Written Answers of 2 May 1995

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Dog Breeders
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to introduce legislation to require dog breeding establishments to incorporate RSPCA guidelines and to be registered with the Kennel Club. [22057]

  (2) what representations he has received about the conditions and welfare of dogs at breeding establishments, and if he will make a statement. [22056]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans for extending the current legal controls over dog breeding establishments.

  All domestic and captive animals are protected against ill treatment by the Protection of Animals Act 1911. Additionally, establishments where dogs are bred for sale are subject to the controls of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, which requires dog breeders to be licensed by the local authority. It is for local authorities, which have extensive powers to check on the standards of health, welfare and accommodation of the dogs, to enforce the legislation. These powers were strengthened by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, which allows local authorities to enter under warrant any premises other than domestic dwellings, where it is believed that a dog breeding business is carried out.

  The Department has received 11 letters from Members of Parliament following an article on dog breeding establishments published by the News of the World on 16 April 1995.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22084]

  Mr. Howard
  This information is not readily available.

  Anti-Semitic Material
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has made to the Irish Government about anti-Semitic material being distributed within or from the Republic; and if he will make a statement. [22303]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  None. The distribution of any such material within the Irish Republic is a matter for the Irish Government. I am not aware of any specific concerns regarding its possible distribution to the United Kingdom.
  122

  Prison Service Plans
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Prison Service's plans for the period 1995 to 1998. [22402]

  Mr. Howard
  The Prison Service's corporate plan for 1995 to 1998, together with its business plan setting out its detailed programme of work for 1995–96, are being published today. Copies are being placed in the Library.

  The business plan sets as the service's top priority for 1995–96 improvement in performance on security. The other priorities are implementing incentives for good behaviour by prisoners; implementing the controls on temporary release I announced on 18 November 1994, and ensuring that every prison has an effective strategy for detecting and dealing with drug abuse.

  The business plan also sets out the service's key targets for 1995–96, which are:

  1. To ensure that no category A prisoners escape.

  2. To ensure that the total numbers of escapes from prison establishments and from escorts, expressed as a percentage of the average prison population, is at least 25 per cent. lower than in 1994–95.

  3. To ensure that the rate of assaults on staff, prisoners and others, expressed as a percentage of the average prison population, is lower than in 1994–95.

  4. To ensure that no prisoners are held three to a cell in accommodation intended for one prisoner, subject to ensuring that no prisoners are held in police cells unless this is absolutely unavoidable.

  5. To ensure that all prisoners have access to sanitation at all times by the end of February 1996, provided that the prison population does not increase significantly above current projections and there is no major unplanned loss of accommodation.

  6. To ensure that prisoners spend, on average, at least 25.5 hours per week in purposeful activity.

  7. To ensure that by 31 March 1996 at least 38 per cent. of prisoners are held in establishments where prisoners are unlocked on weekdays for at least 12 hours, provided this can be supported by an active and constructive regime.

  8. To ensure that all prisoners have the opportunity to exceed minimum visiting entitlements, subject to qualifying under earned incentive schemes.

  9. To ensure that the average cost per prisoner place does not exceed £24,600.

  Drugs Control
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when was the last time that he met Dr. Lee Brown, director of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy; and what was the purpose of the meeting. [22403]

  Mr. Howard
  I last met Dr. Brown on 24 April to sign a memorandum of understanding on counter-drug technologies. The memorandum of understanding will promote co-operation between my Department and his on the development of technologies to assist the fight against drugs. Four key areas will initially be covered by the programme of cooperation. These are information technology, treatment and prevention of drug misuse, police communications and surveillance technologies, and systems for detecting illicit goods. The signing of the memorandum of understanding is another example of this country's determination to work with others to tackle the international menace of drugs misuse.

  Deportees
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many pregnant women given refusal notices or deported have(a) given birth or (b) had medical difficulties on the aircraft in each of the last five years; [21983]

  (2) how many women, pregnant over 30 weeks, were given refusal notices in each of the last five years and returned to the country from which they departed for the United Kingdom. [21984]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people lawfully resident in the United Kingdom and without any charges or criminal convictions against them have been deported on grounds of national security in the past five years; and what was their average length of lawful residence in the United Kingdom. [21891]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: One person without a charge or criminal conviction against him has been removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process on grounds of national security in the last five years. He had been resident in the United Kingdom for nearly three years at the time of removal. This excludes persons who departed voluntarily after being issued with a notice of intention to deport.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many residents, lawfully in the United Kingdom and without any charges or criminal convictions against them, have been the subject of deportation orders in the last five years; [21591]

  (2) how many people, lawfully resident in the United Kingdom for more than 10 years and without any charges or criminal convictions, have been subject to deportation orders in the last 10 years. [21592]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: The available information relates to all persons issued with a notice of intention to deport on national security grounds. Identifying and excluding those with a charge or criminal conviction against them would involve disproportionate cost. Some 202 such notices have been issued since 1990, including 176 at the time of the Gulf war. Six persons who have lived in the United Kingdom for more than 10 years have been issued with such a notice since 1985.

TREASURY

  Investment Companies
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made with the Treasury's plans for legislation to enable the formation of open-ended investment companies in the United Kingdom. [22401]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury has today published a consultation document containing draft regulations to be made, subject to the approval of both Houses, under the European Communities Act 1972. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.
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  The regulations will permit a new investment vehicle which will be a type of collective investment scheme, like the familiar authorised unit trust, but constituted as a corporate body. Its shareholders will pool their investment funds and thus gain the advantage of access to expert investment management with the ability to spread their investment risks. The open-ended investment company has been formulated deliberately to offer the same standard of investor protection as the unit trust but using a more modern and flexible approach.

  The draft ECA regulations will establish a special purpose corporate code which delineates the basic structure of the open ended investment company. Each company will have a board, including a designated corporate director charged with day-to-day responsibility for managing the invested assets of the company, which will be held in trust by a depositary. The company will have annual general meetings at which the directors will account to the company's shareholders for their stewardship of the company and its assets.

  To complete the regulatory framework for the open ended investment company, the Securities and Investments Board will issue product regulations, about which it will also consult shortly. These regulations will specify that shares in open-ended investment companies are to be bought and sold at a single price on each trading day, in contrast to the spread between the prices at which units in unit trusts are bought and sold now. SIB will also regulate the different classes of shares which open-ended investment companies may have. These regulations will allow umbrella companies with a number of subfunds each allotted to a different category of investments.

  In due course there will also be regulations made under the Finance Act 1995 to define the tax treatment of open ended investment companies. The new regime will be equivalent to the taxation arrangements for authorised unit trusts.

  Because the proposed regulations are to be made under the ECA, they will permit only open ended investment companies which satisfy the UCITS—undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities—directive. Subject to further consultation, the Treasury is also exploring the scope for widening the investment and borrowing powers available to open ended investment companies by means of an order made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not held by my Department in a readily accessible form. The information which the hon. Member has requested is being collated and I will provide him with a substantive answer shortly.

ENVIRONMENT

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many import permits for the convention on international trade in endangered species appendix I species of cranes his Department has issued in 1994 and 1995. [21831]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  In 1994 my Department issued nine permits allowing the import of specimens of crane listed in appendix I of CITES. So far, in 1995, one permit has been issued.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the population of(a) pine martens (b) peregrine falcons, (c) hen harriers and (d) sparrowhawks in each year since 1980; and what is his estimate of the amount of damage each species does to game birds. [21850]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department's statutory advisors, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, advise that annual population estimates are not available for these species. Specific surveys have been undertaken for each species since 1980 and the most up-to-date figures for England are as follows:

  Year

  Species

  Population

  1987–88

  Pine marten

  100 individuals

  1991

  Peregrine falcons

  308 pairs

  1993

  Hen harriers

  16 pairs

  1986

  Sparrowhawks

  There is no separate figure for England, but the population in Great Britain was last estimated at 32,000 pairs.

  There is no reliable information available on whether pine marten, peregrine falcons, hen harriers and sparrowhawks affect game bird populations.

  Annual compensation payment to age 60 (rate pa) £

  Superannuation lump sum £

  Lump sum Compensation payment £

  compensation in lieu of notice (if any) £

  1990–91 Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  Not available in the time

  Flexible

  8,212

  24,935

  Nil

  given

  1991–92 Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  Not available in the time

  Flexible

  10,515

  31,543

  Nil

  given

  1992–93 Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  Not available in the time

  Flexible

  10,138

  27,288

  Nil

  given

  1993–94 Compulsory

  10,590

  30,801

  15,103

  Not available in the time

  Flexible

  26,888

  80,665

  16,611

  given

  1994–95 Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  Not available in the time

  Flexible

  None

  None

  None

  given

  Local Government Boundaries
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce a timetable for the review of metropolitan authority boundaries with

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on public relations and publicity by the Leeds development corporation in each financial year of its existence. [21610]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Leeds development corporation's expenditure on public relations and publicity, which includes the corporation's promotional and marketing activity was £223,000 in 1988–89, £324,000 in 1989–90, £480,000 in 1990–91, £499,000 in 1991–92, £300,000 in 1992–93, £250,000 in 1993–94 and £228,000 in 1994–95. These payments constitute about 3 per cent. of the corporation's expenditure, which has attracted a total of £357 millions of private sector investment—a public to private leverage ratio of 1 to 6.4.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the assets transferred from' the Leeds development corporation to Leeds city council, together with their value. [21612]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Amenity and highway land with a nil market value were transferred from Leeds development corporation's ownership to Leeds city council prior to the winding up of the corporation. In addition, an endowment of £200,001 has been paid to the city council to cover maintenance in perpetuity of landscaping works undertaken by the corporation.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22087]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. Details of limited efficiency early retirements for each of the last five financial years are as follows:

  particular reference to Southport, Merseyside and Lancashire. [22001]

  Mr. Curry
  We are considering whether to direct the Local Government Commission to conduct boundary reviews of certain metropolitan areas, and will make an
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  announcement in due course. We expect that any reviews of metropolitan areas will be conducted after the commission has completed the shire district structural reviews, which we hope will be by early 1996.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will make an announcement in response to the final recommendation of the Local Government Commission concerning the move of Billericay from Basildon district council to form Brentwood and Billericay district council. [22002]

  Mr. Curry
  Basildon district is to be referred to the Local Government Commission for a further review which will examine the structure of local government in the area. No decision on boundaries can sensibly be taken until the commission has made its recommendations on the wider question of structure.

  Cammell Laird Site, Birkenhead
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report the progress which has been made since last summer with his attempts to use the offices of English Partnership to set up a venture with English Partnerships and VSEL on the Lairds site in Birkenhead. [22213]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  English Partnerships and VSEL have been working closely together on proposals for the redevelopment of the Cammell Laird site. One important objective, the continued use of the northern part of the site for ship repair activity, has been secured following the announcement today of the sale of that part of the site to the newly named Cammell Laird Industries. This follows closely on the decision of Mackie Automotive Systems to establish themselves in one of the existing buildings on the southern part of the site.

  VSEL and English Partnerships intend to continue to work together within a broad framework to achieve development of the rest of the site and build on the increased industrial interest that is being shown; they are discussing the form that arrangement might take.

  Housing Benefit (Reversionary Interest)
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will change the housing benefit regulations to adopt the definition of reversionary interest in use in Northern Ireland. [20346]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I have been asked to reply.

  A recent Court of Appeal judgment has held that property in England or Wales which the claimant owns but which is let to tenants is a reversionary interest. This means that in all cases the value of such property has to be disregarded as a capital resource when entitlement to housing benefit is assessed. We propose to bring forward amending regulations to rectify this situation. We are currently considering the form that this amendment should take.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 2 May. [20380]
  128
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 2 May 1995. [20379]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Barings Bank
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Prime Minister what meetings he has had with directors or executives of Barings bank since 1990. [21130]

  The Prime Minister
  None. However, directors and executives of Barings bank have been present at a number of functions that I have attended since 1990.

  Crown Copyright
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the ownership of(a) top copies of his speeches, (b) treaty agreements signed by him in his capacity as Prime Minister, (c) original copies of letters received by him from her Majesty, (d) original copies of correspondence or other communications received by him from the heads of Government and (e) original copies of correspondence, minutes, records of meetings or other documents and communications with or in relation to or from ministers or public bodies. [22216]

  The Prime Minister
  Papers in all the categories listed belong to the Crown, with the exception of top copies of speeches made in a personal capacity or as a constituency Member of Parliament, and correspondence of a purely personal nature.

  Churchill Documents
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 27 April to the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown),Official Report, column 97, if he will place in the Library details of those papers of Sir Winston Churchill being purchased by the national heritage memorial fund. [22215]

  The Prime Minister
  This is a matter for the national heritage memorial fund. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member, placing a copy of his letter in the Library of the House.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters; [21512]

  (2) 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; [21514]

  (3) if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department; [21513]

  (4) which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21511]
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  The Prime Minister
  For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister 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. [21392]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: For this purpose, my office is part of the Cabinet Office and I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 1 May Official Report, column 77.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister, 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. [21381]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: For this purpose my office is part of the Cabinet Office and I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 1 May Official Report, column 76.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Auditors Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has received the third annual reports of the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors under part II of the Companies Act 1989; and if he will make a statement. [22600]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I have received the third annual reports of all the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors, and have placed copies in the Library of the House. My Department will be discussing the contents of the reports with the bodies.

  Film Distribution Industry
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to promote competition in the film distribution industry in the United Kingdom. [21989]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of films for exhibition in cinemas in the UK, published on 6 October 1994, the Director General of Fair Trading is currently, at my request, seeking undertakings from nine distributors and six exhibitors named as monopolists in the report to cease the practice of alignment and to restrict minimum exhibition periods. The DOFF will report to me on the outcome of his negotiations by 10 July 1995.

  Ship Building
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the gross tonnage of merchant ships built in UK yards in each year since 1965; and if he will make a statement. [21868]

  Mr. Page
  The information is in the table:

  Merchant ships built in UK yards

  Year

  1,000 gross tonnes

  1965

  1,204

  1966

  1,130

  1967

  1,192

  1968

  1,046

  1969

  814

  1970

  1,297

  1971

  1,259

  1972

  1,208

  1973

  1,069

  1974

  1,189

  1975

  1,203

  1976

  1,460

  1977

  1,007

  1978

  1,135

  1979

  707

  1980

  431

  1981

  217

  1982

  453

  1983

  540

  1984

  411

  1985

  225

  1986

  106

  1987

  247

  1988

  31

  1989

  106

  1990

  134

  1991

  110

  1992

  229

  1993

  288

  1994

  224

  Source:

  CSO—Annual Abstract of Statistics

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to lay before Parliament a draft enabling order for contracting out work of the Insolvency Service agency. [21809]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  A draft order to enable the contracting out of certain of the Official Receivers' functions was laid before Parliament for the approval of both Houses on Friday 28 April 1995.

  Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what discussions he has had with the nuclear installations inspectorate over the possible awarding of licences for operators; [22062]

  (2) what discussions he has had recently with Her Majesty's chief inspector of nuclear installations. [22064]

  Mr. Page
  I have had no recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate although my officials have frequent discussions with it on issues relating to its nuclear regulatory activities.

  Telephone Services, Northern Ireland
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when competition will be introduced to the supply of telephone services in Northern Ireland. [21124]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Competition has existed in the supply of telecommunications services in Northern Ireland for some years, in the form of Mercury and mobile cellular services. Further competition will be introduced by the issue of a local delivery operator licence for cable. Applications for the Northern Ireland LDO franchise are currently under consideration and a franchise will be awarded in due course.

  Annual compensation payment to age 60 (rate pa)

  Superannuation lump sum

  Lump sum compensation payment

  Compensation in lieu of notice (if any)

  1990–91

  Flexible

  0

  43,455

  0

  0

  Public Records
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by grade and post those who have responsibility for deciding which internal documents held by his Department should be considered for archiving by the Public Record Office. [21991]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Department follows the Public Record Office's recommended practice of reviewing papers when they are 10 years old and, if retained at that stage, again at 25 years old in order to reach a decision as to whether they are worthy of permanent preservation at the Public Record Office.

  This two-stage review is carried out by a team of two higher executive officers and 10 executive officers.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the DTI inspectors' report into the share dealing activities of Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare will be passed to the Public Record Office. [21992]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Department follows the Public Record Office's recommended practice of reviewing papers when they are 10 years old and, if retained at that stage, again at 25 years old in order to reach a decision as to whether they are worthy of permanent preservation at the Public Record Office.

  The report by inspectors appointed under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to investigate dealings in the shares of Anglia Television Group plc will be treated in accordance with the above policy.

  The disclosure of information obtained by inspectors under section 177 of the Financial Services Act is prohibited by virtue of section 179 of that Act. Section 5(3) of the Public Records Act 1958 provides for public access to records except when the disclosure of those records is subject to a statutory bar on disclosure such as section 179 of the Financial Services Act.

  Small Businesses (Financial Advice)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for developing the range and diversity of financial advice for small and medium enterprises. [21824]

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President to the Board of Trade if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22077]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. The Department has had only one such retirement in the last five years. The details are as follows:

  Mr. Page
  The emerging network of business links across England has a vital role to play in advising businesses on the range of financing options open to them, and in advising the providers of finance and finance services of the needs of growing businesses. A task force of senior members of the financial community has made recommendations to me on the specific services which business links should be offering to their customers in this important area. The implementation of those recommendations is currently being discussed with the business link network with the aim of these services being available across the network from early next year.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what quantities of plutonium fuel rods have been manufactured at AWE Aldermaston for the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay; when these rods were manufactured; and what safeguards arrangements applied to their production and storage. [22031]

  Mr. Page
  A total of 29 clusters of experimental PFR fuel were made in a special facility at Aldermaston between 1962 and 1972. The PFR production fuel elements were later manufactured at Windscale. At the time of this campaign Aldermaston was run by UKAEA. The campaign took place before Euratom safeguards or the UK-Euratrom-IAEA agreement came into effect. The UKAEA exercised stringent nuclear material accountancy controls on all materials, including those in question. The plutonium used was part of a stock assigned to the fast reactor programme. The programme had no links to weapons work at Aldermaston.

  Iraq
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what investigations he has carried out into the activities of Mr. Riad Al Taher; [21693]

  (2) what representations he has received from Mr. Riad Al Taher about sanctions against Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [21694]
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  Mr. Needham
  [holding answers 28 April 1995]: We have not had any representations from Mr. Riad Al Taher and have not carried out any investigations into his activities.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assistance his Department will give to the Iraqi-British Interests Group on its forthcoming visit to Iraq; [21701]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Edmund Sykes; [21692]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the forthcoming visit by the Iraqi-British Interests Group to Iraq; [21700]

  (4) what requests for assistance his Department has received from the Iraqi-British Interests Group for its forthcoming visit to Iraq; [21702]

  (5) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department and Mr. Stephen Crouch. [21691]

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answers 28 April 1995]: The Iraqi-British Interests Group is an independent lobby group which has no official standing. My Department has no details of any specific visit to Iraq to be made by it. It has not made any requests for assistance in connection with such a visit; nor would we be prepared to provide organisational support for it to visit Iraq. Acts calculated to promote the supply of goods to or from Iraq would require a licence from my Department. Applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis but licences are normally issued only for exports or discussions relating to goods permitted under sanctions—that is, humanitarian goods. Any contacts with Mr. Edmund Sykes and Mr. Stephen Crouch have been those necessary for the exercise of my Department's responsibilities.

  Lloyd's
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are his departmental estimates for the liability for payment by Lloyd's names during the years(a) 1995 and (b) 1996; and what are his estimates of how much can be met without recourse to Lloyd's central funds. [22071]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer I May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make such estimates in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. Any estimate of the amounts to be called from Lloyd's names would be speculative as the cash calls on names have yet to be declared during 1995, and the results to be declared during 1996 cannot be predicted with any precision.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what supervision his Department will make of those Lloyd's names who have become insolvent and whose calls cannot be supported by Lloyd's funds supervised by his Department. [22072]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Any Lloyd's name who failed to meet the solvency requirement prescribed in section 83 (4) and (5) of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 would become subject to the Secretary of State's supervisory powers contained in part II of the Act. The particular use of those powers would depend on the circumstances of the case, but would include imposition of such requirements as may be desirable to protect policyholders against the risk that the name's underwriting liabilities would not be met.
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  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates have been made by his Department for Lloyd's losses (a) for 1992 and (b) for 1993 which are (i) called but unpaid, (ii) declared losses but uncalled and (iii) potential losses expected but as yet undeclared; and what impact these estimates would have on determining the solvency of Lloyd's. [22099]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make estimates of the specific figures cited in the question in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. But in the compilation of the solvency returns all losses, whether or not called and/or paid, will have been brought properly into account in determining the liabilities for solvency purposes, and prudent provision will have been made for losses which have been incurred but not reported.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the number of Lloyd's names who could potentially be unable to meet calls on their assets if Lloyd's were unable to stand behind a call. [22073]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department neither needs nor is required to make such an estimate in the exercise of its responsibilities under sections 83 to 86 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982. Since all the auditors' certificates required under section 83 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 were furnished in the most recent solvency test, the question did not arise.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [21398]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Each senior official and special adviser is required to make declaration of their financial interests. This enables the Department to prevent potential conflicts of interest arising. In the case of other officials, conflicts of interest are dealt with by their line management. Records are not kept centrally.

  Privatisation (EC Funding)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (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. [21299]

  (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. [21298]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: European social fund grant applications from the following privatised companies within my Department's area of responsibility have been approved. The grants were for vocational training, guidance and counselling, and

  135
  employment support projects. The information relate to projects approved from 1990. Data for the years before 1990 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Grant approved £

  Year

  Jaguar cars

  217,708

  1990

  British Aerospace Dynamics Ltd.

  175,341

  1990

  British Aerospace (Military Aircraft) Ltd.

  23,353

  1990

  Rolls Royce plc

  241,725

  1990

WALES

  Consultants
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what work he has commissioned from consultants Mason, Pittendrigh; what fees he has agreed in respect of this work; and if he will make a statement on the progress of work to date and the fees paid to date to these consultants. [21253]

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department has not commissioned any work from Mason Pittendrigh.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities matters. [21470]

  Mr. Redwood
  I have overall responsibility for the whole Department which includes equal opportunities issues which are integral to many policies. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones), has responsibility for equality issues and the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), has special responsibility for women's issues and issues relating to disability.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [21473]

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department, in line with other Departments, 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.

  Housing revenue account subsidy

  Local Authority

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Percentage change 1993–94 over 1992–93

  1994–951 £

  Percentage change 1994–95 over 1993–94 (provisional)

  Aberconwy

  1,584,274

  1,515,817

  -4.32

  1,524,838

  0.60

  Alyn and Deeside

  2,520,527

  2,719,472

  7.89

  2,751,136

  1.16

  Arfon

  2,942,801

  3,116,312

  5.90

  2,825,706

  -9.33

  Blaenau Gwent

  10,775,958

  11,272,511

  4.61

  11,286,414

  0.12

  136
  The progress of women, ethnic minority and disabled employees through the management grades towards senior posts, along with overall representation and examples of particular initiatives being taken, will be covered in the Welsh Office departmental report for 1996 onwards.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have put the work of their direct labour organisations out to external competitive tenders; how many and which have not done so; and if he will make a statement. [21573]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All 45 principal authorities in Wales have put out to competitive tender work carried out by their direct labour/service organisations.

  Asthma
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for(a) each health authority in Wales and (b) Wales as a whole the total number of asthma cases treated in the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [20547]

  Mr. Richards
  Information on the number of individuals treated for asthma in Wales is not available centrally. However, for those treated as in-patients or day cases, the number of completed consultant episodes where asthma was recorded as the principal diagnosis in each of the last three years is given in the following table:

  Completed consultant episodes—asthma ICD 9 (493)

  Health authority area of treatment

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Clwyd

  895

  796

  872

  East Dyfed

  397

  496

  542

  Gwent

  967

  1,099

  1,003

  Gwynedd

  446

  316

  516

  Mid Glamorgan

  982

  1,138

  1,154

  Pembrokeshire

  265

  258

  277

  Powys

  135

  139

  117

  South Glamorgan

  1,442

  1,213

  1,421

  West Glamorgan

  762

  718

  296

  Wales

  6,291

  6,173

  6,198

  Housing Subsidy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of housing revenue account subsidy for(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95 for each district council in Wales and for Wales as a whole, in each case showing the percentage change. [21049]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the amount of housing revenue account subsidy paid is as follows:
  137

  Housing revenue account subsidy

  Local Authority

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Percentage change 1993–94 over 1992–93

  1994–951 £

  Percentage change 1994–95 over 1993–94 (provisional)

  Brecknock

  714,469

  749,124

  4.85

  774,012

  3.32

  Cardiff

  19,410,690

  19,496,006

  0.44

  21,358,039

  9.55

  Carmarthen

  2,513,450

  2,160,557

  -14.04

  2,100,450

  -2.78

  Ceredigion

  1,884,669

  1,786,023

  -5.23

  1,719,132

  -3.75

  Colwyn

  2,109,823

  2,176,710

  3.17

  2,223,516

  2.15

  Cynon Valley

  4,947,233

  5,065,626

  2.39

  4,752,984

  -6.17

  Delyn

  3,620,231

  3,143,508

  -13.17

  2,877,939

  -8.45

  Dinefwr

  1,246,634

  1,189,524

  -4.58

  1,281,196

  7.71

  Dwyfor

  840,681

  796,444

  -5.26

  908,360

  14.05

  Glyndwr

  827,842

  860,859

  3.99

  667,859

  -22.42

  Islwyn

  5,369,027

  5,281,749

  -1.63

  5,620,094

  6.41

  Llanelli

  7,044,582

  7,774,394

  10.36

  8,105,862

  4.26

  Lliw Valley

  4,308,923

  4,136,117

  -4.01

  4,086,333

  -1.20

  Meirionnydd

  1,061,048

  1,022,707

  -3.61

  967,774

  -5.37

  Merthyr Tydfil

  6,872,508

  7,523,287

  9.47

  7,976,148

  6.02

  Monmouth

  3,789,654

  3,611,159

  4.71

  3,503,236

  -2.99

  Montgomeryshire

  666,527

  474,913

  -28.75

  295,577

  -37.76

  Neath

  4,776,019

  4,765,055

  -0.23

  5,269,282

  10.58

  Newport

  11,244,594

  10,794,066

  -4.01

  10,937,908

  1.33

  Ogwr

  7,692,875

  7,532,193

  -2.09

  7,381,391

  -2.00

  Port Talbot

  4,749,752

  4,811,834

  1.31

  5,215,911

  8.40

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  2,755,958

  2,806,607

  1.84

  3,035,119

  8.14

  Radnorshire

  555,486

  440,980

  -20.61

  432,229

  -1.98

  Rhondda

  8,623,018

  8,361,896

  -3.03

  8,229,454

  -1.58

  Rhuddlan

  1,324,330

  1,453,067

  9.72

  1,603,312

  10.34

  Rhymney Valley

  10,884,002

  10,823,491

  -0.56

  11,702,169

  8.12

  South Pembrokeshire

  1,642,291

  1,351,363

  -17.71

  1,457,527

  7.86

  Swansea

  16,023,302

  16,633,469

  3.81

  18,370,320

  10.44

  Taff Ely

  6,938,835

  6,735,632

  -2.93

  6,754,749

  0.28

  Torfaen

  13,117,637

  12,842,923

  -2.09

  12,438,124

  -3.15

  Vale of Glamorgan

  3,750,776

  3,807,767

  1.52

  3,487,123

  -8.42

  Wrexham Maelor

  6,998,218

  7,417,009

  5.98

  7,463,257

  0.62

  Ynys Môn

  4,311,793

  4,309,403

  -0.06

  4,473,262

  3.80

  Wales

  190,440,437

  190,759,574

  0.17

  195,857,742

  2.67

  On-accounts payments subject to audit.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of notional rent set by his Department for the purpose of calculating housing subsidy for each district council in Wales and for Wales as a whole for(a) 1994–95 and (b), 1995–96. [21050]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Authorities calculate notional rents for subsidy according to a formula in the main housing revenue account subsidy determination for the relevant year, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The notional rents calculated by each authority for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are given in the following table. The figures shown for Wales have been derived from these figures.

  Notional Weekly Rent per Dwelling

  Local Authority

  1994–95 £ p

  1995–96 £ p

  Aberconwy

  29.06

  31.88

  Alyn and Deeside

  29.46

  32.29

  Arfon

  30,71

  33.69

  Blaenau Gwent

  31.13

  32.96

  Brecknock

  31.23

  33.81

  Cardiff

  36.13

  38.96

  Carmarthen

  32.04

  33.87

  Ceredigion

  31.69

  33.87

  Colwyn

  28.60

  31.42

  Cynon Valley

  29.67

  31.50

  Delyn

  30.27

  33.10

  Dinefwr

  28.33

  30.54

  Dwyfor

  28.88

  30.71

  138

  Notional Weekly Rent per Dwelling

  Local Authority

  1994–95 £ p

  1995–96 £p

  Glyndwr

  29.67

  32.50

  Islwyn

  30.85

  32.83

  Llanelli

  27.37

  29.19

  Lliw Valley

  29.67

  31.88

  Meirionnydd

  28.12

  30.02

  Merthyr Tydfil

  27.40

  29.23

  Monmouth

  37.83

  40.65

  Montgomeryshire

  33.75

  36.58

  Neath

  28.02

  30.85

  Newport

  36.31

  38.33

  Ogwr

  31.81

  33.63

  Port Talbot

  29.44

  31.42

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  30.17

  32.71

  Radnorshire

  32.75

  35.58

  Rhondda

  32.56

  34.38

  Rhuddlan

  29.48

  32.31

  Rhymney Valley

  31.44

  33.27

  South Pembrokeshire

  34.06

  36.08

  Swansea

  28.75

  30.58

  Taff Ely

  28.67

  31.12

  Torfaen

  35.04

  36.87

  Vale of Glamorgan

  34.87

  37.69

  Wrexham Maelor

  27.87

  30.69

  Ynys Mön

  28.81

  30.94

  Wales

  31.32

  33.50

  Source:

  Local authorities' housing revenue account subsidy claim forms, which will be subject to audit.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22074]

  Mr. Redwood
  There were no early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  There were two early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency in 1994–95, both on flexible terms. Compensation payments are age, salary and service related. Details are as follows:

  Annual compensation payments to age 60 (rate pa) £

  Enhancement of superannuation lump sum £

  14,396

  7,334

  7,450

  3,725

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the population of(a) pine martens, (b) peregrine falcon, (c) hen harrier and (d) sparrowhawk in each year since 1980; and what is his estimate of the amount of damage each species does to game birds. [21849]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Annual population estimates are not available for pine martens, hen harriers, peregrine falcons and sparrowhawks. However, specific surveys have been undertaken for these species since 1980 and the most up to date figures for Wales are as follows:

  (a) Pine martens—less than 50 individuals (1987–88).

  (b) Peregrines—263 (1991).

  (c) Hen Harriers—16 (1993).

  (d) Sparrowhawks—no estimate.

  There is no reliable information currently available relating to the effect of these species on game birds.

  Health Service Research Director
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further progress he has to report on the appointment of a director for research and development for the NHS in Wales; and if the post will be established as a civil service or as an academic post. [22333]

  Mr. Redwood
  I understand that the University of Wales college of medicine will shortly be advertising the post of director of research and development for health and social care in Wales. This is a university post and not a civil service appointment.

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to have available the full set of data on waiting list figures for those waiting more than six months for their first out-patient appointment and 18 months or more for in-patient treatment for each health authority. [22332]
  140
  Mr. Redwood
  The latest available information relates to waiting lists at 31 December 1994 and is shown in the following table. Similar information will be available in June for waiting lists at 30 March 1995.

  Health authority area1

  Number waiting more than six months for out-patient appointment

  Number waiting more than 18 months for in-patient or day case treatment

  Clwyd

  2,234

  128

  Dyfed

  2,968

  337

  Gwent

  4,840

  255

  Gwynedd

  1,222

  66

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,475

  347

  Powys

  636

  18

  South Glamorgan

  9,258

  363

  West Glamorgan

  5,747

  145

  Wales

  32,380

  1,659

  1Including patients of GP fundholders.

  Source:

  Welsh Office core performance indicators.

  Dredging
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the scientific considerations behind his approval of the extraction of an extra 0.36 million tonnes of sand and other materials from the Nash bank before commencement of the Bristol channel study on the impact of dredging on the coastal environment. [22186]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The favourable Government view to extract an additional 360,000 tonnes from the Nash bank was based on an independent scientific analysis of the environmental monitoring data available as a condition of the current licence. This comprises regular bathymetric surveys of the bank and inspections of 12 local beaches to ensure that there are no adverse effects on beach sediment regimes. The assessment indicated that there was no significant risk to the coastline from the extraction proposed. A study which is expected to commence this year will examine the availability of marine aggregate resources in the Bristol channel, and the environmental consequences of and constraints on, their utilisation.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will pay the first instalment of the special grants to new principal councils in Wales. [22519]

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department will make these payments on or as soon as reasonably practicable after 4 May 1995, in accordance with the provisions of the Special Grant Report (Wales) 1995, approved by the House on 8 February 1995.

  Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure is being sought in the 1995–96 main supply estimate for the local government, Wales vote, class XV vote 6. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of £5.85 million on the first instalments of grant to the new principal councils will be met by a repayable advance form the Contingencies Fund.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Afghan Refugees
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking(a) directly, (b) through the EU and(c) through other organisations, to supply wheat to be sown by Afghan refugees of displaced persons wishing to return to Afghanistan; and how much wheat is to be supplied to such persons over each of the next three years.[22305]

  Mr. Baldry
  A joint World Food Programme UNHCR/donors food assessment mission to Pakistan and Afghanistan is reviewing food aid needs. Donors, including the EU, will be briefed on their findings in Islamabad on 8 May. On 27 April 1995 the EU approved provision through the WFP of 20,000 tonnes of cereals, 1,000 tonnes of vegetable oil, 1,900 tonnes of sugar and 2,000 tonnes of pulses for resettling Afghan refugees and displaced persons.

  We have recently provided wheat supplies at a cost of £1.25 million through CARE for relief programmes inside Afghanistan and will consider further contributions of food aid when needs arise, in consultation with other aid agencies, including the EU.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 April,Official Report, column 330, what are the minimum and maximum ages of Afghan refugee children in Pakistan who will receive primary education in future; what is the maximum age of Afghan refugee children who have received secondary education hitherto; and if he will make a statement.[22331]

  Mr. Baldry
  The minimum age for primary education is five years and children tend to leave at the age of 11 or 12. There is no strict leaving age as some children start school older than five. Secondary school education is divided into two levels. Children leave lower secondary or middle school at 14 or 15—that is, after three years—and most leave higher secondary around 16 or 17, although at both levels some graduate at an older age. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Government of Pakistan encourage all children to remain at school as long as possible.

  Pakistan's Cotton Crop
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the causes of the reduction of Pakistan's cotton crop with particular reference to viral infection; what assistance Her Majesty's Government will give in(a) research and (b) direct assistance to combat them; and if he will make a statement.[22326]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have received reports from both our high commission and scientific staff at the Natural Resources Institute, who are currently working in Pakistan, on all factors affecting the cotton crop in Pakistan. This includes the current problem of leaf curl virus.

  Through the NRI, ODA has supported a research project on cotton pest management in Pakistan since 1985. The latest phase of this project started in 1992 and is due to end in March 1996. ODA is also funding a study to determine the scope for further assistance in tackling this problem.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years.[22083]

  The Attorney-General
  Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. In the last five financial years, there have been no compulsory early retirements in the departments for which I am responsible. The only case of flexible early retirement was in January 1991 when the officer concerned received a lump sum payment of £15,339.39 and an annual compensation payment of £6,343.87.

EMPLOYMENT

  Building Societies
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the United Kingdom are in building societies. [21910]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on the number of jobs held in building societies is not separately available. However, there were 171,000 employees in Great Britain in financial institutions other then banking and bill discounting in December 1994.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will investigate the extent to which ageism and age discrimination is acting as a barrier to the 40-plus age group in accessing(a) retraining schemes and (b) United Kingdom and European funding to set up 40-plus employment initiatives; [22054]

  (2) what further steps he is taking to counter ageism and age discrimination in the workplace; and if he will make a statement; [22048]

  (3) if he will investigate the extent to which ageism and age discrimination are contributing towards long-term unemployment among the 40-plus age group; and if he will make a statement; [22050]

  (4) what steps his Department is taking to discourage employers from placing employment advertisements in the national press which specifically request applicants for supervisory, managerial, technical and professional employment from the specific age group 25 to 35 years; and if he will make a statement; [22052]

  (5) which laws in the United Kingdom protect people from ageism in the workplace; and what assessment has he made as to the scope for those persons who feel they have been victims of age discrimination to seek legal redress at appropriate levels; [22053]
  143
  (6) what assessment he has made of the extent to which long term unemployment among the 40-plus age group is directly attributable to the prevalence of age discrimination; and if he will make a statement; [22049]

  (7) what is the total annual cost to his Department of initiatives designed to investigate or tackle the incidence of age discrimination in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. [22051]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government are conducting a vigorous campaign, which I lead, urging employers to recruit, train and retain workers on merit, regardless of age. The "Getting On" booklet, published in March 1994, is aimed specifically at employers. We published a further booklet, "Too Old…who says?", in January this year, which offers help and advice to older people seeking work or training. The campaign is supported by an advisory group, which I chair, consisting of people with a wide experience of industry and with the problems of age discrimination in employment.

  Surveys suggest that ageist practices in recruitment and retention are contributing to the difficulties of older workers. However, there are no barriers preventing the 40-plus age group accessing retraining schemes. The proportion of people aged 51 and over on adult training programmes has steadily increased over the last four years. Training for work, the main training programme, is open to unemployed people up to the age of 63, making it possible for older workers to enhance their skills and make best use of their potential. Access to funding in the UK and through the European social fund for employment initiatives is open to people of all ages with selection on merit. There are several instances where funding has been granted to older workers to set up their own initiatives.

  My campaign specifically encourages employers to drop the use of age limits in all advertisements and recruitment. Indeed, it is the first step outlined in the

  ILO unemployed by age, gender and duration of unemployment

  Great Britain

  Autumn 1994 Thousands

  Age

  All ILO unemployed

  Less than 6 months

  6 months to 1 year

  1–2 years

  More than 2 years

  All persons

  35–39

  235

  85

  42

  35

  74

  40–49

  408

  140

  62

  78

  128

  50–59

  329

  90

  48

  63

  128

  60–65

  88

  17

  1—

  22

  40

  Males

  35–39

  156

  43

  29

  26

  58

  40–49

  255

  74

  35

  50

  95

  50–59

  230

  58

  34

  41

  96

  60–65

  74

  13

  1—

  19

  34

  Females

  35–39

  79

  42

  13

  8

  15

  40–49

  153

  66

  27

  27

  33

  50–59

  100

  32

  14

  22

  32

  60–65

  13

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Notes:

  1 Estimates below 10,000.

  Source:

  labour force survey—not seasonally adjusted.
  144
  "Getting On" booklet. Staff in Employment Service jobcentres have been given clear guidance to challenge the need for age limits on any vacancies they receive and to try to persuade employers to consider jobseekers only on their merits.

  As for the legal position, employees who believe their dismissal or selection for redundancy was solely on grounds of age can already bring a complaint of unfair dismissal to an industrial tribunal, subject to the normal two-year qualifying period. However, the Government do not believe that more general legislation is the solution. Indeed, this would be as ineffective as it has been shown to be in other countries and would also increase burdens on business, possibly hampering the creation of new jobs. The way forward is through persuasion and voluntary means.

  Finally, in 1994–95 the cost to the Employment Department of activities related to the campaign, including the booklets and research undertaken but excluding internal staff costs, was just over £300,000.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) men and (b) women have been unemployed for (i) less than six months, (ii) more than six months, (iii) more than one year, (iv) more than 18 months and (v) more than two years: and if he will provide a breakdown by the age categories (a) 35 to 40, (b) 40 to 50, (c) 50 to 60 and (D) 60 to 65 years. [22055]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest information available from the labour force survey for Great Britain is given in the following table. Information on levels of claimant unemployment by age and duration of unemployment can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library for the following age bands: 35 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 and over.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on the grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22088]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department has no record of any such payments having been made.

  South Thames Training and Enterprise Council
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the Central London training and enterprise council will pay the debts of South Thames TEC. [22220]

  Mr. Paice
  The debts incurred by South Thames training and enterprise council are a matter for the receiver. It is my understanding that there is no obligation whatsoever upon CENTEC to pay the debts.

  Stapro Insecticide
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 18 April,Official Report, column 57, if he will set out the manufacturer's instructions for the application of Stapro insecticide. [21170]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, dated 2 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the manufacturer's instructions for the application of Stapro Insecticide.
  The contractor employed to undertake the spraying at Grays Unemployment Benefit Office on 8 October 1991 has now advised us orally that the chemical used was not a Stapro Insecticide, as he originally told us. He has further advised that any enquiries relation to this operation should be directed to his solicitor, Mr. Michael Wright of Thompson, Smith and Poxon, 4/5 North Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1EB.
  You will understand that, given these circumstances, the information relating to Stapro would be inappropriate.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of convictions in each region under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos (Licensing Regulations) 1983 in each year since their inception, indicating the penalty in each case. [21286]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: I have arranged for the information on the number of convictions in each region under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 and the penalties for each conviction to be placed in the Library. The information relates to prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive. It does not include prosecutions by local authority inspectors who have powers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 to enforce the regulations. Statistics on the number of convictions under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 are available only from 1986 onwards.

  Cleveland Rural Development Area
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of(a) the number of unemployed and (b) the rate of unemployment in the Cleveland rural development area in each of the last 10 years and at the latest available date. [21433]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Information is available only on the numbers of claimant unemployed people in rural development areas and this can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Manufacturing Employees
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the number and percentage of employees who are employed in manufacturing, in each region of the United Kingdom in(a) 1979 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. [21796]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Employees in employment in manufacturing industry and as a percentage of all employees in employment

  (Thousands)

  December 1979

  December 1994

  Level

  Percentage

  Level

  Percentage

  South East (excluding Greater London)

  1,8701

  24.8

  666

  17.5

  Greater London

  n/a

  n/a

  332

  10.6

  East Anglia

  210

  29.6

  161

  20.0

  South West

  440

  27.7

  308

  18.1

  West Midlands

  977

  43.3

  572

  28.3

  East Midlands

  605

  38.7

  454

  29.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  699

  34.8

  430

  23.4

  North West

  955

  35.7

  517

  22.4

  North

  404

  32.5

  250

  22.9

  Wales

  314

  30.4

  226

  23.3

  Scotland

  596

  28.5

  354

  18.0

  Northern Ireland

  143

  26.6

  103

  18.3

  1 Employment figures available only for the whole of the south-east region as Greater London was not separately identifiable. n/a = Not available.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of answering the questions to his Department tabled by the hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) since the beginning of the current Session. [18572]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 5 April 1995]: According to our records, the hon. Member for Makerfield has tabled 180 parliamentary questions to this Department since the beginning of the current parliamentary Session until 4 April 1995. We estimate the total cost of preparing these answers was £17,460.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visas
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasons for the refusal of temporary visas to Mrs. Rasoul Bibi, Ref. V94/20662, and Miss Riffat Sultana, Ref. V94/20668. [21862]
  147
  Mr. Baldry
  The reasons for refusal were given in the migration and visa correspondence unit's letters of 28 July 1994 and 18 October 1994 to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the request for temporary visas by Mrs. Rasoul Bibi, Ref. V94/20662, and Miss Riffat Sultana, Ref. V94/20668; and if he will make a statement.[21863]

  Mr. Baldry
  Representations have been received from a number of people, including my hon. Friend.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom presentation to main committee II of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York. [22022]

  Mr. David Davis
  Yes.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the European Union have indicated at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference in New York that they seek both an indefinite and unconditional extension to the treaty. [22018]

  Mr. David Davis
  All of them.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by the United Kingdom delegation to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York, to the proposal advanced by Germany that fissionable material from dismantled weaponry should not be used to build new warheads. [22019]

  Mr. David Davis
  The UK maintains only a minimum deterrent and has no surplus fissile material for explosive purposes. Recycling fissile materials allows us to keep our stockpile of fissile material at the minimum level necessary to meet our operational requirements.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received on decisions taken at the meeting of the non-aligned movement member states held in Bandung, Indonesia, on 25 to 27 April in regard to the non-proliferation treaty. [22058]

  Mr. David Davis
  At the end of their meeting in Bandung, the Ministers of the non-aligned states issued a statement. They expressed a number of concerns about the non-proliferation treaty, but accepted that it had played a part in promoting international peace and security. The statement made clear that the NPT will be extended in accordance with article X.2.

  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 complete nuclear disarmament. [21352]

  Mr. David Davis
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Nuclear disarmament is already under way, in particular through agreements between the United States and Russia. It will not be advanced by attempting to impose artificial deadlines or linkages on the negotiating process.

  Caroline Beale
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest position in the case of Caroline Beale, detained in New York; and what continuing action representatives of his Department are taking in her case. [21836]

  Mr. Baldry
  A further hearing of Miss Beale's case is set for 15 May. Our consular staff visit her regularly and are in frequent contact with her lawyer, the prison authorities and her family.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 April,Official Report, column 375, concerning civil servants in Hong Kong, if the figures given include judges and police officers. [21912]

  Mr. Goodlad
  The figures of £40 million includes compensation payments for judges and police officers who are members of Her Majesty's overseas civil service in Hong Kong.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union.

  Mr. David Davis
  The following meetings are planned:

  May 17:Health

  May 22: ECOFIN

  May 29: FAC

  Agriculture

  May 30: FAC

  Agriculture

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  May 17: Health

  No formal agenda is available.

  The following subjects may be discussed.

  —Europe Against Cancer Programme

  —Health Promotion Programme

  —Europe Against Aids Programme

  —Drugs Programme

  May 22: ECOFIN

  Provisional agenda:

  — Regulations in the statistical field (consumer price index, revision of systems of national and regional accounts, Community action in the statistical field)

  — Cross-border payments directive

  —Trans-European Networks financing

  The meeting will be followed by a Joint Council with CEE Finance Ministers.

  May 29, 30: FAC

  Agenda not yet available

  May 29, 30: Agriculture

  —Agrimonetary (possible)

  —Extraordinary set-aside penalties

  —Price fixing

  —Set-aside bio-mass (possible)

  —Banana quotas for new member states

  —Reform of the fruit and vegetable regime (possible)

  —Animal welfare (possible)

  Diplomats (Offences)
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1994.

  Mr. Baldry
  During 1994, the London diplomatic missions incurred a total of 3,613 unpaid parking fines, which is almost double the 1993 figure of 1,941. This increase, the first since 1986, occurred mainly in the second half of the year when parking in London was decriminalised and responsibility—with the exception of main thoroughfares—was transferred from the Metropolitan police to the 33 London boroughs. This change also coincided with a campaign to reduce the amount of illegal parking in London, which resulted in an increase in the numbers of parking tickets issued to the public, including the diplomatic corps. The table shows only missions which have 11 or more fines outstanding.

  Unpaid Parking Fines

  Diplomatic mission

  1994

  1993

  United Arab Emirates

  470

  51

  Angola

  404

  30

  Qatar

  353

  28

  Saudi Arabia

  125

  60

  Nigeria

  118

  91

  India

  79

  71

  Ghana

  76

  35

  Bulgaria

  66

  34

  Oman

  63

  45

  Pakistan

  61

  54

  France

  58

  25

  Sudan

  56

  39

  Gabon

  55

  23

  Jordan

  52

  50

  Egypt

  50

  35

  Bangladesh

  49

  59

  Hungary

  47

  50

  Bahrain

  46

  29

  Kuwait

  45

  21

  Cote D'lvoire

  40

  21

  Indonesia

  37

  9

  Malaysia

  37

  15

  Brunei

  35

  22

  Poland

  35

  27

  Morocco

  34

  31

  Israel

  33

  27

  Greece

  32

  46

  Thailand

  32

  32

  Spain

  31

  48

  Cuba

  31

  20

  Russia

  31

  20

  Romania

  30

  25

  Cyprus

  29

  21

  Tanzania

  28

  40

  Turkey

  27

  13

  South Africa

  24

  2

  Algeria

  24

  17

  Uganda

  24

  25

  Malawi

  24

  18

  Italy

  23

  21

  United States

  22

  3

  Germany

  22

  51

  Zimbabwe

  21

  15

  Zambia

  20

  45

  Tunisia

  20

  28

  Cameroon

  20

  35

  Philippines

  19

  17

  Portugal

  19

  12

  Afghanistan

  19

  11

  Zaire

  18

  8

  150

  Unpaid Parking Fines

  Diplomatic mission

  1994

  1993

  Sierra Leone

  17

  8

  Lesotho

  14

  11

  Japan

  14

  5

  China

  13

  14

  Syria

  13

  9

  Croatia

  13

  0

  Barbados

  13

  19

  Kenya

  13

  7

  Fiji

  12

  5

  Iran

  12

  7

  Iceland

  12

  3

  Botswana

  12

  6

  Uruguay

  12

  23

  Ethiopia

  11

  2

  Peru

  11

  11

  Czech Rep

  11

  6

  International organizations

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

  19

  11

  International Maritime Organisation

  18

  0

  International Cocoa Organisation

  15

  12

  Commonwealth Secretariat

  11

  17

  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serious offences were allegedly committed in 1994 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity; and how many foreign diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn from their posts in Britain in the past year as a result of alleged offences.

  Mr. Baldry
  Twenty-five alleged serious offences by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1994. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the report to the Foreign Affairs Committee, "The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985)", as offences which fall into the category which in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or more: the majority involved drinking and driving or shoplifting.

  Six diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn from post in Britain as a result of alleged offences, compared with one the previous year.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22086]

  Mr. Goodlad
  Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. In the Overseas Development Association no early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency have been made during the last five years. The relevant information for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Brazil (Killing of Indians)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with President
  151
  Carposa of Brazil when he visits the United Kingdom the killing of Ticuna Indians on 28 March 1990 in Boca de Capacete and urge that those responsible be brought to trial. [22185]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Brazilian authorities are well aware of concern in Britain that the rights and interests of the indigenous peoples of Brazil should be observed. Fourteen Ticuna Indians were killed on 28 March 1988 in the town of Benjamin Constant. The trial has been transferred from the state to the federal courts. It is expected to take place within a year.

  Drugs
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking(a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through other organisations to assist the Government of Pakistan in combating drug trafficking; what assistance is being given to the supply of equipment to combat drug trafficking with particular reference to helicopters; and if he will make a statement. [22306]

  Mr. Baldry
  We have given considerable narcotics-related assistance to Pakistan, both bilaterally and through multilateral channels. Last financial year, bilateral assistance included the provision of law enforcement training by Her Majesty Customs and Excise. Multilaterally we have pledged over £8 million since 1985 to projects administered by the United Nations drug control programme to strengthen law enforcement control of the Pakistan/Iran/Afghanistan border area and to reduce the supply of opium through rural development.

  Annual compensation payment to age 60 rate pa

  Superannuation lump sum

  Lump sum compensation payment

  Total in £

  Year 1990–91

  Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  —

  Flexible

  9674

  29022

  n/a

  38,696

  3564

  1085

  n/a

  4,649

  3332

  9093

  n/a

  12,425

  Year 1991–92

  Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  —

  Flexible

  6088

  16225

  n/a

  22,313

  FSSU scheme member

  —

  6034

  6,034

  1628

  4261

  n/a

  5,889

  Year 1992–93

  Compulsory

  8206

  21551

  8154

  29,757

  Flexible

  3591

  10382

  n/a

  13,973

  4094

  10656

  n/a

  14,750

  4199

  12169

  n/a

  16,368

  10876

  31865

  n/a

  42,741

  Year 1993–94

  Compulsory

  None

  None

  None

  —

  Flexible

  8685

  23422

  n/a

  32,107

  4418

  13178

  n/a

  17,596

  n/a

  n/a

  3033

  3,033

  4950

  12987

  n/a

  17,937

  152
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in respect of financial inducements to people in Afghanistan to persuade them to cease growing poppies used in the production of drugs. [22304]

  Mr. Baldry
  Afghanistan is now believed by the United Nations drug control programme and others to be the largest producer of illicit opium in the world. Much of the production is trafficked in the form of heroin to western Europe, including the UK.

  In present circumstances, action by UNDCP is likely to be more effective in combating illicit drug production in Afghanistan than that by individual countries. The Government have therefore recently contributed £100,000 to preparation by UNCP of a strategy to reduce illicit opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, and will consider further financial support in the light of the result.

TRANSPORT

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22076]

  Mr. Norris
  Compensation payments for early retirement on ground of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. Details of limited efficiency early retirements for the last five financial years are as follows:

  Ministerial Visits Overseas
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the visits he has made abroad in the last 12 months; how long he spent in each location; and what was the purpose of each visit. [21422]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In addition to those listed in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 20 February,Official Report, column 4, I have also undertaken the following visits:

  Country

  Duration

  Purpose

  Switzerland

  24 hours

  Visit to the Swiss Transport Minister

  Brussels

  2 days

  European Transport Council

  Japan

  4 days

  Visits to the Japanese Transport Minister, various railway companies in Tokyo and Nagoya and to banks and leasing companies interested in the sale of British Rail ROSCOs.

  Korea

  4 days

  Wreath laying ceremony Gloster Valley. Visits to the Korean Minister of Transport and Construction, the mayor of Seoul and various Korean companies with potential investments in the UK. Addressed regional British chambers of commerce; Korean Institute of Transport joint UK/Korean seminar; and Korean Ministry of Political Affairs seminar on local government.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Veterinary Medicines Report
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the 1993 report from the appraisal panel for human suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicines has now been published. [22403]

  Mrs. Browning
  The report is being published this week and is available free of charge from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

EDUCATION

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving her Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22089]

  Mr. Boswell
  There have been no instances of compulsory early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency in the Department.
  154
  There has been one instance of flexible early retirement on limited efficiency grounds during the last five financial years, as follows:

  Annual compensation payment to age 60 (rate pa)

  Superannuation lump sum

  1994–95

  £4996.67

  £14,155.07

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs incurred by each education authority in England for the year ended 31 March; and what are the projected costs for 1995–96. [21791]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows, for each LEA in England, staffing expenditure and total expenditure on service strategy and regulation, management and administration and the inspection and advisory service in 1993–94, the latest year for which outturn figures are available. Figures for 25 LEAs are not included as they have yet to be finalised. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function. Statistics on LEA administrative staff numbers, broken down by individual authorities, are not available centrally. Cost projections for 1995–96 are unavailable in these areas.

  LEAs administration and inspection expenditure 1993–94

  Staffing cost (cash terms) £000

  Gross expenditure (cash terms) £000

  Corporation of London

  208

  632

  Camden

  n/a

  n/a

  Greenwich

  4,250

  10,969

  Hackney

  n/a

  n/a

  Hammersmith

  n/a

  n/a

  Islington

  n/a

  n/a

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,996

  4,509

  Lambeth

  5,382

  12,322

  Lewisham

  n/a

  n/a

  Southwark

  3,806

  8,771

  Tower Hamlets

  7,273

  17,193

  Wandsworth

  3,179

  5,533

  Westminster

  2,049

  7,476

  Barking

  n/a

  n/a

  Barnet

  2,406

  4,523

  Bexley

  2,568

  4,806

  Brent

  3,420

  7,233

  Bromley

  2,876

  5,073

  Croydon

  4,495

  8,087

  Ealing

  4,043

  8,714

  Enfield

  n/a

  n/a

  Haringey

  4,918

  5,429

  Harrow

  n/a

  n/a

  Havering

  2,030

  3,998

  Hillingdon

  2,871

  5,184

  Hounslow

  1,867

  3,596

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,865

  2,963

  Merton

  n/a

  n/a

  Newham

  3,189

  5,248

  Redbridge

  1,505

  2,806

  Richmond upon Thames

  n/a

  n/a

  Sutton

  4,609

  5,788

  Waltham Forest

  4,409

  8,178

  Birmingham

  10,012

  19,298

  155

  LEAs administration and inspection expenditure 1993–94

  Staffing cost (cash terms) £000

  Gross expenditure (cash terms) £000

  Coventry

  6,428

  11,206

  Dudley

  n/a

  n/a

  Sandwell

  3,860

  4,893

  Solihull

  1,167

  2,245

  Walsall

  2,574

  6,048

  Wolverhampton

  n/a

  n/a

  Knowsley

  n/a

  n/a

  Liverpool

  n/a

  n/a

  St. Helens

  1,598

  3,137

  Sefton

  n/a

  n/a

  Wirral

  n/a

  n/a

  Bolton

  3,025

  5,976

  Bury

  n/a

  n/a

  Manchester

  4,531

  8,622

  Oldham

  2,673

  5,307

  Rochdale

  1,511

  3,021

  Salford

  n/a

  n/a

  Stockport

  2,143

  4,236

  Tameside

  1,382

  2,729

  Trafford

  n/a

  n/a

  Wigan

  2,036

  4,209

  Barnsley

  2,707

  5,297

  Doncaster

  2,915

  5,004

  Rotherham

  3,590

  4,852

  Sheffield

  3,933

  7,249

  Bradford

  6,452

  8,328

  Calderdale

  1,320

  3,344

  Kirklees

  n/a

  n/a

  Leeds

  7,320

  12,790

  Wakefield

  2,835

  5,592

  Gateshead

  1,886

  4,534

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  n/a

  n/a

  North Tyneside

  991

  1,948

  South Tyneside

  2,883

  5,501

  Sunderland

  1,874

  3,844

  Isles of Scilly

  40

  42

  Avon

  5,248

  15,893

  Bedfordshire

  4,843

  7,791

  Berkshire

  n/a

  n/a

  Buckinghamshire

  5,553

  14,651

  Cambridgeshire

  3,860

  9,222

  Cheshire

  10,185

  21,479

  Cleveland

  3,814

  5,477

  Cornwall

  3,449

  10,526

  Cumbria

  3,468

  7,357

  Derbyshire

  5,579

  7,878

  Devon

  7,687

  14,207

  Dorset

  4,376

  11,559

  Durham

  3,681

  8,329

  East Sussex

  4,678

  11,230

  Essex

  342

  8,021

  Gloucestershire

  n/a

  n/a

  Hampshire

  n/a

  n/a

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,825

  4,410

  Hertfordshire

  5,239

  12,604

  Humberside

  n/a

  n/a

  Isle of Wight

  1,205

  4,064

  Kent

  5,142

  12,170

  Lancashire

  9,448

  23,197

  Leicestershire

  6,642

  14,764

  Lincolnshire

  2,848

  8,880

  Norfolk

  2,358

  7,837

  North Yorkshire

  3,980

  10,756

  Northamptonshire

  1,679

  9,148

  Northumberland

  2,917

  7,739

  Nottinghamshire

  8,222

  22,719

  Oxfordshire

  4,528

  9,313

  Shropshire

  3,480

  5,135

  Somerset

  6,495

  12,355

  Staffordshire

  1,660

  4,669

  Suffolk

  4,519

  8,957

  156

  LEAs administration and inspection expenditure 1993–94

  Staffing cost (cash terms) £000

  Gross expenditure (cash terms) £000

  Surrey

  6,222

  16,427

  Warwickshire

  4,875

  11,874

  West Sussex

  4,544

  11,124

  Wiltshire

  4,271

  11,430

  n/a = Not yet available.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish a list of education authorities in England and Northern Ireland with the total number of pupils for which each education authority was responsible in the year ended 31 March. [21805]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on the number of pupils in schools maintained by local education authorities in England in January 1994 is shown in the table. Pupil numbers in Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  All pupils in LEA-maintained Nursery. Primary, Secondary and Special schools(1) in England

  Local Education Authority

  1Pupils

  Corporation of London

  214

  Camden

  19,610

  Greenwich

  36,441

  Hackney

  25,049

  Hammersmith

  14,753

  Islington

  23,517

  Kensington and Chelsea

  8,967

  Lambeth

  21,864

  Lewisham

  32,007

  Southwark

  28,775

  Tower Hamlets

  33,954

  Wandsworth

  20,241

  Westminster

  17,033

  Barking

  26,030

  Barnet

  33,906

  Bexley

  31,055

  Brent

  26,718

  Bromley

  28,160

  Croydon

  38,213

  Ealing

  32,664

  Enfield

  36,327

  Haringey

  29,608

  Harrow

  27,374

  Havering

  31,341

  Hillingdon

  20,043

  Hounslow

  32,403

  Kingston upon Thames

  15,863

  Merton

  23,232

  Newham

  40,255

  Redbridge

  34,393

  Richmond upon Thames

  19,038

  Sutton

  17,750

  Waltham Forest

  30,642

  Birmingham

  1,63,079

  Coventry

  49,913

  Dudley

  43,366

  Sandwell

  511,108

  Solihull

  33,368

  Walsall

  43,020

  Wolverhampton

  40,552

  Knowsley

  27,992

  Liverpool

  81,934

  St. Helens

  29,946

  Sefton

  47,168

  Wirral

  51,857

  157

  All pupils in LEA-maintained Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special shools(1) in England

  Local Education Authority

  1Pupils

  Bolton

  42,429

  Bury

  27,81'4

  Manchester

  70,796

  Oldham

  41,653

  Rochdale

  34,020

  Salford

  35,883

  Stockport

  42,970

  Tameside

  35,107

  Trafford

  29,833

  Wigan

  50,621

  Barnsley

  34,578

  Doncaster

  52,032

  Rotherham

  44,190

  Sheffield

  70,775

  Bradford

  83,406

  Calderdale

  28,728

  Kirklees

  62,567

  Leeds

  113,062

  Wakefield

  51,922

  Gateshead

  30,558

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  40,749

  North Tyneside

  31,660

  South Tyneside

  26,397

  Sunderland

  51,321

  Isles of Scilly

  291

  Avon

  1,37,357

  Bedfordshire

  81,360

  Berkshire

  1,03,502

  Buckinghamshire

  90,109

  Cambridgeshire

  84,515

  Cheshire

  1,53,008

  Cleveland

  1,03,146

  Cornwall

  69,977

  Cumbria

  65,372

  Derbyshire

  1,28,591

  Devon

  1,36,651

  Dorset

  78,626

  Durham

  97,711

  East Sussex

  88,025

  Essex

  1,46,390

  Gloucestershire

  56,666

  Hampshire

  2,01,345

  Hereford and Worcester

  94,445

  Hertfordshire

  1,37,829

  Humberside

  1,43,600

  Isle of Wight

  17,955

  Kent

  1,83,670

  Lancashire

  2,14,486

  Leicestershire

  1,38,347

  Lincolnshire

  66,722

  Norfolk

  93,702

  North Yorkshire

  1,04,727

  Northamptonshrie

  85,417

  Northumberland

  51,019

  Nottinghamshire

  1,56,816

  Oxfordshire

  78,400

  Shropshire

  57,984

  Somerset

  64,487

  Staffordshire

  1,63,143

  Suffolk

  93,282

  Surrey

  1.07,933

  Warwickshire

  68,726

  West Sussex

  94,854

  Wiltshire

  70,552

  England

  6,764,552

  1 This is the total of all full-time and part-time pupils of all ages.

  University and Private Sector Co-operation
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what new initiatives she is discussing with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principles to encourage senior private sector managers to spend time in university departments. [21826]

  Mr. Boswell
  No such discussions are taking place. These are matters for the CVCP and its member institutions to arrange in collaboration with companies. The Government welcome opportunities that enable industrial and university personnel to share their experiences for the benefit of the economy.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what programmes she supports to encourage the release of university staff to spend time in manufacturing industry. [21825]

  Mr. Boswell
  We support all initiatives that provide academic and industrial staff with opportunities to collaborate. Responsibility for developing links with business, of all kinds, rests with individual institutions. Many are conscious of the need to do so, and participate in the range of programmes promoted by the Departments of Employment and of Trade and Industry and the Office for Science and Technology.

  Nursery Places
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many places she will need to find to meet the Prime Minister's commitment to nursery places for all four-year-olds. [22014]

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1994, the size of the four-year-old cohort in England was estimated at 645,000. Latest available data suggest that at that time an estimated 498,000 four-year-olds were attending maintained schools. We estimate that approximately 120,000 more were in some form of private or voluntary provision.

  Distance Learning
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she will next meet the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals to discuss the use of new technologies for distance learning. [21822]

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has no current plans to meet the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals in order to discuss the use of new technologies for distance learning. She has, however, recently issued a consultation document on the future of broadband communications in education, and would welcome the committee's comments on it.

  Pupils and Teachers, Ealing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils are currently in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary/high schools in Ealing in (i) local education authority and (ii) grant-maintained schools; how many teachers are currently employed to teach them in whatever capacity; and if she will make a statement. [22011]
  159
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested for 1994, the latest date for which information is available, is shown in the table.

  Full-time equivalent of pupils and qualified teachers in maintained schools in Ealing Local Education Authority area January 1994

  LEA maintained schools

  Grant-maintained schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Pupils1

  22,836

  7,369

  1,201

  6,111

  Teachers2

  1,076

  456

  55

  374

  1 Each part-time pupil counts as 0.5 full-time equivalents.2 Includes the FTE of part-time qualified teachers.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made within her Department on equal opportunities matters. [21456]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department is committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all staff. To that end, programmes for action for staff with disabilities, women and staff from ethnic minorities are in place, and progress has been made in all areas.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which Minister in her Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21455]

  Mr. Boswell
  I have responsibility for equal opportunities issues in the Department.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish the gender assessment being prepared by her Department. [21457]

  Mr. Boswell
  Equal opportunities issues are under continuous scrutiny within the Department. My right hon. Friend has drawn attention in recent speeches to the remarkable progress which has been made by girls and women in education over the last 15 years. No additional gender assessment is being prepared.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Electricity
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when competition will be introduced to the supply of electricity services in Northern Ireland. [21123]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland has responsibility for the development of competition in the supply of electricity. Following the publication of his plans for this on 16 December 1993 the director general intends to publish formal consultation documents in June 1995. A copy of his 1993 report can be obtained from Offer (Northern Ireland).

  Animal Diseases
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of vesicular stomatitis occurred in each year since 1985. [21138]

  Mr. Ancram
  None.
  160
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of a cattle blood test for TB; and if a fully substantiated case can be made to the European Union to obtain agreement to its use. [21715]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland recently undertook a major field trial on the development of a blood test for TB and the results of the trial are currently being evaluated. If these show that the development of a blood test is viable, a case will be made to the European Union to have the test approved for use in Northern Ireland.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21476]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Progress on equal opportunities matters in relation to staff in the Northern Ireland civil service is detailed in regularly published reports of the service's equal opportunities unit. The home civil service cadre of the Northern Ireland Office is included in regular reports on equal opportunities published by the Cabinet Office. Copies of the reports are placed in the Library.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21475]

  Mr. Ancram
  My noble Friend Baroness Denton has the lead role for equal opportunities issues in Northern Ireland and represents Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office at the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Women's Issues. The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Minister for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler), has lead responsibility for equal opportunity matters within the Northern Ireland civil service.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21477]

  Mr. Ancram
  Revised Government guidelines on policy appraisal fair treatment, which came into effect on 1 January 1994, aim to ensure that in the development or review of policies and programmes Departments and agencies do not unfairly or unnecessarily discriminate against specified sections of the community, including people of different gender. Annual reports on the implementation of the policy appraisal and fair treatment initiative will be published. The first of these is being prepared.

  Stevens Report
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to receive the report from Mr. John Stevens into the shoot to kill inquiry; and if he plans to make an oral statement thereon to the House. [21737]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 11 January 1995 to the hon. Member for Islington, North Official Report, columns 147–48. In addition, a further report was submitted on 24 January 1995. A direction of no prosecutions was issued on 17 February 1995. I do not propose to make a statement.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is his latest estimate of the
  161
  number of suspensions of increased invalidity benefit awarded as a result of Commissioner Skinner's decision, case C 527/91; and of those women who have experienced suspension, how many have applied to have the suspension of payment lifted on the basis of hardship; how many of these appeals were successful; what has been the cost of the lifting of such suspensions; and if he will make a statement; [21042]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the number of women who will be entitled (a) to enhanced invalidity benefit payments and (b) to back payment if the Department of Social Security's appeal against Commissioner Skinner's decision in the case of Mrs. Rose Graham fails; what estimate he has made of the additional cost to be met by the Northern Ireland Office in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97, and (iii) 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [21043]

  Mr. Moss
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Alec Wylie to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 28 April 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to both your recent Parliamentary Questions on the position relating to the payment of increased Invalidity Benefit as a result of the Commissioner's decision in the Rose Graham case.
  The latest estimate of the number of suspensions of increased Invalidity Benefit awarded as a result of the Commissioner's decision is 600. No records are kept on the number of women who asked to have their suspension lifted on the grounds of hardship but I can confirm that a total of 8 such requests were successful, the cost of which to date is £27,936.
  It is estimated that 4,000 women will be entitled to enhanced Invalidity Benefit and back payment if the Department of Social Security's appeal against the Commissioner's decision fails. The additional cost of these cases is estimated at £2.1 million for 1995/96 and £2.2 million for each of the years 1996/97 and 1997/98.
  I hope you will find this information helpful.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Alan Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22080]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are based on age, salary and service length of the civil servant concerned.

  No civil servant who left the Northern Ireland Office or any other Northern Ireland Department in the period 1

  Statutory requirement to

  Advisory non-departmental public bodies

  publish their advice to the Government

  publish an annual report before Parliament

  Lay an annual report before Parliament

  Statutory base

  Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Boundary Commission

  Yes

  No

  No

  Yes

  Advisory Committee of the Therapeutic Professions Allied to Medicine

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Central Dental Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Central Medical Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  162
  April 1990 to 31 March 1995 qualified for flexible early retirement benefits on grounds of limited efficiency.

  Unfortunately, due to the large number of officers who left under compulsory early retirement terms in the same period, the number and details of those who left on grounds of limited efficiency could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the population of(a) pine martens, (b) peregrine falcons, (c) hen harriers and (d) sparrowhawks in each year since 1980; and what is his estimate of the amount of damage each species does to game birds. [21847]

  Mr. Moss
  Figures are not available for the population of pine martens.

  A census of peregrine falcons took place in 1981 and again in 1991, when there were 53 and 99 pairs respectively. Precise information is not available for hen harriers or sparrowhawks, but it is estimated that currently there are fewer than 20 pairs of hen harriers and between 9,000 and 10,000 pairs of sparrowhawks. No information is available on the amount of damage each species does to game birds.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [21391]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: For the Department and agencies for which my right hon. and learned Friend is 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.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department are under a statutory requirement to(a) publish their advice to the Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will list those bodies with a statutory base. [21158]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 27 April 1995]: The information requested is as follows:
  163

  Statutory requirement to

  Advisory non-departmental public bodies

  publish their advice to the Government

  publish an annual report before Parliament

  Lay an annual report before Parliament

  Statutory base

  Central Nursing Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Central Personal Social Services Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Central Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Charities Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Clinical Engineering and Medical Physics Services Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Clinical Imaging Services Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Disability Living Allowances Advisory Board for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Distinction and Meritorious Service Awards Committee for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Laboratory Services Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Poisons Board

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Drainage Council for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Northern Ireland Water Council

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Northern Ireland Building Regulation Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Historic Buildings Council

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Historic Monuments Council

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Industrial Development Board

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Training and Employment Agency

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Health and Safety Agency

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Statistics Advisory Committee

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Committees for the Employment of Disabled People

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Industrial Research and Technology Board

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  In respect of all other advisory non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland, the answer is nil.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the individuals who are members of more than one Northern Ireland quango and the names of those quangos. [20649]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 24 April 1995]: The information in respect of non-departmental public bodies has been placed in the Library. This does not include details of membership of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, other than for the chairman.

  Extradition (Irish Republic)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been or are being taken to secure the extradition from the Irish Republic of Eamon Collins, Len Hardy, Kiernan McBride, Mickey Collins and David Ewins for the IRA terrorist murders and attempted murders described in the Central TV programme "Network First: Confession." [20331]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 25 April 1995]: Following the broadcast of the programme "Network First: Confession" on 18 April 1995, the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has directed that the programme be examined in detail by the serious crime squad. When investigations are complete, a file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern
  164
  Ireland, who will consider the matter. The question of extradition does not arise until the DPP(NI) has decided whether or not to prosecute the person concerned.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Refugees
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what studies he has made to examine the effect of reductions in benefits on refugees; [19459]

  (2) what recent representations he has received regarding reduced benefits for refugees while their status is being investigated by the Home Office; [19457]

  (3) what proposals he has to take remedial action in respect of the reductions of benefits for genuine refugees. [19458]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  None. There is no reduction in the amount of benefits paid to genuine refugees who have been granted asylum by the Secretary of State.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much housing benefit he estimates is paid to claimants who own property which is let but in which they do not live; [20345]
  165
  (2) if he will bring forward amendments to the housing benefit regulations to prevent people who own dwellings for which they receive a rent from receiving housing benefit in respect of a dwelling they occupy and which is rented from a housing association. [20347]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Information regarding the amount of housing benefit paid to claimants who own property which is let but in which they do not live is not available. Housing benefit is payable in such cases provided there is a liability to pay rent on the dwelling which is occupied as the home and that liability has not been contrived to take advantage of the housing benefit scheme.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to exclude sheltered accommodation for the elderly and special accommodation for other special needs groups provided by housing associations from the proposed changes to housing benefit based on a calculation of an average area rent. [22218]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We await the report from the Social Security Advisory Committee following its public consultation exercise on our proposals for housing benefit changes from October. We shall consider the report, together with representations received, including those from our own consultation with the local authority associations, carefully before reaching final decisions.

  Pensions Bill
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 5 April,Official Report, column 1224, on what basis he estimates that the amendment to the Pensions Bill [Lords] which would base the calculation of entitlement to benefits under the state earnings-related pension scheme on the best 44 years of earnings would cost £2.5 billion per year by the middle of the 21st century. [21719]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The estimate assumed that a best 44 years rule would apply in a manner similar to the original best 20 years rule. In particular, it was assumed that the selection of the best 44 years would include earnings factors derived from contracted-out as well as not contracted-out earnings, so that the proposal would cover all class 1 contributors.

  The estimate took account of the extent to which the average surplus earnings factor increases as a result of removing the lowest earnings factors from the calculation for new awards for 2023–24 and later years once contributors can have more than 44 years of contributions from 1978–79 onwards.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22078]

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

  War Widows Pensions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances a war widow living abroad will not be eligible for the war widows pension under the provisions announced in his oral statement on 24 April,Official Report, column 532. [21852]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The legal provisions for war widows and war disablement pensions apply equally wherever the pensioner happens to live.

  Young People
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the annual savings to the Exchequer from removing the entitlement to income support for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years. [22273]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Young people aged 18 years are entitled to income support under the normal rules; 16 and 17-year-olds not required to be available for work are similarly entitled.

  Since 1988, unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds have had the more positive option of youth training in place of dependence on benefit. Reliable estimates of the number of claims that would have been made by this group under the previous arrangements are not practicable. They would be dependent on a variety of economic and other assumptions.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the level of child benefit by £5 per week for the first child only. [22296]

  Mr. Burt
  It is estimated that the net cost would be £1.4 billion at 1995–96 prices.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21502]

  Mr. Horam
  Substantial progress both within the Department and in promoting equal opportunities throughout the civil service.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forwards 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. [21504]

  Mr. Horam
  The Government are 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. They have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.
  167
  The Government White Paper "Taking Forward Continuity and Change", published in response to a report from the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee, recommended that Departments and agencies publish their individual actions and progress on equal opportunities in their annual reports. The Departments and agencies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible will be taking this forward.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21503]

  Mr. Horam
  The Cabinet Office—Office of Public Service and Science—has a policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on women's issues, 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. Policy advice to Ministers is continuously and routinely scrutinised in these respects.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21501]

  Mr. Horam
  I do.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21485]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Minister with responsibility for equal opportunities issues in my Department is the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Sproat).

  Allowances
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the total amount paid by his central Department and each agency for which he is responsible in subsistence allowances for travel(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [19558]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department of National Heritage was created in April 1992. It has two agencies—the Royal Parks agency created in April 1993 and the Historic Royal Palaces agency created in October 1989. The information requested for travel and subsistence—it is not possible to disaggregate the two—is shown in the following table:

  Summary of grants for aerial archaeology

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  11995–96 £

  Reconnaissance

  19,225

  26,577

  23,170

  23,307

  14,800

  Mapping

  34,650

  115,354

  106,044

  63,410

  43,000

  Total

  53,875

  141,931

  129,214

  86,717

  57,800

  1 Provisional.

  168

  Travel and subsistence within the UK £

  Travel and subsistence outside the UK £

  DNH central department

  1992–931

  Figures not available

  Figures not available

  1993–94

  105,215.03

  87,016.56

  1994–952

  100,062.59

  156,896.27

  RPA

  1992–93

  Not applicable

  Not applicable

  1993–94

  37,867.26

  Nil

  1994–952

  21,192.74

  Nil

  HRPA3

  1992–93

  25,500.00

  1993–94

  20,400.00

  1993–952

  31,326.82

  Notes:

  1 DNH did not have its own financial and management accounting arrangements in place until August 1992; for the year 1992–93, the information is therefore not available in the format requested.

  2 The 1994–95 figures, for year ending 31 March 1995, may change slightly as year-end accounts are finalised.

  3 For HRPA expenditure, separate totals for UK and overseas travel and subsistence are not available.

  Aerial Archaeology
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list for(a) each of the last four years and (b) this year to date the grant issued in respect of aerial archaeology, indicating the name and locations of the recipients; and if he will make a statement. [20715]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Annual figures for grants for aerial archaeology in England made available through the Royal Commission on the historical monuments of England are set out in the table. Details of all grants are published in the commission's annual report. The national library of air photographs is held by the commission at its headquarters in Swindon, and copies of all photographs funded by grants are readily available for consultation.

  Aerial archaeology plays an important part in identifying archaeological remains. However, the grants made for flying costs depend partly on the availability of funds from other sources to meet associated costs; and there will be yearly fluctuations in view of its dependence on weather conditions. Post reconnaissance mapping to a high standard is important if the evidence derived from aerial photography is to be fully utilised, and the increased funding for mapping during 1992–93 and 1993–94 reflected the aim of establishing a national programme of mapping the information obtained from this source.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22081]

  Mr. Dorrell
  No early retirements on the ground of limited efficiency have been made since the Department was created in April 1992.

  September 1993

  October-December

  January-March

  April-June

  July-September

  October-December

  January-March

  DNH

  AOs

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  AAs

  4

  5

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  9

  RPA

  AOs

  nil

  1

  nil

  1

  nil

  3

  1

  AAs

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1

  nil

  HRPA

  AOs

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  2

  1

  nil

  AAs

  1

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Blue Plaques
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what are the current planning instructions issued to local authorities in respect of blue plaque schemes denoting historical places of interest; and if he will make a statement; [20708]

  (2) what representations he has received in respect of the blue plaque placed by Calderdale district council on the Old Bridge inn at Ripponden, West Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement. [20713]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have not received any representations about the plaque on the Old Bridge inn. No instructions have been issued to local authorities by my Department in respect of plaques which they or others choose to affix to buildings to mark their historical interest. Apart from the blue plaque scheme for London, which is administered by English Heritage, it is the responsibility of those who wish to place commemorative plaques on buildings to ensure their historical accuracy and to obtain any necessary listed building consents.

  Churchill Papers
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the name of foreign organisations or individuals who are(a) bidding for and (b) negotiating with the trustees for the purchase of the Churchill Trust papers. [22302]

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are no foreign bidders negotiating with the Churchill trustees; the papers have already been secured for the nation.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if the Churchill Trust owned the copyright in the Churchill archives; and if Her Majesty's Government have purchased all copyright in these documents. [22301]
  170
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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. [21763]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The Department of National Heritage and its two agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces agency and Royal Parks agency have made the following appointments at the administrative assistant and administrative officer grades since September 1993. The figures exclude short-term casual appointments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Copyright in the non-state papers remains with whoever owned it prior to the sale of the documents to Churchill college. The Crown has retained its copyright in the state papers which it has given to the college.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will specify the amounts of inheritance tax or its equivalent satisfied in connection with the acceptance of objects and property which have been covered in the public accounts by means of resort to the reserve in respect of each of the last 10 financial years; and what was the average annual figure of resort to the reserve for that purpose over the 10-year period in question. [20246]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amount of tax satisfied in accepting works of art or land and buildings in lieu of tax through the public expenditure reserve over the last 10 years is as follows:

  £

  1985–86

  1,367,600

  1986–87

  1,745,500

  1987–88

  7,338,444

  1988–89

  5,584,674

  1989–90

  9,977,898

  1990–91

  —

  1991–92

  2,144,172

  1992–93

  4,324,875

  1993–94

  1,114,660

  1994–95

  3,759,616

  The average annual resort to the reserve over this 10-year period was £3,735,744.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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. [21373]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Since it was established in April 1992, my Department and its two agencies have to date spent approximately £66,000 on consultancy relating to market testing. Most of this sum was in connection with a scoping study on the strategic contracting out of central services.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1994–95. [21205]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information requested is as follows:

  Department of National Heritage £

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency £

  Royal Parks Agency £

  1994–95

  14,967

  16,313

  23,862

  Advisory Council on Libraries
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if all the councillor members of the Advisory Council on Libraries are elected members of local authorities with responsibilities for library provision. [21564]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Five members of the advisory council are elected members of local authorities and were appointed after consultation with the relevant local authority associations. Four are members of local authorities with current responsibilities for public library provision. The fifth is a member of Bath district council and was appointed in recognition of the fact that certain districts, including Bath, will from 1 April 1996 form all or part of new unitary authorities which will take on responsibility for public libraries.

  Mar Lodge Estate
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will make it his policy that any grant to the National Trust for Scotland for the purchase of the Mar Lodge estate carries as a condition that public access is not restricted because of hunting and shooting; [21995]

  (2) if he will ensure that any grant to the National Trust for Scotland for the purchase of the Mar Lodge estate carries as a condition the protection of nesting birds from hunting and shooting parties. [21996]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Directions have been issued under section 26(3) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 concerning the conditions to he applied to grants made from lottery funds by the national heritage memorial fund in order to secure their proper management and control. The application of other conditions is a matter for the NHMF.

  National Lottery
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish titles of projects rejected by the millennium fund. [21932]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I understand that information on proposals and applications received by the Millennium Commission will be made available by the end of May, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department are under a statutory requirement to(a) publish their advice to the Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will list those bodies with a statutory base. [21159]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 April 1995]: The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art publishes an annual report which includes any advice given by the committee to Government on matters connected with the export of cultural goods. Reports from the Advisory Council on Libraries may also include details of its advice to Government.

  The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and the Advisory Council on Libraries are the only advisory bodies for which my Department is responsible which are required to report annually and whose reports are laid in Parliament. The committee's report is presented as a Command Paper and the council's report forms part of the Secretary of State's annual report on the public library service, published as a House of Commons Paper. Reports from the Royal Fine Art Commission are also presented to Parliament as Command Papers, although there is no requirement for it to report annually.

  On 4 April 1995, the Advisory Council on Libraries took over from the Library and Information Services Council (England) the statutory responsibilities established under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. The Theatres Trust was established under the Theatres Trust Act 1976.

HEALTH

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures her Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report; [20191]

  (2) how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what were the figures for each year for which figures are available since 1990. [20190]

  Mr. Sackville
  The departmental report for the Department of Health has been produced by existing staff as part of their normal duties each year since its first publication in 1991. Production of the report is coordinated by approximately 0.6 whole-time equivalent staff, at a total cost of £14,100 at 1994–95 prices. It is not
  173
  possible to quantify the total input of those other staff across the Department who contribute material for the report.

  Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if undischarged bankrupts are eligible for appointment as chairmen, chief executives or directors of NHS authorities or trusts. [20688]

  Mr. Malone
  A person is disqualified for appointment as a chairman or member of a national health service authority or as a chairman or non-executive director of an NHS trust if he or she has within the preceding five years been adjudged bankrupt. The disqualification ceases on the date of discharge. Executive directors of NHS trusts and chief officers of health authorities are not subject to the same disqualification, but NHS boards are accountable for the proper appointment, appraisal and remuneration of senior executives. As in all their functions, the board must have regard to the public service values of accountability, probity and openness.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if persons with criminal records are eligible for appointment as chief executives or directors to NHS trusts. [20699]

  Mr. Malone
  National health service trust boards are accountable for the proper appointment, appraisal and remuneration of their senior executives and, as in all their functions, boards must have regard to the public service values of accountability, probity and openness. Executive directors of NHS trusts are not subject to the conditions of disqualification set out in the NHS Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990, which preclude the appointment as chairmen and non-executive directors of anyone who has within the preceding five years been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence resulting in a sentence of imprisonment of not less than three months.

  Local Pay Support Programme
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of the NHS executive support programme for the introduction of local pay. [21776]

  Mr. Malone
  The programme referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 20 February,Official Report, column 27, was undertaken at an estimated cost of £500,000 in the financial year 1994–95.

  Market Testing
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private companies have contacted the NHS executive information desk about market testing of NHS services; and how many such companies are entered on the database in total and by (i) clinical and (ii) non-clinical category. [21757]

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service executive's market-testing information desk was established in its present form on 7 April 1995. Since that time, three private companies have contacted the information desk. The market-testing database contains data on approximately 1,100 private companies which have successfully competed for one or more NHS service contracts. While the vast majority would have non-clinical 174
  contracts, information grouped into a clinical or non-clinical category could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of market testing in the NHS on staff numbers; and what strategies she proposes to meet any changes. [21758]

  Mr. Sackville
  The market testing of national health service services has proved to be valuable in improving efficiency and value for money so that more can be made available for patient care. It can affect staffing numbers for any specified service in a wide variety of ways, but, whatever the outcome, the employment rights of staff are protected by both European Community and United Kingdom employment regulations and legislation. Handling the staffing issues that arise from market testing is a matter for local NHS management in accordance with their legal obligations and their assessment of local circumstances and needs.

  Single Antigen Acellular Pertussis
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doses of the single antigen acellular pertussis vaccine have been given to children in this country since 1 May 1994; and what reports on the vaccine have been submitted to the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [21443]

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on how many children have received single antigen acellular pertussis vaccine during the period in question is not available. However, the number of doses of this vaccine issued to the national health service during the period was 9,827. The Committee on Safety of Medicines has since 1 May 1994 received a single suspected adverse reaction report in relation to the vaccine, a severe screaming attack.

  Weighted Capitation Formula
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the new weighted capitation formula and in what respects it differs from that proposed by the York report; and if she will make a statement on how much the formula is determined by the factor of deprivation. [21753]

  Mr. Sackville
  The modified weighted capitation formula adjusts populations for age, need—over and above age—and relative costs. This formula has been developed in the light of new information sources and advances in statistical techniques.

  There is no index of deprivation in the formula. Instead, it uses two needs indices—one for acute services and the other for psychiatric services—which take account of health and socio-economic factors.

  The York report did not propose a weighted capitation formula.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in each health district in Lancashire are employed by family health services authorities to carry out urgent dental treatment. [21668]

  Mr. Malone
  Information about the number of dentists working in the emergency dental service is not available centrally.
  175
  General dental practitioners, who are independent contractors, have an obligation under their terms of service to provide emergency cover for their registered patients. They may also offer emergency treatment to unregistered patients. Any unregistered patient who needs urgent treatment should seek the help of his or her family health services authority which can make arrangements for emergency treatment for them.

  Two salaried dentists are employed by Lancashire family health services authority.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which Minister in her Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues; [21450]

  (2) what progress has been made within her Department on equal opportunities matters. [21451]

  Mr. Sackville
  I have responsibility for equal opportunities issues in the Department.

  The information requested is contained in the Department's 1993–94 equal opportunities progress report, copies of which will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the gender assessment being prepared by the Department. [21452]

  Mr. Sackville
  Such assessment is part of a continuous and routine process of ensuring that the Department's policy proposals are not unlawful or unjustifiable on sex or race discrimination grounds and that similar principles apply to other groups.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she hopes to achieve in her 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 she will incorporate a section on equal opportunities in her Department's annual report. [21453]

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

  A statement about equal opportunities is already included in the Department's annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what has been the expenditure on(a) establishment and running of the private finance unit, (b) private finance specialists in the regional offices, including the total number so far employed, (c) publishing and distributing the booklets "Public Service, Private Finance" and "Private Finance Guide" in the "Capital Investment Manual", and (d) engaging Newchurch and Company to set up a database and inquiry point in each of the last five years; what is the expenditure in the current year; and what is planned to be spent in each of the next two financial years; [21744]

  (2) how many people are employed by each NHS executive office and health authority who are involved in the management and promotion of the private finance initiative; [21999]
  176
  (3) what is the total cost of promoting the private finance initiative for the NHS; [21998]

  (4) what are the total man hours involved in the management and promotion of the private finance initiative by each NHS executive office and health authority. [22000]

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives have been undertaken to secure private finance for her Department's projects. [22325]

  Mr. Sackville
  The private finance initiative will develop further the national health service's excellent record of co-operation with the private sector and ensure new hospitals are provided promptly and run efficiently for the benefit of all national health service patients. An increasing number of support services such as catering, cleaning and maintenance have been contracted out to private firms. This has cut waste and allowed large savings to be used for treating patients—as well as improving the services provided. The PFI increases the scope for savings on capital projects.

  Expenditure on the establishment and running of the NHS executive private finance unit was about £55,000 in 1993–94 and about £260,000 in 1994–95—however, detailed expenditure figures are not available at this level. Expenditure in 1995–96 is expected to be about £146,000 plus about £300,000 for consultants who will provide added support for regional offices and the NHS. Expenditure in 1996–97 is likely to he around £150,000.

  The number of staff employed by regional offices has not been increased because of the PFI. In 1994–95 private finance specialists in regional offices amounted to about one quarter of a whole-time equivalent post per region with expenditure of approximately £10,000 per region. In 1995–96 this is expected to increase to about one whole-time equivalent with expenditure of approximately £40,000 per region. This will be reviewed for 1996–97.

  Expenditure on publishing the information pack "Public Service, Private Finance" was £7,896 plus £1,381.80 VAT. Expenditure by HMSO on publishing the "Private Finance Guide" as part of the "Capital Investment Manual" was £1,865. Itemised costs of distribution are not held centrally.

  For information on expenditure on the PFI database run by Newchurch and Company, I refer the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett), to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 27 March, Official Report, column 421. Expenditure agreed for the period April 1995 to September 1995 will be £9,000 plus £1,575 VAT. After this, the contract may be renegotiated and it is not possible to give further expenditure figures.

  The NHS executive headquarters will employ five staff—four whole-time equivalent staff.—in 1995–96 in the private finance unit. Each regional office has one contact point for the PFI, but there are no additional staff employed to manage and promote the PFI. In each regional office several staff are involved with ensuring that NHS capital projects are as cost-effective as possible and exploration of private finance is essential in seeking the most cost-effective solutions to NHS needs.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of her Department's budget is allocated
  177
  to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for her Department's projects. [22324]

  Mr. Sackville
  The answer is 0.16 per cent.

  Private Patients
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions about the number of private patients being seen in NHS trust hospitals informed her estimate of charges and receipts in table 5 of the departmental report for 1994–95 and 1995–96. [21752]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Hormone Replacement Therapy
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies her Department(a) has conducted and (b) intends to conduct into possible adverse side effects of hormone replacement therapy; and if she will make a statement. [21669]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department does not conduct research itself, but has funded projects on hormone replacement therapy, most recently a project entitled HRT in the menopause: a cost-effective analysis, which ended in December 1994. The Health Departments are currently discussing further work with the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the Office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  October 1991

  October 1992

  October 1993

  April 1994

  Inner London

  0.57

  0.58

  0.58

  0.58

  Outer London

  0.54

  0.54

  0.54

  0.54

  Newcastle

  0.58

  0.61

  0.59

  0.61

  Manchester

  0.58

  0.60

  0.62

  0.62

  Birmingham

  0.56

  0.56

  0.55

  0.56

  Liverpool

  0.51

  0.50

  0.52

  0.55

  Notes:

  1. Family health services authorities included in inner London are:

  i. Brent and Harrow,

  ii. Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster,

  iii. Camden and Islington,

  iv. City and East London,

  v. Enfield and Haringey,

  vi. Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, and

  vii. Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth.

  2. Family health services authorities included in outer London are:

  i. Barnet,

  ii. Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow,

  iii. Hillingdon,

  iv. Redbridge and Waltham Forest,

  v. Greenwich and Bexley,

  vi. Bromley, and

  vii. Kingston and Richmond.

  3. Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool each have their own FHSAs.

  4. Calculations based on Office of Population Censuses and Surveys resident population estimates from 1991 population census and projections for subsequent years.

  Guy's Accident and Emergency Department
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from the City of London police about the closure of Guy's accident and emergency department; and if she will make a statement. [21923]

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Ethnic Minority Staff
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many jobs are on offer under the eight-point plan to increase the number of managers in the NHS from the ethnic minorities; and what has been the take-up and distribution of the opportunities under the programme. [21495]

  Mr. Malone
  The programme referred to, "Ethnic minority staff in the NHS: a programme of action", aims to ensure that the national health service makes full use of the abilities of all its staff. It provides a framework within which trusts and health authorities set employment equality objectives as part of their mainstream business planning. Selection remains on merit alone: there are no quotas or jobs "on offer". A copy of the programme is available in the Library.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs were available per 1,000 population in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool in each year since 1991. [21915]

  Mr. Malone
  The numbers of general practitioners—unrestzricted principles—per 1,000 of the population for the areas in question at 1 October 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1 April 1994 are as shown in the table.

  Mental Health Staff
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on training mental health staff to deal with supervision registers for the mentally ill. [21922]

  Mr. Bowis
  Training on supervision registers is primarily a matter for national health service provider units and information on spending is not available
  179
  centrally. Staff who receive training in the care programme approach will now be informed about supervision registers. We have provided financial support for a number of national conferences designed to improve training in the care programme approach and have made a grant of £50,000 to the Open university for the production of a training pack for social services staff.

  Nurses
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests are applied to nursing staff from EU countries working in the United Kingdom; and what tests are applied to British trained nurses working in other EU countries. [22008]

  Mr. Sackville
  Council directive 77/452/EEC requires countries of the European Economic Area to recognise, on the terms it specifies, which may include proof of good character, the qualifications of nurses responsible for general care awarded by other EEA countries to EEA nationals. European Council directive 77/453/EEC requires EEA countries to guarantee that such qualifications meet the minimum training requirements that it specifies. The operation of the directives is a matter for the competent authorities of the EEA countries. The competent authority in the United Kingdom is the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities are using their discretion to allow a spouse to receive part of the occupational pension of a married person in local authority provided residential and nursing home care. [22277]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not collected. We have not received reports of any individual local authorities which are refusing to make sensible use of the discretion they have to help the spouses of occupational pensioners who enter residential accommodation.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving her Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22085]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information on reasons for awarding different types of early retirement is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on how many occasions each family health services authority failed to provide a list of doctors within two working days to patients wishing to change general practitioners in each of the last eight quarters; [22095]

  (2) on how many occasions each family health services authority failed to send a patient's medical records to his or her new general practitioner (a) within two working days for urgent cases and (b) within six weeks for all other cases in each of the last eight quarters. [22094]
  180
  Mr. Malone
  Nationally, there has been a considerable improvement in meeting the patients charter standard for transfer of urgent and routine medical records. The percentage of patient records not transferred within two working days has fallen from 52 per cent. at 30 June 1993 to 16 per cent. at 31 December 1994. Those not transferred within six weeks has fallen from 34 per cent. to 19 per cent. for the same period.

  At 30 June 1993, 2 per cent. of patients were not allocated to a general practitioner within two days and at 31 December 1994 the patients charter was fully met for the third successive quarter.

  The information will be placed in the Library showing the performance of individual family health services authorities in meeting each of the patients charter standards for the period 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1994. Data to 31 March 1995 are not yet available.

  "Environments for Quality Care"
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost for the production and distribution of the NHS executive booklet "Environments for Quality Care: Health Buildings in the Community" first published in 1994. [22003]

  Mr. Sackville
  The cost for production of the national health service executive booklet "Environments for Quality Care: Health Buildings in the Community" was £60,000. The cost of distribution cannot be quantified. Copies were mainly sent in bulk to family health services authorities which in turn forwarded the booklet to all general practitioner practices in England.

  Young Alzheimer's Disease
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were suffering from(a) young Alzheimer's disease and (b) severe brain injury (i) nationally and (ii) in Merseyside, broken down by health authority area for each of the last five years. [22334]

  Mr. Bowls
  It is estimated that 17,000 younger people below the age of 65 suffer from dementia in the United Kingdom. No figures are available for severe brain injury as it is not a recognised medical term.

  Medical (Professional Performance) Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has received the draft regulations that the General Medical Council expects to implement consequent to the coming into force of the Medical (Professional Performance) Bill; and if she will place them in the Library. [22212]

  Mr. Malone
  No. The rules cannot he made until the Bill has been enacted. The rules will be made in the form of statutory instruments, subject to the negative resolution procedure.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral statements of the Minister for Health in the Special Standing Committee on 25 April,Official Report, columns 748–49; if she will list the names of professional and patient organisations consulted in relation to the Medical (Professional Performance) Bill and place copies of their responses in the Library. [22214]
  181
  Mr. Malone
  The names of the professional and patient organisations which were consulted by the General Medical Council are already in the public domain. They were listed in appendix A of the General Medical Council's consultation paper "Proposals for new Performance Procedures", published in May 1992. Copies of the document are available in the Library.

  Availability of the responses are a matter for the General Medical Council or the individual organisations to decide on.

  Fostering Regulations
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library copies of the responses to her consultations with organisations on the proposed changes to fostering regulations; and when she expects these consultations to he complete. [22219]

  Mr. Bowis
  Responses are due by 19 May and I shall consider placing a summary of them in the Library after this date.

  NHS External Expenditure
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the amount of money in real terms spent by each health authority, outside the NHS in(a) 1991–92, (b)1992–93, (c) 1993–94 and the same figures for each trust. [19809]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 21 April 1995]: Spending outside the national health service has been defined for the purpose of this parliamentary question as non-pay revenue expenditure plus agency staff costs. Non-pay expenditure includes such items as clinical and general supplies and services, establishment expenses, transport and moveable plant, premises and fixed plant, capital, purchase of health care from the non-NHS bodies, external contract staffing and consultancy services and miscellaneous expenses, for example, net bank charges.

  This information will be placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Tourist Board (Membership)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the nominees for the Argyll and the Islands, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs tourist board; and if he will make a statement on when elections will take place for this body, whether an individual has to reside in the area covered by the board and if an individual can be a member of more than one board simultaneously. [20520]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend will appoint the first members of the controlling body of the board on the basis of nominations from the existing area tourist boards and from local authorities. Nominations will be sought shortly. Thereafter the controlling body will be appointed by the new board itself from within its own membership.

  We are at present consulting on the terms of the statutory scheme which will establish the new board. It is likely, however, that the requirements for membership will follow current practice whereby residence within the
  182
  area covered by a board is not essential and whereby bodies or individuals may also be members of more than one board.

  Geese, Islay
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of(a) barnacle and (b) Greenland white-fronted geese killed under licence on Islay to prevent agricultural damage in each winter since 1985–86; and how many returns in respect of each of the licences issued were incomplete. [21180]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Barnacles reported shot

  White-fronts reported shot

  1985–86

  541

  0

  1986–87

  791

  0

  1987–88

  505

  76

  1988–89

  752

  6

  1989–90

  915

  45

  1990–91

  1365

  62

  1991–92

  914

  37

  1992–93

  0

  0

  1993–94

  13

  8

  Returns, including supplementary information provided at the request of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department, are generally satisfactory.

  Out-patient Waiting Times
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average waiting time for an ear, nose and throat appointment in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland in each of the last five years. [21089]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The requested information for 1993 and 1994 is shown in the table below. Corresponding information for earlier years is not available centrally.

  New Out-patient Referrals Average waiting times (days) for ENT clinics in Inverclyde Strathclyde and Scotland

  1993

  1994

  Mean

  Median

  Mean

  Median

  Inverclyde

  45

  37

  48

  44

  Strathclyde1

  63

  51

  56

  45

  Scotland

  58

  49

  54

  46

  1Clinics held within Greater Glasgow, Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran and Lanarkshire health board areas.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average waiting time for a hearing aid clinic in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland in each of the last five years. [21090]

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

  Class Sizes
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of adopting a policy which ensures that no class size in schools exceeds 30 pupils in number. [21091]
  183
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Current class size limits are incorporated in the scheme of salaries and conditions of service determined by the Scottish Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff in School Education. As these matters are therefore primarily for local authorities to determine, my right hon. Friend has made no estimate of the cost of variation in existing class size limits.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number and percentage of pupils

  Pupils in subject classes of under 30 at September

  Education Authority

  Number

  Per cent

  11979

  21991

  21993

  11979

  21991

  21993

  Scotland

  327,328

  3,176,473

  3,360,688

  83.4

  95.6

  94.6

  Borders

  5,849

  66,505

  73,002

  85.5

  99.6

  99.3

  Central

  17,611

  187,216

  201,246

  82.4

  92.7

  97.2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  9,008

  103,674

  110,950

  81.0

  98.3

  99.3

  Fife

  20,395

  223,259

  240,205

  81.9

  97.5

  95.9

  Grampian

  29,684

  335,079

  341,418

  89.3

  95.4

  95.8

  Highland

  13,037

  154,612

  171,172

  85.8

  97.1

  95.7

  Lothian

  43,657

  394,441

  412,359

  87.9

  97.5

  94.9

  Strathclyde

  159,342

  1,415,974

  1,504,629

  81.5

  94.1

  92.6

  Tayside

  24.139

  237,774

  245,017

  83.9

  97.9

  96.9

  Orkney

  1,286

  15,172

  15,501

  89.1

  100.0

  100.0

  Shetland

  1,416

  17,685

  19,316

  92.0

  99.5

  99.8

  Western Isles

  1.904

  25,082

  25,873

  82.8

  99.6

  100.0

  Strathclyde Divisions:

  Argyll and Bute

  4,331

  43,852

  45,838

  90.9

  94.6

  98.3

  Ayr

  23,457

  246,170

  268,932

  77.6

  97.0

  96.4

  Dunbarton

  22,875

  233,262

  240,707

  85.3

  95.7

  92.7

  Glasgow

  48,645

  324,023

  348,905

  82.2

  93.3

  92.8

  Lanark

  36,877

  336,679

  367,221

  80.1

  92.8

  92.2

  Renfrew

  23,157

  231,988

  233,026

  79.2

  92.3

  87.9

  1 Subject classes at a single timetable period in census week.

  2 All subject classes running at census week; pupils are counted once for each subject taken. The figures for 1993 exclude two schools for which information is not available

  Pupils in subject classes of 40 over at September

  Education Authority

  Number

  Per cent

  11979

  21991

  21993

  11979

  21991

  21993

  Scotland

  1,032

  369

  6,209

  0.3

  0.0

  0.2

  Borders

  0

  0

  185

  0.0

  0.0

  0.3

  Central

  0

  119

  0

  0.0

  0.1

  0.0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  0

  40

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Fife

  0

  0

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Grampian

  53

  0

  1,634

  0.2

  0.0

  0.5

  Highland

  220

  0

  94

  1.4

  0.0

  0.0

  Lothian

  99

  0

  657

  0.2

  0.0

  0.2

  Strathclyde

  95

  250

  2,907

  0.0

  0.0

  0.2

  Tayside

  481

  0

  692

  1.7

  0.0

  0.3

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Western Isles

  44

  0

  0

  1.9

  0.0

  0.0

  Strathclyde Divisions:

  Argyll and Bute

  0

  0

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Ayr

  40

  0

  1,737

  0.1

  0.0

  0.6

  Dunbarton

  0

  0

  136

  0.0

  0.0

  0.1

  Glasgow

  0

  46

  157

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Lanark

  55

  0

  0

  0.1

  0.0

  0.0

  Renfrew

  0

  204

  877

  0.0

  0.1

  0.3

  1 Virtually all classes of more involve some form of team teaching.

  2 Subject classes running at a single timetable period in census week.

  Note:

  All subject classes running at census week: pupils are counted once for each subject taken.

  The figures for 1993 exclude two schools for which information is not available.
  184
  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 (i) under 30 and (ii) 40 or more in each local education authority. [21845]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The available information is given in the tables. This is derived from returns made by education authority secondary schools in the September 1979, September 1991 and September 1993 school censuses. From 1983, information on class size was collected biennially in the school census.

  Cervical Smear Programme, Greenock
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if all of the recommendations contained in the report of the committee of inquiry into the maladministration of the cervical smear programme at the Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock, have been implemented; and if he will make a statement. [21615]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The report of the inquiry into Cytopathology at Inverclyde Royal hospital recommended action by Argyll and Clyde health board local management and the Scottish Office Home and Health Department.

  I am advised that all of the recommendations which applied to local management have been implemented by Argyll and Clyde health board.

  The Common Services Agency, which has responsibility for the national breast screening co-ordinating unit, was instructed to develop and maintain quality assurance, performance monitoring and evaluation of the cervical screening programme. The unit continues to develop appropriate standards. A key appointment in this new structure is a national co-ordinator for both breast and cervical screening programmes. On the first advertisement, no suitable candidate was found and an interim co-ordinator was appointed. The permanent post will be re-advertised shortly.

  A working group to formulate the policy for implementation of internal quality control in all laboratories carrying out cervical cytopathology was set up in February 1994 under the chairmanship of one of the Department's medical officers, and comprises members from the Royal College of Pathologists, the British Society of Clinical Cytology, the Institute of Biomedical Science and representatives from each of the three other UK Departments of Health. The working group has now submitted its report to the four territorial chief medical officers.

  Other recommendations which have been implemented or are in the course of implementation are as follows:
  In March 1994, a promotional leaflet encouraging women to attend for screening was distributed to all GPs and clinics.
  In August 1994, booklets and videos on the current best practice in taking cervical smears produced by the British Society for Clinical Cytology were distributed to all GPs, practice nurses and other health professionals.
  In March 1995, guidelines on failsafe actions for the follow-up of women with abnormal cervical smear histories were distributed to health boards, NHS trusts, GPs, practice nurses and laboratories providing a cervical cytology service.
  By June 1995, revised guidance should be issued to health boards on purchasing, management and organisation of the cervical cytology service including staffing and appropriate levels of training.

  I am copying this answer to the hon. Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde (Mr. Graham) for information.

  Residential Homes for Elderly Citizens
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the terms of reference given to his working party which is reviewing the ownership, management and monitoring of privately owned residential homes for elderly citizens; and if he will list the members of the aforesaid committee. [21844)
  186
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Following is the remit of the Scottish Office working group on residential care home registration procedures:

  Purpose

  (a) To review, in the light of recent incidents, current registration and inspection procedures and local authority powers under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, as amended by the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987.

  (b) To review current Scottish Office guidance and practice guidance on these issues.

  (c) To have regard to the financial and operational implications of regulatory control for independent sector providers.

  (d) To have regard to the parallel exercise relating to the registration and inspection of nursing homes.

  (e) To recommend to Ministers such changes as may he necessary concerning (a) to (c).

  Objective
  To provide local authorities with the necessary framework to achieve effective and equitable regulation of independent sector establishments in order to protect the welfare and interests of residents.

  The members of the working group represent the main interest groups as follows:

  The Scottish Office

  Mr. G. Anderson (Chair)

  Ms P. McCaw

  Mr. H. MacKenzie

  Mr. A. McNaughton

  Mrs. J. McNeill

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Mr. A. Robb, Director, Grampian Regional Council Social Work Department

  Association of Directors of Social Work

  Miss M. Hartnoll, Director, Strathclyde Regional Council Social Work Department (alternative Mr. R. Winter, Deputy Director)

  Social Work Department Registration and Inspection Units

  Mr. I Middleton, Head of Unit, Lothian Regional Council Social Work Department

  Local Authority Law and Administration

  Mr. R. Marr, Assistant Chief Executive, Borders Regional Council

  British Federation of Care Home Proprietors

  Mr. H. Ross

  Scottish Association of Care Home Owners

  Mr. C. Cowie

  Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

  Mr. D. Bookbinder

  Voluntary Sector

  Mr. I. Baillie, Director of Social Work, Church of Scotland

  Users Advocacy

  Mr. J. Jackson, Executive Director, Alzheimer Scotland—Action on Dementia

  Ravenscraig Hospital, Greenock
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has engaged in about the proposed closure of the Ravenscraig hospital, Greenock; and if he will make a statement. [21846]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Argyll and Clyde health board is considering the role of Ravenscraig hospital as part of the review of community care services for the area. It would not be appropriate to anticipate the board's final view, or the outcome of any future consultation exercise.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the population of (a) pine martens, (b) peregrine falcons, (c) hen-harriers and (d) sparrowhawks in each year since 1980; and what is his estimate of the amount of damage each species does to game birds. [21848]

  Sir Hector Monro
  There are no annual population estimates for any of these species in Scotland. The most recent population estimates are as follows:

  Number

  Pine Marten

  3,500 (1993)

  Peregrine Falcon

  639 pairs (1991)

  Hen Harrier

  570 pairs (1989)

  Sparrowhawk

  No estimate

  Estimates of the effect of these species on game bird populations are not available, but damage certainly takes place.

  NHS Trust Boards
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [21356]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: As the information requested is lengthy, I shall arrange for it to be placed in the House Library.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish an up-to-date list by region of all the chairs and non-executive members of each health board, indicating the gender and occupation of each individual. [21359]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information requested in respect of the 15 health boards in Scotland is as follows:

  Ocupation

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. Malcolm Jones

  Company director

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mrs. Elizabeth Lander

  Company director

  Mr. John Mullin

  Voluntary sector administrator/regional councilor

  Miss Moira Leitch

  Retired medical social worker

  Mr. Robert Anderson

  Retired banker

  Mr. Ian Macdonald

  Air traffic controller

  Mrs. Sheenah Nelson

  Primary school teacher

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. James Donaldson

  Electrical engineer

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. Gerald Curran

  Company director

  Dr. Kenneth Fegan

  General medical practitioner

  Mr. John Greene

  Solicitor

  Miss Katherine Paterson

  Retired nursing officer

  Mrs. Elizabeth Reid

  Health carer

  Mr. William Young

  Company director

  188

  Ocupation

  Borders Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. David Kilshaw

  Solicitor

  Non-Executive Members:

  Miss Margaret Marshall

  Chartered secretary

  Mr. Derek Deans

  Chartered accountant

  Rev. Alistair Bennett

  Minister of religion

  Dr. Alistair Paton

  Retired general medical practitioner

  Lady Sanderson

  Business consultant

  Mr. Hamish Steven

  NFU secretary

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mrs. Jean Tulloch

  Partner in farming business

  Non-Executive Members:

  Dr. Robert Mack

  General medical practitioner

  Mr. Frank Manson

  Chartered accountant

  Mr. Hugh McFadzean

  Farmer

  Mrs. Victoria Jardine-Paterson

  Housewife

  Dr. John Stubbs

  Retired anaesthetist

  Mrs. Margery Thomson

  Housewife

  Fife Health Board Chairman:

  Chairman

  Mr. Raymond Baker

  Director, GEC Scotland Ltd.

  Non-Executive Members:

  Dr. Alan Alexander

  General medical practitioner

  Miss Joyce Smith

  Regional councillor

  Mr. Gordon Thomson

  Assistant Director,ICAS

  Mrs. Avril Campbell

  Company director

  Mrs. Mary Dunsmore

  Company director

  Mrs. Martha Steedman

  Retired headmistress

  Forth Valley Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mrs. Jane lsbister

  Former school teacher

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. Ewan Bell-Scott

  Solicitor

  Rev. Jean Gallagher

  Minister of religion

  Mrs. Kristeen Smith

  Vice-chairman Scotland and emergency services organizer, WRVS

  Mr. Keith Harding

  Retialer/district councillor

  Mr. Peter Joynson

  Chartered surveyor

  Mr. Colin Stroyan

  Solicitor

  Grampian Health Board

  Chairman:

  Dr. Calum MacLeod

  Company chairman

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mrs. Carroll Ferguson

  Housewife/farmer

  Dr. Jean Stringer

  University dean

  Professor Derek Ogston

  Professor of clinical medicine

  Mr. Keith Arbuthnott

  Estate owner/manager

  Mr. Gordon McLellan

  Senior executive

  Mrs. Elizabeth Park

  Assistant solicitor

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  Chairman:

  Sir Robert Calderwood

  Retired local authority chief executive

  Non-Executive Members:

  Professor Gordon Dickson

  University dean

  Mr. William McCreath

  Solicitor

  Mr. Andrew Scobbie

  Retired managing director

  Dr. Fiona Marshall

  General medical practitioner

  Rev. Roderick Campbell

  Minister of religion

  Mrs. Joan MacKenzie

  Housewife

  Professor Brian Whiting

  Professor of clinical pharmacology

  189

  Ocupation

  Highland Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. John Robertson

  Company director

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. John Ligertwood

  Retired bank manager

  Mrs. Angela Macpherson

  Housewife/farm partner

  Mrs. Caroline Thomson

  Housewife/company director

  Mrs. Lorraine Mann

  Principal, research analyst

  Mr. Colin Neilson

  Retailer

  Dr. John MacDonald

  Retired general medical practitioner

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. Ian Livingstone

  Solicitor

  Non-Executive Members:

  Dr. Angus Cameron

  General medical practitioner

  Mrs. Linda McDowall

  Chief executive, East Kilbride

  business centre

  Mr. James Robertson

  Former regional councillor

  Mrs. Magdalene Melvin

  Teacher

  Mr. John Martindale

  Retired police officer

  Mr. John Thomson

  Voluntary sector director

  Lothian Health Board

  Chairman:

  Dr. John Baynham

  Company director

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. John Campbell

  Chartered surveyor

  Mr. Richard Findlay

  Deputy chairman and chief

  executive of Radio Forth Group

  Mrs. Vanessa Gaskell

  Former GP practice manager

  Mrs. Gertrude Barton

  Former nurse

  Professor David Carter

  Regius professor of surgery

  Mrs. Lorna Smith

  Solicitor

  Orkney Health Board

  Chairman

  Mr. Eoin Leslie

  Retired pharmacist

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mrs Phyllis Brown

  Training administrator

  Mrs. Edgar Gibson

  Retired assistant head teacher

  Captain Marcus Gunn

  Ships master

  Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr

  Housewife

  Mr. Jim Rendall

  Sub-postmaster/postman

  Dr. James Walker

  General medical practitioner

  Shetland Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mrs. Florence Grains

  Housewife/islands councillor

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mrs. Mary Colligan

  Retired teacher

  Mr. Brian Gregson

  Retired RAF squadron leader

  Dr. Michael Hunter

  General medical practitioner

  Mr. Robert Johnson

  Retired business man

  Mrs. Thelma Leslie

  Teaching auxiliary

  Mr. John Telford

  Chartered accountant

  Tayside Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. James Macfarlane

  Company director

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. Malcolm May

  Chief officer, council for

  voluntary services

  Mrs. Vera Joiner

  Managing director

  Mr. Harry Nicoll

  Retired local authority director

  of finance

  Professor Richard Olver

  Professor of child health

  Mr. Ian Sandison

  Retired company director

  Vacancy

  Western Isles Health Board

  Chairman:

  Mr. Andrew Matheson

  Pharmacist

  190

  Ocupation

  Non-Executive Members:

  Mr. Jeffrey Sedgley

  Head teacher

  Mr. John Harrison

  Deputy head teacher

  Mrs. Christina MacAskill

  Housewife/seasonal tourist officer

  Mrs. Fiona MacDonald

  Solicitor

  Mr. Murdo MacLennan

  Building society manager

  Dr. Marten Walker

  General medical practitioner

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.[21297]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: My right hon. Friend took over responsibility for ESF under objectives 1, 2 and 5b in Scotland from 1 January 1994. No European social fund support has been given to projects in privatised companies since then.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [21296]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Since my right hon. Friend took responsibility for ESF in Scotland from 1 January 1994, no European social fund support has been given to public projects which were subsequently privatised.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [21396]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 may 1995]: In my 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 of the numbers of cases are not held centrally.

  In the last five years, however, no special advisers have declared a conflict of interest.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [21375]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Between 1 April 1992 and 31 March 1995, the cost of employing external consultants to give support to the "Competing for Quality" programme of the Scottish Office has been £1.4 million.
  191
  This total includes the cost of assisting clients in the development of outline specifications, developing general guidance, supporting the preparation of bids by some in-house teams and ensuring that skills were transferred to Scottish Office staff so that future programmes could largely be supported by in-house staff.

  NHS Provider Units
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total annual cost improvement programme in the national health service provider units in each of the last four years. [21331]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and whether this in each case is (i) under statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [20503]

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

  (a) Those executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts are required to publish annual reports and some other bodies are also required by the statute creating them to publish annual reports.
  These bodies are:

  Hannah Research Institute

  Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

  Moredun Research Institute

  Rowett Research Institute

  Scottish Crop Research Institute

  River Purification Boards

  Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board

  Scottish Council for Educational Technology

  Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust

  Scottish Seed Potato Development Council

  Scottish Vocational Educational Council.

  In a number of other cases, the body is required by statute to produce an annual report on the exercise and performance of its functions for the Secretary of State which he is obliged to lay before Parliament. These bodies are:

  Crofters Commission

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland

  National Museums of Scotland (required by statute at least every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report) National Galleries of Scotland (required by statute every 3 years, but voluntarily produces an annual report)

  New Town Development Corporations

  Red Deer Commission

  Royal Botanic Garden

  Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (as part of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department Annual Report which is a Command Paper)

  Scottish Enterprise

  Scottish Examination Board

  Scottish HomesScottish Legal Aid Board Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Tourist Board

  Some bodies publish reports on a non-statutory basis. They are:

  Accounts Commission for Scotland

  Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee

  National Library of Scotland

  Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

  Scottish Arts Council

  Scottish Community Education Council

  Scottish Film Council

  Scottish Further Education Unit

  Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

  Scottish Medical Practices Committee

  Scottish Sports Council

  (b) Those bodies which are required to publish their annual accounts under the terms of the Companies Acts, the Friendly Societies Acts or other legislation are:

  Hannah Research Institute

  Macaulay Land Research Institute

  Moredun Research Institute

  Rowett Research Institute

  Scottish Crop Research Institute

  River Purification Boards

  Scottish Council for Educational Technology

  Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust

  Scottish Seed Potato Development Council

  Scottish Vocational Educational Council.

  Some bodies are required by statute to submit annual accounts to the Secretary of State who is obliged to pass them to the Comptroller and Auditor General. He is then obliged to lay copies of them before Parliament. These bodies are:

  Accounts Commission Scotland

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland

  National Library of Scotland

  National Galleries of Scotland

  National Museums of Scotland

  New Town Development Corporations

  Royal Botanic Garden

  Scottish Enterprise

  Scottish Examination Board

  Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

  Scottish Homes

  192

  Scottish Legal Aid Board

  Scottish Natural Heritage

  Scottish Tourist Board.

  The Scottish Sports Council makes its accounts available on a voluntary basis.

  (c) No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the minutes of its meetings on a statutory basis. The minutes of the General Teaching Council for Scotland are published on a voluntary basis; Livingston development corporation voluntarily makes available for public inspection the minutes of those parts of its meetings which it opens to members of the public

  (d) No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the agenda of its meetings and none does so.

  193

  (e) Information about members' interests is available from Companies House in relation to executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts and the Friendly Societies Acts. These bodies are:

  Hannah Research Institute

  Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

  Moredum Research Institute

  Rowett Research Institute

  Scottish Crop Research Institute

  Scottish Council for Educational Technology

  194

  Scottish Vocational Education Council

  Although registers of members' interests are held by a number of other executive NPDBs, none is required to publish them. Following the 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 available in the Library of the House, a number of executive NDPBs are considering publication of their register of members' interests on an annual basis, although none has yet done so.

DEFENCE

  Bosnia
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to visit Bosnia to inspect the work of the UN peacekeeping force. [20081]

  Mr. Rifkind
  I hope to be able to visit British forces in Bosnia before the summer recess.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the allocation of aircraft fuel to the RAF detachments enforcing the UN no-fly zone over Bosnia. [20098]

  Mr. Freeman
  The RAF detachments helping to enforce the UN no-fly zone over Bosnia draw fuel as required to meet their operational commitments. This arrangement works well and there are no plans to change it.

  Royal Anglian Regiment
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to pay an official visit to units of the Royal Anglian Regiment to discuss its future deployment. [20090]

  Mr. Freeman
  I look forward to paying an early visit to my local regiment, the Royal Anglians.

  Defence Industries
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in United Kingdom defence industries. [20091]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to section 1.10 of "UK Defence Statistics", 1994 edition, which gives details of defence-related employment, published by the Government statistical service. The 1995 edition of this document will be published in July.

  Royal Irish Regiment
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers in the Royal Irish Regiment have appealed against their discharge from the regiment in the last two years. [20092]

  Mr. Freeman
  Seven soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment have appealed against discharge from the regiment in the last two years.

  Service Personnel (Disablement)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were disabled as a result of injury in the armed forces in the last three years for which he has records. [20094]

  Mr. Freeman
  Although statistics for the number of service personnel disabled as a result of injury in the armed services are not held, the numbers of personnel discharged on medical grounds are as follows:

  1991–92: 842

  1992–93: 772

  1993–94: 809

  Defence Attaches
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consultations he has had to reform the system of appointment of defence attaches. [20095]
  196
  Mr. Freeman
  The most recent review of attaches was the Goddard study, which considered the tasks of the corps, its long-term role and deployment, and its management and operation and reported in July 1993.

  Departmental Land
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much land is currently owned or leased by his Department. [20096]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department owns some 242,000 hectares of land including foreshore, of which 226,700 hectares are freehold and 15,300 hectares are leasehold. These figures are at 1 April last year, the latest date for which records are available, and relate to freehold and leasehold landholdings, including foreshore, for which deeds or lease agreements were held. Acquisitions or disposals which may have been completed but where deeds had not been transferred, or agreements not formally signed or determined by that date, are not included in these figures.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on new helicopter orders for the armed forces. [20097]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department is evaluating tenders to meet the Army's requirement for an attack helicopter. We hope to announce a decision on the purchase of that equipment before the summer recess. We do not expect to make any other announcements on new major helicopter orders in the near future.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the Eurocopter Helicopter Group in the near future to discuss procurement policy. [20103]

  Mr. Freeman
  I shall be visiting Bonn on 19 May and hope to see the Eurocopter Tiger during my visit. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to visit Eurocopter in the near future to discuss procurement policy.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 26 April,Official Report, columns 586–87, if he will place in the Library a summary of the six reports on the cost and operational effectiveness investment appraisal of the EH101 helicopter. [22330]

  Mr. Freeman
  No summary exists, and one could be prepared only at disproportionate cost. Furthermore, the material on which it would be based is both classified and commercially confidential. It would not be appropriate to place such material in the Library.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to increase the representations of women and of people from ethnic minorities in senior ranks in the armed forces. [20099]

  Mr. Freeman
  Promotion in the armed forces is on merit and positive discrimination would be unlawful. Opportunities for promotion to the most senior ranks exist for service personnel irrespective of their ethnic origin. Although some areas of employment remain closed to women on grounds of operational effectiveness, many
  197
  new employment opportunities have been opened to them in recent years.

  Polaris
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how soon he expects to he able to withdraw the last Polaris submarine. [20100]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 20 April,Official Report, column 224.

  Northern Ireland (Troops)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the number of troops in Northern Ireland. [20101]

  Mr. Freeman
  There are currently some 17,500 armed forces personnel in Northern Ireland. In addition, the units which have recently been relocated from Northern Ireland remain available to the general officer commanding and can return at short notice if required. Force levels are kept under review to ensure that they remain appropriate to the security situation.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's position on the non-proliferation treaty negotiations. [20102]

  Mr. Freeman
  The nuclear non-proliferation treaty is the cornerstone of international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We are committed to securing its unconditional and indefinite extension at the current NPT review and extension conference of states parties in New York.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what portion of his budget in cash and as a percentage is spent on(a) service pay and (b) the pay of ancillary staff; what were the equivalent figures 20 years ago; and if he will make a statement. [20104]

  Mr. Freeman
  In 1995–96 my Department has budgeted for a service pay bill inclusive of associated allowances and expenses of £6,065 million which represents 26.9 per cent. of its budget. The pay bill inclusive of associated allowances and expenses for the civilian staff of the Department has been budgeted for at £2,485 million which equates to 11 per cent. of the Department's total budget.

  Comparable figures for money actually spent in financial year 1975–76 are some £1,304 million for service pay which amounted to 24.6 per cent. of the total budget that year and £988 million for civilian staff which represented 18.6 per cent.

  Royal Naval College, Greenwich
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about future use of the historic buildings at Greenwich currently occupied by the Royal Naval college. [20105]

  Mr. Freeman
  As we have previously made clear, we do not intend to reach any firm conclusions on the future 198
  of the Royal Naval college, Greenwich at this stage, but will shortly be seeking expressions of interest in the site from organisations able to propose uses sympathetic to the character of the buildings.

  A campaign will be launched in the next few weeks, about which we are consulting English Heritage and the local planning authorities, with a view to defining suitable alternative uses and maintenance arrangements. We shall consult further with these bodies later in the year when we come to evaluate the expressions of interest submitted as a result of the campaign.

  We hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the future of Greenwich by the end of the year.

  US Airlines (Contracts)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much will be spent by his Department in contracts with US airlines in the current financial year. [20093]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has spent an estimated £775,000 with US airlines in the financial year 1994–95 and I would expect this level of expenditure to continue within the current financial year. This expenditure was in respect of duty travel on internal schedules and not associated with any specific contracts.

  My Department is in the process of completing an open competition to privatise the UK to north America route. This will replace the existing VC10 schedule which operates between RAF Brize Norton and Dulles airport and will commence 1 September 1995. The contracts will be for both international flights from the UK—USA and Canada and provide the facility to book intercontinental internal travel for the MOD traveller at substantial discounts to the normal fares. Responses from the airlines sector were not limited to UK-registered operators.

  Until the contracts are awarded I cannot be precise about the cost to my Department for this financial year which will be offset in part by the savings arising from the reassignment of the RAF VC 10 aircraft on more essential operational tasks, such as air-to-air refuelling.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for United Kingdom security of the failure to reach agreement in respect of the pay award to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [21057]

  Mr. Soames
  Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers have already reached agreement on last year's pay award, and we hope that ratings will also vote for acceptance in their present ballot. If agreement is not reached, however, the security implications would depend on the nature and extent of any industrial action taken.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to privatise the Royal Fleet Auxiliary; and if he will make a statement. [21058]

  Mr. Soames
  None. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary service operates in direct support of our front-line forces.

  Tornado
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost of keeping a Tornado airborne for one hour. [21827]
  199
  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 24 October 1994,Official Report, columns 499–500.

  Bank Disposal
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all locations which have required clearance by bomb disposal teams since 1965 for each county council area in Wales indicating the year of clearance; and if he will make a statement. [20670]

  Mr. Soames
  Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now set up an independent medical assessment to examine the long-term health effects upon individual service men who participated in experiments at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down. [21611]

  Mr. Soames
  There is no evidence to suggest that any of the service volunteers—approximately 6,900 in number—who have participated in studies at Porton Down over the past 40 years have suffered any harm to their health. I do not, therefore, consider it necessary to set up an independent medical assessment to examine any of the individuals concerned.

  VE Day (Merchant Navy)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the activities designed to recognise the role of Merchant Navy personnel included in the national programme to commemorate VE day; and if he will make a statement. [21712]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I have to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 28 April 1995,Official Report, column 772.

  Empty Accommodation, Dorset
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of empty dwellings owned by his Department in the constituencies of Dorset, North; Dorset, South; and Dorset, West. [21713]

  Mr. Soames
  As at 31 March, my Department owned the following number of empty dwellings in the constituencies in question:

  Dorset, North: 152

  Dorset, South: 175

  Dorset, West: 0

  The vacant properties in Dorset, North are being held for a unit deployment from the north of England. Of the vacant properties in Dorset, South, 86 are in the process of being sold. The remainder are either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work, already allotted to service families due to move in shortly or form part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.

  RNAS Portland
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the benefits to be achieved by moving the RAF Osprey Squad from 200
  Portland to Yeovilton before the Lynx is replaced by the Merlin in 2005. [21714]

  Mr. Soames
  As explained in my Department's consultative document on the proposed closure of the royal naval air station at Portland, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, it will be possible to collocate the remaining Royal Navy Lynx helicopters at Yeovilton from 1999. The closure of RNAS Portland would result in significant savings to the defence budget.

  Railings, Devonport
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the materials being used recently to refurbish the railings around the royal naval base along Saltash road. [21718]

  Mr. Soames
  These railings form part of the east side of HM naval base, Devonport and were last partly refurbished in 1964. The materials used for the recent refurbishment were paint, including primer and undercoat, galvanised steel, lime stone, lime mortar and timber boarding.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the individual value of each(a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22090]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department does not keep central records of early retirement awards made on grounds of limited efficiency and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of individuals released on such terms is as follows:

  1990–91: 10

  1991–92: 4

  1992–93: 2

  1993–94: 3

  1994–95: 1

  RAF Chicksands
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals his Department is considering with regard to the future of RAF Chicksands, Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement. [22328]

  Mr. Soames
  With the US withdrawal from RAF Chicksands due to be completed by 30 September 1995, we are at present considering alternative defence uses for the site. Should no alternative defence uses be identified, we would consider the future of the site in consultation with the local authority.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Bedford community retirement group with regard to the future of RAF Chicksands, Bedfordshire. [22329]

  Mr. Soames
  The Bedford community retirement group wrote to my Department in March enclosing a copy of its proposals for the future use of RAF Chicksands. The proposals are a matter for the local authority, however, and this was made clear in my Department's response of 11 April.

  Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart concerning the renegotiation of the conventional forces in Europe treaty; what consideration he has given to the renegotiation of the conventional forces in Europe treaty; and if he will make a statement. [22297]

  Mr. Soames
  We maintain a dialogue with the Russians at all levels about issues which might affect their compliance with the conventional forces in Europe treaty.

  Renegotiation of the treaty is not a subject which has been discussed. The treaty is widely recognised as the cornerstone of European security and it is in everyone's interest to see it fully implemented. To that end, we continue to urge all states parties, including Russia, to meet their obligations under the treaty, as only by doing so will the basis be created for a constructive review of the treaty's operation at the May 1996 treaty review conference.

  Information to Members
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which right hon. and hon. Members his special adviser, Mr. Crispin Blunt, has written to inform them of the placing of contracts by his Department in their constituency; what are the values of these contracts; which contracts were involved; what assistance the civil service provides in order to ensure the efficiency of this system of informing hon. Members; when this system was first introduced; and if he will make a statement. [22298]

  Mr. Rifkind
  In October 1993, my special adviser began writing to right hon. and hon. Members of all parties about MOD contracts awarded to firms in their constituencies which, while of local significance, were too small to merit individual announcements.

  Since 1993, the practice has become more systematic, and standard letters are now sent about all contracts worth more than £1 million notified to the special adviser by the responsible contracts branch.

  Since October 1993, more than 300 letters have been sent to right hon. and hon. Members.

  Commercial Exploitation Levies
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify how much money his Department received in each of the last 10 years from commercial exploitation levies in cases where it has funded the development of the exported equipment in question. [22299]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  £ million

  1986–87: 29.2

  1987–88: 27.9

  1988–89: 44.0

  1989–90: 24.8

  1990–91: 16.7

  1991–92: 35.0

  1992–93: 15.3

  1993–94: 39.8

  Details for 1984–85 and 1985–86 are not available. Final figures for 1994–95 have not been calculated.

  Land Mines
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 April,Official Report, column 306, what types of anti-personnel mines other than Ranger mines his Department possesses; when they were purchased; from whom they were purchased; what was the total cost of the order; when they will need to be replaced; and if he will make a statement. [22300]

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department possesses the following anti-personnel mines, other than Rangers:

  (a) Mine anti-personnel C3 (Elsie)

  (b) Mine anti-personnel M18A1 (Claymore)

  (c) Projector Area Defence L1E1 (PJRAD)

  These mines were purchased as follows:

  (a) C3 Elsie between 1965 and 1968 from Canadian Arsenals Ltd.

  (b) MI8A1 Claymore between 1965 and 1968, and in 1989 from the US Department of Defence.

  (c) L1E1 PJRAD in 1986 from Royal Ordnance.

  We no longer retain a record of the costs of these procurements, and there are currently no plans for their replacement.

  Mines
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those British companies which (i) have stockpiles of, (ii) are producing, (iii) have produced since 1965 and (iv) manufacture components for(a) anti-personnel mines, (b) area denial mines, (c) self-destruct mines and (d) other forms of mines; and in the case of (iii) if he will give the year in which production ceased.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 18 April 1995]: These matters are the responsibility of the companies concerned. However, I am advised that the following information can be provided from my Department's records.

  My Department classifies land mines by their effect, for example, anti-tank or anti-personnel. Any type of land mine can be self-destructing. We therefore do not recognise area denial mines or self-destructing mines as separate categories.

  My Department is not aware of any British company holding stockpiles of land mines.

  The "Defence Manufacturers' Handbook" lists British Aerospace Defence, British Aerospace (Royal Ordnance), Hunting Engineering, and Plalite as having land mines among their products. My Department is not aware that any of these companies is currently producing land mines and I can confirm that there are no current MOD orders for land mines, nor are there any current export licence applications.

  My Department believes that Thorn EMI Electronics, Royal Ordnance and Hunting Engineering are the only British companies to have produced land mines since 1965.

  Production of conventional anti-personnel land mines for the MOD ceased in 1983, and of anti-tank land mines in 1991.

  In 1986 the Royal Ordnance factories produced a small number of projector area defence weapons for my Department. Previously, these were classified not as anti-personnel land mines, but as command-detonated point defence weapons. However, further research has now established that these weapons fall within the

  203
  standard NATO definition of a land mine. Consequently, previous statements that
  "the UK has not produced anti-personnel mines for over a decade"
  are not accurate in relation to the PJRAD.

  My Department is not aware of any British companies which currently manufacture components for land mines.

  RAF Burtonwood
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current weekly running costs of Burtonwood air base. [22183]

  Mr. Soames
  The running costs of RAF Burtonwood are estimated at some £8,000 per week, exclusive of any contribution in lieu of rates.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current weekly income from the lorry and trailer park and associated activities on Burtonwood air base. [22184]

  Mr. Soames
  The income from the present commercial use of RAF Burtonwood is commercial-in-confidence between my Department and the occupiers.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 April,Official Report, column 498, if he will list those activities in his Department which have been market-tested; and if he will specify in each case if in-house bids were permitted. [22338]

  Mr. Freeman
  In the three-year period since April 1992, a total of 101 defence support activities have been exposed to the "Competing for Quality" process as part of the drive to deliver, through the increased use of competition and private sector involvement, high-quality and more cost-effective support to the armed forces. Of these, 23 have been exposed to competition from external contractors, with an in-house bid in each case, ie market-tested, to ensure that the service is delivered in a204
  way which gives best value for money. The market tests involved, and the results of each, are as follows:
  Gardening at RM units Poole, CTCRM Lympstone and COMMACHIO group—all three won by in-house bid team.
  Mechanical handling equipment, repair and maintenance, Devonport—won by in-house team.
  18 base workshop, army base repair organisation, Bovington—won by in-house team.
  RAOC print section, Northern Ireland—won by in-house team.
  Air weapon range, RAF Cowden—won by in-house team.
  Support services, Gateway house, RAF Brize Norton—won by in-house team.
  Aircraft support services, Boscombe Down—won by in-house team.
  Elements of experimental flying programme, Bedford/Boscombe Down—won by in-house team.
  Second line engineering support, flag officer naval aviation, Yeovilton—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Industrial mess (catering and stewardship function), defence postal and courier service, Mill Hill, London—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Ration delivery service, Northern Ireland—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Tailoring, Northern Ireland—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Air weapon range, RAF Holbeach—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Flight checking, 115 Squadron, RAF Benson—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Inspectorate of recruitment exhibition production flight, RAF Henlow—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Nimrod major servicing unit, RAF Kinloss—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Airfield services, RAF Gibraltar—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  IT processing DIGITS operations west, Devizes—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Property Management, Central London—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Mess catering, Boscombe Down—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.
  Trident in-service support—activity contractorised following a market test with in-house bid.

  Chinese Population Policy
  Chinese Population Policy
  The Palestinians: UK Aid
  The Palestinians: UK Aid
  Israeli Blockade of Southern Lebanon Ports
  Israeli Blockade of Southern Lebanon Ports
  Diplomatic Missions: Unpaid Parking Fines
  Diplomatic Missions: Unpaid Parking Fines
  Diplomats: Withdrawal from Post
  Diplomats: Withdrawal from Post
  European Council: Forthcoming Meetings
  European Council: Forthcoming Meetings
  Post-Abortion Stress
  Post-Abortion Stress
  Abortion by Dilation and Extraction
  Abortion by Dilation and Extraction
  Aircraft Movements
  Aircraft Movements
  Banking and Finance Industry: Employee Numbers
  Banking and Finance Industry: Employee Numbers
  Veterinary Medicines: Human Suspected Adverse Reactions
  Veterinary Medicines: Human Suspected Adverse Reactions
  Armed Forces: Cazalet Report on Official Entertainment
  Armed Forces: Cazalet Report on Official Entertainment
  Subordinate Legislation: House of Lords Powers
  Subordinate Legislation: House of Lords Powers
  Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: UK Report
  Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: UK Report
  Human Rights Report: Discrimination
  Human Rights Report: Discrimination
  Mr. Salman Rushdie: Cost of Protetion
  Mr. Salman Rushdie: Cost of Protetion
  Life Prisoners
  Life Prisoners