Gisburn in Ribble valley; [21232]

  (2) what was the nature of the representations made to his Department by Mrs. Patricia Lord concerning the footpath and bridleway running through her land at Sawley lodge, Ribble valley; [21233]

  (3) why he has directed Lancashire county council to delete from the definitive map the path and bridleway from Sawley lodge towards Gisburn in Ribble valley. [21231]
  22
  Mr. Atkins
  The nature of representations made by Mrs. Lord and the reasons for the Secretary of State's decision were set out in the letter issued by the Government office for the north west on 21 December. I am sending the hon. Member for Pendle a copy of that letter and placing a copy in the House Library.

  The Secretary of State has received one representation about his decision from Lancaster Association of Parish and Town Councils.

  Avian Pest Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the control of avian pest species. [21181]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Annual general licences issued by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food permit the year-round control by authorised persons of 13 species of pest birds. Populations of the 13 species concerned are monitored to assess their conservation status. There is no evidence to suggest that current levels of pest control are threatening the status of any of these species.

  Cemfuel
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has granted full authorisation to Castle Cement to allow the burning of cemfuel at Ribblesdale. [21234]

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to my written reply of 24 February,Official Report, column 350. HMIP is now considering carefully all comments received as a result of the public consultation exercise, together with the results from the monitoring and the environmental impact assessment undertaken by Castle Cement. A decision on whether to allow the burning of cemfuel as currently authorised will be made by HMIP following this review.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's consultation paper on possible legislation for construction industry contracts in accordance with the recommendations of the Latham report; and if he will make a statement. [21196]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Cunningham) on 21 April,Official Report, column 286.

  River Tees
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between the National Rivers Authority and the Teesside development corporation about the level of the River Tees above the Tees barrage; and what conclusions have been reached. [21305]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Teesside development corporation has discussed with the National Rivers Authority whether or not the Tees Barrage has any material impact on the flood levels of the River Tees, during heavy winter flows in January and February 1995.

  The TDC and NRA are now awaiting the results of studies by consultants relating to these issues.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21597]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Department is committed to equality of opportunity for all employees. There are departmental action plans to achieve equality of opportunities for ethnic minorities and women based on the programmes for action in the civil service. Consultation within the Department is currently taking place on a draft departmental action plan in response to the programme for action for disabled people. Progress is reported to staff by means of an annual report which is published by the equal opportunities unit.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21496]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for all issues within the Department although the Viscount Ullswater has particular responsibility for women's issues.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21498]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  This Department's policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on womens' issues, is that policy proposals should ensure that unlawful or unjustifiable sex or race discrimination does not occur and that similar principles apply to people with disabilities, older people or ex-offenders. This scrutiny is part of a continuous and routine process, as part of policy advice to Ministers.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he hopes to make in the next three months to push forwards the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the 4th UN conference on women; and if he will incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21499]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the 4th UN world conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.

  The following paragraph on equal opportunities was published in the Department's annual report for 1995:
  "The Department of the Environment is an equal opportunities employer. This means that all staff (whether full—or part-time), applicants for posts, and members of the public are treated on the same fair basis irrespective of sex, sexual orientation or marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, or disability."

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European social fund support since privatisation indicating(a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received; [21289]

  (2) if he will list those public projects which received European social fund support and were subsequently privatised over the last 10 years, indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21288]
  24
  Sir Paul Beresford
  None of the privatised companies for which my Department has responsibility has applied directly and received European social fund support since 1990. Information for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21384]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  For the Department and agencies for which I am responsible any conflict of interest involving a civil servant would have been dealt with in accordance with established guidance. Records on the number of cases are not held centrally. In the last five years, five special advisors have declared 11 possible conflicts of interest.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21367]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  From the inception of the market testing programme in April 1992 to 31 March 1995, departmental and agency expenditure on consultancies to support the "Competing and Quality" initiative has been almost £1.6 million. As reported in the "Market Testing Bulletin Special Report," dated January 1995, total results to the end of September 1994 have achieved annual savings of £14.6 million. In addition to the cash savings, there have been a number of improvements in the quality of services delivered.

  Barn Owls
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide estimates to show the change in the numbers of barn owls in England and Wales over the last 20 years. [21115]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department's statutory scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, advise that the estimated population of barn owls in Great Britain and Ireland, when surveyed during 1968–72, was between 4,600 and 9,000 pairs. A survey carried out during 1982–85 estimated the population to be between 5,000 and 5,300 pairs. It is impossible to compare directly the results of different surveys, as different survey techniques may have been used.

  Falconry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many permits have been issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry in each year since 1988; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the numbers of each species taken. [21245]
  25
  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of licences issued to take protected species in the course of falconry in England for available for

  Species

  Number of licences1

  Birds killed

  Year

  Aluda arvensis

  46

  1773 (Total number of all species killed)

  1988

  Turdus merula

  Turdus philomelos

  Turdus pilaris

  Turdus iliacus

  Turdus viscivorous

  Anthus pratensis

  Larus ridibundas

  Aluda arvensis

  60

  No figures on the numbers of birds killed available

  1989

  Turdus merula

  Turdus philomelos

  Turdus pilaris

  Anthus pratensis

  Turdus iliacus

  Larus ridibundas

  Lagopus lagopus

  Perdix perdix

  Gallinula chlorpus

  Anas crecca

  Anas platyrhynchos

  Aluda arvensis

  61

  236

  1990

  Turdus merula

  132

  Turdus philomelos

  20

  Anthus pratensis

  27

  Larus ridibundas

  2

  Aluda arvensis

  59

  259

  1991

  Turdus merula

  132

  Turdus philomelos

  20

  Anthus pratensis

  35

  Larus ridibundas

  2

  Aluda arvensis

  59

  137

  1992

  Turdus merula

  158

  Turdus philomelos

  25

  Anthus pratensis

  42

  Larus ridibundas

  0

  Aluda arvensis

  72

  171

  1993

  Turdus merula

  51

  Turdus philomelos

  9

  Anthus pratensis

  18

  Larus ridibundas

  10

  1Licences covered all or some of the named species.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences have been issued in each year since 1988 to possess birds of prey, and what were the numbers of birds in each species held under such licences. [21249]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 permits a series of licences to be issued to take wild birds for a variety of purposes. Since 1988 my Department has not issued any licenses to take birds of prey from the wild.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to ensure the 26
  the period 1998–1993.are as listed. Figures are not yet available for 1994.

  adequate protection of migrating birds of protected species. [21116]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Wild birds in the United Kingdom are protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act which enacts our obligations under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds. The Act does not permit migratory species to be hunted during their breeding or migration seasons.

  The birds directive requires member states to take special conservation measures for certain vulnerable species, including the establishment of a network of special protection areas. To date 104 SPAs have been designated and more are planned.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to his counterpart Ministers in the EEC concerning the shooting and trapping of protected species during migration and if he
  27
  will seek to persuade them to enforce in full the provisions of the appropriate European legislation. [21117]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The European Commission has proposed an amendment to the birds directive to give guidance on the hunting of migratory birds. The proposal has been considered by the Council of Ministers and has been referred to the European Parliament for an opinion. When that opinion is received, the Council of Ministers will consider its implications for the hunting of migratory birds.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the number of sites which meet the criteria for designation and protection under the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds, the number of sites so designated, the name of the site next to be designated and the date he expects to designate it; [21118]

  (2) when he last designated an area under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance, which area is

  UK sites classified as special protection areas under EC birds directive and wetlands of International importance under the Ramsar Convention

  Name

  County/region

  Date designated

  Area (ha)

  1. Loch Druidibeg, A'Machair

  Western Isles

  31 August 1982

  1,043.0

  2. Ribble Estuary

  Lancashire

  31 August 1982

  2,182.0

  3. The Swale

  Kent

  31 August 1982

  113.0

  extended

  17 July 1985

  5,722.0

  further extended

  15 December 1993

  421.7

  4. Chesil Beach and The Fleet

  Dorset

  17 July 1985

  763.0

  5. The Dee Estuary

  Merseyside, Cheshire and Clwyd

  17 July 1985

  13,055.0

  6. Derwent Ings (part of Lower Derwent Valley)

  North Yorkshire

  17 July 1985

  783.0

  7. Holburn Moss

  Northumberland

  17 July 1985

  22.0

  8. Alt Estuary

  Merseyside

  28 November 1985

  1,160.0

  9. Leighton Moss

  Lancashire

  28 November 1985

  124.0

  10. Martin Mere

  Lancashire

  28 November 1985

  119.0

  11. Loch Eye

  Highland

  23 September 1986

  195.0

  12. Loch of Skene

  Grampian

  23 September 1986

  125.0

  13. Rockliffe Marshes (Pt Upper Solway Flats and Marshes)

  Cumbria

  23 September 1986

  1,897.0

  14. Chichester and Langstone Harbours

  Hampshire/Sussex

  28 October 1987

  5,764.0

  15. Upper Severn Estuary

  Gloucestershire

  5 February 1988

  1,357.0

  16. The Wash

  Lines/Norfolk

  30 March 1988

  63,124.0

  17. Pagham Harbour

  West Sussex

  30 March 1988

  615.0

  18. Din Moss—Hoselaw Loch

  Borders

  14 July 1988

  45.7

  19. Gladhouse Reservoir

  Lothian

  14 July 1988

  186.5

  20. Bridgend Flats, Islay

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  331.0

  21. Duich Moss, Islay

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  574.0

  22. Gruinart Flats, Islay

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  3,170.0

  23. North Norfolk Coast

  Norfolk

  20 January 1989

  7,700.0

  24. Fala Flow

  Midlothian

  25 April 1990

  323.0

  25. Glac-na-Criche

  Islay

  25 April 1990

  265.0

  26. Feur Lochain

  Islay

  25 April 1990

  384.1

  27. Rutland Water

  Leics

  4 October 1991

  1,540.0

  28. Abberton Reservoir

  Essex

  5 December 1991

  716.3

  29. Walmore Common

  Gloucs

  5 December 1991

  51.4

  30. Exe Estuary

  Devon

  11 March 1992

  2,388.6

  31. Lindisfarne

  Northumberland

  11 March 1992

  3,625.2

  32. Old Hall Marshes

  Essex

  11 March 1992

  627.1

  33. Minsmere-Walberswick

  Suffolk

  19 May 1992

  2,000.3

  34. Burry Inlet

  Dyfed/W Glam

  14 July 1992

  6,660.0

  35. Loch Ken and Dee Marshes

  Dumfries and Galloway

  31 August 1992

  773.4

  36. Loch Spynie

  Grampian

  31 August 1992

  93.0

  37. Upper Solway Flats and Marshes

  Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway

  30 November 1992

  28,053.0

  38. Nene Washes

  Cambs

  5 March 1993

  1,310.0

  39. Ouse Washes

  Cambs/Norfolk

  5 March 1993

  2,372.0

  40. Gibraltar Point (Wash Phase II)

  Lincolnshire

  5 March 1993

  414.0

  41. South Tayside Goose Roosts

  Tayside

  22 April 1993

  408.7

  28
  next to be designated and when he expects to designate it; [21119]

  (3) if he will list those special protection areas, under the EC birds directive, as well as those Ramsar sites and areas with dual designation for the protection of birds. [21120/95]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The list of those areas identified on the basis of scientific evidence as potentially qualifying for classification as special protection areas is currently under review. The list will be published in due course and a copy will be placed in the Library. The next English site to be designated is expected to be placed in the Blackwater estuary in Essex. It is a SPA and Ramsar site. An announcement will be made shortly.

  We announced the listing of two Ramsar sites at the end of March 1995: River Crouch marshes, Essex, was listed on 24 March and Coll, Strathclyde, was listed on 31 March.

  The United Kingdom has designated 104 special protection areas and listed 88 Ramsar sites. The following 62 sites have dual SPA/Ramsar designation:
  29

  UK sites classified as special protection areas under EC birds directive and wetlands of International importance under the Ramsar Convention

  Name

  County/region

  Date designated

  Area (ha)

  42. Hamford Water

  Essex

  8 June 1993

  2,179.3

  43. Lower Derwent Valley

  N Yorks and Humberside

  8 June 1993

  306.4

  44. New Forest

  Hampshire

  22 September 1993

  28,001.2

  45. Medway Estuary

  Kent

  15 December 1993

  4,681.8

  46. Stodmarsh

  Kent

  16 December 1993

  481.3

  47. Benfleet and Southend Marshes

  Essex

  14 February 1994

  2,251.3

  48. Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons (Wealden Heaths Phase I)

  Surrey/Hants

  14 February 1994

  1,869.9

  49. Cameron Reservoir

  Fife

  14 March 1994

  64.4

  50. Dengie (Mid-Essex Coast Phase I)

  Essex

  24 March 1994

  3,127.2

  51. Loch of Kinnordy

  Tayside

  29 March 1994

  86.0

  52. Stour and Orwell

  Essex/Suffolk

  13 July 1994

  3,334.1

  53. Humber Flats and Marshes

  Humberside and Lincs

  28 July 1994

  15,230.3

  54. Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay

  Kent

  28 July 1994

  1,877.0

  55. Colne (Mid-Essex Coast Phase II)

  Essex

  28 July 1994

  2,701.4

  56. Loch Maree

  Highland

  19 September 1994

  3,100.0

  57. Broadland

  Norfolk/Suffolk

  21 September 1994

  4,645.9

  58. Montrose Basin

  Tayside

  3 February 1995

  987.0

  59. Ribble and Alt Estuaries Phase II

  Lancashire/Merseyside

  16 February 1995

  8,768.4

  60. Portsmouth Harbour

  Hampshire

  28 February 1995

  1,248.4

  61. River Crouch Marshes

  Essex

  24 March 1995

  905.7

  62. Coll

  Strathclyde

  31 March 1995

  2,291.9

  Total

  250,735.0

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21212]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Expenditure on official hospitality by my Department, including Property Holdings and the Department's agencies, was approximately £121,000 in 1994–95.

  Civil Service Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21769]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The following information covers permanent administrative staff in my Department, excluding Ordnance Survey and PSA Services.

  Q4-1993: 6

  Q1-1994: 1

  Q2-1994: 5

  Q3-1994: 2

  Q4-1994: 8

  Q1-1995: 4

EMPLOYMENT

  Female Work Force
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of women in the United Kingdom have jobs; and what are the figures for other major European countries. [16521]
  30
  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 27 March 1995]: The most recent comparable estimates between the United Kingdom and other major European countries are for 1992 and are given in the following table.

  The most recent information for the United Kingdom is for spring 1994, when the rate was 65 per cent.

  Total female employment as a percentage of the female population ages 15–59

  Country

  1992

  Sweden*

  76

  Denmark

  74

  United Kingdom

  64

  Finland*

  63

  Germany

  60

  Portugal

  58

  Austria*

  56

  France

  55

  Netherlands

  54

  Luxembourg

  50

  Belgium

  49

  Italy

  39

  Greece

  38

  Ireland

  38

  Spain

  33

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  *ages 15–64.

  Redundancies
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those companies reporting redundancies where the number of redundancies was fewer than 20; and what was the total number of redundancies reported by those firms where the number of redundancies was fewer than 20, in each case breaking the data down by industrial sector, gender and region. [21047]
  31
  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 26 April 1995]: Information supplied by individual employers under the statutory redundancy notification arrangements is given in

  Redundancies of <20 employees notified under s193 trade union and labour relations (consolidation) act 1992:1994

  Sector

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands and Eastern

  North

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Wales

  Scotland

  Total

  Agriculture, forestry, fishing

  40

  28

  50

  13

  27

  —

  —

  10

  —

  168

  Energy and water supply

  243

  75

  30

  314

  77

  —

  —

  12

  —

  751

  Minerals, ores, metals, chemicals

  104

  39

  167

  200

  102

  43

  177

  86

  222

  1,140

  Metal goods, engineering, vehicles

  1,377

  430

  557

  580

  164

  674

  486

  227

  572

  5,067

  Other manufacturing industries

  689

  283

  814

  827

  320

  845

  490

  183

  587

  5,038

  Construction

  483

  150

  288

  380

  345

  626

  288

  106

  1,041

  3,707

  Distribution, hotels and catering, repairs

  1,548

  673

  704

  854

  199

  968

  384

  276

  403

  6,009

  Transport and communication

  589

  182

  129

  250

  81

  240

  213

  34

  260

  1,978

  Banking, finance, business services, leasing

  1,991

  418

  288

  350

  105

  589

  225

  39

  333

  4,338

  Other services

  1,622

  490

  530

  371

  318

  607

  393

  74

  314

  4,719

  Total

  8,686

  2,768

  3,557

  4,139

  1,738

  4,592

  2,656

  1,047

  3,732

  32,915

  Note:

  Under s193 of the TULR(C) Act 1992, an employer is required to notify the Secretary of State for Employment of 10 or more proposed redundancies occurring at one establishment within a period of 30 days or less.

  Stockport Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the directors of Stockport TEC have received payments from TEC funds for services provided to the TEC; what these were and when; and if such payments will continue in 1995–96. [21176]

  Mr. Paice
  I understand from Stockport and High Peak training and enterprise council that none of the TEC's directors has ever received payment from TEC funds for services provided to the TEC. TEC directors receive no payment from the TEC for their services.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions the hotel owned by a Stockport TEC director has been used by the Stockport TEC for training or other purposes, for which that director's hotel has received payment; how much was paid; and when and how many of these hotel bookings were the subject of competitive tenders. [21175]

  Mr. Paice
  I understand from Stockport and High Peak training and enterprise council that one of their directors owns a hotel which has been used by the TEC. The occasions on which the hotel has been used by the TEC since its inception in 1991 are shown in the following table:

  Year

  Occasions

  £

  1991

  Three

  3,537.14

  1992

  Three

  2,098.47

  1993

  Four

  1,764.27

  1994

  One

  63.83

  1995

  One

  126.74

  The TEC uses a wide range of venues throughout its area and does not normally use competitive tendering for these bookings. However, in cases of significant
  32
  confidence. No analysis is kept by gender. The remaining information requested is in the following table, which relates 1994.

  expenditure the TEC will seek out comparative prices. TECs are required to comply with published guidelines on the business interest of directors.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to consult on the Vienna declaration prior to the UN conference on women in Beijing; to which interested groups the Vienna declaration has been circulated for comment; and what steps he has taken to progress the implementation of the Vienna declaration signed in October 1994. [21309]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Throughout the preparatory phase for the fourth world conference on women, the Government have been in continuous dialogue with women's non-governmental organisations and other interested groups. More than 500 copies of the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna have been circulated to NGOs, local authorities, academic institutions, trade unions, businesses and all members and associate members of the Women's National Commission. The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action and are taking these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forward the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna Conference in preparation for the fourth UN conference on women; and if he will agree to incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21463]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the
  33
  fourth UN conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.

  In line with the Government White Paper, "Taking Forward Continuity and Change", the Department will publish actions and progress on equal opportunities in its annual report from 1995–96.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21461]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Good progress is being made towards the numerical benchmarks for the employment of women, ethnic minorities and disabled people in the Employment Department Group for the year 2000, and towards implementing the agreed recommendations of a report which investigated the causes of the under-representation of women at senior levels in the group. A number of initiatives to help staff combine work and domestic responsibilities have been introduced, including part-time and alternative working arrangements; homeworking; career breaks and special leave arrangements. There is support for child care through six workplace nurseries and 35 holiday play schemes. A programme has recently been introduced for staff from ethnic minorities to enable them to compete more effectively for jobs in areas where they are under-represented. An advisory group on women has been set up to advise on how policies and practices in the ED group impact on women.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21460]

  Miss Widdecombe
  This Department's policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on women's issues, is that policy proposals should ensure that unlawful or unjustifiable sex or race discrimination does not occur and that similar principles apply to people with disabilities, older people or ex-offenders. This scrutiny is part of a continuous and routine process, as part of policy advice to Ministers.

  Training Expenditure
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the total amount of spending on training for the last available year, indicating the proportion of spending accounted for by finance from the European Union for the United Kingdom as a whole and for each standard region. [20375]

  Mr. Paice
  It is estimated that British employers currently spend over £20,000 million a year on training and developing their employees. The total amount of European social fund spent on training in Great Britain in the 1993 calendar year was £580 million. Responsibility for training matters in Northern Ireland lies with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in constant prices the average annual earnings of apprentices, and average length of 34
  apprenticeships, for the United Kingdom and for each standard employment region for (a) 1975, (b) 1979, (c) 1985, (d) 1990 and (e) the last three available years. [20378]

  Mr. Paice
  The information is not available.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21366]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The cost of employing consultants to give support to the Employment Department Group's "Competing for Quality" programme for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1995 was around £3.1 million.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21383]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested in the first part of the question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Instructions on declaring conflicts of interest are contained in the Department's group personnel handbook. All members of staff must comply with these instructions and any subsequent instructions about the retention, disposal or management of such interests.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21770]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Part of ED Group

  ED

  HSE

  ACAS

  Total

  Es Agency

  Quarter

  1 October 1993 to

  AA

  0

  6

  0

  6

  45

  31 December 1993

  AO

  3

  2

  0

  5

  441

  1 January 1994 to

  AA

  3

  2

  0

  5

  92

  31 March 1994

  AO

  4

  1

  0

  5

  527

  1 April 1994 to

  AA

  5

  10

  1

  16

  26

  30 June 1994

  AO

  5

  8

  1

  14

  129

  1 July 1994 to

  AA

  1

  12

  1

  14

  18

  30 September 1994

  AO

  4

  4

  0

  8

  193

  1 October 1994 to

  AA

  1

  9

  0

  10

  5

  31 December 1994

  AO

  7

  6

  0

  13

  71

  1 January 1995 to

  AA

  6

  9

  0

  15

  0

  31 March 1995

  AO

  5

  2

  0

  7

  2

  AA = Administrative assistant AO = Administrative officer.

  Training, Teesside
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which travel-to-work areas are served by(a) the East Cleveland training and employment group and (b) the Teesside TEC. [21432]

  Mr. Paice
  Teesside training and enterprise council serves three travel-to-work areas: Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool. East Cleveland training and employment group operates in the Middlesbrough travel-to-work area.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the expenditure of the Teesside training and enterprise council in each of the last 10 years. [21434]

  Mr. Paice
  Teesside training and enterprise council was established in 1990. The TEC's expenditure is shown in the following table:

  Teesside TEC training by occupational area

  Numbers trained (young persons and adults)

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Occupational Areas

  Managerial and Professional

  0

  452

  439

  426

  406

  390

  1

  66

  64

  62

  59

  57

  2

  98

  96

  93

  88

  85

  3

  111

  107

  105

  100

  96

  4

  556

  540

  524

  499

  480

  5

  17

  17

  16

  16

  15

  6

  251

  244

  237

  226

  217

  7

  203

  197

  191

  182

  175

  8

  1,263

  1,226

  1,190

  1,134

  1,090

  Clerical

  9

  554

  538

  522

  497

  478

  Construction

  10

  1,033

  1,003

  974

  928

  892

  Engineering and electrical making and repairing occupations

  11

  802

  778

  756

  720

  692

  12

  206

  200

  194

  185

  178

  13

  534

  518

  503

  479

  461

  14

  159

  154

  150

  142

  137

  15

  950

  922

  895

  853

  820

  6

  70

  67

  66

  62

  60

  Catering

  17

  239

  232

  225

  214

  206

  Healthcare

  18

  848

  823

  799

  761

  732

  19

  278

  270

  262

  250

  240

  Sales

  20

  15

  15

  14

  14

  13

  Occupations

  21

  1,100

  1,069

  1,037

  988

  950

  Miscellaneous Assembly

  22

  474

  460

  447

  425

  409

  Driving

  23

  101

  98

  95

  91

  87

  Agriculture

  24

  127

  124

  121

  114

  110

  Others

  25

  2,092

  2,031

  1,972

  1,878

  1,806

  Totals

  12,599

  12,232

  11,876

  11,311

  10,876

  Low Pay
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the trend in real take-home pay among those men in the lowest decile of earnings since 1979. [21571]

  Sir George Young
  I have been asked to reply.

  36

  Year

  Expenditure (£ millions)

  1989–90

  0.133 (Development funding)

  1990–91

  27.5

  1991–92

  27.7

  1992–93

  28.4

  1993–94

  30.9

  1994–951

  1Audited accounts not available yet.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people for whose training the Teesside TEC has been responsible in each of the last 10 years(a) in each skill area and (b) in total. [21435]

  Mr. Paice
  The following table provides an occupational breakdown of the numbers of people trained by Teesside training and enterprise council since it was established in 1990.

TREASURY

  Income Tax
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide, on the same basis as in table, 2.7, "Inland Revenue Statistics 1994", estimates for income tax liabilities for 1995–96 in an income range form £3,525 to £100,000, supplying data at intervals of not more than 10,000. [21005]
  37
  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: Available estimates based on a projection of the 1992–93 survey of personal incomes are given in the following table.

  Income tax liabilities, by income range, 1995–961

  Range of total income (lower limit)

  Tax liability at lower rate

  Tax liability at basic rate

  Tax liability at excess over basic rate

  £

  Number of taxpayers

  Amount taxpayers

  Number of taxpayers

  Amount

  Number of taxpayers

  Amount

  3,525

  1.9

  260

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  4.1

  1,920

  0.8

  70

  —

  —

  7,500

  3.8

  2,440

  3.7

  1,510

  —

  —

  10,000

  6.1

  3,890

  6.1

  7,710

  —

  —

  15,000

  4.1

  2,620

  4.1

  10,100

  —

  —

  20,000

  3.9

  2,490

  3.9

  15,800

  0.2

  30

  30,000

  1.2

  770

  1.2

  7,740

  1.2

  870

  40,000

  1.0

  670

  1.0

  15,500

  1.0

  6,010

  All ranges

  26.2

  15,100

  20.8

  58,500

  2.4

  6,910

  Numbers: millions; amounts: £ million

  Range of total income (lower limit) £

  Total tax liability before tax credit

  Total tax liability after tax credit

  Average rate of tax Percentage

  Average amount of tax £

  3,525

  260

  250

  3

  130

  5,000

  2,000

  1,720

  7

  420

  7,500

  3,940

  3,460

  10

  910

  10,000

  11,600

  10,300

  14

  1,670

  15,000

  12,700

  11,500

  16

  2,800

  20,000

  18,400

  16,900

  18

  4,340

  30,000

  9,380

  8,850

  22

  7,380

  40,000

  22,200

  21,700

  30

  20,730

  All ranges

  80,500

  74,600

  18

  2,850

  1Provisional

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update table 2.9, "Inland Revenue Statistics 1994", providing estimates for 1995–96. [21006]

  Income tax liabilities of lower, basic and higher rate taxpayers by range of total income by source, 1995–961

  Range of total income (lower limit)

  Main source Schedule E pay or occupational pension

  Main source Schedule D case I or II profits

  Other main sources

  £

  Number of taxpayers

  Total amount of tax

  Number of taxpayers2

  Total amount of tax3

  Number of taxpayers

  Total amount

  Taxpayers liable only at the lower rate

  3,525

  4,490

  1,270

  550

  150

  320

  80

  20,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  30,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  4,490

  1,270

  550

  150

  320

  80

  Taxpayers liable at the basic rate (excluding higher rate taxpayers

  3,525

  12,800

  22,800

  1,570

  2,450

  280

  420

  20,000

  3,320

  14,200

  330

  1,350

  40

  170

  30,000

  20

  90

  10

  50

  —

  —

  Total

  16,200

  37,100

  1,900

  3,850

  320

  590

  38
  The main reason for higher numbers of taxpayers is increasing prosperity—real incomes have increased by 40 per cent. Since 1979—and the number of people in employment increased by 174,000 during 1994.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: Provisional incomes are given in the table:
  39

  Income tax liabilities of lower, basic and higher rate taxpayers by range of total income by source, 1995–961

  Range of total income (lower limit)

  Main source Schedule E pay or occupational pension

  Main source Schedule D case I or II profits

  Other main sources

  £

  Number of taxpayers

  Total amount of tax

  Number of taxpayers2

  Total amount of tax3

  Number of taxpayers

  Total amount

  Taxpayers liable at the higher rate

  3,525

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20,000

  180

  1,040

  30

  170

  10

  40

  30,000

  1,360

  11,500

  230

  1,990

  30

  310

  50,000

  350

  6,600

  110

  2,070

  10

  220

  100,000

  80

  4,830

  40

  2,530

  10

  350

  Total

  1,970

  24,000

  400

  6,760

  60

  930

  1Provisional.

  2Numbers=thousands.

  3Amounts=£ million.

  The main reason for higher numbers of taxpayers is increasing prosperity—real incomes have increased by 40 per cent. since 1979—and the number of people in employment increased by 174,000 during 1994.

  Mr. Stephen Crouch
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Stephen Crouch. [21689]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: There is no such relationship.

  Mr. Edmund Sykes
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Edmund Sykes. [21690]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: There is no such relationship.

  Leeds-Halifax Building Society
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect on(a) consumer expenditure and (b) the growth of gross domestic product, of the planned share distribution by the planned Leeds-Halifax building society merger and conversion, on the basis of current plans and current market capitalisation. [21431]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: The societies have not published details of the share distribution which will form part of their proposed conversion. So it has not been possible to make an estimate of any wider economic effects of the conversion. Any estimate would, in any case, be subject to a great deal of uncertainty, because of the assumptions which would have to be made about the behaviour of those investors receiving a share distribution.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the quantitative impact on inward investment into the United Kingdom of an increase of(a) 1p, (b) 2p and (c) Sp on corporation tax; and if he will make a statement. [20919]

  Sir George Young
  Taxation is one of a number of factors which businesses take into account when deciding the location for investment. The United Kingdom has the lowest main rate of corporation tax among the major
  40
  industrial countries. The UK's low corporation tax rates have contributed, along with the openness of the UK economy, low labour costs, a well educated and flexible workforce and good communications, to the UK becoming the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment worldwide.

  Public Sector Pay
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines govern public sector salary increases in areas where the state enjoys monopoly power; and if he will make a statement. [20931]

  Mr. Aitken
  The Government expect pay in the public sector to be considered in accordance with the approach that my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor announced on 14 September 1994. The running costs of central Government Departments and provision for the rest of the public sector have been set on the basis that pay and price increases should be offset, or more than offset, by efficiencies and other economies. Generally, pay in all parts of the public sector should be set at levels necessary to recruit, retain and motivate staff within the available cash levels.

  Chief Secretary
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution has been made or is planned to be made to the legal costs incurred by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in his action for libel against the Guardian newspaper. [21842]

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many press notices or statements have been made by his Department concerning the private business activities and associated allegations relating to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury since his appointment; and what is the estimated cost involved. [21843]

  Mr. Aitken
  None. Treasury officials have passed on a number of inquiries from the press to me and on a number of occasions have passed my replies back. Very little of their time has been involved.

  Regulators
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual total cost of each of the regulators of the privatised utilities. [21838]
  41
  Sir George Young
  The provision for 1994–95 and 1995–96 for the offices of the privatised utilities are as follows:

  £ thousands

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Office of Telecommunications

  9,358

  9,464

  Office of Gas Supply

  4,524

  5,352

  Office of Electricity Regulation

  10,871

  10,567

  Office of Water Services

  9,544

  8,146

  Source:

  Supply Estimates 1995–96, HM Treasury, March 1995.

  The cost of funding the offices of the regulators is fully recovered by licence fees paid by the regulated companies. Income from fees is surrendered to the consolidated fund. There is no net cost to the taxpayer.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he estimates will pay tax on incapacity benefit in each of the next three financial years; and what will be the average increase in tax payable as a result of the extension of tax to invalidity in each of these years and the total yield to the Treasury. [17348]

  Sir George Young
  Estimates for new claimants of incapacity benefit and the total tax yield are given in the table. No-one already receiving invalidity benefit will pay tax on their incapacity benefit so long as they remain incapable of work.

  New claimants of incapacity benefit

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Number of new claimants

  300,000

  550,000

  700,000

  of which taxpayers

  200,000

  300,000

  350,000

  Yield (£ million)

  35

  70

  95

  Estimates are based on survey data and are subject to some uncertainty. Claimant figures have been rounded to the nearest 50,000.

  Washington Visit
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the extent of the briefing by Her Majesty's Government's Treasury officials and Ministers to the right hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) for his trip to Washington in 1986. [20608]

  Sir George Young
  No briefing was asked for and none was given. The views of the Government on unitary tax were well known, and were stated by the then Financial Secretary in the House on 9 July,Official Report, column 1031.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial contribution Her Majesty's Treasury made towards the flight of the right hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on Concorde to Washington in 1986. [20607]

  Sir George Young
  None.

  Unitary Tax
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice the Government gave to the 42
  unitary tax campaign on what class of aircraft travel hon. Members travelling in support of the campaign should use. [20580]

  Sir George Young
  None.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government financially supported the unitary tax campaign. [20609]

  Sir George Young
  No.

  Unpaid Taxation
  Mr. John Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 April to the hon. Member for Gordon, (Mr. Bruce)Official Report, column 37, which part of the contract comprised the £3 million that was let to overseas contractors. [21034]

  Sir George Young
  Some £3.5 million worth of work, excluding VAT, was let to two overseas contractors as part of the construction cost of the new Inland Revenue centre in Nottingham. Grill and Grossman of Austria undertook cladding and glazing work on the centre's amenity building. Koit High Tex of Germany provided the fabric roof and support steel for this building.

  The previous figure of £3 million did not include the cost of an outstanding claim by one of the firms, which has now been settled. The £3.5 million is the final outturn figure in respect of these two firms.

  Self Assessment
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the implementation of tax self assessment by the Inland Revenue. [21135]

  Sir George Young
  Self assessment will apply to those people who receive tax returns. The main legislative changes required have now been enacted, partly in the Finance Act 1994 and partly in this year's Finance Act. Self assessment is a more modern and straightforward system that will give taxpayers greater clarity about their tax affairs.

  The Inland Revenue has been consulting with interested parties on the introduction of self assessment since 1990, and that consultation is continuing. The intention is to explore ways to make the new system as practical and simple as possible to operate, and particularly to keep any compliance costs to a minimum.

  Self assessment will first apply to the tax year 1996–97 and the first new tax returns will be issued in April 1997. The Inland Revenue recognises the importance of ensuring taxpayers, employers, tax practitioners and its own staff are well prepared for the new system. It has developed a comprehensive programme to achieve this. It includes:
  extensive training of its staff on the new system and procedures, and to help them provide guidance to taxpayers about self assessment;
  a comprehensive customer service programme to inform and assist taxpayers so that they can understand the new system and comply with their obligations;
  extensive and continuing testing of the new tax return form, and consulting on its design, to make it as simple as possible for taxpayers to complete;
  a full trial of self assessment, involving some 5,000 taxpayers, which recently started in Leicester; and

  43
  a major public information campaign, using television and press advertising, directed mainly at the 9 million or so taxpayers who receive tax returns each year. This will start in June. An education programme for employers and accountants will also start in the summer.

  I am also arranging for presentations to hon. Members.

  Inflation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of capacity working in manufacturing industry he and the Governor of the Bank of England assess as likely to be inflationary. [21312]

  Mr. Nelson
  The level of spare capacity in the economy is one of the many factors that are taken into account in setting monetary policy.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is Government policy to hold down the rate of inflation by raising interest rates and the exchange rate to prevent United Kingdom manufacturers from passing on increases in the cost of imported materials and components. [21590]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government are committed to delivering permanently low inflation and has an explicit inflation objective. The aim is to keep underlying inflation as measured by the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, in the range 1 to 4 per cent. and to bring it down into the lower half of this range by the end of the present Parliament. Interest rates have been, and will continue to be, set to deliver this objective.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to raise the profitability of United Kingdom manufacturing. [21586]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government are committed to helping British manufacturing compete, at home and in the world markets. The Government's role is to set a framework in which business can flourish, from low inflation and sound finances to supply-side reform. Latest figures available show profitability for United Kingdom manufacturing companies, net rate of return, was up from 4.5 per cent. in 1992 to 5.8 per cent. in 1993.

  Exports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the Government's objective to promote export-led growth by raising the rate of return for manufacturing above the rate of other non-North sea industrial and commercial companies. [21589]

  Mr. Nelson
  The key to maintaining good export performance is for the Government to deliver permanently low inflation and companies to keep costs under control, thereby ensuring that British industry remains competitive.

  Living Standards
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the standard of living of manual workers in manufacturing relative to the white collar workers in the private sector. [21588]
  44
  Mr. Aitken
  The Government's policy is to create the economic conditions that will permit improvements in living standards for all groups in society.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21522]

  Mr. Goodlad
  The FCO, including ODA, is committed to equal opportunities. We have a number of programmes for action on women and race and are finalising programmes for the disabled. We are active members of Opportunity 2000.

  A number of initiatives to increase the recruitment of women and to help them fulfil their potential are set out in the 1995 departmental report, copies of which have been placed in the House Libraries. The number of female ambassadors has risen to six since the report was issued.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forward the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the fourth UN conference on women; and if he will incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21524]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the fourth world conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.

  Equal Opportunities issues are included in the 1995 departmental report.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21523]

  Mr. Goodlad
  FCO policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on women's issues, is that policy proposals should ensure that unlawful or unjustifiable sex or race discrimination does not occur and that similar principles apply to people with disabilities, older people or ex-offenders. This scrutiny is part of a continuous and routine process, as part of policy advice to Ministers.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21521]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey and I have responsibility for equal opportunities issues in the Overseas Development Administration and the diplomatic wing of the FCO respectively.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the leader and members of the United Kingdom delegation to the UN international conference on women in Beijing. [21602]
  45
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aylesbury by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Employment, on 16 March 1995,Official Report, column 648.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom post in Delhi has been informed by appellate authorities in London if the appeal by Mrs. Kuldip Kaur against refusal to allow her to enter the United Kingdom to join her husband may proceed; if the post has prepared an explanatory statement concerning Mrs. Kaur's application (REF: IMM/ECR/0152/94); and if he will make a statement. [21731]

  Mr. Baldry
  The entry clearance officer has asked the immigration appellate authority for directions as to whether or not the appeal should proceed. As at 27 April these had not been received. As and when they are, an explanatory statement will be drawn up and sent to the IAA.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation for the international community to agree by the year 2000 on a target date for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. [21349]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that progress in nuclear disarmament is best achieved through international negotiations. We do not think that it is useful or sensible to impose deadlines on these efforts.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions Her Majesty's Government has had with the Government of the Russian Federation concerning the proposal of the Government of the Russian Federation for the five nuclear weapon states to negotiate a treaty on nuclear stability and security; and if he will make a statement on the Government's understanding and assessment of this proposal. [21348]

  Mr. David Davis
  We have not had substantive discussions with the Government of the Russian Federation on this subject. So far as we know, the Russian ideas are still at an early stage of development.

  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the entitlement of non-governmental organisations to act as observers to the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference(a) during its plenary sessions and (b) during the deliberations of its main committee. [21346]

  Mr. David Davis
  We welcome the decision taken by the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference that non-governmental organisations should be given access to the plenary sessions of the conference and to debates in the main committees of the conference.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom ceased production of fissile materials for nuclear explosive purposes. [21354]

  Mr. David 'Davis
  During his address to the non-proliferation review and extension conference on 18 46
  April, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs announced that the United Kingdom had ceased the production of fissile materials for explosive purposes. It is not our practice to disclose details of past production.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the response to Her Majesty's Government to the proposal made by the Government of South Africa at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference on 19 April for the adoption by states parties of a set of principles for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. [21342]

  Mr. David Davis
  We have told the South African Government that we wish to give careful consideration to their proposal for a set of principles for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the adoption by states parties to the non-proliferation treaty, during the treaty's review and extension conference, of a time-bound framework for achieving all the objectives of the non-proliferation treaty. [21350]

  Mr. David Davis
  The many and diverse objectives of the treaty cannot be achieved simply by imposing a time limit on them.

  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government have put forward at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference for strengthening the treaty's review procedure. [21338]

  Mr. David Davis
  Discussion of possible improvements to the treaty's review procedures are only now beginning in New York. We will participate fully in these. We believe that regular review conferences should continue to be held at five yearly intervals in accordance with the relevant article of the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government supports the creation of a grievance procedure for the non-proliferation treaty; if the Government have responded to such proposals at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference; and if he will make a statement. [21344]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that the treaty's review procedures provide ample opportunity for states parties to voice their concerns about the implementation of the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on an adoption of states parties to the non-proliferation treaty, during the treaty's review and extension conference, of a time-bound framework for achieving complete nuclear disarmament. [21352]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that progress in nuclear disarmament is best achieved through international negotiations. We do not think that it is useful or sensible to impose deadlines on these efforts.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government have put forward at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference(a) for furthering the objectives of article VI of the treaty and (b) for monitoring and reviewing progress made under article VI of the treaty. [21340]
  47
  Mr. David Davis
  We have, either before the non-proliferation treaty conference or at the conference itself:—issued revised positive and negative security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states parties to the treaty;
  —announced that the UK has ceased production of fissile material for explosive purposes; we have also contributed to efforts to achieve early negotiations on a multilateral treaty ending the production of such material;
  —announced further reductions in British nuclear weapon systems;
  —indicated the circumstances in which the UK would be willing to enter multilateral negotiations on the global reduction of nuclear weapons.

  We believe that five-yearly review conferences, held in accordance with the relevant article of the treaty, provide the appropriate means for monitoring progress under article VI of the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the response of her Majesty's Government to proposals made at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference for the decision on extending the treaty to be made by secret ballot. [21347]

  Mr. David Davis
  We have opposed such proposals. The NPT is a major international security treaty. Its extension is of great importance. We believe it is appropriate, therefore, that the position taken by individual states parties on that decision should be known to all. Accordingly, we believe the decision should be taken by an open rather than a secret ballot.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government support the creation of a standing consultative committee for the non-proliferation treaty; if the Government have responded to such proposals at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference; and if he will make a statement. [21343]

  Mr. David Davis
  We see no need for a standing consultative committee. We believe that the existing review procedures provide ample opportunity for states parties to voice their concerns about the implementation of the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the adoption by states parties to the non-proliferation treaty, during the treaty's review and extension conference, of a programme of action for achieving all the objectives of the non-proliferation treaty. [21351]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference the states parties to the treaty should reaffirm their commitment to the achievement of the objectives of the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government have put forward at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference(a) for furthering the objectives of article IV of the treaty and (b) for monitoring and reviewing progress made under article IV of the treaty. [21339]

  Mr. David Davis
  The UK supports article IV of the non-proliferation' treaty. The British delegation to the NPT review and extension conference is currently taking an 48
  active part in the review of article IV in the main committee dealing with peaceful uses.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the response of Her Majesty's Government to the proposal made by the Government of Germany at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference on 18 April for a ban on re-using nuclear weapons materials in the production of other nuclear weapons. [21345]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that re-cycling fissile material allows us to keep our stockpile of fissile material at the minimum level necessary to meet our operational requirements.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the response of Her Majesty's Government to proposals made by the Government of South Africa at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference on 19 April for strengthening the treaty's review procedure. [21341]

  Mr. David Davis
  We believe that the treaty's review procedures provide ample opportunity for states parties to voice their concerns about the implementation of the treaty. But we are prepared to give consideration to the South African proposals.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21368]

  Mr. Goodlad
  Between 1 January 1992 and 31 March 1995, the cost to the FCO, including the Overseas Development Administration, of consultancy related to market testing was £742,700.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21214]

  Mr. Goodlad
  A total of £7,680,934 was spent on official hospitality by the FCO and ODA in the financial year 1994–95. The Natural Resources Institute, an agency of the ODA, spent £3,386 and Wilton Park, an agency of the FCO, spent £455.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has for establishment of a regional peacekeeping training centre in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [21335]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that the Government of Zimbabwe may make facilities at its staff college available to the UN as a regional centre for the development of peacekeeping skills. This proposal fits into the framework of the British initiative on conflict resolution and peacekeeping in Africa, launched at the UN General Assembly in September 1994, and was developed
  49
  at a workshop co-hosted by ourselves and Zimbabwe in Harare in January this year. We would welcome such an offer being made to the UN and would be happy to consider a possible training contribution.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21768]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My Department and its agencies have made the following number of permanent and pensionable administrative assistant and administrative officer appointments during the period September 1993 to April 1995:

  Department

  Agencies

  Administrative Assistant

  September—December 1993

  0

  0

  January—March 1994

  0

  0

  April—June 1994

  6

  0

  July—September 1994

  8

  0

  October—December 1994

  4

  0

  January—April 1995

  15

  0

  Administrative Officer

  September—December 1993

  7

  0

  January—March 1994

  3

  1

  April—June 1994

  43

  0

  July—September 1994

  28

  0

  October—December 1994

  10

  1

  January—April 1995

  28

  0

  Anzac Day
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by whom he was represented at the Anzac day commemoration at the Cenotaph, London, on 25 April. [21799]

  Mr. Baldry
  In keeping with tradition, wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph on 25 April to commemorate Anzac day on behalf of the British Government and people by representatives of the British armed forces.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Inward Investment
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new companies from outside Northern Ireland have invested in Northern Ireland since 1989; and if he will list them. [19862]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Industrial Development Board is aware of 35 new manufacturing and tradeable services companies from outside Northern Ireland which, between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 1994, confirmed their intention to make first-time investments there. These are listed as follows:
  50

  Inward investment by manufacturing and tradeable services companies new to Northern Ireland 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1994

  Country of origin

  Company

  France

  Delwyn Enterprises Ltd

  Germany

  Hueco Lightronic NI Ltd

  MPK (United Kingdom) Ltd

  Great Britain

  MSS International Ltd

  Avery Dennison Ltd

  Audio Processing Technology Ltd

  Fugitsi Fulcrum (Ireland) Ltd

  McKechnie (UK) Ltd

  CFM Group Ltd

  AVM Telecom Ltd

  Transtec Foundries Ltd

  Allen Industrial Ltd

  Training and Business Group (Overseas) Ltd

  Hong Kong

  Benelux Manufacturing (NI) Ltd

  Indonesia

  Norfil

  Pan European Textiles Ltd

  Japan

  Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) Ltd

  Republic of Ireland

  GC McKeown & Co (NI) Ltd

  Webtech (NI) Ltd

  Polystar (Ireland) Ltd

  Charles Bell (1963) Ltd

  Vision Information Consulting Ltd

  South Korea

  Deasung Circuits Ltd

  CCA Electronic Ltd

  Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd

  Daewha Metal (UK) Ltd

  Taiwan

  CIS Data Ltd

  Textonnia Ltd

  USA

  DDL Electronics Ltd

  Fruit of the Loom

  Manufacturing Co Ltd

  Harris Laboratories Ltd

  Seagate Technology (Ireland)

  BCO Technologies (NI) Ltd

  Valence Technology BV10

  ABC Laboratories (Europe) Ltd

  Fair Employment Commission
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what firms have failed to submit annual monitoring returns with the Fair Employment Commission; and what fines were issued as a result of such breaches since the implementation of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. [19857]

  Mr. Ancram
  A total of 95 concerns have been prosecuted for failure to submit annual monitoring returns to the Fair Employment Commission. These concerns, and the penalties imposed on them by magistrates courts are as follows:
  51

  Company

  Penalty

  Otis Elevators

  Absolute Discharge

  Norman Gordon

  Absolute Discharge

  P and M Kernan

  Absolute Discharge

  Alex Hamilton

  Absolute Discharge

  Anglo Beef Processors

  Absolute Discharge

  Allingham Transport

  Absolute Discharge

  Universal Cleaning Supplies

  Absolute Discharge

  R. Hogg

  Absolute Discharge

  Lowell and Christmas

  Absolute Discharge

  Terra Travel

  Absolute Discharge

  Ronald James Ross T/A Ross Motors

  Absolute Discharge

  Ivan Lapsely T/A Limavady Autopoint

  Absolute Discharge

  C and R Furniture Ltd.

  Absolute Discharge

  Thomas Carville Ltd. T/A Eagle Fish Co.

  Absolute Discharge

  Eagle Seafoods Ltd.

  Absolute Discharge

  Joseph Leonard

  Absolute Discharge

  Maloneys Restaurant

  Absolute Discharge

  Hugh Neill

  Absolute Discharge

  Outlet Recording Co. Ltd.

  Absolute Discharge

  S and E Quality Wood Products Ltd.

  Absolute Discharge

  Paul Thompson

  Absolute Discharge

  Woodburn Engineering

  Absolute Discharge

  Salmon Leap

  £10

  Galeton Ltd. T/A The Craig Clinic

  £10

  Knockdene Garages Ltd.

  £10

  Garmoyle Enterprises Ltd. T/A The Body Shop

  £10

  A Van Laere T/A Comber Catering

  £20

  David Wilson

  £25

  Tracey Kitchens

  £25

  Charles Corr

  £25

  Denninson Storage.

  £25

  Dromore Properties

  £25

  Raymond Turkington Decorators

  £25

  Lochside Garages

  £25

  Logans Coach Hire

  £25

  Ronald Conway T/A Conway Flood and Todd

  £25

  JCP Securite (UK) Ltd.

  £25

  Railway Hotel (Enniskillen) Ltd.

  £25

  Ulster Travel Ltd.

  £25

  Stanley Armstrong T/A Causeway Hotel

  £25

  Armourguard Security Ltd.

  £25

  WP Trussworld Ltd.

  £25

  McGrath Bros Engineering

  £25

  T. Girvan

  £25

  Terence Kennedy T/A W. R. Knedy and Co.

  £25

  Jean McCann T/A Hair Traffic

  £25

  Cootes Concrete

  £50

  Brian Jardine

  £50

  Seaforde Transport

  £50

  Square One Fashions

  £50

  Adamsez Ltd.

  £50

  Liam Wilson

  £50

  Moyala Glazing

  £50

  Business and Scientific Services

  £50

  Strings Restaurant

  £50

  B. Devine

  £50

  Joseph Hughes

  £50

  Francis McMillen T/A Connor Freight

  £50

  Wilsons of Rathkenny

  £50

  Allgo Engineering Ltd.

  £50

  Waveline Ltd.

  £50

  Trasna Investments Ltd. T/A Devenish Arms

  £50

  Gibson Brothers Ltd

  £50

  Universal Meat Co.

  £50

  Wellington Park Hotel

  £50

  Greenan Inns Ltd.

  £50

  Crawsfordsburn Inn Ltd.

  £50

  David Hall

  £450

  Limavady Autopoint

  £75

  Acheson and Son (Derry) Ltd.

  £75

  52

  Company

  Penalty

  Paul Lightbody T/A Glenville Nursing Home

  £75

  Diana Gass

  £75

  James Derry

  £75

  Joseph Leonard

  £100

  S. J. Williamson

  £100

  Waveline Ltd.

  £100

  R.R. Tohani

  £100

  Audio Times

  £100

  Tensator Ltd.

  £100

  Knockna Moe Hotel

  £100

  Aircraft Furnishings Ltd.

  £100

  Fortfield Motors Ltd.

  £100

  Cootes Concrete Products

  £100

  Barrett Electrical Contracts Ltd.

  £100

  Roulston and McLoughlin

  £100

  ATS (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

  £100

  Sands and Toner Newry Ltd.

  £100

  Motorway Tyres and Accessories Ltd.

  £100

  Prestige Pubs Ltd.

  £100

  Laser Electrical Ltd.

  £100

  Robert Wilson

  £100

  Dunellen Ltd.

  £125

  Turven Construction Ltd.

  £150

  McParland and Gordon Ltd.

  £150

  United Wine Merchants Ltd.

  £400

  Housing Policy
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present stage of the housing policy review process; when the consultation White Paper will be published; and what will be the duration of the consultation process. [20648]

  Mr. Moss
  The housing policy review is in its final stages and a consultation paper is expected to be published by the end of June. Following publication, a consultation period of some three months is envisaged.

  Child Prostitution
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of child prostitution have been reported during the last year; and what were the comparable figures for each of the previous four years. [20707]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The figures requested are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prisons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current prison population; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20711]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. D. Shannon to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 April 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the current prison population in Northern Ireland and the figures for each of the previous four years.
  53
  Current Population
  There are currently 1761 people in prison in Northern Ireland.

  Population over previous four years.

  1991: 1788

  1992: 1810

  1993: 1934

  1994: 1921 [subject to validation]

  The figures for previous years are the Average Daily Population as published in the Northern Ireland Prison Service Annual Report.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current reported rate of illiteracy and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20709]

  Mr. Ancram
  Information is not routinely collected on illiteracy rates in Northern Ireland. However, the position is considered to be similar to England and Wales where the Basic Skills Agency estimates that one in six adults is unable to read, write and/or speak in English at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general. There is no evidence that this proportion has changed significantly in recent years.

  Animal Diseases
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of Teschen disease occurred in each year since 1975. [21096]

  Mr. Ancram
  None.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of African Swine Fever there have been each year since 1985. [21065]

  Mr. Ancram
  None

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21374]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information sought was published in table 4 of the market testing bulletin special report published on 9 January 1995. This covered the competing for quality programme for the period April 1992 to September 1994. The figures for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (including the Northern Ireland Office) are:

  £000

  External consultancy support to in-house bids

  137.2

  External consultancy support to Departments

  554.8

  An up-date of the costs incurred in the period 1 October 1994 to 31 March 1995 is currently being compiled and this will be included in the overall figures in the citizens charter 1995 report.

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of licensed mink farms in each year since 1989. [21191]

  Mr. Ancram
  There has only ever been one licensed mink farm in Northern Ireland which operated from 1976 to 1991. There are no licensed mink farms in Northern Ireland at present.

  NHS Trust Boards
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish an up-to-date list of all the chairs and non-executive directors of each NHS trust board, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual. [21355]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested in respect of the 14 health and social services trusts in operation in Northern Ireland is available in the Library.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish an up-to-date list by region of all the chairs and non-executive member of each health authority, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual. [21361]

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

  Gender

  Occupation

  Eastern health and social services board

  Chairman:

  Mr. J. Daniel Thompson

  Solicitor

  Non-executive members:

  Mr. Daniel J. McGuinness

  Solicitor

  Mr. James C. Morton

  Accountant

  Mrs. Gwen Savage

  Managing Director

  Professor Robert J. Stout

  Medical Consultant

  Northern health and social services board

  Chairman:

  Mr. Robert J. Hanna

  Farmer

  Non-executive members:

  Mr. Michael A. O'Connor

  Director

  Mrs. Nuala P. O'Logan

  Lecturer

  Mrs. Ailna V. Smyth

  Housewife

  Southern health and social services board

  Chairman:

  Mr. William F. Gillespie

  Managing Director

  Non-executive members:

  Mrs. Geraldine Donaghy

  Director

  Mrs. M. K. Philomena Hagan

  Manager

  Mrs. Jennifer Power

  Voluntary Worker

  Mr. C. A. J. Quinn

  Accountant

  Mr. D. J. Ryan

  Small business proprietor

  Western health and social services board

  Chairman:

  Mr. Robert G. Toland

  Director

  Non-executive members:

  Mrs. Margaret R. Cooper

  Solicitor

  Mr. Anthony Jackson

  Accountant

  Mr. Patrick J. Kelly

  Farmer

  Mrs. Anne F. Mark

  Housewife

  Protected Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many permits have been issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry in each year since 1988; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the number of each species taken. [21248]

  Mr. Moss
  No permits have been either applied for or issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry in any year since 1988.

  Numbers and species held

  Year

  Number of Licences issued

  Peregrine

  Sparrowhawk

  Kestrel

  Buzzard

  Others

  1988

  9

  2

  4

  1

  2

  —

  1989

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1 Goshawk

  1990

  6

  5

  —

  —

  3

  —

  1991

  7

  5

  —

  2

  3

  1 Merlin

  1992

  12

  5

  —

  —

  4

  3 Barn Owls

  1993

  13

  5

  —

  8

  —

  —

  1994

  22

  4

  3

  7

  3

  5 Goshawk

  NHS Cost Improvement Programme
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total annual cost improvement programme in the national health service provider units in each of the last four years. [21333]

  Mr. Moss
  The total annual cash releasing cost improvement programme for the health and personal social services for each of the last four years is as follows:

  Outturn £ million

  1991–92

  10.8

  1992–93

  15.8

  1993–94

  16.7

  1994–95

  18.0

  Education Research Projects
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been devoted to funding education research projects by his Department in each of the last five years; and what percentage of education spending this represents. [21557]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Amount

  Percentage of total Deni expenditure

  1990–91

  214,000

  0.023

  1991–92

  158,000

  0.014

  1992–93

  185,000

  0.015

  1993–94

  250,000

  0.020

  1994–95

  283,000

  0.022

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland' how many(a) republican and (b) loyalists in Northern Ireland have been (i) arrested, (ii) questioned,

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many licences have been issued in each year since 1988 to possess birds of prey; and what were the numbers of birds of each species held under such licences. [21250]

  Mr. Moss
  The number of licences issued in each year since 1988 to possess birds of prey and the number and species held under such licences are set out in the table.

  (iii) charged and (iv) convicted in each of the past eight months. [21560]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The number of persons arrested and charged in connection with terrorist-related offences from 1 August 1994 to 31 March 1995 is as follows:

  Month

  Republican

  Loyalist

  Arrested

  August

  82

  71

  September

  23

  38

  October

  22

  43

  November

  20

  52

  December

  20

  27

  January

  9

  26

  February

  36

  16

  March

  12

  38

  Totals

  224

  311

  Charged

  August

  15

  15

  September

  1

  15

  October

  4

  14

  November

  6

  8

  December

  4

  6

  January

  0

  8

  February

  16

  4

  March

  1

  3

  Totals

  47

  73

  There are no figures available regarding the number of people questioned during this period.

  The number of persons convicted of scheduled offences from 1 August 1994 to 31 March 1995 was:

  Month

  No of persons convicted1

  August

  13

  September

  10

  October

  29

  November

  18

  57

  Month

  No of persons convicted1

  December

  64

  January

  49

  February

  66

  March

  51

  1A republican/loyalist breakdown is not available for persons convicted.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21762]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The number of civil service appointments made to permanent administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in the Northern Ireland Department and the Northern Ireland Office in each quarter from September 1993 to April 1995 were as follows:

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  September to December 1993 (4 months)

  25

  46

  January to March 1994

  18

  30

  April to June 1994

  34

  35

  July to September 1994

  34

  54

  October to December 1994

  27

  27

  January to March 1995

  27

  39

  Divorce Cases
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of divorce have been reported during the last year; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20710]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The number of decrees nisi granted in respect of divorces in Northern Ireland were as follows:

  1990: 2,015

  1991: 2,367

  1992: 2,411

  1993: 2,392

  1994: 2,538

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Namibia University
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Overseas Development Administration will provide sponsorship to the University of Namibia Foundation. [21125]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have no plans to provide sponsorship to the University of Namibia Foundation. We are currently providing assistance direct to the university through the provision of books, and support for the post of pro-vice chancellor.

TRANSPORT

  Livestock Hauliers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support the Government are giving to livestock hauliers to ensure that they can continue their trade. [20917]

  Mr. Norris
  Generally my Department's support for livestock hauliers in the United Kingdom and abroad is the same as it is for other hauliers, and covers a wide range of matters. My Department has been in touch with ports involved in recent action on the export of live animals, and will remain so, but intervention is for the police and the courts.

  Road Fuels
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the volume of road fuels consumed in the year 2000; what he expects this figure to be if the duties on road fuels were adjusted solely in line with the retail prices index; and if he will make a statement. [20918]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government's latest projections of future energy demand for the whole economy to the year 2020 were recently published in energy paper 65 "Energy Projections for the UK", as announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy on 8 March 1995. From this, the demand for road fuels is expected to be in the range of 39 to 41 million tonnes in 2000, which takes account of the effect of the Government's strategy of increases in the duties on road fuels of at least 5 per cent, a year on average above the rate of inflation. If fuel duty increases were kept in line with the rate of inflation, demand in 2000 would be between 42 and 44 million tonnes.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21378]

  Mr. Norris
  Payments to consultants for work on the Department's "Competing for Quality" programme since its inception total £2.197 million.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21201]

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport's expenditure on official hospitality during 1994–95 was as follows:

  £

  Central Transport Group (CTG)

  127,062

  Agencies

  90,788

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those public projects which received European social fund support and were subsequently privatised over the last 10 years, indicating(a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21290]

  (2) if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European social fund support since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21291]

  Mr. Norris
  None of the privatised transport companies has applied directly and received European social fund support since 1990. Information for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those British Rail projects which received European social fund support over the last 10 years, indicating(a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21300]

  Mr. Watts
  Since 1990 no British Rail projects have received European social fund support. Data for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Service Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21775]

  Mr. Norris
  The Department's personal information system records the permanent appointments to administrative assistant and administrative officer as shown in the following table:

  Starting period

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  September 1993—November 1993

  19

  29

  December 1994—February 1994

  29

  21

  March 1994—May 1994

  18

  19

  June 1994—August 1994

  30

  10

  September 1994—November 1994

  19

  10

  December 1994—February 1994

  7

  9

  March 1995—April 1995

  9

  9

  Totals for September 1993— April 1995

  131

  107

  Bull Bars
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what motor vehicle companies have changed their advertising and promotion of bull bars following his advice that bull bars should not be illustrated in promotions. [22046]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is not available.

  Railways
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what' was the closing date for companies wishing to pre-qualify for bidding to buy British 60
  Railway's ROSCOs; how many companies have sought to pre-qualify for each of the three ROSCOs; and which companies these are. [21935]

  Mr. Watts
  Midnight on 21 April 1995, by which time strong interest had been shown by financial institutions, leasing companies and manufacturers in the United Kingdom and in eight other countries. Prospective purchasers will not be asked to identify their preferences for each of the three ROSCOs until later in the sale process. The identity of bidders is commercially sensitive.

  Port of Liverpool
  Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial support the Port of Liverpool and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company has received from(a) the European Community and (b) his Department in each financial year since 1990; and what he estimates the company will receive from the European Community and his Department in the next financial year. [21199]

  Mr. Norris
  The Port of Liverpool and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company have received no direct financial support from my Department since 1990 and there are no plans for any such support in the next financial year.

  Support from the European Community in the form of European regional development fund has been as follows:

  £(000)

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Port of Liverpool

  nil

  143

  12

  18

  1

  Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

  nil

  240

  1,229

  736

  960

  Pollution
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what powers he has to control the level or speed of road traffic on occasions when pollution levels exceed proposed air quality standards; [21227]

  (2) what studies he has carried out of the potential for reducing traffic levels in the event that (a) NO2 levels in London exceed the World Health Organisation's 24 hour NO2 health guideline and (b)3 levels in southern England exceed the World Health Organisation's 8 hour 03 health guideline; [21236]

  (3) what contingency plans he has drawn up to reduce traffic levels in the event that (a) NO2 levels in London exceed the World Health Organisation's 24 hour NO2 health guideline and (b)3 levels in Southern England exceed the World Health Organisation's 8 hour 03 health guidelines; [21237]

  (4) what consideration he has given to using his powers under section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to reduced speed limits on trunk roads to reduce emissions in the event that pollution levels exceed proposed air quality standards; and if he will make a statement. [21235]

  Mr. Norris
  A reduction in vehicle speed has differing effects on emissions of different pollutants. Any decision to impose speed limits would have to take into account levels of the pollutants of most concern.

  Studies have indicated that traffic reduction may have the positive effect of reducing nitrogen dioxide

  61
  concentrations during winter smog episodes. However, this may have to be balanced against possible negative effects on emissions caused by congestion if traffic reduction measures involve road closures.

  The Secretary of State has powers to regulate traffic only on trunk roads and motorways; traffic regulation on local roads, which comprise the vast majority of all roads, is the responsibility of local traffic authorities.

  Any traffic restrictions to reduce air pollution must be developed at a local level so that all the implications can be considered—centralised contingency plans are impracticable. However, the complexity of the issue does merit further research and the Department is currently carrying out a review of existing research on how traffic management can influence air quality, with a view to undertaking a research project of our own later this year.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total expenditure on transport as a percentage of GNP for(a) each EU country, (b) the United States of America, (c) Japan and (d) each Scandinavian country.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available.

  Pedestrian Casualty Report
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make available to hon. Members the report of the Transport research laboratory on pedestrian casualty rates. [21663]

  Mr Norris
  Pedestrian casualty rates are published annually in "Road Accidents Great Britain" and updated quarterly in each current year. In addition TRL reports have been published on studies of particular aspects of risk including risk at pedestrian crossings. Copies are in the Library.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21399]

  Mr. Norris
  (a) In accordance with standard service wide rules the Department's "Staff Handbook" requires staff to declare any business or financial interests which they or immediate members of their families hold, which they would be able to further as a result of their official position. In the majority of cases conflicts of interest are reported to and resolved immediately by line management as the Department does not maintain a central record of all cases.

  (b) One case of conflict of interests has been declared by a special adviser during the last five years.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to undertake the next general review of the trunk road network. [21828]

  Mr. Watts
  There are no current plans for a review.

EDUCATION

  Academic Labour Market
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the effects of United Kingdom academics moving abroad to attain higher salary levels on United Kingdom higher education salary levels. [20930]

  Mr. Boswell
  None. Data from the universities' statistical record show that the overall flows of academics to and from abroad are very small. In Great Britain in 1993, there was a net inflow of 220 full-time non-clinical university staff in former Universities Funding Council-funded institutions, the equivalent of 0.8 per cent. of staff in post. Such relatively small movements in the academic labour market would be unlikely to have an appreciable effect on higher education salary levels in the United Kingdom.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which her Department has been engaged since their inception. [21365]

  Mr. Forth
  The estimated cost of employing consultants in connection with market-testing programmes since their inception, September 1992, is £375,000.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in her Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21395]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department's terms and conditions handbook requires staff to declare any potential conflicts of interest to their senior management so that appropriate action can be considered. The handbook is made available to all staff. Records of declarations of potential conflicts are not held centrally on civil servants. No cases involving special advisers have arisen in the last five years.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent on official hospitality by her Department in 1994–95. [21206]

  Mr. Forth
  Provisional outturn expenditure for 1994–95 on official hospitality is £75,000 for the Department and £1,000 for the Teachers' Pension Agency, giving a total of £76,000.

  The cost of official hospitality is included in the running cost expenditure for the Department which is published every year in the departmental report. Official hospitality includes the costs of teas and coffees, buffet lunches and dinners.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many civil service appointments were
  63
  made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in her Department and the agencies for which she is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21771]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department for Education and the Teachers Pensions Agency have made the following appointments to the administrative assistant—AA—and administrative officer—AO—grades since September 1993:

  AA

  AO

  September 1993—November 1993

  13

  3

  December 1993—February 1994

  5

  5

  March 1994—May 1994

  15

  5

  June 1994—August 1994

  11

  7

  September 1994—November 1994

  4

  1

  December 1994—February 1995

  22

  1

  March 1995—April 1995

  13

  1

  Research Projects
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much has been spent on funding educational research projects by her Department in each of the last five years; and what percentage of education spending this represents. [21559]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department's expenditure from the research budget over the last five years is given in the table, and is also shown as a percentage of total departmental expenditure.

  Expenditure from research budget (£ million)

  As percentage of the department's total expenditure

  1990–91

  2.38

  0.04

  1991–92

  1.80

  0.03

  1992–93

  1.74

  0.02

  1993–94

  0.96

  0.01

  1994–95

  10.67

  0.01

  1this includes the Department's contribution of £0.10 million to the Learning Credits consultancy and a grant of £0.04 million paid to the University of London Institute of Education.

  Total departmental expenditure covers central Government expenditure and grants to local authorities within the Department of Education's programme.

  Sponsor Governors
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools have appointed sponsor governors; and if she will state for each school which companies they represent and how much each company has donated to each school. [22066]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  All grant-maintained and voluntary aided schools which have been designated as technology colleges are required to amend their instrument of government so as to appoint between one and four sponsor governors to represent their sponsors. Some 67 technology colleges have been designated, 52 of which have so far requested the necessary amendments to their instrument. The table names the schools and the sponsors whom their sponsor governors represent. While all technology colleges are required to raise around £100,000 64
  of sponsorship as a condition of designation, it would not be appropriate to publish the value of the sponsors may consider that to be confidential.

  Name of school

  Company represented by sponsor governor

  Aldersley High School Wolverhampton

  Database/Apricot Computers, Summit Catering Services (Midlands) Ltd., Trustee Savings Bank Ltd.

  All Hallows RC High School, Lancashire

  British Aerospace Defence Ltd.

  All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham

  Exide Batteries, Devon House Interiors

  Applemore Technology School, Hampshire

  Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd., International Speciality Chemicals Ltd., 2GL Computer Systems Ltd., Clifton Reed Consultants Ltd.

  Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Lancashire

  Greenwood and Coope Ltd., Dixons plc, Systems Integrated Research

  Baines School, Lancashire

  Grantham Graphic Technologies, GTi educational Systems Ltd.

  Belper School, Derbyshire

  Thorntons plc

  Bexley—Erith Technical High School, Bexley

  BETHS Parents Association

  Bishop Stopford School, Northamptonshire

  Research Machines

  Central Technology College, Gloucestershire

  Systems Integrated Research, Chartwells

  Chalvedon School, Essex

  Roy Millard Associates (Architects) Ltd., PMD Associates

  Chatham Grammar School for Girls, Kent

  Clifton Reed Consultants Ltd., GEC Avionics Ltd.

  Collingwood College, Surrey

  GTi Educational Systems Ltd., ORACLE Corporation UK Ltd., MOTOROLA Communications International Group

  The Cornwallis School, Kent

  ICL United Kingdom, Knauf UK Gmbh

  Deacon's School, Cambridgeshire

  Perkins Group, Apricot Computers, Greater Peterborough TEC, Thomas Cook Group

  Deanery CE High School, Wigan

  Latham Jenkins Ltd., Milliken Industrials Ltd., Metcom Integrated Services Ltd., Education Business Partnership

  Denefield School, Berkshire

  DHL International (UK) Ltd., Thames Water Utilities, The Database Ltd/Apricot Computers

  65

  Name of school

  Company represented by sponsor governor

  George Spencer School, Nottinghamshire

  The Database (Nottingham) Ltd., Sir Harry Djanogly CBE

  Glyn ADT Technology School, Surrey

  ADT Group plc

  Herschel Grammar School, Berkshire

  Slough Estates plc, The Database Ltd.

  Highbury GM School, Wiltshire

  GTi Educational Systems Ltd., Lascar Electronics Ltd., Woven Electronics, Aircraft and Armament Evaluation Establishment

  Hugh Christie School, Kent

  ICL United Kingdom

  John Kelly Boys Technology College, Brent

  Bestway Cash and Carry Company, Avanti Consultancy, Unisys

  John Kelly Girls Technology College, Brent

  Bestway Cash and Carry Company, Avanti Consultancy, Unisys

  Kemnal Technology College, Bromley

  Sir Philip and Lady Harris Charitable Trust, Ballast Nedam Construction Ltd., Architects Joint Partnership Ltd.

  The Kings School, Lincolnshire

  The Database (Nottingham) Ltd.

  The Lancaster Royal Grammar School, Lancashire

  Alan Dick Engineering, Nuclear Electric plc

  Lincoln School of Science and Technology, Lincolnshire

  Jackson Shipley Ltd., Simons Construction Group

  Lodge Park School, Northamptonshire

  The DUBOIS plc, The Database (Nottingham) Ltd., Gotch, Saunders and Surridge Selectronics

  Lynn Grove GM High School, Norfolk

  Miller Mitchell Partnership, Syfer Technology Ltd,

  Merrill Community School (GM), Derbyshire

  British Rail Research, Derby Evening Telegraph

  Mill Hill County High School, Barnet

  Chartwells

  New Wellington School, Trafford

  The Wolfson Foundation, Playlight Hire Ltd., Hopewiser Ltd., Research Machines

  North Cumbria Technology College, Cumbria

  Cavaghan Grey., Carnaud Metal Box, Marks and Spencer

  Northampton School for Boys, Northamptonshire

  Northampton Old Grammar School Foundation

  66

  Name of school

  Company represented by sponsor governor

  Philip Morant School, Essex

  The Midland Bank plc, J Sainsbury plc. Woods of Colchester Ltd.

  Rastrick High School, Calderdale

  Denford Machine Tools Ltd., Dixon Stores Group

  Ravens Wood School for Boys, Bromley

  ICL, Nynex plc, The Wellcome Foundation

  Saffron Walden County High School, Essex

  The Saffron Walden Herts and Essex Building Society

  Sale Moor School, Trafford

  Alliance Family Foundation

  Sawtry Community College, Cambridgeshire

  Crossfield Electronics Ltd., The Database (Nottingham) Ltd.

  Senacre Technology College, Kent

  Russell and Brand Ltd.

  Small Heath School, Birmingham

  GTi Electronics Group plc,

  Leyland Daf Vans, Mercury Communications Ltd.,

  Soham Village College, Cambridgeshire

  Marshall Motor Group Ltd.

  St. Aidan's Church of England School, Lancashire

  British Aerospace Defence Ltd., Canatxx Energy Ventures

  St. Alban's Catholic High School, Suffolk

  Clifton Reed Consultants Ltd.

  St. Angela's Ursuline Convent School, Newham

  Acatos and Hutchenson plc

  St. George's College of Technology, Lincolnshire

  The Database (Nottingham) Ltd., Tandberg UK, Mr. Brealey

  St. John's RC Comprehensive School, Durham

  Ebac Ltd.

  St. Peter's Collegiate School, Wolverhampton

  Lucas Aerospace Ltd., Research Machines Ltd.

  St. Thomas More School, Gateshead

  Komatsu UK

  Uppingham Community College, Leicestershire

  The Database (Nottingham) Ltd., Central Engineering Supplies Ltd.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State which grant-maintained schools have applied to amend their admissions policy so as to introduce selection on the ground of ability; in each case what proportion are to be selected and in which schools; and when permission to amend the admissions policy was granted. [22067]
  67
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table gives details of section 89/96 proposals and other applications which have been

  LEAs

  Schools

  Nature of change

  Decision date

  Approved proposals to introduce selection under section 89/96

  Barnet

  Queen Elizabeth Boys School

  100 per cent, selection including 10 per cent, aptitude for music

  18 August 1994

  Berkshire

  Reading Girls School

  18 per cent, selective form of entry

  12 February 1993

  Cumbria

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School

  100 per cent, selection and change of age range from 13–18 to 11–18

  31 March 1993

  Dorset

  Budmouth GM School

  10 per cent, selection by ability

  8 August 1994

  Hertfordshire

  Watford Grammar (Girls) School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  28 July 1994

  Hertfordshire

  Watford Grammar (Boys) School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  18 August 1994

  Hertfordshire

  Parimter's School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  26 July 1994

  Hertfordshire

  Rickmansworth School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  22 July 1994

  Kent

  Chaucer Technology College

  100 per cent, selection by aptitude for technology

  11 May 1995

  Kent

  Homewood School

  20 per cent, selection by ability

  28 June 1994

  Kingston

  Holy Cross School

  13 per cent, selective stream (20) and significant enlargement

  25 April 1995

  Lambeth

  Archbishop Tenison's GM School

  Introduce banding based on NFER tests

  30 March 1995

  Lambeth

  St Martins in the Fields High School

  Introduce banding based on NFER tests

  30 March 1995

  Wandsworth

  Graveney GM School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  28 November 1994

  Wandsworth

  Burntwood School

  30 per cent, selection by ability

  9 January 1995

  Proposals published under section 96 under consideration

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  London Oratory School

  Selection of 20 boys each year aged 7 on musical and general ability

  Hertfordshire

  Bishops Stortford High School

  50 per cent, selection by ability

  Kent

  The Westlands School

  11 per cent, from comprehensive to bi-lateral

  GM schools which were approved for 10 per cent, selection by Music, Sporting Ability, Art, Drama or Technology

  LEAs

  Schools

  Nature of change

  decision date

  Barnet

  Mill Hill School

  Music

  October 1993

  Bromley

  Beaverwood Girls School

  Ability in performing Arts

  August 1994

  Bromley

  Cooper's School

  Music Drama, Dance, Sport

  June 1993

  Cambridge

  Deacons School

  Technology

  August 1994

  Essex

  King Edward VI Grammar School

  Singing (Choristers)

  June 1993

  Essex

  Rainsford High School

  Music and Drama

  March 1994

  Hampshire

  Crofton School

  Music 5 Children only

  October 1994

  Havering

  Abbs Cross School

  Music

  June 1993

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  Ability in Music

  August 1994

  Kent

  Canterbury High School

  Music

  April 1993

  Kent

  Chaucer Technology School

  Technology

  December 1993

  Kent

  Langley Park for Boys

  Music, Sport

  September 1993

  Kingston

  Beverley School

  Art and/or Music

  October 1994

  Lambeth

  Dunraven School

  Music

  October 1993

  Lambeth

  La Reitrate

  10 per cent. Music

  September 1993

  Lincoln

  Lincoln Christ's Hospital School

  Music (10 per cent, selection on basis of aptitude

  October 1994

  Norfolk

  Cliff Park High School

  10 per cent, music on basis of talent, skill and interest

  October 1994

  Surrey

  Heathside School

  Music, Sport

  July 1993

  Surrey

  Thamesmead School

  Music

  October 1994

  Applications still under consideration

  Hertfordshire

  Dame Alice Owen

  10 per cent, selection in Music

  Norfolk

  Wymondham College

  10 per cent, selection in music and sport for both

  68
  approved or are under consideration to introduce an element of selection.
  69

  GM schools which were approved for 10 per cent. selection by Music, Sporting Ability, Art, Drama or Technology on implementation of GM status

  LEAs

  Schools

  Nature of change

  Decision date

  Bromley

  Kemnal Manor

  Technology

  February 1994

  Cambridgeshire

  Kings' School, Peterborough

  Music

  October 1993

  Enfield

  Enfield Grammar School

  Music, Sport

  December 1993

  Essex

  Ursuline Convent

  Music

  December 1993

  Hertfordshire

  Bishop's Stortford

  Music, Sport and Drama

  October 1993

  Hertfordshire

  Chancellors School

  Drama, Music and Sport

  December 1993

  Hertfordshire

  Dame Alice Owen School

  Music, Sport

  April 1993

  Hertfordshire

  Queen's School, Bushey

  Music, Art, Sport

  March 1993

  Kent

  Charles Dickens High School

  Music

  February 1993

  Kent

  Dane Court Grammar School

  Music, Sport, Drama or any unusual talent

  March 1994

  Kent

  Rainham Mark Grammar School

  Music, Sport, Drama or any unusual talent

  February 1992

  Kent

  Robert Naiper School

  Music, Sport, Drama or any unusual talent

  February 1992

  Kent

  Westland High School

  Music

  January 1993

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the reasons behind grant-maintained schools being classified as private sector bodies. [22068]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Like universities and colleges, grant-maintained schools are classified as private sector institutions by the Central Statistical Office for the purpose of national income accounting. For further details, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) on 27 February 1995,Official Report, column 397.

  Grant-maintained schools are classified in this way mainly because their governors—representing parents, teachers and the local community—are not appointed by central or local government.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary Education what is the current grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There are grant-maintained schools in England.

  Funding Agency for Schools
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people are currently employed by the Funding Agency for Schools on(a) a part-time basis, (b) a full-time basis and (c) a consultancy capacity. [21662]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the Funding Agency to write to the hon. Member with this information.

  Local Education Authority Staff
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the ratio of local education authority administrators to teachers in schools. [21569]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on staff employed by local authorities is collected by the local government management board.

  Figures show that in June 1994, local authorities in England employed 376,665 full-time equivalent teachers and lecturers and 316,244 full-time equivalent other manual and non-manual staff involved in education, making a ratio of around 2.5 non-teaching staff to every three teachers.
  70
  The survey does not enable staff employed in schools to be separated from those employed elsewhere or administrative staff to be separated from other non-teaching staff.

  Computer Pornography
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the departmental guidelines for schools and parents on computer pornography will be published; and how many leaflets will be available. [21189]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) on 28 March 1995 Official Report, column 570.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what was the number and percentage of pupils in primary schools in(a) January 1980, (b) January 1991, (c) January 1992, (d) January 1993, (e) January 1994 and (f) January 1995 being taught in classes of 40 or more in maintained schools in each local education authority and in total; [21197]

  (2) what was the number and percentage of pupils in secondary schools in (a) January 1980, (b) January 1991, (c) January 1992, (d) January 1993, (e) January 1994 and (f) January 1995 being taught in classes of 40 or more in maintained schools in each local education authority and in total. [21198]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on pupils in classes of size 40 and over in maintained primary and secondary schools for years 1980, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 has been placed in the Library. Information for January 1995 will not be available until the autumn.

  Ms Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will now commission research to assess the effect of class size on pupil performance. [21313]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department will continue to monitor research in this area, but has at present no plans to commission such research. There is no conclusive evidence from a large volume of accumulated research that marginal reductions in class size affect pupil performance. What matters most is the quality of teaching.

  City of Liverpool Community College
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representation she has received about the City of Liverpool community college; and if she will establish an independent inquiry into the governance and management of the City of Liverpool community college. [21142]

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 3 March 1995 Official Report, column 774. Since then, the Department has received one letter about the college, from a member of its staff.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Mohd Ashfaq
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department it leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal has been granted to the Home Office in the case of Mr. Mohd Ashfaq: ref: TH/1740/94; IMM/C2021. [20669]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Leave to appeal to the tribunal was refused on 6 April 1995.

  Divorce Cases
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases of divorce have been reported during the last year; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous four years. [20694]

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

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 April 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your question about the number of divorces reported during the past five years.
  The following statistics refer to the number of divorce cases in which a final decree has been made, to end the marriage:

  1990: 147080

  1991: 147385

  1992: 148046

  1993: 154062

  1994: 1469321

  The statistics cover England only. I understand that you have asked separately for information from the Welsh Office. You may like to know that all judicial statistics for England and Wales are provided by the Lord Chancellor's Department. The figures for Wales are as follows:

  1990: 8159

  1991: 8542

  1992: 8633

  1993: 8517

  1994: 79411

  The Welsh Office have been provided with this information and will reply separately to your Question.

  1These figures are provisional and therefore liable to revision to take account of late amendments.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21372]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The estimated cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes from April 1992 to date is £510,800.

  Queen's Counsel (Applications)
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for Queen's Counsel his office has received in each year from 1992 to 1995; what proportion of these applications were from(a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities, and what proportion of applicants from each category were successful. [21840]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is set out in the table. Applications for appointment as Queen's Counsel are invited in September each year and no applications have therefore yet been received in 1995. The figures exclude those cases where the applicant subsequently withdrew his application.

  Year applications received

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total applicants

  472

  539

  492

  Total successful

  70

  77

  71

  Women

  Applicants

  37

  43

  42

  Percentage of total applications

  8

  8

  9

  Successful

  6

  9

  8

  Percentage of women's applications

  16

  21

  19

  Applicants who have declared a non-white ethnic background

  Applicants

  14

  11

  12

  Percentage of total applications

  3

  2

  2

  Successful

  1

  1

  1

  Percentage of applications from those declaring a non-white ethnic background

  7

  9

  8

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistants and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21764]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has recruited administrative assistants and administrative officers as shown in the table.

  The Lord Chancellor had responsibility for three agencies in the period covered by the question: Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office, and the Public Trust Office. Figures for the Public Trust Office, which became an agency in July 1994, are included in the table. I have asked the chief executives of Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Public Record Office to reply direct.
  73

  Quarterly recruitment of administrative assistants and administrative officers in the lord chancellors department

  Quarter

  Administrative assistants

  Administrative officers

  Total

  01 October 1993 to 31 December 1994

  54

  222

  276

  01 January 1994 to 31 March 1994

  52

  217

  269

  01 April 1994 to 30 June 1994

  70

  250

  320

  01 July 1994 to 30 September 1994

  85

  269

  354

  01 October 1994 to 30 December 1994

  84

  265

  349

  01 January 1995 to 31 March 1995

  52

  216

  268

  Note:

  The figures shown include the recruitment of administrative assistants and administrative officers to the Public Trust Office. The Public Trust Office became an agency in July 1994.

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 1 May 1995:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning Civil Service appointments to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in each quarter from September 1993 to April 1995. During that period, the Land Registry made no such appointments.

  Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 1 May 1995:
  I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your question relating to appointments made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in the Public Record Office in each quarter from September 1993 to April 1995.
  The following appointments were made:

  Administrative Assistant

  Administrative Officer

  September 1993– December 1993

  0

  0

  January 1994–March 1994

  0

  0

  April 1994–June 1994

  0

  0

  July 1994–September 1994

  0

  1

  October 1994–December 1994

  0

  0

  January 1995–April 1995

  0

  1

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the 10 solicitors firms who have received the largest sums of money from the legal aid scheme, and name the 10 barristers who have received the largest sum of money from the legal aid scheme for the most recent year for which information is available. [21884]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers
  74
  in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21389]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  For the Department and agencies for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible any conflicts of interest involving civil servants would have been dealt with in accordance with the established guidance. Records of the number of cases are not held centrally. Neither the Department nor its agencies have employed special advisers during the last five years.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Open Government
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the cost to the Government of applications for information under the code of practice in open government in the last financial year for which figures are available. [20155]

  Mr. Horam
  Code requests have been dealt with as part of larger information flows, and costs have not been recorded separately.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what new proposals he has to increase open government. [20149]

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government remain committed to the proposals contained in the 1993 White Paper.

  Citizens Charter
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what inquiries he has received from overseas with regard to the citizens charter in the last year. [20156]

  Mr. David Hunt
  Many, from countries throughout the world. We are an acknowledged world leader in this area of public sector reform.

  Government Agencies
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people are employed in relation to press and public relations works in Government agencies. [20157]

  Mr. David Hunt
  Of the 885 staff with an information officer discipline, 317 are employed in next steps agencies.

  Magistrates
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received about the work of the magistrates in the Duchy; and if he will make a statement. [20158]

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am responsible for the appointment of magistrates in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for training and administering magistrates. I have discussions with magistrates during my visits to courthouses in the Duchy area.

  I pay tribute to the Duchy's magistrates, as I do to those in the remainder of England and Wales. As hon. Members know, they are drawn from all walks of life, give their

  75
  time freely, often at some sacrifice, to do this important work.

  The office of magistrate calls for wisdom, maturity and experience of life. Persons over the age of 60 are appointed only in exceptional circumstances.

  We try to achieve a balanced age structure and aim to find candidates under the age of 55, especially those in their 30s and 40s. Where the age structure of the bench allows or a candidate is particularly well qualified, I will consider older candidates. It is rare for someone below the age of 27 to be appointed.

  In accordance with the Justices of the Peace Act 1979, justices' names are placed on the supplement list when they reach the age of 70 and no longer undertake active bench duties.

  Reorganisation of magistrates courts committees in Greater Manchester is a matter for local consultation and discussion with the Lord Chancellor's Department. Any question on this subject should therefore be referred to my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department.

  Penalties available to the courts are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. However, the Government keep under review the scope for decriminalising offences currently dealt with under the criminal law.

  National Science Week
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what support his Department is giving to National Science Week in schools for future years. [20159]

  October-December 1993

  January-March 1994

  April-June l994

  July-September 1994

  October-December 1994

  January-March 1995

  Central Department

  AA

  6

  7

  2

  4

  8

  5

  AO

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  3

  Chessington

  AA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  AO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  CS College

  AA

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  AO

  6

  6

  2

  6

  4

  1

  OHAS

  AA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  AO

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  RAS

  AA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  AO

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  COI

  AA

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  2

  AO

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Administrative appointments to HMSO are at paybands 1 to 5. The number of appointments were as follows:

  October-December 1993

  January-March 1994

  April-June 1994

  July-September 1994

  October-December 1994

  January-March 1995

  HMSO

  6

  80

  113

  16

  9

  30

  76
  Mr. Horam
  Preparations for next year's week are at a very early stage and include consideration of ways to encourage greater participation by schools. The Office of Science and Technology will be making £200,000 available for the Week. This will come from the budget for promoting the public understanding of science, engineering and technology which the Government have increased by 25 per cent. to £1.25 million in 1995–96.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21363]

  Mr. Horam
  The cost to the Cabinet Office, including OPSS and its agencies, HMSO and COI of employing consultants in connection with market-testing programmes from their inception to 31 March 1995 is some £1,088,000.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995.

  Mr. Horam
  I am also answering on behalf of the Prime Minister.

  The number of permanent appointments to the administrative assistant and administrative officer grades are detailed in the following table. The figures include new recruits, reinstatements and transfers from other Government Departments.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95.

  Mr. Horam
  Expenditure in 1994–95 on official hospitality by the Cabinet Office, including the Office of Public Service and Science, and executive agencies was as follows:

  £

  1994–95

  Cabinet Office (including OPSS)1

  17,550

  OPSS agencies

  650

  COI

  9,200

  HMSO(2)

  31,60

  Notes

  1 The figure for the Cabinet Office excludes expenditure by the Office of the Prime Minister, which was the subject of a separate Answer by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  2 HMSO's figure is based on their accounting year 1 January-31 December.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention; disposal or management. [21393]

  Mr. David Hunt
  For the Departments and agencies for which I am responsible, and other areas which fall to the Cabinet Office votes, any conflicts of interest involving civil servants and special advisers would have been dealt with in accordance with the established guidance. Records of the number of cases are not held centrally.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Relocation Costs
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total amount of removal costs and associated expenses reimbursed to officials who were required to relocate as part of their employment, (b) the amount of each of the highest three claims that were concluded and settled and (c) the average amount of each claim in each of the last three years. [19667]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Because relocation expenses in my Department are met from a centrally administered budget, it is not possible to provide information separately for the core Department and agencies except at disproportionate cost. However, total relocation costs paid in the last three financial years, including payment made to a relocation company which acts on behalf of the Department, amounted to £10,907,201. A significant part of this 78
  expenditure was incurred in order to relocate staff working in the London area to a new headquarters building in York and to achieve other organisational and structural changes in the Department and agencies. These projects will realise offsetting savings elsewhere in the Departmental running costs.

  The three most expensive individual home moves, again including relocation company payments, cost £62,982, £66,204 and £71,873 respectively.

  During the same period, the average cost of a home move is estimated as follows:-

  1992–93: £20,500

  1993–94: £22,500

  1994–95: £22,500 (provisional)

  Fishing
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 April, if he will give further details of the satellite surveillance system which will be used to monitor fishing in international waters off Newfoundland under the terms of the negotiated settlement between the European Community and the Government of Canada. [20505]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 21 April 1995]: Under the control and enforcement provisions of the negotiated settlement between the European Union and Canada, it is envisaged that the North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation contracting parties will install satellite-tracking devices on 35 per cent. of their vessels fishing in the NAFO regulatory area where the combined fishing effort of their vessels is 300 days or more. The installation is intended to take place, as rapidly as is realistically possible, when the vessels make a port call or depart for the NRA. The system installed must be able to transmit satellite signals automatically to a land-based system, to allow the continuous tracking by the contracting party of its fishing vessel. The contracting party must then transmit, on a real-time basis, entry and exit messages from satellite-equipped vessels to the NAFO secretariat, which in turn will transmit the information to contracting parties with an inspection vessel in the NAFO convention area.

  Contracting parties will also be required to co-operate with those contracting parties which have a NAFO inspection vessel or aircraft in the convention area, in order to exchange information on the location of fishing vessels equipped with satellite devices and, if requested, to provide information relating to the identification of a vessel.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have(a) a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public. [20870]
  79
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 26 April 1995]: None of the executive non-departmental public bodies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible has a statutory requirement to admit members of the public to board or committee meetings, or to hold open meetings for the public.

  Livestock Hauliers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what support the Government are giving to livestock hauliers to ensure that they can continue their trade. [20916]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food sets statutory requirements to protect the welfare of animals in transit, which provide a framework within which livestock hauliers may lawfully carry on their trade; provides advice on best practice and on legal requirements; and, in relation to exports, promptly carries out its responsibilities with regard to the issue of documentation and the checking of proposed new routes for compliance with welfare requirements.

  Fish Conservation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 18 April,Official Report, column 22, what proposals he has for more international work on the breeding and oceanic habits of turbot, bream and halibut; and what study he is making of the effects on conservation of deeper sea fishing technology and of happenings under the ocean's surface in relation to the establishment of fishing quota for turbot, bream and halibut. [21317]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: Scientific studies on the breeding and behaviour of Greenland halibut and other species in the north-west Atlantic is carried out by the Scientific Council of the North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation, which also carries out work on the impact of fishing technology and of the marine environment. I look forward to receiving further advice at the next annual meeting of the organisation in September.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of employing consultations in connection with market-testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21362]

  Mr. Jack
  For the period November 1991 to date the total cost to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, together with its executive agencies, of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes is estimated to be £1,394,456.

  Brewing Industry
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussion he(a) has held in the last year and (b) proposes to hold on the effect of the European single market on the British brewing industry. [21865]

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. Friend has frequent meetings with representatives of the brewing industry at which issues relating to the single market are discussed.

PRIME MINISTER

  Business Consultants
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Department and Mr. Edmund Sykes; [21706]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Department and Mr. Stephen Crouch. [21705]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: I am unaware of any such relationships.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Prime Minster how many civil service appointments were made to the administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21761]

  The Prime Minister
  For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) pursuant to his oral answer of 25 April,Official Report, column 675, concerning the ratio of administrators to teachers, if he will give the relevant reference in Social Trends; [21711]

  (2), pursuant to his oral answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 140, if he will publish evidence showing that there are two administrators for every three teachers across the country. [21710]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 27 April,Official Report, column 613.

  Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister if the right hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) when Minister for Defence Procurement under the "Question of Procedure for Ministers" referred to the Prime Minister for his advice on the approach he had received for Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi concerning the sale of arms to Lebanon. [21562]

  The Prime Minister
  Discussions between myself and Ministers are private.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with Chancellor Kohl the reasons for which the Rhein-Main routine airport film of the loading of luggage on to the Boeing 727 feeder aircraft for Pan Am flight 103 on 21 December 1988 was confiscated; and whether this information was conveyed to the Dumfries and Galloway police investigating the Lockerbie crime. [21798]

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to discuss the Lockerbie case with Chancellor Kohl. It would not be appropriate to disclose what communications have passed
  81
  between foreign authorities and the investigating authorities in this country while criminal proceedings are pending.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minster, pursuant to his reply of 10 January,Official Report, column 20, if he will list all the investigations carried out in relation to Lockerbie, referred to in Government document JRE 10119.045 attached to the letter of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton) of 21 April to the hon. Member for Linlithgow; and what evidence he has for the belief adduced in that document that no further inquiry is warranted. [21429]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: I understand that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland did not write to the hon. Member on 21 April referring to investigations carried out in relation to Lockerbie or in respect of the document referred to. The document to which the hon. Member appears to be referring was produced for internal use and I am not therefore prepared to comment further on it.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 28 March,Official Report, columns 545–46, and to his letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 10 April, what response he has had from the United States authorities as to the authenticity of a signal, a copy of which was sent to him and to the US embassy in London, by the hon. Member for Linlithgow, purporting to be a threat to the life of Major Charles McKee, who died over Lockerbie, by the agencies of the US Government. [21407]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: As the hon. Member has been advised by my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and by the US authorities, the investigation has concluded that the document is a fabrication.

  Security Services
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements exist for hon. Members to visit the headquarters of the security services. [21889]

  The Prime Minister
  It is not normal practice for the security and intelligence agencies to host visits to their headquarters by hon. Members.

  Acceptance of Gifts
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 24 April,Official Report, column 344, if he will give the reasons for his policy of regarding the number of occasions on which the Government has been approached for advice on the suitability of accepting a financial gift, payment or commission by a Government Minister or an hon. Member or their relatives as confidential. [21428]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: As I said in my previous answer, advice on specific cases is private. No central record is kept of the occasions on which such advice is sought.

  Nursery Education
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many hours per child per week of nursery education he intends in his commitment to nursery education for all four-year-olds; [22032]
  82
  (2) whether his commitment to nursery education for all four-year-olds is a commitment to education with qualified teachers for all children from the day of their fourth birthday. [22033]

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education is looking at a range of options for implementing my commitment to provide, over time, a pre-school place for every four-year-old whose parents wish them to take it up. How many hours per week each place should provide, when the provision should start for each child, and appropriate staff qualifications and adult to child ratios are among the issues under consideration.

  Ministers (Car Hire)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 5 April,Official Report, column 1131, if he will place in the Library a list of the Ministers' hired cars, giving the purpose of the hire, on how many occasions cars have been hired, the cost of private care hire facilities through the Government car service and the purposes for which cars were supplied (a) to members of the Government, (b) to civil servants and (c) to others for each year since 1987; [21666]

  (2) if he will publish information on (a) the cost and (b) the numbers of cars hired from the private sector for the transport of members of the Government for each year since 1987 where it is available. [21665]

  The Prime Minister
  The information as requested is not available.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 5 April,Official Report, column 1131, in what circumstances private hire facilities for members of the Government may be provided for non-government business; and if he will publish the relevant guidance issued. [21664]

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the replies given to the hon. Member of 5 April,Official Report, column 1131 and 24 April, Official Report, column 344.

DEFENCE

  Entertainment
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet received Sir Peter Cazalet's report on representational entertainment in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [22342]

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence received Sir Peter Cazalet's report on 25 April. I have today placed a copy in the Library of the House, and the report is available on request from my Department.

  In accordance with his terms of reference Sir Peter studies the official entertainment conducted by commanders at all levels including the occupants of official service residences—properties furnished and equipped to a superior standard reflecting the entertainment responsibilities of the occupant. He has concluded that there is a legitimate requirement for the armed forces to entertain and has endorsed the concept of entertainment in officers' own homes. He draws attention

  83
  to the high professional standards of house staff, chefs and stewards employed in support of official entertainment. He has made a number of recommendations about the way that entertainment is funded and the support that senior officers receive for this purpose. Additionally he has recommended that the concept of official service residences should be retained, but that the criteria for entitlement to such properties should be reviewed which should lead to a reduction in their number.

  My right hon. and learned Friend and I endorse Sir Peter's conclusions, including that service personnel have a need to entertain to an appropriate standard in support of their responsibilities. We accept his recommendations and shall now be undertaking further work in order to take them forward.

  I would like to express our thanks to Sir Peter for undertaking this study.

  Ordnance
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity of(a) chemical and (b) conventional weapons, originally dumped in the waters surrounding Britain, was identified as having leaked onto British shores by the Royal Navy (Plymouth Command) bomb and mine disposal unit in each of the last 30 years. [21938]

  Mr. Soames
  It is not possible to determine the precise origin of all ordnance washed up onto British shores. There is no evidence, however, to suggest that any of the ordnance recovered in United Kingdom waters and disposed of by the Royal Navy's Plymouth clearance diving unit had originally been dumped.

  David Hart
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with Mr. David Hart concerning plans to privatise his Department's housing stock; what role Mr. Hart had in the preparation of these plans; and if he will make a statement. [21885]

  Mr. Soames
  I have nothing to add to my answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 218.

  Procurement
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning industrial participation in procurement purchases from abroad; when industrial participation is to be sought; what assessment he has made of his Department's industrial participation policy; and if he will make a statement. [21886]

  Mr. Freeman
  Until international defence procurement can occur on a fully open reciprocal basis, the Government pursue a policy of asking foreign companies bidding for United Kingdom orders generally to offset the cost of such orders with work placed in the UK. Consequently my Department takes care to ensure that industrial participation proposals by foreign companies are carried through and involve high quality work being placed with UK companies. Our policy is currently to seek industrial participation proposals on procurement purchases from abroad on purchases over £10 million—£50 million in the case of France—while seeking to negotiate bilateral mutual 84
  waivers of IP requirements with members of the western European armaments group.

  Franco-German Bilateral Armament Agency
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning the Franco-German bilateral armaments agency; what consideration he has given to British membership of this body; what discussions he has had with his German and French counterparts to discuss British participation; and if he will make a statement. [21888]

  Mr. Freeman
  The United Kingdom has expressed the wish to be involved from the outset in discussions on the structure and operating principles for the planned armaments co-operation structure. I have discussed with my French and German counterparts the UK's interest in participation and consideration is presently being given to the practicalities involved. We will be discussing the issues further with French and German colleagues at official level.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning article 223 of the treaty of Rome; and if he will be seeking the abolition of the article at the intergovernmental conference. [21887]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government are currently reviewing article 223 in preparation for the intergovernmental conference in 1996.

  Special Advisers
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the dates of employment of his special advisers since his appointment. [21934]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Name

  Joined the Department

  Left the Department

  Perry Miller

  April 1992

  February 1993

  Crispin Blunt

  February 1993

  Employment continuing.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions his special adviser has given to his Department's civil servants to make inquiries of a political nature concerning the policies of the Labour party; and on what authority. [21933]

  Mr. Rifkind
  The special adviser has not given any instructions to my Department to make inquiries about the policies of the Labour party. Following the hon. Member for South Shield's lecture to the Royal United Services Institute, on 1 March, the special adviser asked a member of the parliamentary office to ask the hon. Member's office the exact date of his resignation from the Opposition Front Bench.

  Portland Naval Base
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the cost of employing(a) external surveyors and (b) consultants in relation to the sale of Portland naval base. [21302]
  85
  Mr. Soames
  It is not my Department's practice to disclose information relating to the cost of employing external surveyors and consultants as the information is commercial in confidence.

  NATO Rapid Reaction Corps
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the organisation of the NATO rapid reaction corps; what forces have been assigned to its command; which NATO nations have contributed such forces; and what is its relationship to the corps formed by Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain. [21080]

  Mr. Soames
  The ACE rapid reaction corps consists of a multinational corps headquarters, 10 divisions and corps troops. Of the 10 divisions under its command the HQ plans to deploy with up to four for any one operation. The United Kingdom has contributed two divisions—one includes an attached Italian brigade and the other an attached Danish brigade. Further divisions are contributed by Italy, Germany, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, the US and Spain. The remaining two divisions are multinational and include brigade contributions from Belgium and the Netherlands. In addition to the nations listed above, Canada, France, and Norway are represented by staff in HQ ARRC.

  HQ ARRC and HQ Eurocorps are separate organisations which maintain a liaison and co-operation link.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the NATO rapid reaction corps is now fully operational. [21079]

  Mr. Soames
  The headquarters of the Allied Command Europe rapid reaction corps was declared fully operational on 25 April 1995.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21364]

  Mr. Freeman
  The total cost of employing commercial consultants in support of the MOD's "Competing for Quality" programme during the period from April 1992 to March 1995 was just over £6 million.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21394]

  Mr. Freeman
  Although all staff, including special advisers, are required to declare conflicts of interest to line management, no records of this information is maintained centrally.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil service appointments were made to 86
  administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21772]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested, which includes full and part time staff up to the end of February 1995, is as follows:

  Administrative Officer

  Administrative Assistant

  1993

  October to December

  121

  246

  1994

  January to March

  145

  260

  April to June

  70

  206

  July to September

  83

  190

  October to December

  82

  151

  1995

  January to February

  92

  109

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 20 April,Official Report, column 228, what grade civil servant is Mr. Miles Faulkner; and what is his annual salary. [21171]

  Mr. Freeman
  Mr. Faulkner is serving on a fixed term appointment in a grade 6 post. It is not the practice to comment on the pay of individual officers.

  In my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 20 April 1995, Official Report, column 228, I said that the duration of Mr. Faulkner's contract was
  "Two years extended by one year to March 1996".

  This should have been
  "Two years extended by one year to March 1995 and then further extended to March 1996".

  I apologise for this error.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21213]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department spent £5,103,000 on official hospitality in the financial year 1994–95. This figure includes expenditure incurred by 'he Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable.

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if British forces will form part of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's peacekeeping mission to Nagorno-Karabakh. [21336]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North East (Mr. Campbell) on 22 February 1995,Official Report, column 256.

  Riot Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions the chemical weapons convention will impose on the use of riot control agents or other law enforcement chemicals in operations by United Kingdom armed forces, including those involved in peacekeeping operations. [21337]

  Mr. Soames
  The chemical weapons convention, when it enters into force, will ban the use of riot control agents as a method of warfare, but allow their use for law enforcement. My Department's policy on the use of riot control agents is in accordance with the provisions of the convention.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal advice the former Minister for Defence Procurement received before meeting Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi to discuss arms sales to Lebanon. [21561]

  Mr. Freeman
  No legal advice was necessary.

  Defence Equipment (Lebanon)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since April 1992 second hand arms have been given free of charge to other Governments for their use; on what date the decision was taken to provide 1,000 second hand self-loading rifles free of charge to the Government of Lebanon; which Minister was responsible for the decision; and what was the estimated value of the rifles. [21563]

  Mr. Freeman
  -Since April 1992 my Department has approved gifts of defence equipment to eight overseas Governments. On 8 October 1993 formal financial approval was given at official level in accordance with internal departmental instructions for a gift to the Lebanese Government of surplus defence equipment to the value of £40,000. After discussion with the Lebanese authorities, it was agreed to make a gift of 500 surplus self-loading rifles to this value.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 April,Official Report, column 395, on what date the former Minister for Defence Procurement, the hon. Member for Thanet, South, was first approached by Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi about the prospects for the sale of defence equipment to Lebanon; which of the meetings held with Mr. Makhzoumi were attended by officials from the Defence Export Services Organisation; and on what date the decision was taken to sell former British vessels and arms to the Lebanon. [21609]

  Mr. Freeman
  The right hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) advised officials in the Defence Export Services Organisation that he had been approached, on 6 July 1992, by Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi about the prospects for the sale of defence equipment to Lebanon. DESO officials were present at the meeting with Mr. Makhzoumi on 20 October 1993 and at the dinner in honour of the Lebanese chief of the naval staff on 17 November 1993 referred to in my answer to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North, (Mr. Wilson) on 24 April 1995,Official Report, column 395. FCO officials were present at the dinner for the Lebanese Information Minister on 25 February 1993.
  88
  Details of decisions by commercial companies to sell arms and defence equipment are a matter for the commercial suppliers and the customer. In the case of Government-to-Government sales, the decision to supply the former RN patrol craft to Lebanon was taken in March 1992.

  Sapper Jason Whitton
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Clydesdale of 8 December 1994, concerning Sapper Jason Whitton. [21892]

  Mr. Soames
  I am grateful to the hon. Member for sending a further copy of his letter. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Weapons Theft
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds in respect of the quantity of missiles and other weapons stolen from a NATO base near Cologne in 1973; what security they are currently held under; and if he will make a statement. [20724]

  Mr. Soames
  Extensive inquiries by my Department have failed to trace any such incident.

  Anzac Day
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by whom his Department was represented at the Anzac Day commemoration at the Cenotaph, London, on 25 April. [21800]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department was represented by Rear Admiral R. 0. Irwin, Air Vice Marshal J. D. K. Feesley AFC and Major General S.W. St. John Lytle.

  HMS Daedalus
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of HMS Daedalus. [21837]

  Mr. Soames
  As announced by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence on 16 July 1991,Official Report, columns 148–49. HMS Daedalus will close in April 1996. Should no further defence use be identified for the establishment, we expect the site to be offered for sale following the formal decommissioning of the air station.

  Psychological Coercion
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments his Department has carried out on psychological coercion in the last 30 years; if he will list the names of the experiments carried out; if he will give the dates when these experiments occurred; how many people were tested; and if he will make a statement. [20851]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: An examination of papers held centrally has found no reference to experiments carried out on psychological coercion.

  Radiological Experiments
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what radiological, biological or chemical experiments his Department has carried out in the last 30 years,(a) on volunteers without their knowledge and (b) in public areas; and if he will make a statement. [20847]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: We know of no radiological experiments which have been carried out on volunteers by MOD without their knowledge. The same position applies with respect to volunteers at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, where no studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed, and approved, by an independent ethics committee in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians. Prior to participating in a study, the volunteers have the procedures, potential effects and possible risks explained to them in lay terms by an officer. They can withdraw from the study at any time without having to give a reason.

  No experiments involving the use of radioactive substances or chemical or biological warfare agents have been carried out in public areas in the last 30 years. However, stimulants of such agents were used in some 100 experiments in the period of 1964 to 1977. The possible effect on the health and safety of personnel in public areas was fully considered prior to conducting the studies. Accordingly, the stimulants used were judged to present no risk to public health. The majority of these experiments involved releasing the stimulants at sea. There have been no experiments in public areas in the last 16 years.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police (Foot Patrols)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of officers on foot patrol in Sussex in each month since January 1994. [20603]

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand from the chief constable that this information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Livestock Hauliers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support the Government are giving to livestock hauliers to ensure that they can continue their trade. [20915]

  Mr. Maclean
  The enforcement of the law in relation to demonstrations against live animal exports is an operational matter for chief officers of police.

  Schengen Agreement
  Mr. Robert N. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether under(a) the Schengen agreement or (b) other agreements in respect of movements within the European Union, non-EU passport holders carrying valid visas for the United Kingdom may travel from the United Kingdom to other EU states
  90
  without separate visas being required; and if he will make a statement. [21240]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 27 April 1995]: As the United Kingdom is not a party to the Schengen agreement, a visa issued by the United Kingdom would not be valid for travel to a Schengen country. The draft external frontiers convention would, if implemented provide for, among other things, a form of mutual recognition of visas for a short stay, which would exempt the holder from the requirement to obtain a separate national visa for entry to any of the member states of the European Union. The text of the draft convention, agreement to which is subject to unanimity in the Council, remains under discussion.

  Police Cells
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer hours were used to police the imprisonment of prisoners in police cells in(a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available. [21269]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about police officer hours used to police the imprisonment of prisoners in police cells in (a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available.
  The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the public purse of keeping prisoners in police cells(a) in London and (b) elsewhere in England and Wales for each of the last 15 years. [21606]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the cost of keeping prisoners in police cells in London and elsewhere in England and Wales for each of the last 15 years.
  No expenditure on the use of police cells was incurred before 1981–82. Separate figures for costs incurred in holding prisoners in police cells in the Metropolitan Police District are not available. The information for England and Wales, including London, is contained in the attached table.

  Total annual expenditure on use of police cells (England and Wales) from 1981–82 to 1994–95

  Years

  £ millions

  1981–82

  0.002

  1982–83

  3.4

  1983–84

  10.08

  1984–85

  3.4

  1985–86

  2.2

  1986–87

  6.2

  1987–88

  24.9

  1988–89

  64.9

  1989–90

  12.4

  91

  Total annual expenditure on use of police cells (England and Wales) from 1981–82 to 1994–95

  Years

  £ millions

  1990–91

  53.1

  1991–92

  94

  1992–93

  98.5

  1993–94

  11

  1994–95'

  16

  1 provisional

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police stations in London have accommodated prisoners in their cells in the last year; how many prisoners each has accommodated; and what proportion of officers' time in each police station was devoted to prisoners. [21603]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about which police stations in London have accommodated prisoners in their cells in the last year; how many prisoners each has accommodated and what proportion of officers' time in each police station was devoted to prisoners.
  No Prison Service prisoners have been accommodated in police cells in the Metropolitan Police District in the last year.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the maximum length of days spent by a prisoner in police cells during the last year for which figures are available(a) in London and (b) elsewhere. [21604]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the maximum length of days spent by a prisoner in police cells during the last year for which figures are available (a) in London and (b) elsewhere.
  This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. No Prison Service prisoners were held in police cells in the Metropolitan Police District in 1994.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoner nights have been spent in police cells(a) in London and (b) elsewhere in England and Wales for each of the last 15 years. [21605]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General, from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what proportion of prisoner nights have been spent in police cells in London and elsewhere In England and Wales for each of the last 15 years.
  92
  Figures for the average number of prisoners held in police cells, including London, for each year since 1989 to date are given in the attached table. Separate figures for the Metropolitan Police District are not available.

  Average Number of Prisoners Held in Police Cells in England and Wales: 1980–1995 (26 April 1995)

  Year

  Number

  1980

  645

  1981

  125

  1982

  47

  1983

  310

  1984

  54

  1985

  45

  1986

  119

  1987

  537

  1988

  978

  1989

  111

  1990

  661

  1991

  1,088

  1992

  1,095

  1993

  14

  1994

  173

  19951

  227

  1 To 26 April 1995

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of consecutive nights spent by a prisoner in a police cell in(a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available. [21708]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated I May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General, from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the average number of consecutive nights spent by a prisoner in a police cell in (a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available.
  This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Tariff Scheme
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in re-assessing compensation for criminal injuries how long he expects average delays to be for people who were made awards under the tariff scheme. [21271]

  Mr. Maclean
  Victims who received an award under the tariff scheme will keep that award. Where any reassessed award is higher than the tariff award they will be paid the balance. If the reassessed award is lower, they will not be required to refund the difference.

  I understand the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board is giving urgent attention to the reassessment of awards made under the tariff scheme. Since, in many cases, additional inquiries will need to be made into such matters as loss of earnings and receipt of social security benefits, it is likely to take several months for this process to be completed.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last
  93
  five years (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department, or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21387]

  Mr. Howard
  No central comprehensive record is kept of interests or holdings which are declared by civil servants in accordance with the rules on conduct and no special adviser has declared a conflict of interest in the past five years. There is a requirement on all staff, including special advisers, to report any holdings of shares or securities, or any other business interests, where a conflict of interest might arise. General advice about this is given in standing staff instructions and is updated from time to time. This is supplemented by local advice as necessary.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21204]

  Details of appointments made at administrative assistant and administrative officer level between 1 September 1993 and 30 April 1995

  1/9/93–30/11/93

  1/12/93–28/2/94

  1/3/94–31/5/94

  1/6/94–31/8/94

  1/9/94–30/11/94

  1/12/94–28/2/95

  1/3/95–30/4/95

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  AA

  AO

  Total number

  Home Office excluding Prison Service

  63

  13

  67

  14

  28

  12

  52

  11

  51

  6

  1373

  5

  1103

  8

  806

  Prison Service

  52

  31

  31

  16

  25

  15

  29

  8

  25

  23

  19

  17

  23

  10

  324

  Total

  115

  44

  98

  30

  53

  27

  81

  19

  76

  29

  392

  22

  126

  18

  1,130

  1The significant increase in staff recruited at AA level during these periods is due to a large number of part-year appointments made by the UK Passport Agency to cover seasonal demands for passports. The majority of these appointments have been made at regional passport offices.

  Police (Languages)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the proportion of police men and police women currently serving in Wales who speak(a) Welsh, (b) Urdu and (c) Punjabi; and if he will make a statement. [20922]

  Mr. Maclean
  No such estimate has been made.

  Mr. Raghbir Singh Johal
  Mr. David Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received over the case of Mr. Raghbir Singh Johal; how many replies have been sent to those writing to him; and how many officials in his Department are involved in writing or drafting replies(a) to members of the general public and (b) to hon. Members. [21890]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Eighteen letters have been received from hon. Members and over 1,000 from members of the public. A proportion of the time of four officials of the Immigration and Nationality Department is devoted to the preparation of replies.

  Temazepam
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 21 April,Official Report, column 309, what assessment he has made of the reasons why the quantity of the drug temazepam exported in the 1994 calendar year exceeds the amount produced domestically in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [22042]
  94
  Mr. Howard
  The provisional figure for expenditure on official hospitality by my Department, including its executive agencies, in 1994–95 is £48,293.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish his Bill to cut criminal injuries compensation. [21270]

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 26 April,Official Report, column 561.

  Civil Service Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until 1995. [21766]

  Mr. Howard
  The information is as follows:

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Total figures for the amount of temazepam manufactured and exported during 1994 are not yet available. During 1993, however, exports did exceed the amount produced domestically. Temazepam is not only manufactured in the United Kingdom but is also imported in significant quantities to meet with legitimate demands, including export 'orders.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 21 April,Official Report, column 309, what is his latest estimate of the amount of temazepam retained each year for the last five years as manufacturers' stocks, in kilograms and prescription units, ending at the close of the 1994 calendar year; and if he will make a statement. [22043]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Total figures for the amount of temazepam held as manufacturers' stocks in 1994 are not yet available. The amounts for the previous five years were as follows:

  Year

  Amount (kg)

  1989

  2,284

  1990

  2,226

  1991

  3,006

  1992

  3,978

  1993

  923

  As the drug is prescribed in varying quantities and formulations it is not possible to convert the amount of base material available in a meaningful number of prescription units.

  Racial Discrimination
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government submitted to the United Nations its latest periodic report under the convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. [22374]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The United Kingdom's thirteenth report under the convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination was submitted to the United Nations on 21 April 1995. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to announce his conclusions regarding the Boundary Commission for England in respect of changes to English parliamentary constituencies. [21811]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  My right hon. and learned Friend received the fourth periodical report of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England on 12 April. He is required by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1983 to lay the report before Parliament as soon as may be, together with a draft Order in Council for giving effect to the Commission's recommendations, with or without modification. He will do so as soon as he has completed his consideration of the report and its recommendations.

  National Lottery
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibility the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust or the Northern Ireland Rural Community Network will have for the assessment of applications for grants from the National Lottery Charities Board. [21734]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Decisions on grant applications are matters for the National Lottery Charities Board. It is for the board to decide what advice to seek on the assessment of applications.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of(a) burglaries, (b) drug-related offences and (c) drug addicts for each year from 1965 to 1980. [21144]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of burglaries, the number of persons convicted of drugs offences and the number of drug addicts being treated for their addiction is given in the table.

  Year

  Burglaries

  Drug offenders (under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or earlier legislation)

  1Drug addicts notified to the Home Office

  1965

  251,306

  —3

  927

  1966

  274,278

  —3

  1,349

  1967

  264,518

  4,498

  1,683

  1968

  285,287

  5,470

  1,746

  19692

  414,8942

  6,158

  1,466

  1970

  423,795

  8,378

  1,430

  1971

  442,275

  10,814

  1,549

  1972

  428,083

  13,998

  1,617

  19734

  384,035

  14,9774

  1,8164

  96

  Year

  Burglaries

  Drug offenders (under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or earlier legislation)

  1Drug addicts notified to the Home Office

  1974

  473,407

  12,532

  1,967

  1975

  515,429

  11,846

  1,949

  1976

  510,048

  12,754

  1,876

  1977

  598,421

  12,907

  2,016

  1978

  560,109

  13,604

  2,402

  1979

  544,037

  14,339

  2,666

  1980

  618,390

  17,158

  2,846

  1 Number of addicts receiving notifiable drugs as part of treatment.

  2 Theft Act 1968 came into force.

  3 Not separately identified.

  4 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 came into force.

  Stolen Vehicles
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report column 382 what was the recovery rate for stolen vehicles in 1994 (a) in total and (b) by constabulary. [21143]

  Mr. Maclean
  Provisional figures for 1994 are given in the table. Finalised data will be published in the command paper "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1994" later this year.

  Notifiable offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the Police, 1994 percentage of vehicles recovered by police forces area1

  Police Force Area

  Percentage Recovered

  Avon and Somerset

  19

  Bedfordshire

  62

  Cambridgeshire

  43

  Cheshire

  89

  Cleveland

  55

  Cumbria

  28

  Derbyshire

  62

  Devon and Cornwall

  85

  Dorset

  63

  Durham

  49

  Essex

  73

  Gloucestershire

  67

  Greater Manchester

  64

  Hampshire

  51

  Hertforshire

  68

  Humberside

  85

  Kent

  53

  Lancashire

  81

  Leicestershire

  72

  Lincolnshire

  82

  City of London

  2124

  Merseyside

  73

  Metropolitan Police

  —

  Norfolk

  50

  Northamptonshire

  53

  Northumbria

  71

  North Yorkshire

  60

  Nottinghamshire

  61

  South Yorkshire

  57

  Staffordshire

  57

  Suffolk

  66

  Surrey

  47

  Susex

  50

  Thames Valley

  62

  Warwickshire

  73

  West Mercia

  75

  West Midlands

  70

  97

  Notifiable offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the Police, 1994 percentage of vehicles recovered by police forces area1

  Police Force Area

  Percentage Recovered

  West Yorkshire

  60

  Wiltshire

  46

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  Gwent

  61

  North Wales

  75

  South Wales

  65

  England and Wales

  355

  1 Provisional.2 Vehicles recovered in 1994 may have been recorded as stolen in earlier years.

  3 Excluding the Metropolitan Police and Dyfed-Powys.

  Local Byelaws
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in his Department are employed on proposals for new local byelaws: and what is the average length of time taken to deal with applications in each year since 1990. [21230]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The equivalent of 4.25 full-time staff work on applications for the approval of local byelaws.

  The Home Office receives about 20 new applications per month for the approval of byelaws. The statistics which are currently maintained on outstanding applications are not in a form which would permit the average length of time taken to deal with them to be

  Decisions on applications for asylum1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  Port applications

  In-Country2 Applications

  Total

  Asylum applications3

  10,230

  22,600

  32,830

  Total Decisions3,4

  6,340

  10,805

  20,990

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  300

  530

  825

  Not recognised as a refugee, but granted exceptional leave to remain5

  1,785

  1,875

  3,660

  Total refused6

  —

  —

  16,500

  Refused asylum and ELR after full consideration

  4,255

  8,400

  12,655

  Refused on safe third country grounds6

  —

  —

  865

  Refused under para. 340 of the Immigration Rules6,7

  —

  —

  2,985

  1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.2 The majority of in-country applicants have previously been granted leave to enter the UK in some non-asylum category.

  3 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

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

  5 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

  6 Refusals on safe third count grounds, and refusals under para. 340 are not available split between port and in-country applications.

  7 Para. 180F prior to 1 October 1994, for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amount of legal aid was granted to rejected asylum seekers to pursue their appeals in each year since 1990 and in the first three months of 1995. [20763]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Legal Aid Board does not record separately the cost of providing advice and assistance to asylum seekers in pursuit of their appeals to the Immigration appeals tribunal. It is therefore not possible to distinguish the cost of those cases from other cases involving immigration and nationality matters.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rejected asylum seekers pursued their appeals(a) with and (b) without the benefit
  98
  calculated without disproportionate effort. However, the backlog of outstanding cases as at the end of March for the last five years is as follows:

  March 1991: 196

  March 1992: 186

  March 1993: 143

  March 1994: 179

  March 1995: 158

  Efforts are being made to tackle the backlog, which has been reduced by 25 per cent. over the last six months from a peak of 211 in October 1994. These efforts will continue.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people sought asylum in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; and, of these, how many(a) already had an immigration status within the United Kingdom, (b) applied for asylum within three months of their arrival in the United Kingdom, (c) applied for asylum within three months of the expiry of their leave to remain in the United Kingdom, (d) were refused asylum and (e) were given exceptional leave to remain. [21311]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on asylum applications and decisions made during 1994 is given in the table.

  Information on the length of time that elapses before an application for asylum is made, according to the date a person either arrives in the United Kingdom or their leave to remain in the United Kingdom expires, is not available.

  of legal representation in 1994 and in the first three months of 1995. [20762]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Detailed information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In the cases heard since the beginning of 1994, the large majority of appellants have been represented.

  Computer Pornography
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are being taken to monitor the use of Internet and other electronic networks for obscene material relating to children; [21188]
  99
  (2) what consultations have taken place between his Department and the Association of Chief Police Officers for drawing up a national police strategy to deal with computer pornography on the Internet. [21185]

  Mr. Maclean
  Monitoring by the police of the Internet and other electronic networks for child pornography is an operational matter for chief officers.

  The recently established inter-departmental working group on obscenity, which includes a police representative, is currently examining the problem of child and computer pornography, including the adequacy and effectiveness of the relevant law and its enforcement. This work will be complemented by that of the Association of Chief Police Officers working group on computer pornography which has been established to offer guidance on training and investigation techniques.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 for the distribution of obscene material between computers using telephone lines within the United Kingdom. [21186]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  It is not possible from the information held centrally to identify offences under section 43(1)(a) of the Telecommunications Act 1984—the sending, by means of public telecommunications system, a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character—from other summary offences under the same Act. However, our statistics show that in 1993, the latest available, there were 1,147 prosecutions and 725 convictions for summary offences as a whole under the aforesaid Act.

  Mr. Nick Leeson
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what moves he is making to secure the extradition of Mr. Nick Leeson to the United Kingdom. [21178]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Director of the Serious Fraud Office has commenced an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the failure of Barings bank. The question of extradition does not arise until the Serious Fraud Office has decided whether it is appropriate to prosecute the person concerned.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20499]

  Mr. Howard
  The following is the information:

  (a) Publication of annual reports

  Alcohol Education and Research Council (statutory)

  Commission for Racial Equality (statutory)

  Community Development Foundation (voluntary)

  Gaming Board for Great Britain (statutory)

  Horserace Betting Levy Board (statutory)

  Horserace Totalisator Board (statutory)

  National Lottery Charities Board (statutory)

  Office of the Data Protection Registrar (statutory)

  100

  Police Complaints Authority (statutory)

  (b) Publication of annual accounts

  Alcohol Education and Research Council (statutory)

  Commission for Racial Equality (statutory)

  Community Development Foundation (voluntary)

  Gaming Board for Great Britain (voluntary)

  Horserace Betting Levy Board (statutory)

  Horserace Totalisator Board (statutory)

  National Lottery Charities Board (statutory)

  Office of the Data Protection Registrar (statutory)

  Police Complaints Authority (statutory)

  (c)Publication of the minutes of meetings

  Community Development Foundation (voluntary)

  Fire Services Examinations Board (voluntary)

  In addition, the Commission for Racial Equality keeps copies of the Commissioners' monthly meetings, which are available to the public.

  (d)Publication of the agendas of meetings

  Community Development Foundation (voluntary)

  Fire Services Examination Board (voluntary)

  In addition, the Commission for Racial Equality keeps copies of the Commissioners' monthly meetings, which are available to the public.

  (e)Publication of registers of members' interests

  None, although details of members interests are sometimes given in NDPB annual reports.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and(f)provisions under the citizens charter. [20659]

  Mr. Howard
  The executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Home Office are as follows:

  Alcohol Education and Research Council

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Community Development Foundation

  Fire Services Examination Board

  Gaming Board for Great Britain

  Horserace Betting Levy Board

  Horserace Totalisator Board

  National Lottery Charities Board

  Office of the Data Protection Registrar

  Police Complaints Authority

  Police Promotion Examinations Board

  The readily available information on these bodies is as follows:

  (a) Investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner
  The Commission for Racial Equality, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Office of the Data Protection Registrar are listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (as amended) as among those bodies subject to investigation by the PCA.

  (b) Scrutiny by the Audit Commission
  The Audit Commission only has responsibility for local government.

  (c)Scrutiny by the National Audit Office

  The following bodies are subject to NAO scrutiny either by statute or by agreement:

  Community Development Foundation

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Gaming Board

  National Lottery Charities Board

  Office of the Data Protection Registrar

  Police Complaints Authority

  101
  (d)Statutory provisions for Open Government
  There are no statutory provisions at present on Open Government which apply to my Department's NDPBs but those which are subject to scrutiny by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration are also subject to the Code of Practice on Open Government.

  (e)Performance Indicators
  NDPBs are encouraged, wherever appropriate, to develop performance indicators and associated targets and to publish these.

  (j) Provisions under the Citizens Charter

  Not all the Home Office's executive NDPBs offer a service to the public but those that do are encouraged to adopt the principles set out in the citizens charter and to publicise how these are being reflected in their working arrangements. This has led to a statement of charter standards by the Commission for Racial Equality and the publication of customer service targets by the Gaming Board in its annual report.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20744]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the current prison population; and for the figures for each of the previous four years.
  On 24 April the prison population of England and Wales was 50,659, of whom 365 were held in police cells. The average prison populations for the previous four years are shown in the table below.

  Year

  Number held in prison service establishments

  Number held in police cells

  Total

  1994

  48,622

  173

  48,795

  1993

  44,552

  14

  44,566

  1992

  44,720

  1,098

  45,818

  1991

  44,809

  1,088

  45,897

  Immigration
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom made by non-United Kingdom citizens on the basis of a same-sex relationship with a citizen of the United Kingdom have been(a) accepted and (b) rejected since 1990; [20771]

  (2) how many applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom made by non-United Kingdom citizens on the basis of marriage to a citizen of the United Kingdom have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected since 1990; [20773]

  (3) how many applications for leave to remain in the United Kingdom made by non-United Kingdom citizens on the basis of a heterosexual common law relationship with a citizen of the United Kingdom have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected since 1990. [20772]
  102
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The available information is given in the table and relates to persons accepted for settlement, after completing a probationary year, on the basis of marriage to a British citizen or other person already settled here. It excludes those persons accepted for settlement at the same time as their non-British citizen spouse is accepted.

  Also given are those accepted for settlement on the basis of a heterosexual common-law relationship and those refused settlement following marriage but the nationality of the settled partner of such persons is not recorded centrally.

  No information is available on the outcome of applications to remain on the basis of a same-sex relationship.

  Acceptances for settlement, and refusals, on the basis of marriage or a heterosexual common-law relationship, 1990 to 1994

  Accepted for settlement1 married to a:

  British citizen

  Other national

  Common-law spouse

  Refused settlement after marriage1,2

  1990

  19,620

  4,190

  190

  270

  1991

  23,270

  3,840

  340

  350

  1992

  22,550

  3,530

  300

  520

  1993

  24,120

  3,060

  430

  630

  19943

  23,280

  2,790

  510

  780

  1At the end of a 12-month period following the marriage or the admission as a spouse.

  2 Includes some common-law applications.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken for a prison area manager to reply to an appeal that has been made by a prison inmate against a decision that has been made by a prison governor; and if he will make a statement. [20743]

  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 B. Landers to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to your recent Question about the average time taken for a prison area manager to reply to an appeal that has been made by a prisoner against a decision made by a prison governor.
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Area offices are set a target date of six weeks, from date of receipt, to answer requests and complaints from prisoners. Between 1 April 1994 and 31 March 1995, 85% of requests and complaints were answered within this set target. This figure represents an improvement on the figure for 1993–94, when 82% of requests/complaints were answered within the set target and for 1992–93, when the figure was 61%.

  Prisoners, Wales
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population in Wales; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years. [20774]
  103
  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the current prison population in Wales; and for the figures for each of the previous four years.
  On 24 April the number of prisoners being held in Prison Service establishments in Wales was 853. The average populations of establishments in Wales for the previous four years are shown in the table below. The prisoners will not necessarily have been sentenced or committed by Welsh courts nor have committed their offences in Wales.

  Year

  Number held in Prison Service establishments

  Number held in police cells

  1Total

  1994

  862

  —

  862

  1993

  859

  —

  859

  1992

  879

  75

  954

  1991

  873

  91

  964

  1 May not equal the sum of the components because of rounding.

  Prisoners (Drugs)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the existing resources in prisons in England and Wales to encourage prisoners(a) to come off and (b) to remain off drugs. [19952]

  Mr. Maclean
  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.
  104
  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Tox Cox, dated 1 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question on the existing resources available in prisons in England and Wales to encourage prisoners to come off and remain off drugs.
  The Prison Service has identified the reduction of drug misuse in prisons as a strategic priority. All Prison Service establishments provide access to detoxification, education and counselling facilities to prisoners with drug misuse problems through the health care centre, probation department or community drug agencies.
  The new Prison Service drug strategy will greatly increase the provision of drug treatment programmes by grouping the supply of rehabilitation programmes across several adjacent prisons. Work is already proceeding on developing the most effective treatment programmes by providing additional funding to 13 establishments in the next six months to be followed by a rolling implementation over the next three years.
  The only data currently available are aggregated from a survey of 130 prisons conducted during December 1994 which showed that 119 prisons provide some form of drug treatment programme. The programmes fall into three main types: individual counselling, group therapy and intensive treatment programmes. At the time of the survey a total of 9 prisons were offering intensive rehabilitation, while 94 offered group treatment programmes and 102 offered individual counselling. A further survey into the details of detoxification treatments in prisons is planned for May.

  Burglary, Hastings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what have been the results to date of the inquiries made by the East Sussex police force in respect of the burglary in January at the headquarters of the Hastings archaeological research group; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand from Sussex police that extensive inquiries have been made into the burglary that took place in January. However, the property stolen has not been recovered and no arrests have yet been made.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Ware Pensioners
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve the financial position of war pensioners and those widowed as a result of wartime action to coincide with the 50th anniversary of VE day. [20129]

  Mr. Lilley
  I recently announced that war widows pension would be restored to war widows who remarried but were subsequently widowed, divorced or legally separated.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many war widows are currently in receipt of a war widow's pension; and how many he estimates would be in receipt of such a pension if they had not remarried. [20127]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  At 31 March 1995, 48,405 widows were in receipt of a war widows's pension.

  We estimate that a further 45,000 widows would still be in receipt of a war widow's pension had they not remarried.

  Social Security Reforms
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the long-term effect on public spending of the social security reforms he has announced so far. [20133]

  Mr. Lilley
  The major reforms announced so far, particularly incapacity benefit and job seeker's allowance, will reduce projected expenditure by £4 billion a year by the end of the century.

  In the next century, once the reforms contained in the Pensions Bill currently before this House have worked through, total savings will be £14 billion a year.

  Pensioners (Benefits Claims)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of pensioners who are entitled to but are not claiming(a) income support and (b) housing benefit; and if he will estimate the total amount that is not claimed. [20134]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The latest estimates indicate that in 1992, between 480,000 and 860,000 pensioners may not take up entitlement to income support, worth up to a maximum of £610 million or 30 per cent. of available benefit. The comparable figures for housing benefit are between 260,000 and 340,000 and unclaimed benefit worth up to £300 million or 10 per cent. of available benefit.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current success rate of applicants for special assistance for those suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema. [20135]

  Mr. Hague
  Of the 42,770 claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema processed by 28 February, 4,792 have resulted in awards of benefit, representing a success rate of 11.2 per cent. This is a similar success rate to claims for other prescribed diseases.
  106

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence there is that the Child Support Agency is now coping efficiently with its work load. [20136]

  Mr. Burt
  The agency is showing an improvement in a number of areas. This year it has completed 528,400 cases compared with 336,200 last year, and has completed almost twice as many second tier reviews. As a result, the agency expects to collect more than £70 million compared with £13.1 million last year.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time the Child Support Agency takes to make an assessment; and thereafter in what period those assessed have to make a payment. [20138]

  Mr. Burt
  The length of time taken to complete an assessment is variable as it depends on the receipt of information from various sources. Once the Agency has all the information it needs, it is currently taking 123 days to complete an assessment. Where no payment is received within 14 days from notification of the maintenance assessment, the agency can consider enforcement action.

  Benefits Expenditure
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure of social security benefits in(a) the current financial year, (b) five years ago and (c) 10 years ago. [20137]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The figures' are in the table:

  Financial year

  Benefit expenditure (£ million cash)

  1994–95

  285,221

  1989–90

  50,174

  1984–85

  38,250

  1 Figures have been taken from the 1995 Social Security departmental report and an earlier equivalent.

  2 Estimated outturn.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures the Government are taking to help disabled people. [20139]

  Mr. Hague
  The Government's plans for ending discrimination against disabled people were set out fully in the White Paper published on 12 January. These include new initiatives in education and transport, in addition to the measures in the Disability Discrimination Bill for new rights in employment and access to goods and services and the establishment of a National Disability Council. These proposals, which are clear, flexible and fair, have received widespread support.

  Benefit Payment Cards
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to bring in an identity card system for benefit claimants. [20140]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Starting next year, we are planning to introduce benefit payment cards to replace order books and giros for people who choose to collect their benefits at
  107
  the post office. These cards will allow access to payment information which will be held electronically on a database; they are not designed as identity cards. People who choose to receive their benefits directly into their bank or building society by automated credit transfer will not hold a benefit payment card.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received expressing fears that the restrictions to 16 hours per week for study in the proposed jobseeker's allowance will affect people's ability to acquire new skills for the labour market. [20141]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I have received a number of representations from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents and from some colleges. In each case, I have been able to assure them that the changes that we are proposing to introduce are designed to eliminate anomalies in the current rules and to allow the same number of people to study part time and claim jobseeker's allowance as do so under the current arrangements.

  Habitual Residence Test
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many British citizens, appealing against the habitual residence test, have been awarded social fund loans. [20142]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available.

  Child Benefits
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will propose that child benefits should be renamed child cash allowances, that the cost should be deducted in national accounts from taxes received by the Exchequer and that the levels should be decided by the Chancellor in common with personal tax allowances. [20143]

  Mr. Burt
  No. Child benefit is proper to this Department's vote and will continue to be treated in national accounts in the same way as all other social security benefits.

  Unemployed People (Benefit Costs)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the total cost in benefits to those registered as unemployed in Britain at the latest available date. [20144]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The latest estimate of benefit expenditure on unemployed people for the year April 1994 to March 1995 is £9,100 million. The amount includes unemployment benefit, income support, housing benefit, council tax and social fund payments but not child benefit or family credit. This information is shown in table 5 of the Social Security Departmental Report, Cm. 2813, which is in the Library.

  Benefit Income Levels
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what percentage the income of people living on benefits has changed in real terms since 1979. [20145]
  108
  Mr. Burt
  Most family types receiving income support have seen a real terms rise in their benefit rates since 1979, the level of change depending on family size and composition. For example, the benefit rates for a typical unemployed couple with two children are now 24 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1979. During the same period, the income support rates of typical pensioner couple both aged between 65 and 70 have risen by 18 per cent. in real terms.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1994,Official Report, column 630, on the cost of reintroducing the earnings link for uprating retirement pensions and linked benefits on the basis of the assumptions used in that answer, if he will estimate the effect on national insurance contributions rates in the years form 1997–98 to 2006–7. [20974]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The table shows the estimated combined increase in the main class 1 contribution rates paid by employers and employees which would be needed to raise the additional revenue to cover the extra cost of retirement pensions and other linked benefits.

  Year

  Increase in combined rate of employer and employee contributions (per cent.)

  1997–98

  0.2

  1998–99

  0.4

  1999–00

  0.6

  2000–01

  0.8

  2001–02

  1.0

  2002–03

  1.2

  2003–04

  1.4

  2004–05

  1.6

  2005–06

  1.8

  2006–07

  2.1

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department.

  Retirement Pensions
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the savings made by paying pensions from the Monday following claimants' relevant birthdays or date of retirement. [20815]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The estimated cost of paying retirement pension for the part-week preceding the first pension pay day is £7 million at 1995–96 price levels. An equivalent amount would be saved if payment were to cease at the date of death instead of, as now, the end of the pension pay week.

  To amend current payment procedures to provide for the changes outlined above would involve an additional clerical cost in the region of £2.5 million per year.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to monitor the introduction of incapacity benefit and to report his findings to the House. [20118]

  Mr. Hague
  All aspects of incapacity benefit will be closely monitored.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with the Council of Mortgage Lenders regarding changes to income support payments for mortgage interest. [20131]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We have had discussions with the Council of Mortgage Lenders throughout the consultation period and will continue to do so.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people receive full or part payment of their care in nursing homes out of public funds; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [20374]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The latest figures, for November 1994, show that 84,000 people in nursing homes have preserved rights to the old system of income support limits. In addition, a total of 80,000 people have income support which includes residential allowance, meaning that they have been placed in nursing homes or residential care homes under the community care scheme. For these cases, it is not possible to distinguish nursing home residents from those in residential care homes.

  Costings are not available for November 1994. The cost of income support for residents in nursing homes in the financial year 1993–94 was £1,280 million under the old

  Claimants with deductions for:

  (a) Community charge

  1(b) Fuel

  2(c) Social Fund

  All claimants

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  1990

  Great Britain

  4,180,000

  8,000

  0.2

  2,600,000

  183,000

  4.4

  105,100,000

  383,000

  9.2

  106,900,000

  North Eastern

  674,000

  3,000

  0.4

  800,000

  41,000

  6.1

  25,500,000

  72,000

  10.7

  18,500,000

  London North

  638,000

  2,000

  0.3

  600,000

  22,000

  3.4

  12,400,000

  40,000

  6.3

  12,700,000

  South Western

  274,000

  —

  —

  —

  7,000

  2.6

  4,500,000

  17,000

  6.2

  4,900,000

  Wales

  248,000

  —

  —

  100,000

  10,000

  4.0

  5,200,000

  24,000

  9.7

  6,900,000

  Midlands

  665,000

  1,000

  0.2

  300,000

  13,000

  2.0

  7,000,000

  54,000

  8.1

  16,000,000

  North Western

  643,000

  1,000

  0.2

  200,000

  25,000

  3.9

  14,300,000

  65,000

  10.1

  17,200,000

  Scotland

  481,000

  —

  —

  —

  47,000

  9.8

  26,400,000

  75,000

  15.6

  19,300,000

  London South

  558,000

  2,000

  0.4

  500,000

  17,000

  3.0

  9,800,000

  36,000

  6.5

  11,400,000

  1991

  Great Britain

  4,487,000

  34,000

  0.8

  3,600,000

  200,000

  4.5

  119,800,000

  443,000

  9.9

  127,400,000

  North Eastern

  688,000

  7,000

  1.0

  700,000

  47,000

  6.8

  32,200,000

  78,000

  11.3

  21,100,000

  London North

  735,000

  2,000

  0.3

  200,000

  21,000

  2.9

  11,500,000

  44,000

  6.0

  14,700,000

  South Western

  310,000

  1,000

  0.3

  100,000

  7,000

  2.3

  4,300,000

  20,000

  6.5

  5,800,000

  Wales

  257,000

  3,000

  1.2

  300,000

  13,000

  5.1

  6,800,000

  26,000

  10.1

  7,000,000

  Midlands

  699,000

  2,000

  0.3

  200,000

  17,000

  2.4

  9,000,000

  70,000

  10.0

  20,600,000

  North Western

  669,000

  6,000

  0.9

  700,000

  33,000

  4.9

  19,000,000

  79,000

  11.8

  22,000,000

  Scotland

  487,000

  13,000

  2.7

  1,400,000

  43,000

  8.8

  25,200,000

  84,000

  17.2

  22,600,000

  London South

  641,000

  1,000

  0.2

  100,000

  20,000

  3.1

  11,800,000

  42,000

  6.6

  13,600,000

  1992

  Great Britain

  5,088,000

  243,000

  4.8

  28,500,000

  243,000

  4.8

  145,400,000

  586,000

  11.5

  175,600,000

  North Eastern

  753,000

  50,000

  6.6

  5,800,000

  57,000

  7.6

  39,400,000

  103,000

  13.7

  28,300,000

  London North

  891,000

  25,000

  2.8

  3,100,000

  31,000

  3.5

  17,700,000

  73,000

  8.2

  25,200,000

  South Western

  357,000

  16,000

  4.5

  1,900,000

  10,000

  2.8

  5,700,000

  32,000

  9.0

  9,400,000

  Wales

  287,000

  17,000

  5.9

  2,000,000

  17,000

  5.9

  9,000,000

  34,000

  11.8

  10,000,000

  Midlands

  800,000

  36,000

  4.5

  4,100,000

  23,000

  2.9

  11,800,000

  90,000

  11.3

  27,700,000

  North Western

  731,000

  44,000

  6.0

  5,100,000

  39,000

  5.3

  21,400,000

  100,000

  13.7

  27,900,000

  Scotland

  519,000

  42,000

  8.1

  4,800,000

  42,000

  8.1

  25,600,000

  94,000

  18.1

  27,400,000

  London South

  749,000

  14,000

  1.9

  1,700,000

  24,000

  3.2

  14,700,000

  59,000

  7.9

  19,700,000

  1993

  Great Britain

  5,643,000

  438,000

  7.8

  51,900,000

  246,000

  4.4

  139,400,000

  —

  —

  —

  North Eastern

  827,000

  82,000

  9.9

  9,600,000

  53,000

  6.4

  33,600,000

  —

  —

  —

  110
  system and the total cost for residential allowance cases was £67 million.

  Currently around 280,000 people receive help through income support with residential care and nursing home fees at a cost of over £2 billion compared to 12,000 in 1979 at a cost of £10 million.
  Source: Income Support Statistics May 1993-February 1994 and November 1994.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21376]

  Mr. Hague
  The cost of external consultancy support for the Department's market testing programmes in the period of April 1992 to 31 March 1995 is estimated as £5,551,000.

  Income Support Deductions
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of income support in each region and as a percentage of the total had deductions made from their benefit for(a) poll tax arrears, (b) fuel bills and (c) social fund loan repayments in each year since 1990; and what was the total annual cash value in each category. [21287]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table.
  111

  Claimants with deductions for:

  (a) Community charge

  1(b) Fuel

  2(c) Social Fund

  All claimants

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  Number

  Per cent.

  Estimated annual cash value £

  London North

  992,000

  54,000

  5.4

  6,500,000

  35,000

  3.5

  19,200,000

  —

  —

  —

  South Western

  404,000

  32,000

  7.9

  3,900,000

  10,000

  2.5

  5,500,000

  —

  —

  —

  Wales

  305,000

  26,000

  8.5

  3,100,000

  14,000

  4.6

  7,500,000

  —

  —

  —

  Midlands

  888,000

  74,000

  8.3

  8,900,000

  31,000

  3.5

  15,800,000

  —

  —

  —

  North Western

  799,000

  91,000

  11.4

  10,600,000

  39,000

  4.9

  21,400,000

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  543,000

  43,000

  7.9

  4,900,000

  37,000

  6.8

  21,700,000

  —

  —

  —

  London South

  886,000

  35,000

  4.0

  4,300,000

  27,000

  3.0

  14,600,000

  —

  —

  —

  1994

  Great Britain

  5,675,000

  523,000

  9.2

  64,300,000

  271,000

  4.8

  156,900,000

  665,000

  11.7

  214,700,000

  North Eastern

  832,000

  92,000

  11.1

  11,200,000

  57,000

  6.9

  37,600,000

  113,000

  13.6

  34,000,000

  London North

  1,000,000

  78,000

  7.8

  9,700,000

  37,000

  3.7

  20,800,000

  92,000

  9.2

  32,800,000

  South Western

  399,000

  39,000

  9.8

  4,900,000

  10,000

  2.5

  5,800,000

  40,000

  10.0

  12,400,000

  Wales

  312,000

  23,000

  7.4

  2,900,000

  14,000

  4.5

  7,700,000

  36,000

  11.5

  11,700,000

  Midlands

  893,000

  89,000

  10.0

  11,000,000

  38,000

  4.3

  19,700,000

  103,000

  11.5

  32,800,000

  North Western

  801,000

  101,000

  12.6

  12,300,000

  46,000

  5.7

  26,300,000

  109,000

  13.6

  33,000,000

  Scotland

  550,000

  48,000

  8.7

  5,700,000

  39,000

  7.1

  23,000,000

  95,000

  17.3

  31,800,000

  London South

  887,000

  53,000

  6.0

  6,700,000

  30,000

  3.4

  16,000,000

  78,000

  8.8

  26,200,000

  1 "Fuel" includes deductions fro gas and/or electricity.

  2 Data not available for May 1993.

  Notes:

  1. All figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.

  2. Estimated cash value is based on the number of claimants and average weekly deductions in the enquiry week for each category (multiplied by 52).

  3. DSS Administrative Regions.

  Source:

  Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1990–93, Quarterly Statistical Enquiry May 1994.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21202]

  Mr. Hague
  Expenditure information for the 199495 financial year has not yet been finalised, but on present information the total amount spent on hospitality in that year by the Department of Social Security was £127,839.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its agencies have declared conflicts of interest; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21397]

  Mr. Hague
  In the Department and agencies for which I am responsible, any conflict of interest involving a civil servant would have been dealt in accordance with established guidance. Comprehensive records are not held centrally.

  There have been no reports of special advisers declaring conflicts of interest in the last five years.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21773]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table:
  112

  Quarter

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  1 October 1993–31 December 1993

  2,182

  1,243

  1 January 1994–31 March 1994

  2,462

  900

  1 April 1994–30 June 1994

  3,053

  1,346

  1 July 1994–30 September 1994

  3,423

  1,662

  1 October 1994–31 December 1994

  2,936

  1,068

  1 January 1995–31 March 1995

  3,421

  963

  Note:

  The figures include staff recruited on a permanent, casual or fixed-term contract basis plus those reinstated or transferred from other government departments.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of people paying contributions to a personal pension scheme in each year since 1988 under the categories(a) self-employed contributors, (b) employed contributors not contracted-out of the state earnings-related pension scheme; (c) employed contributors contracted-out of SERPS, receiving DSS rebate only contributions to the scheme and (d) employed contributors, contracted-out of SERPS making personal payments in addition to DSS rebates. [21839]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information on employees' personal pensions is in the table. I shall let the hon. Member have a reply on the number of self-employed contributors to personal pensions as soon as possible.

  Type of scheme

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  11993– 94

  PP with employee contributions2

  350

  1,050

  1,600

  2,150

  2,500

  2,500

  113

  Type of scheme

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  11993–94

  APP based on minimum contributions3 only

  850

  2,450

  2,750

  3,050

  3,050

  2,900

  APP with employee contributions

  500

  1,500

  1,900

  2,100

  2,550

  2,650

  1 Provisional.

  2 The figures for PP's with employee contributions show the number of PP arrangements—this will include a number of people who also have an APP or have more than one PP. It will also include a small number of APP's and PP's where the employee pays no additional contributions but the employer does.

  3 Minimum contributions include the National Insurance rebate and any incentives or additions. Tax relief on the employee's share of the minimum contributions is also payable.

  Note:

  PP means a personal pension not contracted out of SERPS.

  APP means an appropriate personal pension contracted out of SERPS.

  Source:

  Inland Revenue aggregate tax returns from all personal pension providers.

WALES

  Animal Diseases
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of tuberculosis in cattle were reported in each county in each year since 1985. [20551]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Complete information in the form requested is not available and information which is available for the years 1985 to 1987 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The numbers of confirmed cattle tuberculosis breakdowns in each county of Wales in each of the years from 1988 to 1991 were as follows:

  County

  Year(s) in which cases occurred

  Number of herds

  Number of confirmed reactors

  Clwyd

  1989

  1

  1

  Dyfed

  1988

  12

  16

  1989

  5

  9

  1990

  8

  21

  1991

  3

  4

  West Glamorgan

  1988

  1

  1

  Gwent

  1989

  1

  4

  Powys

  1989

  1

  1

  In the period 1992–1994 the numbers of confirmed cattle tuberculosis breakdowns in each of the animal health offices' administrative areas were as follows:

  Animal health office area

  Year(s) in which cases occurred

  Number of herds

  Number of confirmed reactors

  Dyfed

  1992

  12

  34

  1993

  15

  62

  1994

  38

  188

  Gwent/South, West and Mid Glamorgan

  1992

  3

  3

  1993

  10

  28

  1994

  18

  46

  114

  Animal health office area

  Year(s) in which cases occurred

  Number of herds

  Number of confirmed reactors

  Gwynedd and Clwyd

  1993

  1

  1

  Powys

  1994

  6

  25

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of Teschen disease occurred in each year since 1975. [21098]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases of Teschen disease have occurred in Wales since 1975.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of African swine fever there have been in each year since 1985. [21064]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases of African swine fever have occurred in Wales since 1985.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of vesicular stomatitis occurred in each year since 1985. [21139]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No cases of vesicular stomatitis have occurred in Wales since 1 June 1991. This disease only became notifiable on that date and official records prior to that were not collected, although I am not aware that there has ever been a case of this disease in Great Britain.

  Lougher Estuary
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what land has been purchased on behalf of the Countryside Council for Wales in the Lougher estuary; by whom this land was purchased; for how much; and for what specific purpose this purchase has been made. [21254]

  Mr. Redwood
  A total of 29.9 hectares of land, mainly salt marsh, in the Lougher estuary near Lougher, West Glamorgan was bought from the Land Authority for Wales by the Countryside Council for Wales for a nominal sum because it was on offer and is part of the Lougher estuary site of special scientific interest.

  Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made to date on the provision of compensation areas in respect of conservation interests lost by the Cardiff Bay Barrage proposal; and if he will make a statement. [21252]

  Mr. Redwood
  A working group comprising the Countryside Council for Wales, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Land Authority for Wales are currently considering a report on the outcome of studies into suitable sites along the South Wales coastline between the Burry inlet and the Gwent levels.

  Following advice from the working group, I expect to make an announcement about site acquisition shortly.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the estimated actual spending for 1994–95, (b) the standard spending assessment for 1995–96, (c) the amounts by which (b) exceeds or falls short of (a), and (d) the percentage by which (b) exceeds or falls short of

  115
  (a) for (i) each district council, (ii) each county council and (iii) Wales; and if he will make a statement. [20376]

  Mr. Redwood
  Information on 1994–95 revenue expenditure budgets and 1995–96 SSAs is given in the following table. Outturn expenditure for 1994–95 is not yet available. Budgeted expenditure includes spending financed through the use of reserves and spending about SSAs within capping limits and is not directly comparable with SSAs.

  Local authority estimates of revenue expenditure for 1994–95 and 1995–96 SSAs1

  (a) 1994–95 budget (£000)

  (b) 1995–96 SSA (£000)

  (c) (b)—(a) difference (£000)

  (d) Percentage above SSA

  Alyn and Deeside

  10,937

  10,296

  -641

  -6

  Colwyn

  8,511

  8,520

  9

  0

  Delyn

  14,517

  9,339

  -5,178

  -36

  Glyndwr

  5,972

  5,473

  -499

  -8

  Rhuddlan

  9,073

  8,900

  -173

  -2

  Wrexham Maelor

  17,168

  16,574

  -594

  -3

  Carmarthen

  8,875

  7,869

  -1,006

  -11

  Ceredigion

  10,384

  10,446

  62

  1

  Dinefwr

  5,922

  6,027

  105

  2

  Llanelli

  14,240

  13,294

  -946

  -7

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  12,792

  11,477

  -1,315

  -10

  South Pembrokeshire

  7,741

  8,104

  363

  5

  Blaenau Gwent

  16,674

  15,568

  -1,106

  -7

  Islwyn

  14,654

  11,729

  -2,925

  -20

  Monmouth

  10,654

  9,879

  -775

  -7

  Newport

  23,342

  22,305

  -1,037

  -4

  Torfaen

  14,124

  13,584

  -540

  -4

  Aberconwy

  9,023

  8,609

  -414

  -5

  Arfon

  10,948

  9,890

  -1,058

  -10

  Dwyfor

  7,687

  6,035

  -1,652

  -21

  Meirionnydd

  6,605

  6,187

  -418

  -6

  Ynys Mon

  12,908

  11,242

  -1,666

  13

  Cynon Valley

  14,133

  13,659

  -474

  -3

  Merthyr Tydfil

  12,243

  12,135

  -108

  -1

  Ogwr

  20,957

  21,279

  322

  2

  Rhondda

  19,589

  17,622

  -1,967

  -10

  Rhymney Valley

  16,038

  15,879

  -159

  -1

  Taff Ely

  15,435

  14,662

  -773

  -5

  Brecknock

  7,615

  6,631

  -984

  -13

  Montgomeryshire

  7,980

  7,679

  -301

  -4

  Radnorshire

  3,348

  3,486

  138

  4

  Cardiff

  47,641

  45,787

  -1,854

  -4

  Vale of Glamorgan

  16,636

  15,063

  -1,573

  -9

  Port Talbot

  16,088

  9,004

  -7,084

  -44

  Lliw Valley

  8,802

  9,039

  237

  3

  Neath

  13,891

  10,389

  -3,502

  -25

  Swansea

  34,450

  32,710

  -1,740

  -5

  Clwyd

  268,390

  266,705

  -1,685

  -1

  Dyfed

  248,209

  241,288

  -6,921

  -3

  Gwent

  294,408

  291,717

  -2,691

  -1

  Gwynedd

  163,718

  160,883

  -2,835

  -2

  Mid Glamorgan

  376,390

  366,613

  -9,777

  -3

  Powys

  90,531

  90,776

  245

  0

  South Glamorgan

  263,775

  268,620

  4,845

  2

  West Glamorgan

  250,163

  241,661

  -8,502

  -3

  Total districts

  507,597

  466,373

  -41,224

  -8

  Total counties

  1,955,584

  1,928,262

  -27,322

  -1

  Total police authorities

  283,256

  315,753

  32,497

  11

  Total Wales

  2,746,437

  2,710,388

  -36,049

  -1

  1 Net revenue expenditure for 1994–95. The figures have been adjusted for the transfer of police services and changes to recoupment to provide comparability with SSAs but have not been adjusted for the transfer of the careers service. 19952013;96 count SSAs include the additional resources for care in the community. 1994–95 expenditure includes £46.3 million funded through the use of reserves and £66.8 million spending above SSA within capping limits. Includes community councils.

  School and University Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the relative real term salary increases of teachers and university lecturers. [20929]
  116
  Mr. Richards
  Comparisons between school teacher and lecturer salary increases are not meaningful. Teachers' salaries flow from recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body. The salaries of lecturers result from negotiations between employers and employee representatives. In recent years the salary movement of both groups has had to take account of Government policy for pay in the public sector. Between April 1979 and April 1994 the average salary of a teacher rose by 60 per cent. in real terms as measured by the new earnings survey. In the same period the average salary of a university academic rose by 27 per cent. in real terms as measured by the new earnings survey.

  Health Service Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish an up-to-date list of all the chairs and non-executive directors of each NHS trust board, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual and; [21357]

  (2) if he will publish an up-to-date list by region of all the chairs and non-executive members of each health authority, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual. [21360]

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is given in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales 1 March 1995", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with market testing programmes in which his Department has been engaged since their inception. [21380]

  Mr. Redwood
  Market testing has been undertaken as part of the "Competing for_ Quality" programme.

  The estimated cost of consultants engaged in this respect from April 1992 to date is £287,600.

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of licenced mink farms in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There have been no licensed mink farms in Wales at any time since 1989.

  European Funding
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European social fund support since privatisation indicating(a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received; [21295]

  (2) if he will list those public projects which received European social fund support and were subsequently privatised over the last 10 years, indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [21294]

  Mr. Redwood
  No such privatised companies in Wales have applied for European social fund support
  117
  since 1990. Information for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 January,Official Report, column 51, if he will list those projects in privatised companies which have received European regional development funding since privatisation indicating (a) the level of funding and (b) the dates when it was received. [20578]

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current reported rate of illiteracy; and what were the figures in each of the previous four years. [20695]

  Mr. Richards
  The adult basic skills unit annual report for 1994 looked at those people who lack "basic skills", which are defined as"the ability to read, write, speak, and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general".

  The report does not contain a figure for Wales on its own.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21210]

  Mr. Redwood
  A total of £28,784.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil service appointments were made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts in his Department and the agencies for which he is accountable in each quarter from September 1993 until April 1995. [21778]

  Mr. Redwood
  During the period in question my Department, including its executive agency Cadw, appointed seven substantive administrative staff as follows:four administrative officers and two administrative assistants in the September quarter 1993;
  one administrative assistant in the December quarter 1994.

  Welsh Health Common Services Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 5 April,Official Report, column 1130, if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter of 28 March 1994 to the Welsh Health Common Services Authority. [21937]

  Welsh Office funding

  TEC areas

  Programme costs £ millions

  Capital costs £ millions

  Additional contributions to capital costs by TECs and other organisations £ millions

  Gwent

  0.189

  1.556

  0.275

  Mid Glamorgan

  0.214

  1.640

  0.228

  North East Wales

  0.140

  0.705

  0.107

  118
  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 21 February 1995,Official Report, column 124.

  University Hospital of Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received the business case for the highway infrastructure related to the expansion of the University hospital of Wales; if the Eastern avenue east on-slip is expected to be part of that highway infrastructure; and which elements of the University hospital of Wales highway infrastructure package require Treasury approval. [21936]

  Mr. Redwood
  An outline business case for the westbound slip road proposal is being prepared by the University hospital of Wales Healthcare NHS trust but has not yet been received. The eastbound slip road proposal is included within the outline business case for a multi-storey carpark at the UHW which has received approval to move to the next stage of testing private sector interest in the proposal. Treasury approval would be required for either slip road if, in the event, public funds were needed to progress these developments.

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total amount of public support given to the modern apprentice scheme for Wales and for each county or training area; what proportion was spent by employers, training and enterprise councils and other identifiable groups for the last three available years; and if he will make a statement. [20377]

  Mr. Richards
  A total of £1.285 million was made available in 1994–95 to the seven Welsh TECs to support the introduction of modern apprenticeships. This sum was supplemented by a further £10.262 million for the purchase of capital equipment of which the Welsh TECs and other organisations in both the public and private sectors contributed £1.074 million.

  Alongside this, colleges used some of the funding made available to them by the Further Education Funding Council for Wales—£144.985 million in 1994–95—to support modern apprenticeships.

  The development of modern apprenticeships is fundamental to sustaining the competitive edge that Welsh industry needs to compete in world markets. In 1994–95, the first year of modern apprenticeships, I made manufacturing engineering a priority. In 1995–96, while continuing to give a high priority to manufacturing, I am extending support for modern and accelerated modern apprenticeships to other key occupational areas needed by Welsh businesses. These initiatives will allow for up to 3,400 young people to start apprenticeship training.

  Figures in the following table set out the funding I made available in each of the TEC areas in 1994–95. No figures are available on the amounts spent by employers or other identifiable groups.
  119

  Welsh Office funding

  TEC areas

  Programme costs £ millions

  Capital costs £ millions

  Additional contributions to capital costs by TECs and other organisations £ millions

  North West Wales

  0 171

  1.023

  0 098

  Powys

  0 057

  0 459

  0 029

  South Glamorgan

  0 130

  1.375

  0 157

  West Wales

  0 384

  2 420

  0 180

  Total

  1.285

  9 188

  1.074

  Doctors and Nurses (Languages Spoken)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, (1) what estimate he has made of the proportion of doctors practising in Wales who speak(a) Welsh, (b) Punjabi and (c) Urdu; and if he will make a statement; [20920]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the proportion of nurses working in Wales who speak (a) Welsh, (b) Punjabi and (c) Urdu; and if he will make a statement. [20921]

  Mr. Richards
  None. This information is not held centrally.

  NHS Cost Improvement Programme
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total annual cost improvement programme in the National Health Service provider units in each of the last four years. [21332]

  Mr. Richards
  In the latest available four years, the minimum efficiency savings targets, including cash-releasing cost improvement programmes, set for the NHS in Wales were as follows:

  Year

  Per cent.

  1990–91

  1.1

  1991–92

  1.1

  1992–93

  1.1

  1993–94

  2.0

  of authorities' recurrent revenue cash allocations. This resulted in cumulative cash releasing savings over the four years of £53 million at 1993–94 prices.

  The minimum efficiency target for 1994–95 was 2.7 per cent., which included a target of 1.3 per cent. for further cash-releasing cost improvement savings—forecast cash savings of £17 million—and 0.45 per cent. or £6 million in respect of savings to be achieved through reductions in management costs. For 1995–96 the minimum efficiency target is 3 per cent., which includes a further £3.25 million cash savings for reductions in management, administrative and clerical costs.

  It is for the health authority to determine in its contracts with service providers how the remaining efficiency target should be split between cash-releasing savings and activity increases generated by increased production.

  Conflicts Of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions during the last five years(a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department or its
  120
  agencies have declared conflicts of interests; and how many instructions have been issued about their retention, disposal or management. [21401]

  Mr. Redwood
  The Department and agencies for which I am responsible deal with any conflicts of interest involving civil servants in accordance with the established guidance. The information requested is not held centrally.

  In the last five years, one special adviser has declared a conflict of interest.

  Falconry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many licences have been issued in each year since 1988 to possess birds of prey; and what were the numbers of birds of each species held under such licences. [21244]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many permits have been issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry in each year since 1988; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the numbers of each species taken. [21246]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The responsibility for the issue of licences did not devolve to the Welsh Office until 1991. Details of licences issued to take protected species in Wales in the course of falconry for the period 1992–93 are listed in the following table.

  Species

  Number of licenses1

  Birds killed

  1992

  Alauda arvensis

  4

  16

  Anthus pratensis

  —

  1

  1993

  Turdus merula

  3

  16

  1994

  Turdus merula

  5

  8

  Alauda arvensis

  —

  20

  Anthus pratensis

  —

  1

  1995

  Alauda arvensis

  1

  19

  Anthus pratensis

  —

  3

  1 Licenses covered all or some of the named species.

  Turdus merula—Blackbird

  Alauda arvensis—Skylark

  Anthus pratensis—Meadow pipit.

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  European Commission Unified External Service
  European Commission Unified External Service
  Kurdish Parliament in Exile
  Kurdish Parliament in Exile
  Council of Ministers: Points for Discussion
  Council of Ministers: Points for Discussion
  Landmines
  Landmines
  Chechnya: Mediation Offer
  Chechnya: Mediation Offer
  Chechnya: OSCE Mission
  Chechnya: OSCE Mission
  Holocaust Museum
  Holocaust Museum
  Slaughterhouses: Appeals against Closure
  Slaughterhouses: Appeals against Closure
  Mandatory Life Sentences: Administrative Changes
  Mandatory Life Sentences: Administrative Changes
  Homicide by Shooting
  Homicide by Shooting
  Postage Stamps and Import Duties
  Postage Stamps and Import Duties
  Postage Stamps and VAT
  Postage Stamps and VAT
  Tuberculosis
  Tuberculosis
  Draught Shandy
  Draught Shandy
  Single Market and Multilateral Investment Rules
  Single Market and Multilateral Investment Rules