Written Answers of 9 May 1995

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Pensions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps are being taken to maintain the value of pensions to the clergy.

  Mr. Alison
  Clergy pensions are increased in line with the previous year's national minimum stipend. The most recent increase, which took effect on 1 April 1995, was 3.3 per cent.

  On the wider issue of the funding of clergy pensions, a joint paper produced by the Central Board of Finance, the Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board was recently discussed at a national conference with the chairmen and secretaries of diocesan boards of finance. The draft paper will, after further discussion and refinement, be presented to the General Synod in July. It contains proposals for the establishment of a separate funded pension scheme. It is intended that the proposed arrangements will create a firm basis on which to provide continued security for the clergy in their retirement, as well as leaving sufficient funds to support the national ministry, particularly in poorer dioceses and parishes.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Directory of Westminster and Whitehall
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the costs of producing and advertising the 1995 Directory of Westminster and Whitehall; and how much revenue the Government estimate will be recouped from sales. [22900]

  Mr. Horam
  HMSO has not produced a 1995 Directory of Westminster and Whitehall, although a commercial publication bearing that title is believed to be imminent.

  Historical Documents
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what special training is given to persons who have responsibility for assessing the historical significance of documents held by his Department. [23290]

  Mr. Horam
  Training in assessing the historical significance of departmental records is carried out under the guidance of the Keeper of Public Records. It is provided in a number of different ways, including courses on the appraisal of records and through conferences and seminars arranged by the Public Records Office.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Statute of Westminister
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 May, column 208, if it is his intention to consult other countries under section 2 of the Statute of Westminster Act 1931 in respect of those aspects of the Regency Act 1937 that are to be varied by the Statute Law (Repeals) Bill[Lords] currently before Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [23167]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is not my intention, being advised that no such consultation is necessary or appropriate.

  Public Records
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what occasions in the last 30 years he or his predecessors have authorised the deposit of public records in the Churchill archives; and under what provision of the Public Records Act this was done. [22914]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Under section 4(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, the Lord Chancellor has the power, now delegated to the Keeper of Public Records, to appoint places of deposit for public records to be kept outside the public Record Office itself. The Churchill archives centre, Cambridge has not been appointed a place of deposit for public records under the Act; it follows that there has been no authorisation under the Act for public records to be deposited there nor are any of the Churchill papers at the Churchill archive centre public records within the meaning of the Act.

TRANSPORT

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in discussions between his Department and the Home Office on extending the powers and jurisdiction of the British Transport police. [21565]

  Mr. Watts
  Discussions are continuing.

  Acoustic Fencing (Motorways)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new sections of Britain's motorway network will be covered by acoustic fencing in the next year. [22123]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 9 May 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, what new sections of Britain's motorway network will be covered by acoustic fencing in the next year.
  Only schemes which had a start of works prior to April 1995 and are still under construction are included. It is dependent on the contractor's programme and progress.

  345
  The total length of Acoustic Barrier programmed to be erected this year on motorway construction schemes is approximately 10.3 miles

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total expenditure by his Department in each year since 1990 on acoustic fencing on motorways. [22126]

  Mr. Watts
  This detailed information is not held centrally. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the exact locations of the sections of Britain's motorway network that are currently covered by acoustic fencing and the date that each section of acoustic fencing was implemented. [22129]

  Mr. Watts
  The detailed information is not held centrally. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's criteria for the implementation of acoustic fencing on(a) motorways and (b) other highways. [22130]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 9 May 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State, what are his Department's criteria for the implementation of acoustic fencing on (a) motorways and (b) other highways.
  The criteria for the implementation of acoustic fencing on construction schemes for motorways and trunk roads are the same. Acoustic fences are provided where it is demonstrated that noise levels at a number of adjacent residential properties would otherwise be unreasonably high and that other measures would be less cost effective.

  Compensation (New Roads)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have submitted a claim in each year since 1990 for compensation for the decrease in property value as a result of the use of a new road from noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, artificial lighting or other causes under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. [22124]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 8 May 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have submitted a claim in each year since 1990 for compensation for decrease in property value as a result of the use of a new road from noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, artificial lighting or other causes under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973.
  This information is not held centrally for Highways Agency schemes and not held at all by the Agency for new road schemes which are the responsibility of other highways authorities. Therefore, I am sorry that this information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what has been the total amount paid by his Department in each year since 1990 for compensation for 346
  the decrease in property values as a result of noise from the use of a new road under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973; [22127]

  (2) what has been the total amount paid by his Department in each year since 1990 for compensation for the decrease in property values as a result of noise, vibration, smell, fumes smoke, artificial lighting or other causes under part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. [22128]

  Mr. Watts
  These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 9 May 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been paid in each year since 1990 in compensation for decrease in property values under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973.
  Compensation for loss in value is not separately identified from expenditure on acquisition of property in central budgets or expenditure returns. Therefore, I am sorry that this information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case.

  Mr. Norris
  In my reply of 1 March 1994,Official Report, column 659 to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands), I stated that Department records showed that since 1979 there had been no cases where such an instruction had been issued. This is still the case.

  Concessionary Fares (Pensioners)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of old-age pensioners in Great Britain(a) who are not provided with full free travel concessions and (b) not provided with partial travel concessionary travel passes; and if he will estimate the cost of providing free concessionary fares to all those presently not provided for. [22570]

  Mr. Norris
  It is not possible to give a precise figure for the cost of providing free concessionary fares for all old-age pensioners.

  Minicab Firms
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unlicensed private hire or minicab firms are known to the Metropolitan police in the London boroughs; and if he will make a statement. [21225]

  Mr. Norris
  I am advised that the Metropolitan police do not keep lists of unlicensed private hire or minicab firms in London; all these firms in the Metropolitan police district are unlicensed.

  In February this year, the Government announced their agreement with the Transport Select Committee that minicabs in London should be regulated, Cm 2715, as part of their response to the Committee's recommendations.

  Rail Franchises
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the French National rail company, SociÉtÉ Nationale des Chemins de Fers, is allowed to submit bids to operate rail franchises in Great Britain. [22913]

  Mr. Watts
  There are no restrictions preventing foreign national rail companies from bidding for franchises.

  Ferry Evacuation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which are the four British-registered ferries which do not have 100 per cent. dry-shod evacuation; which routes they sail on, and what are the evacuation arrangements on these ferries. [22907]

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

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about four ferries which do not have 100 per cent dry-shod evacuation.
  There are four UK registered vessels, which ply on the following routes and have evacuation arrangements as described:
  PRIDE OF BRUGES—Dover to Calais.
  Lifeboats and Marine Evacuation Systems are provided for 1158 persons and inflatable liferafts with overside ladders for 300 persons. The maximum permitted number of persons on board is 1400.
  PRIDE OF CHERBOURG—Portsmouth to Cherbourg.
  Lifeboats are provided for 798 persons and inflatable liferafts with overside ladders for 610 persons. The maximum permitted number of persons on board is 1297.
  PRIDE OF HAMPSHIRE—Portsmouth to Cherbourg.
  Lifeboats are provided for 798 persons and inflatable liferafts with overside ladders for 600 persons. The maximum permitted number of persons on board is 1302.
  PIONEER—Plies between ports on the West Coast of Scotland, Western Isles and Northern Ireland. Lifeboats are provided for 80 persons and inflatable liferafts with overside ladders for 275 persons. The maximum permitted number of persons on board is 294.

  Lyme Bay Activity Centre
  Sir James Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken in respect of the papers on the Lyme bay rescue operation forwarded to him in December 1994 on the direction of the trial judge. [23163]

  Mr. Norris
  HM Coastguard conducted its own internal investigation into the rescue operation. This was made available to the court during the trial of the company owning the activity centre, the managing director and the manager. HM Coastguard took action to discipline certain officers and to improve procedures and performance at the local rescue centre. In the light of the remarks of the trial judge I have asked John Reeder QC to conduct a review with the following terms of reference:In the light of Coastguard internal inquiry, the evidence presented to the Lyme Bay trial and the judge's comments in his summing up—

  (i) to review all the actions, both internal and external taken by Coastguard during and subsequent to the tragedy.

  (ii) to consider how far this action was appropriate and whether any further action was necessary, and

  (iii) to make recommendations.

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  Consideration under item (ii) should cover the suggestion by the hon. Member for Dorset, West that harbourmasters should be given a more formal role in Coastguard's emergency procedures.

  The findings will be published.

  Liverpool Vehicle Registration Office
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representation he has had from employees in the Liverpool vehicle registration office about the closure of the Liverpool office; and if he will make a statement. [23161]

  Mr. Norris
  Four hon. Members in the Liverpool area have drawn my attention to a letter dated 28 March which they received from two representatives of the Civil and Public Services Association on behalf of the staff about the closure of the Liverpool vehicle registration office. I have replied to these and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has replied to another. The lease of the accommodation for this office has expired and it formed part of a review of DVLA's local office structure last year, which concluded that vehicle registration offices should close progressively over the next three years, dependent on other arrangements being made for the work of the offices. No firm date has yet been fixed for the closure of the office and the staff will be kept fully informed of any plans to do so, with a minimum of six months' notice.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's policies for reducing death and injury on the roads. [1236531

  Mr. Norris
  We have today published the "Road Safety Report 1995", which describes measures being taken to reduce road accident casualties. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the level of funding made available to Cumbria county council for the implementation of road safety schemes; and if he will make a statement. [22737]

  Mr. Norris
  We are making available £50 million to local authorities for local safety schemes in 1995–96. This is planned to rise to £55 million in 1996–97 and to £60 million in 1997–98. The allocation of funds depends on the relative merits of the bid plans put forward by local authorities.

  Historical Documents
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what special training is given to persons who have responsibility for assessing the historical significance of documents held by his Department. [23277]

  Mr. Norris
  Training is provided under the guidance of the Keeper of Public Records. It includes courses on the appraisal of records arranged by the Public Record Office.

  Commercial Vehicle Operators
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department issues to commercial road vehicle operators to effect the reduction of accidents. [22696]

  Mr. Norris
  Advice is given in the Department's "Guide to maintaining roadworthiness", which was produced in conjunction with the operator trade associations. The guide gives operators detailed information on how to set up and run a system for maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition.

  Vehicle examiners from the Department's Vehicle Inspectorate also give advice to operators, both on an ad hoc basis, and when they visit operators premises in connection with corroborating compliance with the requirements of operator licensing.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage commercial road vehicle operators to undertake specialist driver training. [22690]

  Mr. Norris
  We have no such plans, but specialist training is a statutory requirement for drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22792]

  Mr. Norris
  Attracting private finance for infrastructure investment affects policy work throughout the Department and the related expenditure cannot meaningfully be estimated in isolation.

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to include causal factors in his Department's road accident statistics. [22689]

  Mr. Norris
  There are no plans to include causal factors in the Department's national road accident statistics. The Department is conducting research to evaluate the provision of causation factors in local area road accident statistics.

  Passenger Coaches
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 April,Official Report, column 771, what percentage of passenger coaches checked at the roadside or on operators' premises were found to be defective in each of the last two years. [22802]

  Mr. Norris
  Ten per cent. of coaches at the roadside in 1993–94 and 9.2 per cent. in 1992–93 were found to have prohibitable defects.

  Of coaches checked at operators' premises as part of a maintenance assessment, 8.7 per cent. were found to have prohibitable defects in 1993–94 as opposed to 8.5 per cent. in the previous year.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to make heavy goods vehicles safer. [22703]

  Mr. Norris
  There are already stringent controls regulating both the construction and use requirements of vehicles, which are continually being upgraded in line with technological improvements. Compliance with these requirements is checked at annual roadworthiness tests and enforcement spot checks both at the roadside and at operators' premises.

  We also regulate vehicle maintenance through the operator licensing system and have a continuing programme of research directed at the development of new standards to help reduce the number and severity of accidents.

  Air Traffic Control
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis air traffic control facilities for commercial flights are shared with the military airspace. [22394]

  Mr. Norris
  Military air traffic services are currently provided primarily at the West Drayton and Prestwick ATC centres. Military controllers are responsible for providing the greater part of air traffic services to aircraft outside controlled airspace—be they military or civil, including general aviation.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement in respect of the future of the national air traffic services, and if he will make a statement. [22396]

  Mr. Norris
  The Secretary of State announced in November 1994 that the Government continued to favour privatisation of the national air traffic services in principle, but that further work was needed on a number of important issues before any final decision could be made on whether to proceed with the privatisation. In addition, the Secretary of State is considering the report of the Transport Select Committee on this subject and will be making a formal response in the near future.

  Joint Aviation Authority
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what parliamentary approval will be required prior to the introduction of the JAA proposals on European regulations for flight and duty times;
  [21879]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the representations he has received from the British Airline Pilots Association relating to the JAA proposals on flight and duty times; [21881]

  (3) when he last met the head of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the JAA proposals for European regulations on flight and duty times; what assessment he has made of the stringency of the proposals; and if the JAA proposals are equivalent to the current CAA regulations; 21880]

  (4) to what extent the JAA proposals for regulations on flight and duty times will be extended to airports outside London; and how these proposals will be financed. [21882]
  351
  Mr. Norris
  The Air Navigation Order sets annual and monthly limits on flight times for flight crews. Within those limits, the order requires operators to establish a flight time limitation scheme which has to be approved by the Civil Aviation Authority subject to such conditions as they think fit. The CAA's advice on how to formulate an acceptable flight time limitation scheme is contained in civil aviation publication 371. The JAA's present proposals do not affect the provisions of the Air Navigation Order and could be implemented in the United Kingdom by amending the advice in CAP 371. In the longer term, the proposals should come before the European Council for adoption as an EC regulation.

  Specific responsibility for, and expertise in, flight and duty time limitation schemes rests with the CAA's flight operations policy section. My noble Friend the Minister for Aviation last met the head of this section to discuss the JAA proposals on 28 February 1995. The British Air Line Pilots Association has expressed concern about certain aspects of the JAA proposals which differ from the advice contained in CAP 371, but the CAA stresses that flight time limitation schemes have to be seen as an overall "package" of measures. The CAA is satisfied that the JAA proposals would achieve a comparable level of protection against the onset of fatigue to the current UK requirements.

  The cost of crew scheduling in accordance with any flight and duty time limitation scheme is borne by individual operators.

  Stockport Bypass
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his new revised timetable for the building and completion of the A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass. [21993]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Thomas Arnold, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, what is his revised timetable for the building and completion of the A6(M) Stockport North-South Bypass.
  The next stage for this scheme will be the publication of Orders followed by a public inquiry. It will take us some time to prepare for this and at this stage I cannot give you an indication of the dates. Progress of the scheme will be dependent on detailed investigations, design work, statutory procedures and availability of resources. I hope you will understand that these uncertainties preclude me from making any worthwhile predictions about the programme in the longer term.

  Noise Pollution
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department gives to minimising noise pollution when selecting the type of surfacing for a motorway under construction or repair. [22125]

  Mr. Watts
  This is a operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked its chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  352
  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 9 May 1995:
  As you know, the Minister of Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration his Department gives to minimising noise pollution when selecting the type of surfacing for a motorway under construction or repair.
  The permitted alternatives for the surfacing of motorway construction schemes are constrained where noise is a matter of concern. Concrete surfaces are not currently used where traffic is expected to exceed 75,000 vehicles per day, although quieter concrete surfaces are undergoing trials. In particular sensitive situations, porous asphalt may be specified as a noise mitigation measure when the additional cost of construction and maintenance are considered to be justified. But porous asphalt is not technically suitable for use in all cases.
  It is not the Agency's policy to apply mitigation to existing roads.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 1 May,Official Report, column 61, if he will make a statement on the possible conflicts of interest involving special advisers, listing the names of the individuals, the nature of the conflicts concerned and how the matters were resolved. [22906]

  Mr. Norris
  It is not my practice to comment on information about the private interests of staff.

  Baggage Checks
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of hold baggage passing through Heathrow airport is now subject to regular checking; and what was the percentage immediately before the Lockerbie bombing. [23184]

  Mr. Norris
  All hold baggage passing through Heathrow airport for international flights is subjected to a range of security controls. All such baggage must be accounted for and authorised, passengers are questioned about their baggage and, in addition, an increasing proportion of baggage is screened by X-ray or other technology.

  Good progress is being made towards the Department's objective of screening 100 per cent. of international hold baggage. The percentage of hold baggage currently being subjected to screening by X-ray or other technology is approximately 26 per cent., although 100 per cent. of hold baggage on those flights considered to be at greater risk is screened. It is estimated that about 4 to 5 per cent. of hold baggage was being screened prior to the Lockerbie bombing.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what use his Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23447]

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has 351 hand-held mobile telephones and 25 car telephones. The equipment is issued on the basis of operational need, especially where staff have to work away from the office. The main users of the equipment are staff in the Coastguard agency, the Highways Agency, the Vehicle Inspectorate, the aircraft
  353
  accidents investigation branch and ministerial offices. Figures are not available centrally for annual operating costs.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many mobile telephones being utilised by his Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23429]

  Mr. Norris
  Four hand-held telephones were cloned during the last 12 months.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones. [23468]

  Mr. Norris
  No representations have been made to the DTI concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs his Department has incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being utilised by his Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls. [23487]

  Mr. Norris
  The cost of unauthorised calls made due to cloning is estimated at £500. However, this is not a cost to the Department as all mobile telephone airtime suppliers accept that the costs of unauthorised calls on cloned telephones are not charged to users.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being utilised by his Department; and if his Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies. [23453]

  Mr. Norris
  Cloning of existing analogue phones is impossible to prevent. However, mobile telephone airtime suppliers have mechanisms in place to detect suspicious activity and the majority of clonings are detected early enough to stop serious misuse. No discussions have been held with official agencies. My Department has a policy of migration from the old analogue telephones, which are susceptible to cloning, to the new digital networks on which cloning is technically impossible.

  Track Access Charges
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the track access charge per mile charged in April 1994; and if he will list each change in the charge per mile since that date, and the date when each change was made. [23400]

  Mr. Watts
  Initial access charges were entered into between the British Railways Board and Railtrack and came into effect on 1 April 1994. These charges, contained in unregulated access agreements comprised of a variable charge for track usage and traction current and fixed element and cannot be expressed as charges per mile.

  Since that time, new access agreements have been entered between Railtrack and the train operating companies subject to the approval of the rail regulator. The regulator's approach to the approval of track access charges was set out in policy statements published in November 1994, January and February 1995 copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.

TREASURY

  Barings Bank
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England about the latter's allegation of criminal offences committed by Barings executives. [21129]

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. and learned Friend has regular meetings with the Governor, at which a wide range of issues is discussed.

  Banking Supervision
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he will take to regulate the speculation in derivatives by United Kingdom based banks and their offices overseas. [21177]

  Mr. Nelson
  Responsibility for supervising all activities of United Kingdom authorised banks, including their overseas' operations, rests with the Banks of England, where appropriate in collaboration with other regulators in the UK or overseas.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which activities of the Inland Revenue are currently outsourced to overseas countries; and to which countries this work is sent; [22137]

  (2) what plans he has to outsource further activities of the Inland Revenue to overseas countries; which activities these plans cover; and to which countries this work will go. [22136]

  Sir George Young
  No Inland Revenue activities have been outsourced to overseas countries and there are no plans to do so in the future.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many short-term contracts at each Inland Revenue office in the United Kingdom are due to expire in the next 12 months. [22141]

  Sir George Young
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants, including those on short-term contracts, he expects to be employed by the Inland Revenue in(a) one year, (b) two years and (c) five years. [22135]

  Sir George Young
  The Inland Revenue expects to employ mostly permanent staff for the foreseeable future. Some staff are expected to be employed on a short-term or casual basis, but the pattern of need for the next five years cannot be predicted with any accuracy at this stage.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many civil servants, including those on short-term contracts, are currently employed at each Inland Revenue offices in the United Kingdom; [22166]

  (2) how many civil servants are currently employed on short-term contracts at each Inland Revenue office in the United Kingdom. [22142]

  Sir George Young
  The information requested has today been placed in the Library.
  355
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define short-term contract in the context of a contract of employment with the Inland Revenue. [22140]

  Sir George Young
  There is no specific definition of a short-term contract with the Inland Revenue. In essence, a short-term contract could be any form of contract which does not result in the employee becoming a permanent civil servant.

  Tax Regime
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what programme of research he proposes to introduce to assess the impact of macro-economic, taxation and other policies on family wellbeing and inequalities and poverty, with particular reference to women, as agreed in the programme of action resolved at the world summit for social development, article 27a. [22271]

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. and learned Friend keeps the tax regime and its impact on the economy and particular groups under continual review. As a result of our policies the average income of all economic groups and family types has risen since we came into office in 1979.

  PRODCOM Statistics
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations have purchased the collected PRODCOM statistics in electronic form and may market the data to the public; and if he will make a statement. [22615]

  Mr. Nelson
  Taylor Nelson AGB plc is currently the only organisation to have purchased the PRODCOM statistics. It is permitted to market the data in hard copy, CD-ROM and facsimile formats only.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations were invited to tender for marketing the PRODCOM statistics. [22613]

  Mr. Nelson
  Five organisations submitted marketing proposals to the Central Statistical Office for PRODCOM data. These proposals were submitted on a commercial-in-confidence basis.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that when PRODCOM statistics are located in libraries, the public will be enabled to photocopy them. [22611]

  Mr. Nelson
  In accordance with the normal conventions on copyright, photocopying of PRODCOM data will be permitted for non-commercial use.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he takes to ensure that there is minimum delay in public access to PRODCOM statistics. [22614]

  Mr. Nelson
  PRODCOM statistics are released for publication as soon as the CSO is satisfied with their quality. They are published by Taylor Nelson AGB as soon as practicable thereafter.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the PRODCOM statistics were first collected; how much of the first year's data in the series has been published; and when the first year's total data will be published. [22612]
  356
  Mr. Nelson
  The first PRODCOM data were collected on a quarterly basis from April 1993 and on an annual basis from January 1994 onwards. In all, publishable PRODCOM data spans 90 annual and 34 quarterly reports. Of these, 84 annual and 28 quarterly have been published to date; the remaining 12 are due to be published by the end of May 1995.

  Bretton Woods Institutions
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with whom and with what organisations he is consulting in regard to Govnerment policy on the work and structures of the International Monetary Fund and World bank prior to the 50th anniversary conferences of the Bretton Woods institutions. [22436]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The 50th anniversary conference of the Bretton Woods institutions took place in September 1994 prior to 1994 annual meetings of the World bank and IMF. I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 October to the hon. member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith)Official Report, column 272–74.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effects on(a) inflation, (b) interest rates and (c) the balance of payments according to the Treasury model for the years 1996 to 2000, consequent upon a 2p reduction in the basic rate of income tax in April 1996, assuming no changes in other given exogenous factors. [22443]

  Mr Nelson
  [holding answer 4 May 1995]: Since 1978, it has not been the practice to provide results from the Treasury model in response to parliamentary questions, but the hon. Member will be aware that the model is available for Members' use through the Library of the House.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22558]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Where a Minster overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money, the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question. No such instructions have been issued during the last 10 years.

  All such instructions are now reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his finding to the Public Accounts Committee.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 9 May 1995. [21898]
  357
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 9 May. [21899]

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is currently on an official visit to Moscow as part of the VE day commemorations.

  Bank Holidays
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Prime Minister which of his Ministers has responsibility for designation of bank holidays in(a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [22820]

  The Prime Minister
  Bank holidays are designated in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. Power to vary the specified dates or to designate additional dates is exercisable by Her Majesty by royal proclamation or in the case of Northern Ireland by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. By virtue of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's overall responsibility for the 1971 Act, the Treasury currently co-ordinates advice on any designations for royal proclamation in consultation with other Departments as necessary.

  St. Paul's Angels' Nursery
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister if he expects to make a further visit to St. Paul's Angels' nursery before September. [23132]

  The Prime Minister
  I currently have no plans to do so.

  Public Records
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to prohibit individuals, acting in a private capacity, from charging for the reproduction of any document or other material produced directly or indirectly in the service of the Crown. [23069]

  The Prime Minister
  No. Such legislation is not necessary. It is already the law, under section 163 of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, that Crown copyright subsists in any work made by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of his or her duties.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the whole of the correspondence with the Churchill family and their advisers relating to the expenditure of £13.5 million on the purchase of public and other records created during Sir Winston Churchill's periods of office as well as the records of all meetings of the commission with the Churchill Trust to discuss the matter. [23070]

  The Prime Minister
  No, it is not my normal practice to publish private correspondence.

  Contrary to the impression given in the question, no public records were purchased. The national lottery memorial fund funded the purchase of non-state papers; the Government have transferred the state papers so that the whole archive is preserved, intact, at Churchill college.

  Historical Documents
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what special training is given to persons who have responsibility for assessing the historical significance of documents held by his Department. [23280]
  358
  The Prime Minister
  Training and assessing the historical significance of departmental records is carried out under guidance of the Keeper of Public Records. It is provided in a number of different ways, including courses on the appraisal of records and through conferences and seminars arranged by the Public Record Office.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Offshore Oil and Gas Structures
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to publish guidelines relating to the abandonment of offshore oil and gas structures. [23517]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department issued detailed guidelines on Thursday 4 May. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Executive Salaries
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to introduce statutory controls over the salaries of senior executives. [21632]

  Mr. John Owen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to introduce statutory controls over the salaries of senior executives. [21634]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Sir Richard Greenbury's committee is considering the structure within which remuneration for directors of public companies is determined and disclosed. Once it has made its recommendations, the Government will consider whether any of these should be reinforced by legislative change. But executive salary levels and details of remuneration packages are matters for individual companies and their shareholders. It is not for the Government to intervene in these decisions or to limit companies' ability to pay competitive salaries.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about his Department's policy towards promoting employment in small businesses. [21644]

  Mr. Page
  The Government fully recognise and appreciate the importance of small businesses to the economy and the vital contribution they make to job creation.

  The Government encourage the role played by small businesses in job creation by creating an economic environment in which they can flourish and grow. This includes stabilising interest rates and inflation and reducing legislative and administrative burdens.

  My Department is developing a network of business links based on partnerships between local authorities, TECs, chambers of commerce, and enterprise agencies, to develop a wide range of high-quality business support services, particularly to businesses with the potential for growth.

  It is my intention that the wide range of services delivered by my Department will be available through the business link network.

  British Beef Co. Ltd.
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the outstanding liabilities of British Beef when it went into receivership. [22606]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  British Beef Co. Ltd. went into administrative receivership on 23 March 1995. The joint receivers have informed my officials that the directors estimated the realisable value of the company's assets at that date to be £14 million and that secured creditors were owed £8.5 million, preferential creditors £0.75 million and unsecured creditors £6 million.

  Copyright and Rights of Performers Regulations 1995
  Mr. Key
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from representatives of the performing arts about the draft Copyright and Rights of Performers Regulations 1995; and if he will make a statement. [21567]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  About 500 representations have been received in response to the consultative draft of these regulations issued by my Department with a request for comments by 28 April. Some 460 of these were from representatives of the performing arts, the great majority being from individual performers belonging to the Musicians Union or other performers' organisations and expressed in near identical terms. The remainder of the submissions were from other interested parties, most in the form of responses by national organisations replying on behalf of all their members. I am considering all the representations received and will in due course lay a statutory instrument before Parliament under the affirmative resolution procedure.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22557]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  The cases where such an instruction has been Issued were set out in the reply given to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 8 March 1994, Official Report, column 211. No new cases have arisen since then.

  All such instructions are reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his findings to the Public Accounts Committee.

  Public Records
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 May, column 131, to what extent(a) professional historians and (b) qualified archivists are involved at any stage in the 10-year and 25-year sifts. [22939]

  Mr. Heseltine
  (a) When the Department needs the advice of a professional historian, it obtains this via the
  360
  Public Record Office, which maintains close links with the academic community.

  (b) Those staff at the Public Record Office whose role is to guide and inspect the work of my Department's records review section include one qualified archivist who carries out checks on 10-year sifts and two to three qualified archivists who are involved with the 25-year reviews.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 May, column 131, what special training is given to persons who have responsibility for assessing the historical significance of documents held by his Department. [22940]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Department provides internal, on-the-job training for records review staff, who are also supported by on-the-job coaching from qualified archivist staff from the Public Record Office. The Department also avails itself of formal training courses, annual conferences and special seminars provided by the Public Records Office.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22793]

  Mr. Heseltine
  The private finance initiative within the DTI is one of the responsibilities of the MINIS—management information system for Ministers—unit within the finance and resource management division of my Department. This unit is expected to cost £249,000 in 1995–96 against a total gross running costs provision of £318,883,000.

  Brent Spar Oil Platform
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been received by Her Majesty's Government in regard to the permission given to Shell to scuttle the Brent Spar oil platform in the Atlantic. [22928]

  Mr. Eggar
  Under the terms of section 1(3) of the Petroleum Act 1987, Shell UK Exploration and Production was required to consult a number of interested parties about its abandonment programme for the Brent Spar installation. Replies were received from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Fishermen's Federation and British Telecom International.

  Since I approved the programme, Greenpeace has made representations to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what surveys and investigations he has conducted into the acceptability of the use of synthetic BST in milk among(a) farmers and (b) consumers.
  361
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: A formal consultation of over 200 organisations and individuals, including farmers and consumer groups was conducted last year seeking views on the future availability of BST products. A copy of the responses received is available from the main Ministry library in Whitehall place. We have also received a number of representations on the subject via hon. Members and direct from both farmers and consumers. In addition, the subject has been raised at farmers and consumer meetings which my ministerial colleagues, have Attended around the country.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department are under a statutory requirement to(a) publish their advice to (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will list those with a statutory base. [21598]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 April 1995]: The information is as follows:

  (a) None, but in practice a number do.

  (b) Only the Veterinary Products Committee is required to publish an annual report, but the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and the Food Advisory Committee also do so.

  (c) None.

  The following advisory non-departmental public bodies have a statutory basis:

  The Advisory Committee on Pesticides

  The Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees

  The Consumers' Committee for Great Britain

  The Committee of Investigation for Great Britain

  The Committee on Agricultural Valuation

  The Hill Farming Advisory Committee

  The Veterinary Products Committee.

  Fish Farming, Wiltshire
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the business name and address of each site at which fish are farmed in the country of Wiltshire. [21566]

  Mr. Jack
  All fish farming businesses are required to register with MAFF for disease control purposes under the Registration of Fish and Shellfish Farming Businesses Order 1985 made under the Diseases of Fish Act 1983. There are currently 25 fish farm sites registered in the country of Wiltshire.

  Under the terms of the Act, information obtained for disease control purposes relating to the particulars of any one person or business may be disclosed only in certain specified circumstances. I regret that I am therefore unable to provide details of the business name and address of each site at which fish are farmed.

  Coastal Erosion
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will institute a comprehensive technical survey of the coastline between Flimby and Silloth with a view to establishing the scale 362
  of coastal erosion arising from tidal action in poor weather conditions. [22537]

  Mr. Jack
  This Department commissioned a survey of coast protection works and eroding coastlines in England in 1993 and the then Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mrs. Shephard), announced it publication by written answer on 30 March 1994,Official Report, column 774. A copy of the report on the survey was placed in the Library of the House.

  More detailed studies of coastal erosion in local areas are the responsibility of the relevant coast protection authority, which for the coastline between Flimby and Silloth is the borough of Allerdale council. I understand that the council intends to prepare a plan for the future management of the shoreline in its area, taking account of coastal erosion patterns. This Department may provide grant aid for studies leading to the preparation of such shoreline management plans or to proposals for improved coastal defences.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours:
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from Crosscanonby parish council as to coastal erosion on the west Cumbrian coast. [22538]

  Mr. Jack
  We have no record of any such representations from Crosscanonby parish council having been received by this Department.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22559]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money, the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  The cases in which such an instruction has been issued between 1979 and February 1994 were set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 25 February 1994, Official Report, column 496.

  No such minutes have been subsequently issued by the accounting officer,

  All such instructions are now reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his findings to the Committee of Public Accounts.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22797]

  Mr. Jack
  At present, a modest proportion of the resources of my financial policy division, my building and estate management division and some other divisions with significant capital budgets are devoted to this initiative.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many, and what proportion of, vacancies advertised by his Department, and by each of his Department's agencies, in the last three years have listed the attainment of national vocational qualifications as an acceptable entry requirement; and, of those, how many have required (i) level 1 NVQs, (ii) level 2 NVQs, (iii) level 3 NVQs and (iv) other level NVQs. [22973]

  Mr. Goodlad
  My Department and its agencies have not listed the attainment of NVQs in advertised vacancies as an acceptable entry requirement in the last three years.

  For those vacancies where academic qualifications are an entry requirement, the Department accepts GCSEs and equivalent qualifications including NVQs.

  Military Training Assistance Scheme
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the annual cost to his Department of UK military training assistance scheme in each of the last five financial years. [23242]

  Mr. David Davis
  The annual cost of the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme for the last five financial years was:

  1990–91: £18.1 million

  1991–92: £15.2 million

  1992–93: £12.5 million

  1993–94: £11.9 million

  1994–95: £12.1 million (forecast outturn)

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries which have benefited from the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme since 1 June 1990. [23247]

  Mr. David Davis
  The countries which have benefited from United Kingdom military training assistance since 1 June 1990 are Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua, Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,

  £

  1992–95 (actual)

  1993–94 (actual)

  1994–95 (estimated)

  1995–96 (estimated)

  1996–97 (estimated)

  Dhaka

  1,787,816

  1,561,703

  1,592,937

  1,644,708

  1,685,825

  Bombay

  1,322,867

  1,558,321

  1,589,487

  1,641,146

  1,682,174

  Calcutta

  142,081

  171,963

  175,402

  181,103

  185,630

  Madras

  185,274

  139,985

  142,785

  147,425

  151,111

  New Delhi

  1,978,335

  2,029,036

  2,069,617

  2,136,879

  2,190,301

  Karachi

  766,278

  897,589

  915,541

  945,296

  968,928

  Islamabad

  2,771,472

  3,196,424

  3,260,352

  3,366,314

  3,450,472

  Colombo

  467,302

  502,117

  512,159

  528,805

  542,025

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the costs
  364
  Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

  Entry Clearance
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many entry clearance officers were in post in(a) New York, (b) Moscow, (c) St. Petersburg, (d) Accra, (e) Lagos, (f) Abuja, (g) New Delhi, (i) Bombay, (j) Calcutta, (k) Madras, (l) Dhaka, (m) Islamabad, (n) Karachi and (o) Colombo in the financial years (i) 1992–93, (ii) 1993–94 and (iii) 1994–95 to the latest convenient date. [22646]

  Mr. Baldry
  The number of entry clearance officers at the posts listed, for the calender years 1992, 1993 and 1994, is given in man years as follows:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  (a) New York

  2.9

  1.42

  3.00

  (b) Moscow

  5.13

  3.81

  4.90

  (c) St. Petersburg

  —

  1.75

  1.80

  (d) Accra

  5.64

  4.83

  4.96

  (e) Lagos

  19

  17.67

  14.33

  (f) Abuja

  —

  —

  1.58

  (g) New Delhi

  15.41

  14.95

  14.42

  (h) Bombay

  14.21

  11.9

  11.54

  (j) Calcutta

  1.45

  1.4

  1.17

  (k) Madras

  1.8

  1.6

  1.4

  (l) Dhaka

  17.5

  12.3

  12.08

  (m) Islamabad

  28.34

  27.25

  25.77

  (n) Karachi

  6.63

  6.5

  6.15

  (o) Colombo

  3.72

  3.64

  3.56

  It should be noted that St. Petersburg and Abuja only started entry clearance work in November 1993 and February 1994 respectively.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the costs of the entry clearance work at each post in the Indian subcontinent in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; what they are forecast to be in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97; and how they are calculated. [22644]

  Mr. Baldry
  The costs of entry clearance work at each post are shown on the table.

  These reflect the numbers and grades of staff, both UK-based and locally engaged, employed on entry clearance as a proportion of total staff at post.

  of the entry clearance work at the British posts in (a) New York, (b) Moscow, (c) St. Petersburg, (d) Accra,

  365
  (e) Lagos and (f) Abuja, in the financial years (i) 199293, (ii) 1993–94 and (iii) 1994–95; what are they forecast to be in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97; and how they are calculated. [22645]

  £

  1992–93 (actual)

  1993–94 (actual)

  1994–95 (estimated)

  1995–96 (estimated)

  1996–97 (estimated)

  New York

  551,923

  699,399

  713,387

  736,572

  754,986

  Moscow

  742,955

  770,194

  785,598

  811,130

  831,408

  St. Petersburg

  83,195

  212,582

  216,834

  223,881

  229,478

  Accra

  357,376

  519,756

  530,151

  547,381

  561,066

  Lagos

  2 873,715

  2 798 959

  2 854 938

  2 947 724

  3 021 417

  Abuja

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers in(a) New York, (b) Moscow, (c) St. Petersburg, (d) Accra, (e) Lagos, (f) Abuja, (g) New Delhi, (i) Bombay, (j) Calcutta, (k) Madras, (1) Dhaka, (m) Islamabad, (n) Karachi and (o) Colombo have other duties; and what proportion of their time, respectively, is spent on these. [22639]

  Mr. Baldry
  The number of entry clearance officers in the following posts with other duties; and the percentage of their time spent on them is as follows:

  Number

  ECO per cent.

  Other per cent.

  St. Petersburg

  1

  90

  10

  Abuja

  1

  50

  50

  Calcutta

  1

  75

  25

  Madras

  2

  70

  30

  Colombo

  2

  80

  20

  Colombo

  2

  98

  2

  All other Entry Clearance Officers are 100 per cent. engaged on entry clearance work.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visit entry clearance were(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused at the British post in Kingston, Jamaica in (i) January to June 1993, (ii) July to December 1993, (iii) January to June 1994 and (iv) July to December or the latest convenient date in 1994. [22640]

  Mr. Baldry
  We do not have a half-yearly breakdown of the details requested.

  The number of UK applications for entry clearance—both settlement and non-settlement—made, granted and refused in 1993 and 1994 at Kingston was as follows:

  Number

  1993

  Applied

  2,835

  Granted

  2,044

  Refused

  804

  1994

  Applied

  4,026

  Granted

  2,978

  Refused

  1,034

  366
  Mr. Baldry
  The cost of entry clearance work at each post are shown on the table.

  These reflect the numbers and grades of staff, both UK-based and locally engaged, employed on entry clearance as a proportion of total staff at post.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visit entry clearance were(a) made, (b) granted, and (c) refused at the British posts in (i) Ottawa, (ii) Moscow, (iii) Wellington and (iv) Canberra in (1) January to June 1993, (2) July to December 1993, (3) January to June 1994 and (4) July to December or the latest convenient date in 1994. [22642]

  Mr. Baldry
  We do not have a half-yearly breakdown of the number of the details requested.

  The number of applications for visit entry clearance—both settlement and non-settlement—made, granted and refused in 1993 and 1994 at the posts listed was as follows:

  1993

  1994

  A

  G

  R

  A

  G

  R

  1) Ottawa

  8,808

  8,241

  19

  10,019

  9,937

  51

  2) Moscow

  61,184

  59,591

  1,593

  86,520

  84,664

  1,856

  3) Wellington

  —

  —

  —

  1,995

  2,720

  28

  4) Canberra

  11,593

  11,076

  16

  17,317

  16,065

  12

  It should be noted that Wellington started entry clearance work in February 1994.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visit entry clearance were(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused at the British posts in (i) Manila, (ii) Tokyo, (iii) Sana'a and (iv) Addis Ababa in (1) January to June 1993, (2) July to December 1993, (3) January to June 1994 and (4) July to December or the latest convenient date in 1994. [22643]

  Mr. Baldry
  We do not have a half-yearly breakdown of the details requested.

  The number of UK applications for visit entry clearance made, granted and refused in 1993 and 1994 at the posts listed was as follows:

  1994

  1993

  A

  G

  R

  A

  G

  R

  (1) Manila

  12,633

  11,388

  911

  13,292

  12,384

  772

  (2)Tokyo

  4,080

  3,865

  36

  4,548

  4,294

  176

  (3) Sana'a

  4,210

  3,802

  158

  3,217

  2,824

  169

  (4) Addis Ababa

  4,642

  3,572

  551

  4,491

  2,893

  898

  Antarctic Treaty
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his
  367
  letter of 26 April to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what action was taken by Her Majesty's Government's delegation to the Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in Seoul about the condition of the Amundson-Scott base at the south pole. [22661]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in Seoul does not finish until Friday 19 May. I will write to the hon. Gentleman giving a substantive reply after that date.

  Former Soviet Union (Visas)
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis certain citizens of the countries of the former Soviet Union are not charged for visas to travel to the United Kingdom; when this policy was started; and what plans there are to extend it to other countries. [22649]

  Mr. Baldry
  The exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the mutual abolition of consular fees on visas, Moscow, 13 April 1964, provides for entry clearance application fees to be waived for nationals of the former Soviet Union.

  There are no plans to introduce similar arrangements for nationals of other countries.

  Belgium (Passport Control)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the stamping of United Kingdom passports at the Belgian frontier; and if it is his intention that Belgian passports should be stamped at the United Kingdom frontier. [22773]

  Mr. David Davis
  We are aware of a number of cases recently where the passports of UK nationals have been date-stamped by Belgian immigration officials at the Belgian frontier. We have no reason to believe that this practice amounts to immigration control on UK nationals, which would be illegal. Nevertheless, we have brought it to the attention of the Belgian authorities. The UK has no intention of date-stamping the passports of Belgian or any other EU nationals.

EDUCATION

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, her departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22556]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  In a reply to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) of 3 March 1994 Official Report, column 808, it was reported that the Secretary of State had not since 1979 issued any formal instructions to
  368
  override the advice of his accounting officer on a matter of propriety or regularity or one relating to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. No direction has been issued since the date of that reply.

  All such instructions are reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his findings to the Public Accounts Committee.

  Special Needs
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on progress of the special educational needs code of practice; to what extent teachers are reporting increased work load as a result; and what plans there are to revise it. [22634]

  Mr. Forth
  The code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs came into effect in September 1994. It has been widely welcomed as reflecting and supporting good practice in schools. Some schools have expressed concern at the increased work load as they change their procedures in the light of the guidance in the code. The Department is monitoring the implementation of the code and will in due course evaluate its effectiveness. There are no plans to revise the code at this stage.

  Nursery Places
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current average cost of providing a full-time nursery place in each local education authority in England and Wales. [22822]

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not held centrally for local education authorities in England. Local education authorities in Wales are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the grant-maintained schools which have sought a change in their planned admission level or their standard number; and in each case(a) if the application has been successful, (b) how many objections were submitted and (c) if an objection was submitted by the local education authority. [23127]

  Mr. Forth
  Schools set published admission levels above their approved admission numbers in any particular year without applying to my right hon. Friend for approval.

  Details of applications from grant-maintained schools to vary their approved admission numbers are shown in the table. Applications from grant-maintained schools in stage 2 and 3 areas are the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked its chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  School

  Successful (a)

  Number of objections (b)

  LEA objection (c)

  All Saints CE Primary, Sutton

  No

  Nil

  No

  Beaconsfield High, Buckinghamshire

  Yes

  Nil

  No

  Beechen Cliff, Avon

  Yes

  Two

  No

  369

  School

  Successful (a)

  Number of objections (b)

  LEA objection (c)

  Deacon's School, Cambridgshire

  Yes

  Nil

  No

  Homewood School, Kent

  Yes

  None

  No

  Queensmead School, Harrow

  Yes

  None

  No

  St. Bartholomews School, Berkshire

  No

  None

  No

  Tiffin Boys' School, Kingston

  Yes

  1One

  Yes

  1 LEA objection.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the total numbers of schools new to the grant-maintained sector since the previous year for each financial year from 1990–91 to 1995–96(a) from which bids for capital grants for named projects were received and (b) to which allocations were approved.

  Mr. Forth
  These matters are now the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked its chairman to write to the hon. Member with this information.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the grant-maintained schools which have sought approval for changes in their admissions policy to introduce the selection of pupils by reference to their aptitude or ability which do not constitute a significant change of character; and in each case(a) if their application has been successful, (b) how many objections were submitted and (c) if an objection was submitted by the local education authority. [23126]

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which grant-maintained schools have applied for a change of character; and what was her decision in each case. [23128]

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the Acts of Parliament, and the statutory instruments in force arising therefrom, relating to(a) standards for premises for nursery education, (b) qualifications of nursery school teachers, (c) training and qualifications of nursery assistants and (d) ratios of (i) qualified teachers and (ii) assistants to pupils in nursery education. [23101]

  Mr. Forth
  The standards for premises at maintained schools attended by nursery pupils are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 made under the Education Act 1944.

  The qualifications required of teachers employed at maintained nursery schools are governed by the Education (Teachers) Regulations 1993 made under the Education Reform Act 1988.

  There are no statutory requirements for staff-pupil ratios and nursery assistant qualifications in maintained nursery schools and classes. Guidance on such matters is given in the Children Act 1989 guidance.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps her Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being utilised by her Department; and if her Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies. [23458]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has a code of good practice for all users of analogue mobile phones, which includes advice received from British Telecom about security and password protection. The Department has started to purchase the latest digital technology mobile phones, which British Telecom states cannot be cloned.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what costs her Department has incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being utilised by her Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls. [23494]

  Mr. Forth
  No costs have been incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones.

  Mr. Donhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what use her Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to her Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23437]

  Mr. Forth
  Mobile telephones have been in use in the Department since 1990. Currently, 115 mobiles are held at annual rental of £31,050 plus calls charges. No central record of call charges is available. Last year, 100 mobiles were held at an annual rental of £27,000 plus. Minimal use is made of car-based mobile telephones.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many mobile telephones being utilised by her Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23502]

  Mr. Forth
  No mobile telephones have been cloned during the last 12 months.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations her Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile phones. [23397]

  Mr. Forth
  Cloning of mobile phones has not been a problem for the Department. No representations have been made to the Department of Trade and Industry.

WALES

  Psychiatry Beds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a table showing the number of elderly mental illness beds in each of the district general hospital areas of Wales. [21587]

  Mr. Richards
  The following table lists those NHS trusts and directly managed units which had, at 31 March 1994, a district general hospital and beds allocated to old-age psychiatry.
  371

  NHS Trust/Management Unit

  Beds allocated to old age psychiatry at 31 March 1994

  Bridgend and District NHS Trust

  158

  Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust

  5

  Llandough Hospital NHS Trust

  37

  Merthyr Cynon Health Unit

  61

  University Hospital of Wales/Cardiff Royal Infirmary Group of Hospitals

  58

  Administration Costs
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs of each education authority in Wales and the number of school pupils for which each education authority was responsible in the year ended 31 March. [21790]

  Mr. Richards
  The latest available information on administrative costs and pupil numbers for each local education authority are given in the table. Administration costs refer to all education services administered by local authorities, including continuing education and the youth service. Pupil numbers refer only to pupils of maintained primary, secondary and special schools. Information on administrative staff numbers, for individual local authorities, is not held centrally.

  Local Education Authority gross expenditure on Administration and Inspection 1993–941

  Staff costs2 £000

  Total3 £000

  Pupil numbers4

  Clwyd

  2,189

  8,413

  62,107

  Dyfed

  3,879

  7,945

  56,525

  Gwent

  2,105

  7,252

  72,947

  Gwynedd

  1,849

  4,781

  35,059

  Mid Glamorgan

  4,930

  11,321

  97,187

  Powys

  990

  2,072

  18,725

  South Glamorgan

  2,376

  3,722

  65,468

  West Glamorgan

  2,022

  4,918

  58,482

  Total Wales

  20,340

  50,424

  466,500

  1 Provisional outturn.

  2 Includes teaching, education support, premises related, administrative, clerical and other staff within the education management and support services sector.

  3 Includes expenditure on service strategy and regulation, management and administration and the inspection and advisory services within the education management and support services sector.

  4 Full-time equivalents at January 1994. Excludes grant-maintained schools.

  Brucellosis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of brucellosis have occurred in each year since 1985. [21820]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The only years since 1985 in which there were confirmed brucellosis cattle herd breakdowns are as follows: 1985 four; 1986 eight; 1987 one; and 1993 one.

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total compensation paid to farmers for loss of earnings and clean-up of radioactive contamination on Welsh farms arising from the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. [22026]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The sheep compensation scheme was introduced in July 1986 to compensate farmers whose enterprises had been disrupted as a result of movement and slaughter restrictions and other effects of the Chernobyl accident. The total paid out under the scheme in Wales up to the end of March 1995 is £7,524,272. Most of this sum has been compensation for costs associated with monitoring and marking animals before movement under consent.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farms in Wales are still affected by restriction notices imposed due to radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986; and what land area these farms constitute as a percentage of available farmland in Wales. [22017]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A review of the number of holdings now affected by post-Chernobyl restrictions, and of the extent to which those holdings are affected, was recently undertaken to assess the effects of recent derestrictions and the numerous changes in land ownership and tenure which have occurred during the past nine years.

  The outcome of the review shows that 196 holdings now remain wholly affected by restrictions. A further 247 holdings are partially affected by virtue of their having access to some land inside the restricted area; this includes those holdings which have grazing rights within the area whether they are taken up or not, and those holdings which have some land, whether leased, owned or rented, within the restricted area. These figures will be subjected to future variation because of the frequent and often significant changes which will inevitably continue to occur in land ownership, tenure and occupation, including factors such as amalgamations and fragmentation of holdings.

  Restrictions now cover about 160,000 acres which represents about 4 per cent. of agricultural land in Wales.

  Farmers and Farm Workers
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of(a) farmers and (b) farm workers for each year since 1988, giving the figures as a percentage of the Welsh population. [21859]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Farmers and farm workers in Wales, 1988 to 1994:

  Farmers1

  Farm workers2

  Total percentage

  As a percentage of total

  Total population3

  As a population of total

  1988

  34,854

  1.22

  30,992

  1.09

  1989

  35,309

  1.23

  30,273

  1.06

  1990

  35,046

  1.22

  29,992

  1.04

  1991

  34,248

  1.18

  30,341

  1.05

  1992

  35,115

  1.21

  29,819

  1.03

  373

  Farmers1

  Farm workers2

  Total population3

  As a percentage of total

  Total population3

  As a percentage of total

  1993

  35,977

  1.24

  29,149

  1.00

  1994

  35,278

  1.21

  28,484

  0.98

  Source:

  June Agricultural Census, OPCS and Government Actuary's Department.

  Notes:

  1 Whole-time and part-time farmers, partners and directors working on the farm holding at the time of the Agricultural Census.

  2 All other persons working on the farm holding, including spouses of farmers, of partners and of directors, but excluding trainees on Government scheme.

  3 From 1988 to 1993, the Registrar General's mid-year estimate of usually resident population. The 1994 figure is the Government Actuary's Department's 1992-based projection of usually resident population.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with health trusts concerning the matter of finance; and if he will make a statement. [22114]

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the chairmen of NHS trusts periodically to discuss a range of issues, including finance.

  Nursery Education
  Mr Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning nursery education and if he will make a statement. [22116]

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear last October that the Government are committed to making available a nursery place for every four-year-old whose parents want to take it up. We are considering carefully how to deliver that commitment in Wales and will consult widely on proposals.

  Livestock Diseases
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many cases of foot and mouth disease occurred in each year since 1978; [22178]

  (2) how many cases of epizootic lymphangitis occurred in each year since 1985; [22182]

  (3) how many cases of pleuro-pneumonia occurred in each year since 1985. [22168]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of(a) men and (b) women aged 40 and over who are out of work. [22810]

  Mr. Redwood
  In January 1995, the numbers of males and females aged 40 and over, who were in the unemployment claimant count in Wales were 27,076 and 7,925 respectively.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the total extra money required to be allocated to local education 374
  authorities in Wales to ensure class sizes throughout of 30. [22807]

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend has made no such assessment. Class sizes are a matter for individual schools to determine.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number and species of birds of prey poisoned in each year since 1987. [22364]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information held by the Department on the number and species of birds of prey poisoned in Wales since 1987 is as follows:

  Red Kite

  Buzzard

  Peregrin Falcon

  1987

  —

  1

  1

  1988

  —

  1

  —

  1989

  7

  5

  1

  1990

  —

  1

  —

  1991

  1

  1

  —

  1992

  6

  1

  —

  1993

  3

  4

  —

  1994

  2

  1

  2

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22561]

  Mr. Redwood
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity of expenditure or one of value for money, the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  Details of the two cases where such an instruction was given to my Department's accounting officer were set out in my reply of 23 March 1994 to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) Official Report, column 317. There have been no subsequent cases.

  All such instructions are now reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General, who after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate will report his findings to the Public Accounts Committee.

  S4C
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what information he has received from(a) departmental surveys and (b) S4C on the proportion of Welsh speakers that watches Welsh language television; and if he will make a statement. [22828]

  Mr. Richards
  The Welsh social survey, which was conducted in 1992, showed that 81.5 per cent. of Welsh speakers watched S4C regularly or sometimes. S4C's annual report for 1993 indicated that independent audience measurement carried out by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board showed that, on average, 84 per cent. of Welsh speakers watched S4C at some point in any given week.

  Medium Secure Units
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list by regional health authority and by district health authority the current number of beds in medium secure units run by health authorities; what were the figures for each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [23513]

  Mr. Richards
  There are 19 medium secure beds available in the Caswell clinic, Glanrhyd hospital, Bridgend, which is the only such NHS facility operational within Wales. An extension to the facility is to be officially opened in June of this year and will subsequently increase the provision to 33 beds.

  In north Wales, planning approval to develop a purpose-built, 25-bed medium secure unit at Llanfairfechan was obtained on 9 November 1994. The facility is expected to open in the first half of 1997.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Private Finance
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22795]

  Mr. Dorrell
  My Departments operates mainly through its many sponsored bodies and agencies and undertakes little capital expenditure on its own account. Its effort is therefore largely devoted to encouraging those whom it sponsors to exploit to the full in their own capital programmes the opportunities of the private finance initiative. I estimate that the cost of the promotional effort across my Department is about £65,000.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many times, and on which date, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22554]

  Mr. Dorrell
  There have been no occasions on which such action has been taken since the establishment of my Department in April 1992.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for what reasons a sculpture by Antonio Canova and a painting by Albrecht Altdorfer, were omitted from the list given in his written answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 8 March,Official Report, columns 177–78, on the progress of cases relating to the export of works of art; and if he will make a statement on the status of these items. [23168]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The answer given on 8 March included only those items where the decision to withhold the issue of an export licence had been taken during the half year ended 31 December 1994.

  The sculpture "The Three Graces" by Antonio Canova was referred to in a reply to the hon. Member on 18 January 1994, Official Report, columns 497–98. The subsequent decision, taken in the half year ended 30 June 1994, was detailed in Parliamentary Command paper
  376
  2710, the fortieth report of the Reviewing Committee. The sculpture has been acquired jointly by the Victoria and Albert museum and the National Galleries of Scotland.

  A decision on the painting "The Adoration of the Magi" by Albrecht Altdorfer was taken during January 1995. An export licence has been issued for this painting.

  A Departmental press release of 30 March 1995 included these two cases as it is the practice to publicise details of all cases where decisions on export licence applications have been deferred.

  S4C
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what criteria he uses in considering whether S4C is proving a satisfactory service to the people of Wales and whether S4C is being managed effectively and in a satisfactory manner. [22827]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Welsh Fourth Channel Authority has the duty under the Broadcasting Act 1990 to ensure that S4C provides a satisfactory service. My Department needs to be satisfied that S4C has suitable arrangements in place to ensure that its financial systems are sufficient to safeguard public funds and that voted expenditure is being used for the purposes set out in the Act.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library copies of the S4C's corporate strategy and its most recent operational plan. [22823]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am arranging for copies of S4C's 1995 business plan to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all discussions or correspondence with S4C, at ministerial or official level, since 31 March 1994, concerning staffing levels, remuneration and staff grading. [22824]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Staffing levels, remuneration and staff grading are matters for S4C which reports to Parliament each year through its annual report and accounts. I have had no discussions or correspondence on these topics.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with S4C on the implications for S4C of the recent Welsh Office social survey on television viewing habits; and if he will make a statement. [22826]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have had no such discussions with S4C. It is for S4C, if it wishes, to draw any lessons for the Welsh Office social survey to inform their programming decisions.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will inquire into the relationship between S4C and Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru to assess whether the arrangements for funding TAC and its training and sponsorship affiliates are an appropriate use of S4C's programme funds. [22817]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The financial and other relationships between S4C and Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru form part of the terms of reference of the study my Department has commissioned from Mr. John Beastall.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions in the last year he has formally met the chairman of S4C to discuss the affairs of the authority. [22637]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have formally met the chairman of S4C once in the last year.
  377
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all meetings between his Department and officials of S4C since January 1994. [22635]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Since January 1994, my Department has held formal meetings with S4C on three occasions: 16 March 1994, 1 July 1994 and 8 March 1995. My officials responsible for broadcasting matters are, of course, in regular contact with S4C.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list by grade those of his officials whose duties are related solely to S4C. [22638]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no officials whose duties are related solely to S4C.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list by grade the staff in his Department whose duties involve S4C who are able to conduct their responsibilities through the medium of Welsh. [22636]

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no staff whose duties involve S4C who are able to conduct their responsibilities through the medium of Welsh.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultation(a) his Department and (b) the Welsh Language Board had with the S4C Authority before S4C's service provision was split; and what was the statutory basis of the decision. [22650]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Welsh Fourth Channel Authority was established under the Broadcasting Act 1980, and now operates as S4C under the Broadcasting Act 1990. The Government undertook wide consultation prior to the introduction of legislation on both occasions. One of the S4C's statutory duties is to ensure that a substantial proportion of the programmes that it broadcasts are in Welsh and the programmes broadcast between 6.30pm and 1 Opm each day consist mainly of programmes in Welsh. How it carries out this remit is an editorial matter for S4C.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the staffing levels of S4C at 31 March in each year since 1991 and on 31 December 1994. [22825]

  Mr. Dorrell
  S4C publishes figures for the average number of employees in each calender year in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are laid before Parliament and are in the Library of the House. Figures for the last four years are as follows

  1991: 116

  1992: 108

  1993: 199

  1994: 127

  The 1994 annual report and accounts have not yet been published.

  Business Sponsorship Incentive Scheme
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the costs of the investigations instigated by his Department into the alleged misuse of the BS1S for matching private and public funds for the support of the arts. [23014]

  Mr. Dorrell
  The investigation was carried out by Mr. John Beastall, who is a Treasury civil servant. My Department is responsible for travel costs arising from his study. The cost of these is expected to amount to £320.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on investigations 378
  (a) instigated and (b) evaluated by his Department into the alleged misuse of the BSIS for matching private and public funds for the support of the arts. [23015]

  Mr. Dorrell
  My Department has received the report which I announced on 27 February had been commissioned from Mr. John Beastall,Official Report, column 680. Once the findings have been evaluated, I shall make his report available to the House.

  Mr. Beastall was asked in his review to take account of reports received by my Department from the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts and from the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority, S4C. He has also drawn on an examination of the relevant records and a series of interviews with staff of S4C and the companies and organisations involved in the applications, conducted, at S4C's request, by Grant Thornton, S4C's auditors.

  Churchill Papers
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the names of foreign organisations or individuals who have been(a) negotiating with the trustees or (b) bidding for the Churchill Trust Papers over the past five years. [22945]

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for the Churchill family trustees.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will publish the legal advice he has received on the ownership of copyright of the Churchill papers; [22120]

  (2) when his Department began inquiries into the ownership of copyright of the Churchill papers; and at what cost in legal advice and action; [22121]

  (3) what advice he has taken on the ownership of copyright of the Churchill papers. [22122]

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 May 1995]: The Government have received advice that copyright in state papers belongs to the Crown. It has also been advised that it does not own the copyright in the non-state papers in the Churchill archive.

  The Government took advice on these subjects in July 1991 and again in May 1994. The advice cost £3,100 exclusive of VAT.

  Cinema Ownership
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to promote diversity in the ownership of cinemas in the United Kingdom. [21990]

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is not the government's policy to interfere in the ownership of private companies, except in circumstances defined in legislation.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the target, expressed in percentage terms, for female membership of the boards of his Department's sponsored bodies. [20994]

  Mr. Dorrell
  My Department hopes to achieve its goal of 35 per cent. representation of women on its public bodies by September 1996.

  European Football Championship
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 28 April,Official Report, column 738, on the European football championship, by whom supporting programmes of cultural events are being drawn up. [22532]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Supporting events are being planned by, among others, host local authorities and regional arts boards—in liaison with the Football Association, regional tourist boards and the British Tourist Authority, and the English tourist board.

  Television Licence Reminder Forms
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the BBC licence fee unit regarding the possible changes in the television licence reminder forms; and if he will make a statement. [22924]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under the Broadcasting Act 1990, responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the television licensing system passed to the BBC with effect from 1 April 1991. It is therefore for the BBC to determine the content and presentation of the television licence reminder forms it uses.

  National Lottery
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a small regional charity designed to assist children to take up dancing courses past the age of 16, may be eligible for assistance from the national lottery; and if he will make a statement about dance. [22633]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Any dance organisation which meets the criteria set out in the guidance for applicants for national lottery proceeds issued by the four national Arts Councils can apply to one of those bodies for financial assistance.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Court Escort Service
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list escapes from the court escort service in(a) London and (b) England and Wales in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985, (iii) 1990 and (iv) the last year for which figures are available. [21895]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for a list of escapes from the Court Escort Service in (a) London and (b) England and Wales in (i) 1979, (ii) 1985, (iii) 1990 and (iv) the last year for which figures are available.
  The Court Escort Service started escorting prisoners in England and Wales (Area 7—East Midlands and Humberside) from 5 April 1993 and in London (Metropolitan) from 27 June 1994. The Metropolitan Court Escort Service is being phased in and is not yet fully implemented.
  380
  The information for the last year available (5 April 1994–31 March 1995) is given below:

  Period

  Escort Service Area

  Number of Escapes

  5 April 1994–31 March 1995

  Area 7

  13

  27 June 1994–31 March 1995

  Metropolitan

  2

  Figures exclude prisoners recaptured within 15 minutes provided no further offences has been committed.

  Information about escapes from police forces in earlier years is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Training
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the content of training provided to officials in the admission and asylum procedure with respect to(a) knowledge of international legal instruments, (b) asylum law, (c) humanitarian law, with particular reference to the Geneva convention and protocols, (d) language skills, (e) interview techniques, (f) inter-cultural training and (g) other matters. [22743]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: The power to grant or refuse passengers leave to enter the United Kingdom is exercised by immigration officers. However, the determination of asylum claims is entirely a matter for officers in the asylum division of the Home Office who receive training based on the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 protocol. Training regularly addresses most of the issues listed. Language skills are not required as interpreters are used when necessary.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of personnel are recruited to train officials in admission and asylum procedure; how they are recruited; and if he will make a statement on the training methods and materials used. [22744]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: Trainers are recruited internally by competitive selection. Essential qualities include well developed inter-personal and communication skills coupled with detailed knowledge and experience of the appropriate subject matter. The methodology and materials used vary according to circumstances, and include role play, classroom presentations and video.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent training of officials in the admission and asylum procedures is carried out by a training institution; and how training is organised. [22745]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: Training is delivered by immigration and nationality department staff trainers experienced in asylum related work. There is a continuing programme of courses and specialist seminars, with contributions from outside organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the objectives set for the training of border officials in dealing with asylum-seekers and refugees as set out in(a) legislative tests, (b) regulations, (c) guidelines and (d) other documents. [22746]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: The objectives of immigration officer training in asylum work are to:

  381

  (a) familiarise officers with the general principles of the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

  (b) instruct them in the relevant immigration rules and legislation.

  (c) inform them of the procedures to adopt when interviewing applicants, referring applications to the asylum division and implementing asylum decisions.

  (d) ensure that consistently high standards of professionalism and courtesy are maintained when dealing with asylum applicants, as with any other category of passenger.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the category of officials who may come into contact with asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom; [22747]

  (2) if he will list the categories of officials who have been assigned a specific role in the admission and asylum procedure. [22749]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answers 5 May 1995]: Passengers arriving in the United Kingdom are examined by an immigration officer in accordance with the Immigration Act 1971. Passengers who apply for asylum will be interviewed initially by an immigration officer. All such cases will then be referred to the asylum division of the Home Office for determination of the asylum claim.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial resources were devoted to the training of officials in admission and asylum procedures in the current and previous financial years; and what is the percentage change. [22752]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In any event, asylum training is an integral part of the immigration and nationality department training programme and to separate the costs from the overall training expenditure would be misleading.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how officials who have been assigned a specific role in the admission and asylum procedure are recruited; and what is the minimum level of education required. [22748]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 5 May 1995]: For external recruitment of executive and immigration officers, advertisements are placed in the national press, and selection is by fair and open competition on merit.

  Applications for entry clearance made by visitors, students and others for temporary purposes received, granted and refused, by post, 1993–94

  1993

  1994

  Post where application was made

  January-June

  July-December

  Year

  January-June

  July-December

  Year

  New Delhi

  Applications received

  19,360

  16,190

  35,540

  23,140

  18,500

  41,640

  Granted (total)2

  16,860

  13,630

  30,500

  19,480

  15,190

  34,670

  Initially refused

  1,180

  2,050

  3,230

  3,440

  3,300

  6,740

  Bombay

  Applications received

  20,500

  15,420

  35,930

  24,140

  17,210

  41,360

  Granted (total)2

  18,470

  13,890

  32,360

  22,180

  15,970

  38,150

  Initially refused

  1,910

  1,350

  3,250

  1,760

  1,020

  2,780

  382
  Minimum educational qualifications are five GCSE/GCE passes at grade C and above, including English Language, of which two must be at A-level.

  Commission for Racial Equality
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names, qualifications and the relevant background of members of the Commission for Racial Equality, with their dates of appointment and tenure. [22575]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The posts of commissioner at the Commission for Racial Equality are the personal appointment of the Home Secretary. They are initially appointed for a two-year period with the possibility of further extensions up to a total of five years. The current commissioners are:

  Name

  Appointed

  Until

  Mr. Herman Ouseley

  19.04.93

  18.04.98

  Mr. Aubrey Rose

  01.11.90

  31.10.95

  Dr. Michael Chan

  01.11.90

  31.10.95

  Mr. Ranjit Sondhi

  15.11.90

  14.11.95

  Dr. Raj Chandran

  01.01.93

  31.12.96

  Mr. Michael Hastings

  01.05.93

  30.04.97

  Mr. Bob Purkiss

  01.05.93

  30.04.97

  Dr. Dwain Neil

  01.05.93

  30.04.97

  Mrs. Marie Cunningham

  01.05.03

  30.04.97

  Dr. Zaka Khan

  01.05.93

  30.04.97

  Mrs. Zahida Manzoor

  22.11.93

  31.03.97

  Mr. Moussa Jogee

  01.09.94

  31.08.95

  Mr. Hugh Harris

  01.01.95

  31.12.96

  Mrs. Jaslien Singh

  01.01.95

  31.12.96

  Detail of commissioners' backgrounds are set out in the Commission for Racial Equality's annual reports, the most recent of which will be published on 6 June; a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Entry Clearance
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visit entry clearance were(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused at the British post in (i) New Delhi, (ii) Bombay, (iii) Dhaka, (iv) Islamabad, (v) Colombo, (vi) Calcutta, (vii) Madras and (viii) Karachi in (1) January to June 1993, (2) July to December 1993, (3) January to June 1994 and (4) July to December or the latest convenient date in 1994. [22641]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information is given in the table.
  383

  Applications for entry clearance made by visitors, students and others for temporary purposes received, granted and refused, by post, 1993–94

  1993

  1994

  Post where application was made

  January-June

  July-December

  Year

  January-June

  July-December

  Year

  Calcutta

  Applications received

  3,610

  3,090

  6,700

  4,210

  3,230

  7,430

  Granted (total)2

  3,430

  2,930

  6,360

  4,090

  3,110

  7,200

  Initially refused

  150

  90

  240

  50

  80

  130

  Madras

  Applications received

  5,510

  4,600

  10,110

  6,750

  5,880

  12,630

  Granted (total)2

  5,390

  4,460

  9,860

  6,660

  5,790

  12,450

  Initially refused

  90

  120

  210

  80

  70

  150

  Islamabad

  Applications received

  16,800

  17,400

  34,210

  15,270

  20,100

  35,360

  Granted (total)2

  12,370

  12,890

  25,260

  11,480

  13,630

  25,110

  Initially refused

  3,030

  3,550

  6,580

  2,830

  4,330

  7,170

  Karachi

  Applications received

  12,460

  11,490

  23,940

  14,290

  14,170

  28,460

  Granted (total)2

  10,640

  9,680

  20,330

  11,770

  11,380

  23,150

  Initially refused

  980

  1,130

  2,100

  1,050

  1,350

  2,400

  Dhaka

  Applications received

  6,890

  7,700

  14,590

  7,220

  8,560

  15,780

  Granted (total)2

  5,470

  5,890

  11,360

  5,160

  6,180

  11,350

  Initially refused

  1,410

  1,730

  3,140

  1,890

  2,250

  4,140

  Colombo

  Applications received

  5,050

  4,860

  9,910

  5,160

  5,840

  11,000

  Granted (total)2

  n/a

  n/a

  7,940

  n/a

  n/a

  7,610

  Initially refused

  470

  410

  870

  300

  520

  820

  1 Includes applications subsequently withdrawn.

  2 Granted initially or on appeal.

  3 Only partial information is available for Colombo.

  n/a Not available.

  Police Cells
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoner nights were spent in police cells in(a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available; and on what date he expects to eliminate the use of police cells. [21268]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many prisoner nights were spent in police cells in (a) 1979, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) the last year for which figures are available; and the date on which it is expected that the use of police cells will be eliminated.
  Figures for the number of prisoners held in police cells have been collected centrally since 1980. The information available on how many prisoner nights were spent in police cells for 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1994 is given in the following table:

  Year

  Number of prisoner nights spent in police cells

  1980

  235,425

  1985

  16,425

  1990

  241,835

  1994

  54,277

  384
  The use of police cells is currently confined to the north west of England. The provision of 260 new places at Buckley Hall prison on 1 May and the return to use, following refurbishment, of a further 217 places at Manchester by 28 May, should end the use of police cells this summer.

  Ethnic Minority Prisoners
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special health and medical arrangements the Prison Service has in relation to ethnic minority prisoners. [23090]

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

  Letter from Mr. Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about special health and medical arrangements in relation to ethnic minority prisoners.
  The Prison Service is committed to eliminating racial discrimination in all aspects of its work. Medical officers are required under the race relations policy to ensure equality of access to all health care facilities for all inmates.
  more than 50 per cent. of prison medical officers are from ethnic minorities.
  If there are language differences which make communication difficult, prison medical officers are able to make use of the translation service which is available to governors. In establishments

  385
  with large numbers of foreign detainees, multi-lingual picture card materials are available which provide symptoms, signs, medical conditions and medical symptoms to facilitate understanding.

  European Economic Area Nationals
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 158, if he will account for the differences in the numbers of EEA nationals required to leave given in that answer and in the answer of 22 June 1994 to the hon. Member -for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), Official Report, column 173. [23025]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The written answer given to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), on 22 June 1994 at columns 172–73 contained a mis-print. The figure of "108" in column 173 should have read "280". The error was not noted in time for the Official Report to be corrected, but I wrote to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North on 24 November 1994 informing him of the printing error. A copy of my letter was placed in the Library. The figures contained in my reply of 23 November were correct for the period April to December 1993.

  Prevention of Terrorism (Exclusion Orders)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts have been in existence in each month of the past year; and when the most recent one was approved by him. [23040]

  Mr. Howard
  The information requested is as follows:

  Exclusion orders made under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989: the number in force at the end of each month

  Month

  Orders made by Home Secretary

  Orders made by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  1994

  May

  72

  9

  June

  72

  9

  July

  70

  10

  August

  67

  10

  September

  64

  10

  October

  62

  10

  November

  61

  10

  December

  58

  10

  1995

  January

  57

  10

  February

  54

  0

  March

  40

  0

  April

  40

  0

  The most recent order was made on 16 January 1995 on the expiry of an order which was already in force.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22716]

  Mr. Howard
  Work associated with the private finance initiative is undertaken by Home Office staff as part of their normal duties. Separate information on this aspect of 386
  their work is not available. Resources allocated specifically to overseeing and developing the initiative amount to 0.002 per cent. of my Department's budget.

  Liquor Licences, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the number of late licences issued by Durham magistrates over the last three years, (b) the organisations granted the licences, (c) the length of time of the extension, (d) the special occasion for which the licences were issued and (e) the number of applications which have been refused. [22581]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We understand from the clerk of the justices at Durham magistrates court that the numbers of special orders for exemption granted by the court in the last three years are:

  1992: 543

  1993: 218

  1994: 284

  The clerk also informs us that the other information requested, which is not available centrally, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, but that most special orders of exemption granted by Durham magistrates court to extend evening licensing hours run until 11.30 pm.

  Rape
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rape cases were heard in courts in England and Wales during each of the last three years. [22376]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of defendants prosecuted for rape offences is published annually in "Criminal statistics England and Wales Supplementary tables, Volume 1, Proceedings in magistrates' courts". Table S 1.1(A) refers to it. The most recent edition is for 1993. The 1994 data will be available in the autumn.

  Deportation
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to who has the responsibility for(a) men and (b) women who have served their prison sentence and are detained by the immigration services in prison awaiting deportation orders. [22378]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Prison Service is responsible for the day-to-day care of such detainees and the immigration service is responsible for reviewing the continued need for detention, the handling of the caseworkassociated with the making of a deportation order and making arrangements for removal from the United Kingdom, but the overall responsibility rests with the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  Hunger Strikes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) men and (b) women who had been on hunger strike in prisons in England and Wales for more than 14 days on 17 April. [22205]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison
  387
  Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of men and women who had been on hunger strike in prisons in England and Wales for more than 14 days on 17 April.
  There was only one male prisoner who had been on hunger strike for over 14 days on that date.

  Action Against Crime
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent producing his Department's recent Action Against Crime packs; and how many were produced. [22266]

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 24 April,Official Report, column 385.

  Smoking
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities are provided and arrangements made for the well-being and comfort of staff who(a) smoke and (b) do not wish to be affected by smoking at (i) the work-station and (ii) rest, recreation and refreshment facilities at 50 Queen Anne's gate, London. [21911]

  Mr. Howard
  At 50 Queen Anne's gate smoking is not allowed in lifts, toilets and conference rooms. There is a small smoking area in the staff restaurant. The extent to which smoking is allowed in offices is a matter for heads of divisions, taking into account the individual preferences of their staff.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21527]

  Mr. Howard
  My Department is committed to ensuring that all staff are treated fairly and have an equal opportunity to contribute to the office's work. This stems not only from considerations of equity, but from the need to ensure that the Department makes the best use of the qualities that its staff possess.

  To this end, the Department works towards implementing the three programmes for action produced by the Cabinet Office—Office of Public Service and Science—which cover issues of race, gender and disability and provide a framework for departmental policy on equal opportunities.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [21529]

  Mr. Howard
  The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action 388
  agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the fourth UN conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so.

  Material on equal opportunities is incorporated in the Home Office annual report each year.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21528]

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

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21526]

  Mr. Howard
  I have overall responsibility for personnel matters in the Department, including equal opportunities for staff. Other Ministers deal with equal opportunities issues as they arise within the subject areas for which they are responsible.

  Fazakerley and Bridgend Prisons
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what financial penalties he proposes to build into the contracts for Fazakerley and Bridgend prisons which could be invoked if, by a decision of Government, the contracts were terminated; [21221]

  (2) if he will place copies of the tender documents and proposed contract documents from Fazakerley and Bridgend prisons in the Library; [21219]

  (3) if he will list the types of circumstances in which the successful tendering for the operation of Fazakerley and Bridgend prisons under the terms of the proposed contracts can be held to be in breach of contract; [21223]

  (4) what review periods and at what frequency he proposes to build into the proposed contracts for Bridgend and Fazakerley prisons; [21218]

  (5) what duration he proposes to put on the contracts for Fazakerley and Bridgend prisons; [21222]

  (6) what financial or other kinds of penalties he proposes to build into the contracts for operating Bridgend and Fazakerley prisons; penalties could be invoked. [21220]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the contracts for the prisons to be built at Fazakerley and Bridgend.
  Evaluation of the bids to design, construct, manage and finance the prisons at Fazakerley and Bridgend has not yet been completed and, therefore, it is not yet possible to set out the exact terms and

  389
  conditions relating to performance and termination that will be included in the final contract.
  However, the Prison Service has proposed that the contracts should be for the provision of a custodial service for 25 years. Also, the Authority will retain the right to terminate the contracts both voluntarily and in the event of default by the contractor. A system of performance measurement will be included in the final contracts, providing the ability to penalise the contractor for sub-standard performance. The financial settlement due in respect of any of the
  390
  above events is still a matter included in the above negotiations, but the invitation to tender described the amount to be paid on termination for default as whichever is the lesser sum of the value of the project to the contractor or the contractor's loan liabilities at the time.
  I have arranged for a copy of the invitation to tender to be placed in the library, and shall arrange for a copy of the final unpriced version of the contracts to be placed in the library when the have been signed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance Recording System
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who will own the data following the letting of the contract for the national insurance recording system number 2; and if he will make a statement. [22577]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Secretary of State for Social Security will remain the owner of all data held within the national insurance recording system—NIRS2. Custodianship and management of the data are delegated to the Contributions Agency, which directs the service provider in all matters connected to content and use of NIRS2 data.

  Income Support
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the savings to the Exchequer from the lowest rate of income support benefit payable to those aged between 18 and 25 years. [22407]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The current annual cost of raising the income support rate for 18 to 24-year-olds to that payable for single people aged 25 and above would be about £240 million.

  Notes:

  1. The figure is based on the 1990, 1991, 1992 family expenditure surveys, uprated to 1995–96 prices and benefit levels.

  2. The figure includes the additional cost of linked increases in housing benefit and council tax benefit.

  Social Security Benefits
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on departmental policy, or performance targets relating to benefit payments made to claimants who are patients detained under the Mental Health Acts and on leave of absence from hospital with particular reference to whether they are entitled to receive full entitlement to state benefits as soon as they leave hospital; what reassessment they undergo on leaving hospital; who is responsible for informing his Department that a patient so detained is on leave of absence from hospital; what reductions are made to the level of state benefits of patients so detained; and whether detained patients allowed leave of absence from hospital for rehabilitation receive lower benefits than the level to which they had been entitled before they were detained. [22131]

  Mr. Hague
  With the exception of people transferred to hospital from prison while still under sentence, people detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Acts are treated in the same way as any other person in hospital. The effect of a period in hospital on the main benefits likely to be in payment to a patient are detailed in the table. Provided that the person still satisfies the conditions of entitlement, benefits are normally restored in full when a person leaves hospital—whether on leave or permanently. No other re-assessment is needed unless the person's general circumstances have changed.
  392
  It is the responsibility of the individual to tell the Department when he leaves hospital.

  Weeks

  4

  Attendance allowance and disability living allowance (care component) withdrawn.

  Severe disability premium in income support withdrawn.

  6

  Retirement pension, widow's benefit, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance reduced by £11.75 for a person with a dependant, or £23.50 for a person without a department.

  Income support reduced to £14.70 for a single person and by £11.75 where the patient is one of a couple.

  52

  Retirement pension, widow's benefit, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance reduced by £11.75 for a person with a dependant and reduced to £11.75 for a person without a dependant.

  Income support reduced to £11.75. Members of a couple must make separate claims.

  Note:

  Periods in hospital punctuated by periods of leave of four weeks or less are aggregated.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his Departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22565]

  Mr. Hague
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money, the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  All such instructions are reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his findings to the Committee of Public Accounts.

  No such directions have been issued as stated by the Secretary of State in his reply to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, (Mr. Rowlands) on 24 February 1994, Official Report, column 372.

  Mortgage Interest
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money his Department expects to save as the result of the new regulations relating to assistance for mortgage interest payments; and what they estimate is the average saving per claimant. [23026]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Social Security Advisory Committee has consulted widely on the proposals for changes to assistance with mortgage interest payments, and I expect to receive its report shortly. The financial effects will depend on the final details of the scheme, which will not be decided until I have studied its report.

  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received assistance with
  393
  mortgage interest payments in each year since 1990; and what is the current average level of assistance, by standard economic region. [23028]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the likely effect of his proposed changes to housing benefit rules, which take effect from October, on those living in housing association-owned special needs hostels and sheltered housing for the elderly. [23079]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stockport (Ms Coffey) on 2 May,Official Report, column 165.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding his proposed changes to housing benefit rules, which take effect from October; and if he will make a statement. [23080]

  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 1995. We have also formally consulted the local authority associations, from which we have received representations. In addition, we have received representations from other interested parties, including the National Federation of Housing Associations, the Chartered Institute of Housing and the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux, as well as individuals.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations his Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones. [23478]

  Mr. Hague
  None

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps his Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being utilised by his Department; and if his Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies; [23463]

  (2) what costs his Department has incurred during the last 12 Months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being utilised by his Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls; [23497]

  (3) what use his Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23454]

  Mr. Hague
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly on these matters.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mobile telephones being utilised by 394
  his Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23500]

  Mr. Hague
  Ten.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Treasury revenue in a full year of raising the upper earnings limit for national insurance by(a) £5, (b) £10 and (c) £15. [23346]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is estimated that, for 1995–96, the additional income from class 1 employee contributions and class 4 self-employed contributions would be:

  (a) £55 million

  (b) £115 million

  (c) £165 million

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Treasury revenue in a full year of raising the lower earnings limit for national insurance to the level of the personal tax allowance; and how many people would be taken out of national insurance by this measure. [23347]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is estimated that there would be a reduction in national insurance contributions of about £500 million in a full year and that about 500,000 people would be removed from the coverage of the national insurance scheme.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is his estimate of the cost, in each of the years 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99, of reinstating contributory jobseeker's allowance for a period of 312 days in respect of(a) people who are registered disabled, (b) people who move from incapacity benefit to sign on as unemployed and (c) people who place restrictions on their availability for work because of their physical or mental condition. [21601]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [holding answer Friday 28 April]: Extending the period of contribution-based jobseeker's allowance to 312 days, in respect of people who move from incapacity benefit as a result of the new medical test, would bring costs of £10 million in 1996–97, £15 million in 1997–98, and from £10 million in 1998–99.

  No information is available relating to the proportion of unemployed claimants who are registered disabled. It is not possible to estimate the number of claimants likely to agree restrictions on their availability for work because of their physical or mental condition under jobseeker's allowance.

  Notes:

  1. Assumes 2.4 million unemployed and an unemployment benefit caseload of 500,000 in 1997–98 if jobseeker's allowance had not been introduced.

  2. Figures rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  3. Figures make no allowance for any possible claims deterrent effect of the new medical test in incapacity benefit.

  4. Estimates made using data from the 1990–91–92 family expenditure surveys uprated to 1994–95 and benefit rates.

  Social Fund
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has received the Social Security Advisory Committee's report on his proposals for changes to the social fund funeral payments scheme; and if he will make a statement. [19209]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 April 1995, c. 1231]: I can confirm that the Social Security Advisory Committee's report, and the Secretary of State for Social Security's response to it, have been laid before Parliament today along with amending regulations for a new social fund funeral payment scheme which take effect from 5 June.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many absent parents have received an interim assessment from the Child Support Agency since its inception; [21793]

  (2) how many absent parents who have received an interim assessment from the Child Support Agency since its inception have subsequently become (a) unemployed and (b) recipients of income support; [21794]

  (3) what steps the Government are taking to monitor the relationship between Child Support Agency interim assessment orders and subsequent unemployment. [21795]

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 5 May 1995:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Interim Maintenance Assessments (IMA) issued by the Child Support Agency.
  Since launch to the end of February 1995 the Agency completed and issued a total of 133,167 IMAs. From April this year there have been changes in the use of IMAs; a new higher rate IMA may be imposed on high earners; a non-punitive IMA has been introduced for self-employed earners; a protected earnings rate has been introduced in cases where an IMA is being collected via a deductions from earnings order, and once the absent parent (AP) has provided all required information, their liability under the preceding IMA will revert to that of the Full Maintenance Assessment.

  Appointments made to administrative assistant and administrative officer posts by the Scottish Office: September 1993-April 1995

  September 1993-November 1993

  December 1993-February 1994

  March 1994-May 1994

  June 1994-August 1994

  September 1994-November 1995

  December 1994-February 1995

  March 1995-April 1995

  Administrative Assistant

  65

  17

  5

  10

  6

  8

  20

  Administrative Officer

  1

  1

  0

  6

  3

  2

  0

  Total

  66

  18

  5

  16

  9

  10

  20

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [22079]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 May 1995]: Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds
  396
  The Agency cannot monitor the relationship between the imposition of IMAs and any subsequent unemployment of APs. IMAs are imposed either because an AP fails to provide the Agency with the necessary information required to carry out a maintenance assessment, or, as in the majority of such cases, the AP fails to return a maintenance enquiry form at all. An analysis of the number of APs who become unemployed following the imposition of an IMA is not possible, as the Agency often has no personal details of the AP other than their name and address.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Disability Living Allowance Unit, Blackpool
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the arrests of four members of staff at the DLA unit, Blackpool; what were their duties; and what plans there are to review the cases with which they had dealt. [22630]

  Mr. Hague
  This is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Robert N. Wareing, dated 4 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Disability Living Allowance Unit.
  As the matter to which you refer is sub judice, I regret that I am unable to comment at this time.

SCOTLAND

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [21760]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The number of Scottish Office employees appointed at administrative assistant and administrative officer levels is shown in the table. The figures comprise appointments to associated Departments and agencies. They include both fixed-term and permanent appointments, but exclude casual appointments, promotions and regradings.

  of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. Over the period in question, no officers who left the Department on limited efficiency grounds received compulsory early retirement terms. Seven left under the flexible early retirement package:

  1 in 1990–91

  1 in 1991–92

  1 in 1992–93

  397

  3 in 1993–94

  l1 in 1994–95

  The payments received by these officers are listed in descending order of magnitude. Year dates are not shown to avoid individuals being identified.

  Annual compensation payment to age 60 (rate pa) £

  Superannuation lump sum (Approx.) £

  Lump sum compensation payment

  Compensation in lieu of notice

  17,968

  53,906

  none

  none

  16,601

  49,803

  none

  none

  9,369

  28,918

  none

  none

  8,837

  26,513

  none

  none

  7,244

  21,732

  none

  none

  7,164

  21,494

  none

  none

  5,710

  17,131

  none

  none

  Bank Holidays
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to protect traditional Scottish bank holidays in the event of the Scottish clearing banks harmonising bank holidays with their English counterparts. [22157]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The statutory bank holidays in Scotland remain those set out in schedule 1 to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 or proclaimed each year under that Act. Their purpose is to safeguard the banks if they choose to close on these days. The days on which banks decide to close or open however, is a matter for them. Statutory bank holidays have always had less general significance in Scotland than in other parts of the UK. Public, or local, holidays, determined by each local authority for its own area, tend to be observed rather than the statutory bank holidays. This is part of the Scottish tradition.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to amend the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 to impose a statutory obligation that Scottish clearing banks must close on Scottish bank holidays. [22159]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government believe that it would not be right to make bank holidays prescriptive. That would be over-regulatory and would deny freedom of choice.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance his Department will give to the Scottish clearing banks on the issue of harmonisation of bank holidays; and what guidance has been given in past discussion. [22158]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is not a matter in which the Government have any role. The Scottish clearing banks took the decision to adjust their bank holidays for business reasons, after taking their own legal advice. They did not consult the Government, nor were they required to do so.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the banking unions to discuss harmonisation of bank holidays throughout the United Kingdom. [22156]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The days on which banks open and close is a matter for the banks to discuss 398
  with their employees. There are therefore no plans for any such meeting.

  Shell Petroleum (Brent Spar Terminal)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what permissions have been given to Shell Petroleum to dispose of the terminal Brent Spar in deep water; and what assessment has been made of the ultimate destination of arsenic, cadmium and other dangerous substances. [22658]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office has issued a licence under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and an authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to allow disposal of the Brent Spar buoy, stripped of detachable equipment, at sea in accordance with the abandonment programme approved by the President of the Board of Trade. In line with our obligations under international conventions, a thorough survey was undertaken to identify the deep-sea disposal site in the north Atlantic to deposit the Spar at a depth in excess of 2,000 m and beyond the reach of fishing activity. Detailed assessments have been made of the likely impact on the environment of this disposal method, including what contaminants remain in the Brent Spar. It has been concluded that any effects of these contaminants on the marine environment will be negligible.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many neurologists, neuropsychiatrists and neurosurgeons specialising in epilepsy there are in Scotland; how this relates to the recommended level in each case; and if he will make a statement. [22432]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on staff specialising in epilepsy is not collected centrally. Neuropsychiatry is not recognised as a separate specialty.

  The whole-time equivalent numbers of consultants in neurology and neurosurgery at 30 September 1994 were:

  Neurology: 21.0

  Neurosurgery: 16.5

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many epilepsy clinics there are in Scotland; how this relates to the recommended level; and if he will make a statement; [22433]

  (2) what is the mean waiting time for out-patient treatment for epilepsy in each health board area in Scotland; how this relates to the patient's charter waiting times; what plans he has to improve the position; and if he will make a statement. [22434]

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

  Dental Services
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of dental practitioners in Caithness and Sutherland working within the national health service. [21781]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 May 1995]: Dentists who wish to provide NHS general dental services must join a health board's dental list. At present, there are 86 general dental practitioners on Highland health board's dental list, of whom 15 have practice addresses within Caithness and Sutherland.
  399
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the number of dental practitioners working in the highlands who have left the national health service over the past two years giving their reasons for so doing. [21782]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A dentist must join a health board dental list in order to provide NHS dental services. A dentist can withdraw from a health board dental list at any time, subject to giving the required notice, and need not give a reason for withdrawing. The information requested is not therefore available.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the dental practices in Banff and Macduff that are still registering patients and that are not exempt from dental charges, under the national health service; and if he will make a statement; [22716]

  (2) if he will list the dental practices in the town of Turriff that are still registering and treating patients under the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [22717]

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

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he intends taking to improve the provision of national health service dental facilities in the town of Turriff, Banff and Macduff; and if he will make a statement. [22718]

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Buzzard

  9

  11

  11

  12

  11

  11

  18

  13

  Eagle

  2

  4

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Hen Harrier

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Peregrine

  Falcon

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Red Kite

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Sparrowhawk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Tawny Owl

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  11

  18

  16

  16

  12

  14

  20

  16

  Ravenspark Hospital
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current position in respect of conclusion of the contract between Irvine Care Ltd. and Ayrshire and Arran health board for the replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital. [23492]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The contract has not yet been signed. Irvine Health Care Ltd. is still awaiting planning permission for the project. That will be considered by Cunninghame district council later this month.

  Medium Secure Units
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by regional health authority and by district health authority the current number of beds in medium secure units run by health authorities; what were the figures for each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [23508]
  400
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Grampian health board is responsible for NHS dental services within its area. If necessary, a health board may seek approval from the Secretary of State to appoint a salaried dentist to ensure access to NHS services.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State if he will list the distances a resident of(a) Turriff, (b) Banff and (c) Macduff would have to travel to attend a dental practice registering patients, not exempt from dental charges, under the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [22719]

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

  Private Hospitals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the NHS hospitals built by the private sector and operated by the private sector; and if he will make a statement. [22666]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no NHS hospitals in Scotland built and operated by the private sector.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number and species of birds of prey poisoned in each year since 1987. [22363]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The numbers and species of birds of prey recorded as having been poisoned in Scotland are:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Medium and high security beds for Scotland are provided solely at the state hospital, Carstairs.

  The state hospital has a maximum capacity of 340 beds. This level of provision has not varied in the last four years.

DEFENCE

  Phosgene Gas
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity of phosgene gas cannisters has been dumped by his Department in Lune Deeps, near Fleetwood, since 1965. [22143]

  Mr. Soames
  None.

  Former Yugoslavia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment his Department has made of the command structure required for any possible pull-out of UN forces from the former Yugoslavia; [23019]
  401
  (2) what assessment his Department has made of the role that NATO's allied reaction corps would play in any possible UN withdrawal from the former Yugoslavia; [23020]

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the number of troops required to enable a withdrawal of UN forces from the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement; [23021]

  (4) what assessment his Department has made of the time scale required for any withdrawal of UN troops from the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [23023]

  Mr. Soames
  At the request of the UN Secretary-General, NATO is continuing with contingency planning for a NATO commanded operation to withdraw UN forces from the former Yugoslavia, should that become necessary. The UK is co-operating closely with NATO and good progress has been made. It would not, however, be appropriate for me to comment on the details of the plan, which are a matter for NATO.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has taken part in Exercise Arcade Guard relating to a possible UN withdrawal from the former Yugoslavia; what lessons were learnt as a consequence of this exercise; and if he will make a statement. [23022]

  Mr. Soames
  Some 400 UK Army personnel took part in NATO's Exercise Arcade Guard. NATO is currently evaluating the results of the exercise, which concluded on 28 April.

  Mr. MacDonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what body made the initial recommendation to withdraw the British contingent from Gorazde; if he will make it his policy that the British contingent will not be withdrawn until a replacement contingent is in place together with all necessary equipment; and if he will make a statement. [22145]

  Mr. Soames
  The Government do not intend to replace British troops in Gorazde when their tour ends in September 1995. The UN was informed of this decision in April to allow it sufficient time to identify suitable replacements.

  Mr. MacDonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will end the practice of describing Bosnian

  DRA Malvern

  1 April 1992

  1 April 1993

  1 April 1994

  31 March 1995

  Scientists

  690

  768

  842

  966

  Administrators

  185

  180

  160

  168

  Other technical staff (PTO's, Engineers etc)

  404

  382

  281

  237

  Other support staff (industrials etc)

  369

  408

  404

  342

  Total

  1,648

  1,738

  1,687

  1,713

  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Perry Miller
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 May,Official Report, column 84, if he will specify the reasons for the departure in February 1993 of Mr. Perry Miller, his former special adviser; and what payments were made to Mr. Perry Miller. [23046]

  Mr. Rifkind
  Mr. Perry Miller informed me that he wished to end his appointment as my special adviser in
  402
  Government forces as Moslem forces on the weekly situation maps produced for public circulation by British forces Headquarters in Bosnia.

  Mr. Soames
  I have asked for the map to be amended.

  Bevin Boys
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recognition is being given during the commemorations to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war for the role of Bevin boys who served in British coal mines. [23024]

  Mr. Soames
  Events to mark the 50th anniversaries of VE day and VJ day offer a welcome opportunity to pay tribute not only to the military but to the civilian contribution to the war effort. The Government are well aware of the vital role played by many who were not in uniform during the second world war. The Bevin boys have been invited, through the Bevin Boys Association, to be represented at this year's commemorative events.

  Defence Establishment, Malvern
  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel at his Department's Defence Establishment at Malvern were(a) administrators and (b) scientists in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [23045]

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have therefore asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 9 May 1995:
  In today's written answer the Secretary of State for Defence informed you that I would be replying to your question concerning the number of administrators and scientists employed at DRA Malvern over the last 10 years.
  I am only able to provide you with figures showing staff numbers since 1 April 1992. Although the DRA was formed in April 1991 our staff database was not created until later in the year. I do not, therefore, have a breakdown of the 1991 staff numbers nor do I have figures for the earlier years. I have, however, shown in the table below the overall numbers working at Malvern. This separately identifies scientific and other technical staff who make an important contribution to our work. On the specific point about scientists, you will see that their numbers have grown significantly under the agency.

  order to take up a position in the private sector. Mr. Miller gave notice of his resignation as required under his terms and conditions of employment and received no payment on giving up his appointment.

  Export Services Organisation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the relationship between the Defence Export Services Organisation and the Defence Sales Agency. [22578]
  403
  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1197, about the function of the Disposal Sales Agency.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22567]

  Mr. Soames
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money, the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  Cases in which such an instruction has been issued were set out in my answers to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 10 March 1994, Official Report, column 401, and to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 22 March 1994, Official Report, column 174, and in the statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 9 March 1995, Official Report, columns 459–60.

  Job Losses
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the reduction by relevant category in the number of his Department's posts resulting from the competing for quality programme. [22571]

  Mr. Freeman
  Under my Department's delegated financial structure, budget holders operate within financial allocations which cover a range of operating costs, including staff. Between April 1992 and September 1994, some 14,700 service and civilian posts were reviewed under the CFQ programme. As a result, reductions of 11,167 posts have been proposed. Details of the categories of the posts reduced are not held centrally.

  Army Base Repair Organisation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the possible sale of ABRO Old Dalby, Leicestershire. [22775]

  Mr. Freeman
  As announced on 31 January,Official Report, column 556, we are proceeding with the withdrawal of MOD activity away from the workshop as my Department is no longer able to make effective use of the modern high technology facilities at the site for their existing purpose. We are considering possible alternative defence uses for the site, but in the interim every effort will be made to encourage the private sector to put forward innovative proposals for alternative uses. My Department is working closely with the local authorities on this. Marketing consultants have been appointed and we will shortly be mounting an expressions of interest marketing campaign to determine what demand there might be for commercial uses for the site.

  Portland Naval Base
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the meetings held in the last 12 months between(a) Ministers and (b) officials of his
  404
  Department and prospective bidders for the purchase of the Portland naval base. [23129]

  Mr Soames
  No Ministers have had meetings in the last 12 months to discuss with prospective purchasers the sale of the Portland naval base. Officials have met prospective purchasers on 11 occasions during that period.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) representations received from officials of the National Audit Office and (b) the meetings with officials of the NAO held to discuss the role of the Portland naval base. [23131]

  Mr. Soames
  A meeting about the sale of the Portland naval base was held between my officials and those of the National Audit Office on 25 April. No representations have been received from officials of the National Audit Office about the sale of the site.

  A1 Yamamah Offset Programme
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the progress and the value of offset projects arising from the A1 Yamamah I and II agreement. [23130.]

  Mr. Freeman
  Six projects have been implemented since the A1 Yamamah offset programme was launched in 1989. They are as follows:

  1. Saudi development and training—providing a wide range of vocational training packages and performing training assessment tasks. The company is fully operational.

  2. Aircraft accessories and components co-servicing of vital aircraft components. Commenced full operations in mid 1993.

  3. Glaxo Saudi Arabia—a facility manufacturing ethical pharmaceutical products. Trial production commenced in March 1995.

  4. United Sugar Co—Tate and Lyle are shareholders in a world scale sugar refinery project. Construction will start in Julie 1995.

  5. Middle East Propulsion Co—the repair and maintenance of civil and military gas turbines. Rolls-Royce are partners in this project. Factory construction to start in mid 1995.

  6. Cyclar—a licensing venture to produce aromatics from Liquefied Petroleum Gas using a process jointly developed by UOP and BP. The project is still at the pre-engineering stage.

  The total value of the projects is approximately £460 million.

  Defence Equipment Gifts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 May,Official Report, columns 87–88, if he will list the overseas Governments receiving gifts of defence equipment since April 1992, the date of the gift, the nature of the defence equipment and its estimated value. [22915]

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is as follows:

  Country

  Date

  Item

  Value £

  Canada

  15/10/92

  Armoured vehicles

  1,600

  Nepal

  16/02/93

  70 light machine guns

  7,000

  Lebanon

  08/10/93

  500 self-loading rifles

  40,000

  Albania

  21/12/93

  ACR430 system

  10,000

  France

  31/03/94

  AR martel missiles

  30,000

  Belize

  11/03/94

  Harrier GR3

  1,200

  Nepal

  01/08/94

  SLRs LMGs

  10,000

  Jordan

  15/12/94

  Single Sea Hunter andspares

  22,000

  Australia

  09/01/95

  Gannet MKT5

  5,000

  Auxiliary Air Force
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what redundancy or other compensation payments are available to members of the Auxiliary Air Force whose contracts were terminated as part of "Options for Change" in April 1994. [22768]

  Mr. Menzies-Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what redundancy or other payments will be made to members of the Auxiliary Air Force whose contracts were terminated as part of "Options for Change" in April 1994. [23332]

  Mr. Soames
  There is no provision in the regulations for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force to make redundancy or other compensation payments to those who are discharged on the disbandment of their unit.

  Mr. Menzies-Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the employment status of members of the Auxiliary Air Force who were employed on various bases up until April 1994, and whose contracts were terminated as part of "Options for Change". [22767]

  Mr. Soames
  All those who served with the two Royal Auxiliary Air Force units which disbanded on 18 April last year were volunteer members of that force.

  Magherafelt Base (Fire)
  Mr. Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he intends to publish the results of the inquiry into the fire at the Royal Irish Regiment base in Magherafelt. [22916]

  Mr. Soames
  The board of inquiry into the fire at the Royal Irish Regiment's base at Magherafelt has not yet been completed. The results of the inquiry will be made available as soon as possible after completion.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what use his Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23438]

  Mr. Soames
  Some use is made within my Department of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones for routine administrative purposes. No central record is maintained, however, either of the numbers of mobile telephones in use at present or of the aggregate cost to the Department. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  HMS Victorious
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many missiles HMS Victorious will collect from the United States facility at Kings bay prior to her deployment; and if he will make a statement. [23521]

  Mr. Rifkind
  HMS Victorious will collect 12 Trident D5 missiles from the US Navy's strategic weapon facility Atlantic at Kings Bay, Georgia, prior to her deployment at around the turn of the year.

HEALTH

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage change in nurses' pay in the last six years; what data source were used in calculating it; if she will give details of the calculation; and if the figure applies to nurses across the United Kingdom. [23294]

  Mr. Malone
  The Department of Employment's new earnings survey data show that nurses' average earnings in Great Britain increased by 78 per cent. between April 1988 and April 1994.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account the Government have taken of the change in clinical grading in calculating the change in nurses' pay in the past six years. [23295]

  Mr. Malone
  The 78 per cent. increase in nurses' average earnings takes account of all the factors which have led to increases in earnings.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have agreed the terms of local pay schemes for nurses and midwives. [21678]

  Mr. Malone
  It is understood that, by 2 May, at least 195 trusts in England had made their offers known, of which 147 are of around 3 per cent.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of medical negligence involving the national health service have been settled in the last three years; and how many have remained outstanding. [22204]

  Mr. Malone
  Information about outstanding cases is not available centrally. For information about numbers of cases settled, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 6 March at columns 41–42.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department has made of the procedures for dealing with claims for medical negligence in the national health service; and what proposals she has to improve the system; [22199]

  (2) what plans she has to speed up the process of dealing with claims for medical negligence involving the national health service. [22200]

  Mr. Malone
  The clinical negligence scheme for trusts, which I announced on 29 March, will contribute to improved claims handling in those national health service trusts which decide to become members. Guidance will also be made available to all trusts on claims handling procedures. In addition, we are introducing a pilot mediation scheme in two English regions which will enable the parties to agree a satisfactory outcome without going to court.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures for the length of time taken to resolve cases of medical negligence involving the national health service. [22202]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has on medical surveys in the United Kingdom linking high levels of serious illness with dust from opencast mining, with particular reference to areas covered and number of cases; [22616]

  (2) if she will commission monitoring of levels of serious illness in areas where there is opencast mining generating significant levels of dust. [22617]

  Mr. Sackville
  Research on the effects on health of air pollution, including that of dust from opencast mining, has been referred to the independent advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. COMEAP has considered the suggestion that opencast coal mining might have a deleterious effect on the health of those living close to the workings. A study by Temple in 1992 was considered and COMEAP agreed that the results reported were consistent with an association between the opening of an opencast mine and an increase in asthma consultations. However, the committee considered that local awareness of the opening of the mine and concern about its possible effects on health were plausible explanations for the association and that further work would be needed to sustain a causal hypothesis.

  In 1994, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council issued a joint call for proposals for work on air pollution and respiratory disease. The Department is currently considering the proposals that were put forward, including studies on the health effects of opencast mining.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will commission research to ascertain whether local authorities are using the personal expenses allowance to support married people whose spouse is in a local authority provided residential or nursing home care; and if she will make a statement. [22592]

  Mr. Bowis
  We have invited, but not as yet received, hard evidence to suggest that local authorities are not sensibly using their discretion to help spouses at home. However, the residential accommodation charging rules are kept under constant review, including whether any action in this area is necessary.

  Cervical Cancer
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports she has received of women suffering from cervical cancer whose condition has worsened as a result of experimental treatment carried out by health trusts and health authorities. [22605]

  Mr. Sackville
  We are aware that several women who received radiotherapy treatment for cervical cancer in the 1980s have experienced significant adverse effects which they believe to have been caused by the treatment that they received as part of a research project.

  Medical (Professional Performance) Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 25 April in response to an intervention by the hon. Member for Croydon, North-East, (Mr. Congdon),Official Report, column 700, in what circumstances the provisions of the
  408
  Medical (Professional Performance) Bill would apply in the case of a single act committed by a doctor falling short of serious professional misconduct. [22408]

  Mr. Malone
  A single incident would come within the performance procedures if the action of the doctor suggested that his general standard of professional performance could be seriously deficient. In those circumstances, the single incident would trigger an assessment to establish whether there was a pattern of serious deficiency.

  NHS Trust Hospitals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the NHS trust hospitals built by the private sector and operated by the private sector; and if she will make a statement. [22665]

  Mr. Sackville
  There are no national health service trust hospitals built by the private sector and operated by the private sector.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the provision for transplant patients in respect of their specific dental care needs; and what are the particular treatments and financial assistance available for the dental care needs of transplant patients. [22670]

  Mr. Malone
  The range of treatments available to transplant patients is not different from that available to other dental patients. The general dental service, hospital dental service and community dental service are able to provide a range of treatments which deal comprehensively with any complication which may arise as a result of immunosuppression treatment in transplant patients. Transplant patients are subject to the same eligibility requirements for exemption from, or financial assistance towards, dental costs as other dental patients.

  Yellow Card System
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioners are making use of yellow card systems for reporting adverse side-effects of drugs. [22926]

  Mr. Sackville
  The survey by the department of clinical pharmacology at the university of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Medicines Control Agency published in March 1995 found that 77 per cent. of general practitioners had reported one or more suspected adverse reactions through the yellow card scheme.

  NHS Trust Meetings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will include in the new code on openness in the NHS a requirement for NHS trusts to hold their meetings in public and for health authorities to stop the practice of routinely closing their meetings to the public for significant parts of their agendas for items which are not confidential. [22731]
  409
  Mr. Malone
  It is already a requirement that national health service trusts must hold an annual public meeting. The code of practice on openness in the NHS, published in April 1995, points to holding more public meetings as good practice, in line with the steps already being taken by an increasing number of trusts.

  Health authorities must hold all their board meetings in public, though there is a provision for certain issues to be taken in a private part of the meeting. Whether and when to exclude the press and public is a matter for authorities themselves to decide.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many, and what proportion of, vacancies advertised by her Department, and by each of her Department's agencies, in the last three years have listed the attainment of NVQs as an acceptable entry requirement; and, of those, how many have required(a) level 1 NVQs, (b) level 2 NVQs, (c) level 3 NVQs and (d) other level NVQs. [22955]

  Mr. Sackville
  No advertisements placed by the Department or its agencies listed the attainment of national vocational qualifications as an entry requirement.

  Respite Care
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that the respite care needs of disabled people are fulfilled. [22694]

  Mr. Bowis
  The improvement in provision of respite care for disabled people has been a key objective of the community care reforms from the outset. Local authorities and health authorities must make provision for all local needs, including those for respite care. In the 1994–95 community care monitoring round, local authorities reported that they had been able to increase the number of respite care admissions above those made in the same period in the previous year. An extra £30 million is available this year, in the special transitional grant, for developing home and respite care.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, her departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22555]

  Mr. Sackville
  Available records show no cases in the last 10 years in which the accounting officer has requested a written instruction from a Minister because the Minister has overruled the accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety, regularity or value for money.

  Treatment Costs
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage change in the average cost of treating an acute patient between 1982–83 and 1992–93. [22776]

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for 1992–93 are shown in the table. It is not possible to compare average costs between 1982–83 and 1992–93 because of changes in accounting practices. Since 1991–92, figures have included overheads and capital charges.
  410

  Acute Specialties: Average Costs1

  In-patients including day cases(cost per finished consultant episode) £

  Out-patients cost per attendance £

  1992–93

  1,009.27

  56.37

  1 Source:

  Annual financial returns of regional, district and special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals and national health service trusts.

  Heatherwood Hospital
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what has been the change in the provision of paediatric, maternity and accident and emergency services at Heatherwood hospital over the past year: and what change is planned in the next year; [22830]

  (2) if she will make a statement on the consultations on the future of Heatherwood and Wexham Park NHS trust; [22831]

  (3) if she will make it her policy that existing paediatric, maternity and accident and emergency services be maintained at Heatherwood hospital before the outcome of the consultation on the future of Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals trust. [22829]

  Mr. Sackville
  There has been no significant change in the provision of paediatric, maternity and accident and emergency services at Heatherwood hospital over the past year. The future pattern of these services is currently the subject of public consultation and this has been extended to 6 June. There will be no change to the provision of these services prior to the outcome of the consultation exercise.

  Camden and Islington Health Authority
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which budget the legal fees and moneys to settle the case of Dr. Chris Johnstone v. Camden and Islington health authority will come from; and to what extent her Department has underwritten the costs incurred by Camden and Islington health authority. [22901]

  Mr. Malone
  Any legal costs incurred by Camden and Islington health authority as a result of compensation claims made by former staff who were employed in the 10 trusts located within the boundaries of Camden and Islington before trust status was granted are paid out of a legal costs reserve created by the authority. If any claims were to exceed that reserve, the authority could seek access to the North Thames region's legal reserve.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on Dr. Johnstone's case against Camden and Islington health authority and its settlement with particular reference to her Department's involvement; and if she will indicate how much Camden and Islington health authority has spent in the last six years in legal fees on this case. [22902]

  Mr. Malone
  Dr. Johnstone's legal action began in March 1989 and he withdrew his claim on 24 April 1995. In order to minimise costs, Camden and Islington health authority paid £5,600 into court with the offer to meet his
  411
  expenses; there was no admission of liability. The decision to reach this settlement was a matter for the authority and the Department of Health was not involved.

  To date, the authority has spent £69,327 in legal fees.

  Mental Health
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the percentage of patient episodes that were mental health related in the last available year; [22754]

  (2) what was the total number of mental health related patients episodes in the last available year. [22753]

  Mr. Bowis
  The number and percentage of finished consultant episodes in England for 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available, for the mental illness and mental handicap specialities are 292,000 and 2.9 per cent.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total sum given to mental health related voluntary organisations in the last available year. [22756]

  Mr. Bowis
  Awards under the Department's section 64 general scheme of grants to voluntary organisations in the field of mental illness totalled £2.46 million in 1994–95.

  Housing and Health
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the relationship between housing and health. [22758]

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the level of NHS expenditure undertaken each year to treat ill health caused by poor housing conditions. [23186]

  Mr. Sackville
  Due to the complex interaction of a number of factors, it is difficult to quantify the effects of any one factor and to establish causal links between housing conditions and health.

  No estimates have been made of national health service expenditure on ill health related to housing conditions.

  Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the inquiry set up in December 1994 by Bruce Martin QC on behalf of the Royal Hospitals NHS trust into the leaking of confidential documents relating to Sir Colin Berry; what were the conclusions of the inquiry; when the findings will be made public; who will bear the cost of the inquiry; and which individual or individuals initiated the inquiry. [22821]

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the Royal Hospitals NHS trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the trust chairman, Sir Derek Boorman, for details.

  Junior Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors are currently working more than an average of 72 hours per week. [22903]

  Mr. Malone
  At 30 September 1994, the latest date for which firm figures are available, there were 3,870 junior doctors contracted for more than an average of 72 hours a week in hard-pressed on-call posts. There were a further 412
  2,196 junior doctors contracted for more than 72 hours a week in non-hard-pressed on-calls posts which are not subject to the current targets for reducing hours.

  Our task forces conducted a further monitoring round on 8 February this year and I expect to be able to announce the results of that exercise very shortly.

  Upper Limb Disorders
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted into work-related upper limb disorders and repetitive strain injury; and if she will make a statement. [22910]

  Mr. Sackville
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Medical Research Council is not currently supporting any research specifically into work-related upper limb disorders or repetitive strain injury, but is willing to consider scientifically based sound proposals for research. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for policy on prevention of upper limb disorders caused by work, has sponsored a number of studies with particular emphasis on finding practical means of intervention to prevent and control risks. The Health and Safety Executive is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Voluntary Organisations (Funding)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total sum given by her Department to voluntary organisations in the last available year. [22755]

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Barking (Ms Hodge) on 5 April,Official Report, column 1212.

  Death Rates
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the death rate in socio-economic group(a) 1 and (b) 5 in each year since 1979. [22757]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mortality of men in the longitudinal study 1976 cohort, by Registrar General's social class, for the periods 1979–81, 1982–85 and 1986–89 will be published with commentary in "Population Trends 80" in June 1995. Infant mortality by Registrar General's social class is published annually in the DH3 mortality series, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Tobacco
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has that(a) banning tobacco advertising and (b) increasing the price of cigarettes will decrease the consumption of tobacco. [22759]

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1992, the Department reviewed all the available evidence on the effect of tobacco advertising on tobacco consumption. The evidence is listed in the discussion document, "Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption", copies of which are available in the Library. The Government concluded on the basis of
  413
  the evidence reviewed that a ban on tobacco advertising in the United Kingdom would not have a major impact on reducing levels of smoking.

  The Department recently published its view of the effect of price on tobacco consumption in the pamphlet, "The Importance of Price in Reducing Tobacco Consumption", copies of which are available in the Library. Studies show that an increase of 10 per cent. in the price of tobacco products can be expected to lead to a drop of between 3 per cent. and 6 per cent. in tobacco consumption. The studies are cited in the pamphlet.

  Registration of Doctors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to seek amendments to the Medical Acts in relation to limited registration of doctors and the standardisation of registration. [22766]

  Mr. Malone
  None at present.

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require the London ambulance service to postpone further action for changing the distribution of staff and reorganisation of rotas, as recommended by its operational research in health report, until after the publication of the report on the London ambulance service by the Health Committee. [23102]

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the London ambulance service.

  Unemployment (Health Costs)
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the level of NHS expenditure undertaken each year to treat ill health caused by unemployment. [23185]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  East London and City Health Authority (Land Sales)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the sale of any building and land within the area of the East London and City health authority found surplus to requirements; what public body has the duty of monitoring or auditing such sales; to what accounts and for what purposes the proceeds of any sale are devoted; and which authorities makes decisions related to the proceeds of such sales. [23612]

  Mr. Sackville
  Property which has not been transferred to a national health service trust is retained by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. That property will be managed by the local regional health authority, which in this instance is the North Thames regional health authority. The regional health authority will dispose of the property. The proceeds will show in its accounts, and it will decide how those proceeds will 'be used within its capital development programme. Those sale proceeds will be reinvested in the provision of health care.

  Land and property transactions in the NHS are subject to policy, procedures and guidance issued by the NHS executive as part of Estatecode.

  The accounts of health authorities and NHS trusts are subject to annual examination by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission.

  St. Bartholomew's Hospital
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to receive the report of the body she has established to examine the report on the use of premises at St. Bartholomew's hospital not to be used by the Royal Hospital trust; and what criteria she has asked it to apply in making such recommendations other than to reduce the call on public funds. [23611]

  Mr. Malone
  Sir Ronald Grierson has agreed to lead a project team which is being established to advise the Royal Hospital trust on future use of the Smithfield site. Terms of reference for the project team have yet to be finalised.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use her Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to her Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23436]

  Mr. Sackville
  Mobile telephones are issued to mainly medical, scientific, professional and managerial staff who are required to maintain contact with the Department and the national health service when travelling or while out of normal working hours. Some 500 mobile telephones were in use in 1993–94 at an annual running cost of £302,000. For 1994–95, the corresponding figures are 477 mobile telephones at a cost of £288,000. Figures are not available prior to 1993–94.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mobile telephones used by her Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23503]

  Mr. Sackville
  Four.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones. [23479]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what costs her Department has incurred during the last 12 months as a result of cloning of mobile telephones being used by her Department, with particular reference to the making of unauthorised calls. [23495]

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The mobile telephone air time providers have not charged the Department for calls made by cloned telephones.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to prevent the cloning of telephones being used by her Department; and if her Department has discussed this matter with any official agencies. [23465]

  Mr. Sackville
  Since cloning has not been a significant problem experienced in the Department, no preventive advice has yet been issued and no discussions have taken place with any official agencies.

  Thalidomide
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has(a) funded and (b) evaluated into the transmission of damage caused by Thalidomide across generations. [23512]
  415
  Mr. Malone
  The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. However, the Department has set up an advisory group on research into congenital limb reduction defects and a report was published in February this year recommending that a review of relevant research be carried out. The Government have also established a sub-group of the inter-departmental group on disability to focus on the delivery of health and other services. The group's report will reflect concerns of the Thalidomide action group, the trust and the society.

  A number of initiatives are being taken forward by the Government, including providing more detailed knowledge for the medical profession on the longer-term effects of disability caused by Thalidomide.

  Members' Inquiries
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times in each of the last three years the NHS Executive has issued advice to chairmen and regional directors of health authorities and trusts on how to reply to the written inquiries of hon. Members. [23396]

  Mr. Malone
  It is a primary role of the national health service executive to give advice to the NHS and

  Medium Secure Units: Places 1991–1995 by Regional Health Authority

  Regional health authority 1994

  Regional health authority 1994

  January 1991

  January 1992

  January 1993

  June 1994

  March 1995

  East Anglian

  East Anglian and Oxford

  34

  34

  34

  89

  121

  Oxford

  25

  25

  25

  North East Thames

  North Thames

  14

  14

  14

  108

  108

  North West Thames

  46

  46

  48

  South East Thames

  South Thames

  85

  85

  85

  90

  90

  South West Thames

  —

  —

  —

  South Western

  South West

  60

  60

  65

  94

  108

  Wessex

  26

  28

  29

  West Midlands

  West Midlands Trent

  77

  77

  77

  77

  77

  Trent

  Trent

  45

  48

  48

  48

  48

  Yorkshire

  North East and Yorkshire

  44

  44

  44

  101

  101

  Northern

  21

  25

  27

  North Western

  North West

  82

  82

  82

  110

  139

  Mersey

  36

  36

  36

  Total

  —

  595

  604

  614

  717

  792

  Source: DH census returns and NHS Estates surveys for the medium secure central capital programme.

ENVIRONMENT

  Capital Finance Regulations
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the capital finance regulations to enable local authorities in England to fund new energy efficiency measures in local authority housing through operating leases without these counting against the authority's capital spending limits. [22267]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The capital finance regulations do not specify the kinds of equipment which may be the
  416
  it has done so on numerous occasions during the past three years.

  Medium Secure Units
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority and by district health authority the current number of beds in medium secure units run by health authorities in England; what were the figures for each of the last four years; and if she will make a statement. [23506]

  Mr. Bowis
  The figures for regions are shown in the table. They do not include places in national health service interim secure psychiatric units—many of which are of medium secure standard—or those funded by health authorities in independent sector facilities. Information for individual districts is not available centrally.

  These places have been funded from the NHS central capital programme. Nearly 400 more places funded from this source are due to open by the end of next year.

  Total central NHS capital investment in the medium secure programme amounts to more than £100 million—at 1993 prices—of which over £47 million was allocated between 1991 and 1995. In addition, further medium secure places are being developed by regions from mainstream NHS capital programme.

  There were no purpose-built NHS medium secure places in 1979, despite the fact that the Glancy committee had recommended them in its 1974 report.

  subject of operating leases. Instead, they lay down general criteria for such leases which ensure that the risk of ownership remains with the lessor. It is for local authorities and their auditors to decide whether these criteria are met in any particular case.

  Local Government (Derbyshire)
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were employed by each local authority in Derbyshire(a) full-time and (b) part-time excluding teachers in each year since 1983. [22164]
  417
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The information is given in the table.

  The levels of employment in individual authorities are not directly comparable because of variations in, for

  Numbers employed by Local Authorities in Derbyshire: General services (excluding teachers/lecturers and law and order) at March of each year

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Authority

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Derbyshire

  9,232

  14,261

  9,338

  14,626

  9,525

  15,206

  9,226

  18,411

  9,470

  19,538

  9,591

  21,108

  Amber Valley

  558

  73

  575

  87

  561

  86

  557

  82

  554

  84

  547

  97

  Bolsover

  528

  68

  536

  57

  495

  82

  481

  81

  466

  90

  460

  106

  Chesterfield

  1,343

  157

  1,382

  160

  1,431

  75

  1,482

  183

  1,137

  159

  1,154

  189

  Derby

  2,405

  275

  2,386

  280

  2,333

  253

  2,294

  256

  1,939

  242

  1,974

  248

  Derbyshire Dales

  368

  139

  384

  145

  369

  149

  347

  150

  358

  132

  372

  137

  Erewash

  648

  93

  634

  96

  624

  94

  634

  98

  649

  106

  641

  106

  High Peak

  479

  82

  478

  96

  483

  114

  467

  125

  465

  140

  470

  135

  North East Derbyshire

  672

  165

  669

  158

  661

  158

  665

  153

  684

  149

  690

  141

  South Derbyshire

  305

  63

  310

  79

  315

  90

  320

  90

  327

  85

  321

  105

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  19941

  Authority

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Pan-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Derbyshire

  9,795

  22,383

  9,846

  21,824

  9,935

  21,199

  9,490

  20,498

  9,402

  20,049

  8,275

  18,364

  Amber Valley

  526

  70

  513

  64

  487

  55

  510

  72

  510

  94

  517

  114

  Bolsover

  459

  100

  455

  95

  429

  89

  419

  87

  411

  100

  395

  98

  Chesterfield

  1,139

  191

  1,251

  263

  1,174

  302

  1,134

  244

  1,063

  245

  1,047

  254

  Derby

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1,438

  174

  1,460

  242

  1,458

  240

  1,401

  245

  Derbyshire Dales

  371

  140

  331

  135

  349

  116

  353

  112

  351

  121

  313

  134

  Erewash

  613

  101

  552

  111

  543

  148

  551

  183

  573

  184

  552

  186

  High Peak

  447

  142

  476

  166

  488

  169

  465

  159

  472

  166

  475

  186

  North East Derbyshire

  718

  144

  777

  139

  759

  135

  770

  165

  769

  171

  737

  190

  South Derbyshire

  328

  118

  326

  115

  358

  129

  362

  153

  373

  153

  352

  161

  Notes:

  1 Provisional data.

  n/a: Data not available.

  1. Within General Services, education, highways, fire services and social services are administered by Derbyshire County Council. The other authorities shown are District Councils which, amongst other services, administer housing, planning and refuse collection.

  2. Polytechnics and higher education institutions were transferred from the local authority sector in April 1989.

  3. Further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council in April 1993.

  Source:

  Joint Staffing Watch for England.

  Avian Pest Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on avian pest species. [22343]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 1 May,Official Report, column 22.

  Peregrine Falcon
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to protect the peregrine falcon. [22344]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  All naturally occurring wild birds in the UK are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which fulfils the UK's obligation under the EC birds directive to protect wild birds. Additionally, anyone found guilty of an offence against this species is liable to a special penalty.

  Article 4.1 of the birds directive requires member states to take special conservation methods for certain vulnerable species, including the establishment of a network of special protection areas and breeding peregrine falcons are found on several classified sites.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many licences for taking wild
  418
  example, population structure and social characteristics, the extent of the use of private firms and contractors and the level of work undertaken for other authorities and public bodies on an agency basis.

  peregrine falcons have been issued in each year since 1984; [22359]

  (2) how many quarry licences for falconry were issued in each year since 1984; and what quarry species were involved. [22360]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of licences issued under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are contained in the reports by the United Kingdom to the European Community on derogations under article 9 of the directive on the conservation of wild birds, 79/409/EEC. Copies of the derogation report are held in the Library. Figures are not yet available for 1994.

  Wild Birds' Eggs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what circumstances it is possible to confiscate wild birds' eggs which have been illegally collected after the Protection of Birds Act 1954 came into force; how many cases have occurred of eggs collected after 1954 but before 1981 being confiscated in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [22345]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Under the Protection of Birds Act 1954, section 1(c), it was an offence to take or keep wild bird eggs except in specified circumstances. The present
  419
  law regarding the possession of wild bird eggs is set out in section 1(2) and (3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Section 12(1)(b) of the 1954 Act enabled the police to:
  "seize and detain for the purposes of proceedings under this Act any wild bird, whether alive or dead, or any egg or nest of a wild bird, or any weapon or other article capable of being used to kill or take wild birds, which may be in that person's possession."

  Section 19(1)(d) of the 1981 Act contains similar provisions for offences committed under that Act.

  No records of court confiscations are kept centrally.

  Migratory Geese
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the killing of migratory geese. [22346]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  All wild birds, including migratory species, in the UK are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which enacts our statutory obligations under the EC birds directive. Those migratory geese—greylag, pink-footed and white-fronted—which are included on schedule 2 to the Act can be hunted outside the close season. Licences may be given for killing geese and other birds for the purposes specified in section 16 of the Act.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by name, the planning applications for opencast mining in the United Kingdom which have been refused by the local planning authorities and which have gone to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in the last 10 years; how many have been successful and approved by the Planning Inspectorate; how many have been rejected by the Planning Inspectorate followed by the reversal of the decision by him; and how many have been successful and approved by the Planning Inspectorate but rejected by him. [22609]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 5 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about planning applications for opencast mining which have, on appeal, been decided by the Planning Inspectorate or the Secretary of State in the last 10 years.
  Information on planning appeals decided before January 1988 is not available. Since then, 80 appeals involving opencast coal extraction have been determined-49 by Inspectors and 31 by the Secretary of State after exercising his power to recover jurisdiction of the appeals. 47 appeals were allowed (30 by Inspectors and 17 by the Secretary of State), and 33 were dismissed (19 by Inspectors and 14 by the Secretary of State). Details of these appeals are given in the enclosed tables.
  Decisions taken by Inspectors are final, and the Secretary of State has no powers to overrule them. In respect of the appeals decided by the Secretary of State, his decision was not in accord with an Inspector's recommendation on only one occasion—that for the former Stagshaw Colliery, Corbridge, Northumberland (R2900/A/91/190575) which was dismissed on 18 February 1993.
  As the tables are too long to be printed in the Official Report, arrangements will be made for a copy to be deposited in the Library.

  European Regional Development Funding
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects within the Greater London area that have received European regional development funding in each of the last three years. [22405]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department's records are as follows:

  Name of project

  Borough

  Amount paid £

  1992–93

  Kings Cross Technology Project

  Camden

  23,000.00

  Central Hackney Computer Project

  Hackney

  275,425.00

  North London Technopark

  Haringey

  150,577.20

  Financial Services Sector Training

  Islington

  21,282.50

  Interactive Multi-Media Workshop

  Islington

  67,500.00

  Mobile Employment and Training Advice Project

  Islington

  1,644.50

  WELLSTEC Training Centre

  Islington

  64,441.00

  Angell Town Enterprise Centre and Workshop Units

  Lambeth

  456,220.00

  Atlantic Road, Brixton

  Lambeth

  135,734.50

  Milton Court Childcare Centre

  Lewisham

  57,000.00

  Pepys Community Enterprise Units

  Lewisham

  152,443.50

  CADCAM (computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing) Centre

  Southwark

  421,142.50

  Bethnal Green Training Centre

  Tower Hamlets

  242,000.00

  St. Marys Ward West

  Tower Hamlets

  247,500.00

  Total grant paid in 1992–193 from European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for projects within Greater London

  2,315,910.70

  1993–94

  Miller's House Housemill

  Newham

  15,533.50

  1994–95

  KONVER (a Community Initiative assisting regions heavily dependent on the defence sector)

  Greenwich

  76,717.00

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many licences were granted for the taking of birds of prey from the wild; and how many birds of prey were taken under such licences, by species, in each year since 1982; [22361]

  (2) how many falconry licences were issued in each year since 1982, broken down by the categories and numbers of prey species involved; and if figures are collected by the Department in respect of the numbers of prey taken. [22362]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of licences issued under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are contained in the reports by the United Kingdom to the European Community on derogations under article 9 of the directive on the conservation of wild birds, 79/409/EEC. Copies of the derogation report are held in the Library. Figures are not available for 1982, 1983 or 1994.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment how many times in the last 10 years, and on what dates, his departmental accounting officer has issue a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22566]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue of propriety or regularity or one of value for money the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  I am not aware that any such instruction has been issued to the accounting officer of my Department during the period in question.

  All such instructions are reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General who, after making whatever investigations he considers appropriate, will report his findings to the Public Accounts Committee.

  Opencasting, Tinsley
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he or any of his Ministers gave approval to the agreement between Sheffield development corporation and Budge which split responsibility for the provision of the infrastructure for an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, and the opencasting of the Tinsley site; [22705]

  (2) if he will undertake a public inquiry into the agreement between Sheffield development corporation and Budge, in relation to the profit accruing to RJB Mining from opencasting at Tinsley, Sheffield, and the liquidation of A. F. Budge and the effect on the infrastructure for an airport; [22711]

  (3) what involvement and knowledge he and his Department had about the agreement reached between Sheffield development corporation and Budge which divided responsibility for providing the infrastructure for an airport at Tinsley, Sheffield, and the authority for operating the site. [22713]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  There was never a joint agreement covering coal extraction and the construction of an airport at Tinsley. Coal extraction was subject to an agreement between A. F. Budge (Mining) Ltd. and British Coal Opencast and operated from 1989.

  In 1990, Ministers in my Department gave approval to the sale of land by Sheffield development corporation to A. F. Budge (Mining) Ltd. for the construction of an airport under a development agreement with the corporation.

  Ministers were not involved in the later transfer of this agreement from A. F. Budge (Mining) Ltd. to Sheffield Airport Ltd. a subsidiary of the A. F. Budge parent group. Sheffield development corporation informed my Department of the proposed transfer but no further approval was necessary from my Department as the parent company guarantee was to remain in place.

  We have no plans for a public inquiry.

  Housing Association Tenants
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenants of housing associations in the west midlands have brought their homes for each 422
  year since 1979 under (a) right-to-buy legislation, (b) shared ownership schemes or (c) voluntary sales by housing associations. [22760]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The table below shows the numbers of tenants of housing associations in the west midlands who have bought their homes since 1989–90 under right-to-buy legislation and voluntary sales by housing associations; and the numbers of people purchasing properties under shared ownership schemes. Figures before 1989–90 are not available.

  Right to buy

  Shared ownership schemes

  Voluntary sales

  1979–80—1988–89

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1989–90

  5

  —

  2

  1990–91

  35

  —

  5

  1991–92

  229

  9

  23

  1992–93

  133

  2

  38

  1993–94

  132

  7

  29

  1994–95

  143

  4

  41

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing association tenants have taken up the tenants incentive scheme, or the previous home ownership for tenants of charitable housing associations scheme in the west midlands for each year since 1979. [22761]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The table shows the number of housing association tenants in the west midlands who have taken up the home ownership for tenants of charitable housing associations scheme and the tenants incentive scheme since 1984–85, when the home ownership scheme began.

  Home ownership for tenants of charitable housing associations

  Tenants incentive scheme

  1984–85

  8

  —

  1985–86

  64

  —

  1986–87

  33

  —

  1987–88

  45

  —

  1988–89

  20

  —

  1989–90

  156

  —

  1990–91

  —

  143

  1991–92

  —

  276

  1992–93

  —

  540

  1993–94

  —

  853

  1994–95

  —

  679

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 1 May, column 24, if he will make a statement on the possible conflicts of interest involving special advisers, listing the names of the individuals, the nature of the conflicts concerned and how the matters were resolved. [22904]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  In accordance with their appointment letters, special advisers have reported any possible conflicts of interest emerging during their periods of service to senior officials or Ministers, and have followed the advice they received about the action required to avoid actual conflicts emerging.

  Right-to-buy Scheme
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is available on the right-to-buy scheme in London. [23316]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The right-to-buy performance of London authorities has been monitored by my Department for a number of years. Annual monitoring is carried out of each authority's performance at the end of September, with poor performers submitting additional reports on a monthly basis. Data from the latest survey are given in the table.

  RTB2 and S.125 delays monitoring September 1994

  RTB2 delays

  September 1994 S125 delays

  Total delays

  September 1993 total delays

  Change from September 1993–94

  RTB sales in 1993–94

  City

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  24

  Barking

  0

  2

  2

  10

  -8

  424

  Barnet

  1

  7

  8

  8

  0

  1241

  Bexley

  0

  0

  0

  2

  -2

  1 2355

  Brent

  2

  2

  4

  1

  3

  1218

  Bromley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  4

  14

  18

  3

  15

  1361

  Croydon

  0

  0

  0

  3

  -3

  224

  Ealing

  7

  5

  12

  4

  8

  1332

  Enfield

  1

  5

  6

  8

  -2

  185

  Greenwich

  2

  1

  3

  17

  -14

  415

  Hackney

  5

  0

  5

  51

  -46

  1300

  Hammersmith

  3

  4

  7

  0

  7

  197

  Haringey

  1

  15

  16

  18

  -2

  1307

  Harrow

  3

  1

  4

  3

  1

  144

  Havering

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1196

  Hillingdon

  0

  3

  3

  16

  -13

  3594

  Hounslow

  2

  6

  8

  40

  -32

  1219

  Islington

  12

  31

  43

  118

  -75

  1308

  Kensington

  n/a

  0

  0

  6

  -6

  1153

  Kingston

  0

  4

  4

  0

  4

  89

  Lambeth

  5

  4

  9

  8

  1

  249

  Lewisham

  15

  7

  22

  19

  3

  400

  Merton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  127

  Newham

  5

  10

  15

  12

  3

  3340

  Redbridge

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2207

  Richmond

  4

  5

  9

  6

  3

  144

  Southwark

  8

  12

  20

  22

  -2

  4582

  Sutton

  0

  6

  6

  12

  -6

  105

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5508

  Waltham Forest

  0

  13

  13

  15

  -2

  120

  Wandsworth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1389

  Westminster

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1295

  Total

  80

  158

  238

  403

  -165

  8,652

  London average

  2

  5

  7

  12

  -5

  262

  Notes:

  1 Incomplete date for 1993–94—available quarters data is grossed.

  2 Borough does not operate RTB but a similar scheme.

  3 No data for 1993–94 last available figures (1990–91) given.

  4 No data for 1993–94 last available figures (1991–92) given.

  5 No data for 1993–94 last available figures (1992–93) given.

  Objective 1 Programme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much objective 1 money for Merseyside the Government are holding in(a) the Consolidated Fund, and (b) in other accounts; to what extent such money is yet allocated for projects, and if he will make a statement. [23162]
  424
  I am pleased to report that data for September 1994 show that the number of tenants whose applications are being unduly delayed continues to decline. Across London as a whole delays beyond statutory deadlines have fallen by over 40 per cent., from 403 to 238. This compares with over 15,000 delayed cases in March 1989 when the Government's "tenants sanctions" procedures came into effect.

  Only Hackney was monitored on a monthly basis in 1994. I am glad to say that Hackney's performance has continued to improve and I have recommended that monthly monitoring can now cease. To September 1994, over 185,000 dwellings have been sold under the right to buy schemes in London.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Merseyside objective 1 programme was approved in July 1994 and since then the European Commission has transferred £55.283 million to Government. These resources are held not in the Consolidated Fund but in accounts operated by Departments until they are claimed by, and paid to, project sponsors.
  425
  To date, £23.704 million has been authorised for payment to project sponsors. The balance continues to be used in funding the £65.498 million of schemes already approved in the first round of project submissions. The speed at which the funds will be paid to project sponsors is overwhelmingly dependent on the speed at which they deliver their schemes.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary. of State for the Environment whether he is ready to announce the conclusion of the review of radioactive waste management policy. [23587]

  Mr. Gummer
  In May last year, I announced that my Department would be heading a review of radioactive waste management policy to be conducted in parallel with, but separately from, the nuclear review. Reappraisal of the policy was necessary in view of the developments that had taken place in the 10 years since the Department published its strategy for the long-term management of radioactive waste. Our primary aim in conducting the review has been to ensure that radioactive waste, irrespective of whether it is produced by public sector or private sector operations, is managed in such a way as to ensure that people and the environment are not exposed to unacceptable risks either now or in the future.

  The review's preliminary conclusions were published in a consultation paper last August. All the responses received have been carefully considered and the final conclusions of the review will be published in a White Paper this summer. In advance of that, I am ready to announce the conclusions that have been reached on two issues—the timing of UK Nirex Ltd.'s proposed repository for intermediate-level waste, ILW, and the Government's policy in respect of decommissioning nuclear plant. These matters are relevant to the conclusions of the nuclear review, which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is announcing today. There are also proposals in the nuclear review White Paper about the future structure of Nirex.

  The Government continue to favour a policy of deep disposal rather than indefinite storage for ILW and consider it appropriate that Nirex should continue with its programme to identify a suitable site. The question had been raised of whether a delay of 50 years in construction of the repository might have advantages. However, the review concluded that the balance of argument was against any such delay. The Government therefore believe that the repository should be constructed as soon as reasonably practicable once a suitable site has been found, although the precise timetable will depend on the granting of planning consent and compliance with regulatory requirements, including the establishment of a sound safety case.

  We are aware of the concern expressed by environmental groups and others and that the options available to future generations should not be foreclosed by irreversible action taken now. However, given the length of time needed to develop the repository and the period over which it will remain operational, action now to pursue deep disposal leaves options open until at least the latter half of the next century.

  A planning inquiry is due to be held later this year into Nirex's application to construct a rock characterisation facility RCF, at Longlands farm near Sellafield to test
  426
  further the geology and hydrogeology of the site. I have already outlined the matters about which I particularly wish to be informed to help me reach my decision on this case. These do not include the merits of national policy on the deep disposal of ILW. It has been established through the courts that while, of course, Government policy can be a material consideration that may be taken into account at a local planning inquiry, it may not be disputed and made a central area of debate. Policy on deep disposal of ILW has, in any case, already been the subject of wide consultation in the course of the review.

  On the decommissioning of nuclear plant, the Government's view is that this should be undertaken as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, taking account of all relevant factors. The Government will in future ask all nuclear operators to draw up strategies for decommissioning their redundant plant. These will need to include justification of the timetables proposed and a demonstration of the adequacy of the financial provision being made to implement the strategies. As with all other operations on nuclear sites, decommissioning will be undertaken in accordance with conditions attached to the nuclear site licence by the nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive in order to ensure the safety of the site, workers and the public. Disposal of wastes arising during decommissioning will be subject to regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 by the environment agencies which will replace Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and, in Scotland, Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate.

  The current decommissioning strategy for Magnox and AGR power stations involves three stages—defuelling immediately on shutdown, dismantling buildings external to the reactor shield five to 10 years later, and demolition of the reactor itself 100 years after shutdown. Given that regulatory approval for decommissioning is required on a case-by-case basis, the Government believe—as we said in the preliminary conclusions of the review—that it would be unwise at present for the operators of nuclear power stations to take steps which would foreclose technically or economically the option of completing the decommissioning process on an earlier timescale should that be required, and that they should recognise, when provisioning, the potential uncertainties regarding the timing of the second and third stages. Nevertheless, the Government confirm the preliminary conclusion of the review that there are a number of potentially feasible and acceptable decommissioning strategies for nuclear power stations available to the operator, including the safestore strategy proposed by Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear. To ensure that operators' decommissioning strategies remain soundly based as circumstances change, they will be reviewed quinquennially by HSE, which will consult the environment agencies.

  The Government recognise that, in addition to nuclear power stations, a variety of other nuclear facilities are in the process of being decommissioned, or are to be decommissioned in the future. As with power stations, decisions on decommissioning these facilities should be taken on a case-by-case basis and the same general principles apply in respect of timing. Proposals for dealing with such facilities will need to be included in the operators' decommissioning strategies.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Overtime
  David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each agency and the central Department for which he is responsible(a) the total hours of overtime worked for which payment has

  1992–93

  Total hours of overtime worked

  Total amount paid in overtime £

  Days lost through sickness

  Department

  Education

  12,513

  119,238

  7,899

  Economic Development

  42,351

  376,740

  n/a

  Health and Social Services

  54,822

  620,099

  n/a

  Finance and Personnel

  77,900

  814,130

  n/a

  Northern Ireland Office

  1,564,319

  15,126,206

  99,933

  Environment1

  n/ad

  2,323,104

  n/ad

  Agriculture

  non-industrial

  127,609

  1,626,541

  n/a

  industrial

  148,173

  905,598

  16,715

  Agency

  Training and Employment Agency

  20,391

  181,758

  n/a

  Rate Collection Agency

  n/a

  126,871

  n/ad

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

  n/a

  18,111

  n/ad

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  n/a

  257,227

  n/ad

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  n/a

  75,975

  n/ad

  Social Security Agency

  457,481

  4,868,448

  122,769

  Child Support Agency

  n/es

  n/es

  n/es

  Valuation and Lands Agency

  n/es

  n/es

  n/es

  Notes:

  1. Compensation Agency included in the Northern Ireland Office figures.

  1 Excludes Industrial Staff for whom information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  n/a = Not available.

  n/ad = Not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  n/es = Not established.

  1993–94

  Total hours of overtime worked

  Total amount paid in overtime £

  Days lost through sickness

  Department

  Education

  14,492

  146,650

  8,794

  Economic Development

  38,879

  338,530

  12,664

  Health and Social Services

  37,953

  453,858

  14,605

  Finance and Personnel

  68,191

  679,487

  15,999

  Northern Ireland Office

  1,624,865

  15,931,760

  106,213

  Environment1

  n/ad

  2,171,950

  62,084

  Agriculture

  non-industrial

  105,868

  1,347,460

  38,496

  industrial

  130,931

  835,767

  19,751

  Agency

  Training and Employment Agency

  18,045

  157,357

  22,219

  Rate Collection Agency

  n/ad

  146,339

  4,371

  Ordnance Survey of NI

  n/ad

  10,450

  2,679

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  n/ad

  287,938

  2,572

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  n/ad

  29,619

  4,003

  Social Security Agency

  414,039

  4,397,492

  110,786

  Child Support Agency (NI)

  20,453

  214,298

  2,513

  Belfast Child Support Agency Centre (CSAC)3

  61,813

  684,619

  6,197

  Valuation and Lands Agency

  1,384

  16,123

  n/ad

  Notes:

  1. Compensation Agency included in the Northern Ireland Office figures.

  1 Excludes Industrial Staff for whom information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  2 Costs for Belfast Child Support Agency Centre are wholly re-imbursed by CSAC (GB).

  n/ad = Not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  428
  been made, (b) the total amount paid in overtime and (c) the total time in days and its monetary equivalent lost through sickness in each of the last three years. [19679]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed. However, the monetary value of days lost through sickness cannot be provided, as there are too many variables involved and it would be difficult to rely on the accuracy of any such calculation.
  429

  1994–95

  Total hours of overtime worked

  Total amount paid in overtime £

  Days lost through sickness

  Department

  Education

  12,409

  117,052

  9,060

  Economic Development

  40,649

  357,019

  12,711

  Health and Social Services

  36,485

  461,455

  12,501

  Finance and Personnel

  80,419

  800,372

  12,442

  Northern Ireland Office

  1,601,193

  16,868,091

  n/a

  Environment1

  n/ad

  2,324,292

  57,035

  Agriculture

  non-industrial

  105,833

  1,374,491

  37,421

  industrial

  125,115

  801,189

  14,471

  Agency

  Training and Employment Agency

  14,656

  128,947

  21,705

  Rate Collection Agency

  n/ad

  107,437

  4,646

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

  n/ad

  9,541

  2,928

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  n/ad

  401,024

  2,895

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  n/ad

  67,730

  4,258

  Social Security Agency

  409,197

  4,475,962

  125,313

  Child Support Agency (NI)

  29,262

  293,664

  3,700

  Belfast Child Support2 Agency Centre (CSAC)

  82,284

  939,126

  10,894

  Valuation and Lands Agency

  1,642

  16,570

  3,002

  Notes:

  Compensation Agency included in the Northern Ireland Office figures.

  1 Excludes Industrial Staff for whom information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  2 Costs for Belfast CSAC are wholly re-imbursed by CSAC (GB).

  n/a = Not available.

  n/ad = Not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Social Need
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the plans in each Government Department for targeting social need, and if he will make a statement. [22109]

  Mr. Ancram
  Targeting social need is one of the Government's expenditure priorities in Northern Ireland and is an integral part of departmental policies and programmes. Departments seek to ensure that resources in all relevant programmes are targeted on areas of greatest need. The following specific measures have a particular TSN impact: the Department of Education skews financial resources to board areas and individual schools with highest social need. Current initiatives include measures to raise standards in under-achieving schools and projects under the "Making Belfast Work" programme and the Londonderry initiative.

  The Department of the Environment takes account of targeting social need in resource planning for each functional area. Budget areas with the most direct impact on social need objectives are "Making Belfast Work", the Londonderry development office, the regional development office, housing and public transport.

  The Department of Health and Social Services made targeting health and social need one of the priority themes in its regional strategy for health and personal services 1992–97. The strategy addresses inequalities in health status and social well-being in the Northern Ireland population.

  The Department of Economic Development in 1994 commissioned a review of how the objectives of TSN relate to those of the Department. Following the review's recommendations for improvements to the existing mechanisms for monitoring progress in the targeting of resources, guidelines on the application of TSN are being
  430
  drawn up. In addition, each agency is preparing a three-year action plan which will establish its current baseline, set out its proposals for action, and consider any need to adapt existing programmes or create new ones.

  The Department of Finance and Personnel seeks to ensure that mainstream expenditure focuses resources on the most disadvantaged areas and people. TSN aims are consonant with the strategic objectives of the Northern Ireland single programming document 1994–1999 and are reinforced by many of its sub-programmes. Two specific targeting social need measures within the physical and social environment sub-programme aim to enhance employment opportunities in the most disadvantaged areas and to encourage the acquisition of educational and vocational qualifications.

  The Department of Agriculture administers the rural development programme, which is targeted on areas of disadvantage.

  The Northern Ireland Office applies TSN principles in funding crime prevention initiatives and the Probation Board's community development initiatives.

  Unemployment (Catholic Males)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans and strategies he will implement in order to reduce Catholic male unemployment in Northern Ireland. [22110]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Government are strengthening the Northern Ireland economy and reducing unemployment through increasingly successful efforts to attract inward investment, develop tourism, encourage exports and encourage higher innovation in Northern Ireland companies. Through the targeting social need initiative, the Government seek enhanced economic activity in disadvantaged areas.
  431
  In addition, the Training and Employment Agency has recently introduced in areas of greatest unemployment the new jobskills programme and pilot community work programmes are now in operation. Along with the existing action for community employment scheme, these provide high-quality training and additional work prospects for all those who are long-term unemployed.

  Punishment Beatings
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings have come to the attention of the Royal Ulster Constabulary since the ceasefire; which organisations are thought to have carried them out; and how many arrests have been made of instigators of punishment beatings in the current year. [23041]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Between 1 September 1994 and 30 April 1995, a total of 92 so-called punishment beatings took place, of which 35 were attributed to Loyalist and 57 to Republican groups; 80 of these have taken place since 13 October 1994.

  Figures for the number of arrests which have been made of instigators of punishment beatings in the current year are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number and species of birds of prey poisoned in each year since 1987. [22366]

  Mr. Moss
  There is no information available to enable an estimate to be made of the number of birds of prey poisoned in each year since 1987. The number scientifically examined and found to have been poisoned is as follows:

  Year

  Number of birds poisoned

  Species

  1987

  0

  —

  1988

  0

  —

  1989

  2

  2 Buzzards

  1990

  0

  —

  1991

  1

  Red Kite

  1992

  0

  —

  1993

  1

  Peregrine Falcon

  1994

  2

  2 Buzzards

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that the upper limit of housing benefit entitlement may be waived in circumstances where it is more cost-effective for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to pay higher benefit than to pay the costs of temporary accommodation for homeless or A 1 families or individuals. [22354]

  Mr. Moss
  There is no upper limit on housing benefit entitlement.

  The amount of housing benefit may be restricted where the Northern Ireland Housing Executive considers the dwelling is larger than is reasonably required by the householder and his family, or where the rent is considered unreasonably high compared with that for suitable alternative accommodation.

  Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the current cost of bed-and-breakfast accommodation to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for a family of two parents and seven children at 237 Kilkeel road, Annalong; and if he will give the equivalent full entitlement to a housing benefit for a similar family in four-bedroomed accommodation. [22355]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I have asked the chairman to write with the details requested.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals or families are currently in bed-and-breakfast or similar accommodation at the expense of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, in each region, pending rehousing from the homeless, or A1 housing waiting lists. [22356]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; The chief executive has advised me that at 1 May 1995 the numbers with homeless or AI status in temporary accommodation are as follows:

  Region

  Bed/breakfast accommodation

  NIHE hostel

  Belfast

  67

  60

  North East

  25

  10

  South East

  34

  33

  South

  7

  Nil

  West

  92

  30

  Total

  225

  133

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of bed-and-breakfast or similar accommodation to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each region in each of the past three quarters, for the placement in temporary accommodation of homeless or Al category families or individuals. [22357]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but the chief executive has advised me that the information requested is not readily available for the last three quarters. However, for the year 1994–95, the total costs of temporary accommodation for households accepted as homeless and awarded 'A1' waiting list priority, households where investigations are not yet completed and households where an appeal against a homelessness decision is pending, are as follows:

  Region

  Bed/breakfast accommodation £

  NIHE hostel £

  Belfast

  487,002.95

  380,393

  North East

  192,242.04

  53,870

  South East

  278,827.73

  147,398

  South

  102,572.56

  19,762

  West

  825,262.69

  97,392

  Total

  1,885,907.97

  698,815

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average weekly cost to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each region for housing homeless or Al category families or individuals in temporary accommodation for(a) a single individual with

  433
  no dependants, (b) a couple with no dependants, (c) a couple with two children and (d) a couple with four children; and if he will give equivalent entitlements to full housing benefit for suitable accommodation. [22358]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chief executive has advised me that the information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates, his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22563]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Where a Minister overrules an accounting officer's advice on an issue or propriety or regularity or one of value for money the accounting officer should request a written instruction from the Minister to take the action in question.

  No such instructions have been issued in the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments in the last 10 years.

  Education Authorities
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the education authorities in Northern Ireland together with the total number of pupils for which each education authority was responsible in the year ended 31 March. [23317]

  Mr Ancram
  The education authorities in Northern Ireland are the five education and library boards which are responsible for the management of the controlled sector. The number of pupils for which each board was responsible in 1994–95 is as follows:

  Area board

  Pupils

  Belfast

  22,680

  Western

  18,843

  North-Eastern

  45,165

  South-Eastern

  40,107

  Southern

  27,994

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations his Department has made to the Department of Trade and Industry concerning the need for legislation to prevent the cloning of mobile telephones. [23476]

  Mr. Ancram
  None.

  Medium Secure Units
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by regional health authority and by district health authority the current number of beds in medium secure units run by health authorities; what were the figures for each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [23507]

  Mr. Moss
  There are no medium secure units in Northern Ireland.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of the number of women in work in Leeds, West(a) full-time and (b) part-time; and what percentage of the work force these figures constitute. [21626]

  Miss Widdecombe
  As the hon. Member will be aware, information for areas of this size is available only from the census of employment. Results of the latest census, for 1993, will be available in September 1995.

  Results from the autumn 1994 labour force survey for west Yorkshire showed 222,000 women in full-time work and 195,000 in part-time work as employees or self-employed, equivalent to 23 per cent. and 21 per cent. respectively of the total.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many changes have been made since 1979 to the categories of persons included as unemployed in the data issued by his Department; and if he will list those categories and the numbers eliminated or added at each change. [21627]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  There have been nine changes to the benefit system which have significantly affected the claimant count. In order to maintain consistency, we produce a series of figures taking account of these changes for comparison purposes. These changes do not, of course, affect the Department's other measure of unemployment, the labour force survey which is based on the International Labour Organisation standards.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the size of the work force currently in employment; and what was the equivalent figure a year ago. [21630]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  There were 25.6 million in the work force in employment in the United Kingdom in December 1994 compared with 25.4 million in December 1993.

  Long-term Unemployed People
  Mr. Legg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the Government's policies on helping long-term unemployed people to find jobs. [21628]

  Mr. Paice
  In April we introduced Jobmatch, job finder's grants, Workwise and 1–2–1, four new national programmes. In addition, we extended community action and expanded work trials. There are 240,000 places on these programmes alone.

  EC Employment Direction
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts about future EC employment direction; and if he will make a statement. [21629]

  Mr. Portillo
  At every meeting of the Social Affairs Council, I have urged my fellow Employment Ministers to make job creation the first priority and not to pursue new labour market restrictions and regulations which can only destroy jobs.

  Spanish Employment Minister
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the Spanish Employment Minister to discuss labour markets and competitiveness; and if he will make a statement. [21631]

  Mr. Portillo
  I last met the Spanish Minister of Labour at the end of March. We share the view that European countries need in their own ways to improve the performance of their labour markets, to increase competitiveness and achieve sustainable reductions in structural unemployment.

  Take-home Pay
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent evidence he has to show how take-home pay in the United Kingdom compares with that in other EC countries. [21633]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Independent research shows that British workers' average take-home pay is among the best in the European Union, better than France, Italy or Denmark and comparable with western Germany.

  Youth Unemployment
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met other EU employment ministers to discuss youth unemployment. [21635]

  Mr. Paice
  Employment matters feature regularly in the discussions that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has with ministerial counterparts. I am pleased to say that the rate of youth unemployment in the UK is well below the Community average.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effects of labour market regulation on levels of youth unemployment. [21642]

  Mr. Paice
  The Government believe that labour market regulation damages the level of employment, particularly for young people.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures the Government are taking to encourage unemployed people to try different jobs. [21636]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Employment Service advisers encourage unemployed people to apply for a wide range of vacancies. Last year, the ES placed 1.87 million people in work. The Government also provide 1.5 million opportunities to help unemployed people to improve their employability, job search activities and skills.

  Age Discrimination
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the "Too Old, Who Says?" campaign aims to achieve; and what assessment he has made of how successful it has been. [21637]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The aim of the campaign is to counter age discrimination in the workplace. Through the "Too Old, Who Says?" booklet, supporting roadshows and media coverage, we offer help, advice and support to older people seeking work. It is too early to judge the success of the campaign which is still on-going. The initial response has been very encouraging.
  436
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of whether the "Too Old, Who Says?" campaign is achieving its aims. [21640]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash, (Mrs. Knight) earlier today.

  Unemployment, Ealing, Southall
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment in the constituency of Ealing, Southall in 1979; and what is the latest figure calculated using the same methodology. [21638]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Claimant unemployment rates are not available below the level of self-contained labour markets known as travel-to-work areas.

  Employment Select Committee Report
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his response to the proposals made in the first report of the Employment Select Committee, Session 1994–95, "Mothers in Employment". [21639]

  Miss Widdecombe
  We are considering the report and will respond to the Committee in due course.

  Wage Rates
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees are being paid at a rate of £2.50 an hour or less. [21643]

  Mr. Oppenehim
  The results of the latest new earnings survey show that, for full-time and part-time employees in Great Britain whose pay was not affected by absence, some 17 per 1,000 earn £2.50 per hour or less.

  Careers Service
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what improvements are being made to the running of the careers service. [21645]

  Mr. Paice
  We have been establishing clear quality standards and making significant investment through contracts and competition, which give accountability with innovation.

  Stockport Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the cumulative total paid by Stockport training and enterprise council to the Damar Group of St. Petersgate, Stockport(a) in total since the TEC was established and (b) in each year. [21174]

  Mr. Paice
  Training and enterprise councils are private companies and the contracts they enter into are subject to commercial confidentiality. Accordingly, the information requested is not collected by the Department.

  Equal Opportunities
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which Minister in his Department has responsibility for equal opportunities issues. [21460]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have responsibility for sex equality issues, people with disabilities and older workers.
  437
  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim), deals with race equality issues, while my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, South (Mr. Paice) is responsible for special needs training.

  Teesside TEC
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, what has been the expenditure of Teesside TEC on the East Cleveland training and employment group in each of the last 10 years. [21436]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Training and enterprise councils are private companies and the contracts they enter into are subject to commercial confidentiality. Accordingly the information requested is not collected by the Department.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department plans to spend on training for unemployed people living within the Greater London area in the present financial year. [22404]

  Mr. Paice
  The budget for training for work for unemployed adults for the London training and enterprise councils for the 1995–96 financial year is approximately £94.4 million.

  Graduate Unemployment
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of graduate unemployment; what proportion of trainees on Government schemes move from their training into related areas of employment; and what forms of assistance are accorded to trainees to move from training into such employment. [22530]

  Mr. Paice
  The latest estimates from labour force survey for autumn 1994 show that 185,000 graduates of working are ILO unemployed.

  There are a number of ways that the Government help to equip trainees for entry into the labour market. Training and enterprise councils are encouraged to give jobsearch help to trainees and training for work is now more jobs focused with payment being made for outcomes achieved. We are working towards a target of 50 per cent. of leavers going into jobs by 1997–98. Training enables young people to gain nationally recognised vocational qualifications and receive advice and guidance which equips them to compete in the labour market.

  The tables show what proportion of trainees move from their training into related areas of employment:

  Percentage of those who trained in each occupational area and who got a job, where that job was in the same occupational area as their training

  TFW

  England and Wales

  Per cent.

  1993–94 leavers

  Management or administration work

  27

  Professional work

  15

  Science or engineering work

  32

  Health associated work

  59

  Legal or business associated work

  2

  Literary or sport professional

  6

  438

  Percentage of those who trained in each occupational area and who got a job, where that job was in the same occupational area as their training

  TFW

  England and Wales

  Per cent.

  Clerical work

  27

  Secretarial work

  12

  Skilled construction work

  39

  Skilled Engineering/electronic work

  30

  Metal/welding work

  29

  Motor vehicle work

  29

  Textile work

  53

  Printing/woodworking/horticulture or craft work

  20

  Protective service occupation

  23

  Catering/waiting work

  39

  Health/childcare occupation

  42

  Hairdressing/personal Service work

  36

  Buyer/sales Representative work

  24

  Sales assistant/checkout operator/other sales occupation

  37

  Industrial/plant machine operating work

  19

  Transport operatives/drivers occupation

  47

  Agriculture/forestry/fishing

  11

  Other elementary/manual work

  30

  Source: TFW Trainee database and follow-up survey.

  Percentage of those who trained in each occupational area and who got a job, where that job was in the same occupational area as their training

  Youth Training England and Wales

  Per cent.

  1993–94 leavers

  Science and engineering professions

  12

  Sport/creative/artistic work

  15

  Secretarial work

  12

  Engineering work

  25

  Vehicle trades

  26

  Printing /woodworking work

  10

  Cooking/food preparation etc.

  35

  Security work/police/HM forces

  n/a

  Hairdressing/beautician work

  70

  Sales work

  20

  Industrial plant machine work and assembly

  11

  Nursing and medical technicians

  n/a

  Clerical work

  21

  Building/construction work

  26

  Metal forming, welding and related trades

  8

  Making textiles and clothing

  27

  Health and childcare work

  13

  Buying and sales reps

  n/a

  Transport workers and drivers

  n/a

  Farming, fishing or gardening work

  14

  Other elementary work

  23

  Source: YT trainee database and follow-up survey.

  Training Provisions
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many places were provided by each TEC in(a) the current year, (b) the previous three years for (i) special needs trainees, (ii) those unemployed for 12 months or over and (iii) those unemployed for 24 months or over; [22994]

  (2) what is the average length of stay for (a) men, (b) women, (c) each ethnic group and (d) special needs trainees on (i) youth training and (ii) training for work or employment training; and, for each programme, how many trainees and, what proportion have been in training for (1) more than 20 weeks, (2) between 20 and 52 weeks,

  439
  (3) more than 52 weeks but under 104 weeks and (4) over 104 weeks; and what were the corresponding figures in each of the last five years; [22993]

  (3) how many people (a) applied for and (b) were in receipt of (i) enterprise allowance and (ii) business start-up allowance for each TEC area, in each region, and for Great Britain as a whole in each of the last five years; [22995]

  (4) in each of the last three years, what has been the number of NVQs achieved, and at what levels, by entrants to (a) the YT programme and (b) the training for work programme for each TEC in (i) each region and (ii) the United Kingdom; [22952]

  (5) how many (a) men, (b) women, (c) members of each ethnic group and (d) special needs trainees currently have places on (i) YT and (ii) training for work or ET for each TEC in (1) each region and (2) for each country of the United Kingdom; and what were the figures in each of the last five years; [22988]

  (6) what is the average length of stay on (a) training for work and (b) YT programmes broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group and (iii) those with a disability or health problem for each TEC in (1) each region and (2) the United Kingdom. [22951]

  Mr. Paice
  As this information is contained in a number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Employment Measures (Disabled People)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made since the introduction of special contracts arrangements to employ more people with a disability. [22702]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The special contracts arrangement was introduced on 29 November 1994 to help supported employment programme providers compete for contracts tendered by Government Departments and agencies.

  Ninety-one workshops have now registered under the special contracts arrangement and the size of the supported employment programme has remained steady at around 21,000 severely disabled participants.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of his Department's budget is allocated to initiatives which have been undertaken to secure private finance for his Department's projects. [22799]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Options for securing private finance are considered as a part of normal project arrangements in the Department. No specific element of the budget is set aside for this purpose.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what proportion of, vacancies advertised by his Department and by each of his Department's agencies in the last three years have listed the attainment of NVQs as an acceptable entry requirement; and, of those, how many have required(a) level 1 NVQs, (b) level 2 NVQs, (c) level 3 NVQs and (d) other level national vocational qualifications. [22990]
  440
  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Special Contracts
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment his Department has made of the success of the special contracts arrangements [22701]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Chidgey) on 15 March 1995,Official Report, column 624.

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many times in the last 10 years, and on which dates his departmental accounting officer has issued a minute in that role; and what was the issue in each case. [22562]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I know of no such cases.

  Employment Services (Targets)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what basis he decided the target of 9.5 per cent. of initial claim inquiries made to the Employment Service not to be pursued as new claims, target No. 7 in the Employment Service's annual performance agreement for 1995–96; what factors have led to an increase in this target from the equivalent target in the annual performance agreement for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement. [23048]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The purpose of this target is to ensure that each client has been: informed of all the conditions necessary to qualify for unemployment benefit; referred to make a claim for the appropriate benefit and offered any suitable vacancies before attending a new claims interview. It is the client's decision whether or not to pursue a claim to benefit.

  In deciding the target level for 1995–96, a number of factors have been taken into account. These include performance against the target during 1994–95 and the labour market and the operational context in which the Employment Service will be working in the coming year.

  Employment Service (Claims)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list(a) the total number of claims made to the Employment Service which were referred to adjudication, in each case giving the reason for referral to adjudication, (b) the total amount spent on adjudication services in the Employment Service and (c) the percentage of the Employment Service budget spent on adjudication services for each year since 1988; [23047]

  (2) if he will list (a) the number of claims for unemployment related benefits made to the Employment Service which are referred to adjudication and (b) the percentage of those cases where the adjudication officer has decided in favour of the Employment Service's referral, in each case giving the reason for referral to adjudication for each year since 1988. [23049]
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  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Ms Harriet Harman, dated 9 May 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about claims referred to adjudication, and about the cost of adjudication services in the Employment Service (ES).
  Unfortunately information is not available in the form you have requested. We record the number of adjudication decisions and opinions given rather than the number of cases referred to adjudication. Decisions are recorded as allowed, disallowed, reviewed in the claimant's favour, reviewed adversely to the
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  claimant, referred to the Social Security Appeal Tribunal for a decision, or not reviewed.
  Information on the number of adjudication officer's decisions and opinions is contained in a published document entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". This provides information on all the main entitlement questions arising on claims. Copies of this document are held in the Library of the House. The latest available information relates to the quarter year to December 1994.
  Approximately £25.2 million was spent on adjudication services in the ES during the year April 1994 to March 1995. This figure includes the cost of salaries, general administrative expenditure, and premises costs, and represents some 2.4% of the total ES Gross Running Costs Budget for the year. I am sorry that this information is not available for the earlier years. 1994/95 was the first year for which total adjudication costs have been calculated.
  I hope this is helpful.

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